Cabin Foundation | How To Build A Foundation For A Cabin | Zook Cabins (2024)

When you took the time to design your cabin you made sure that everything came together correctly. It is very important to put the time and effort into getting your site properly prepared. Proper site preparation gives your modular log home a solid, level cabin foundation and makes delivery go as smoothly as it possibly can.

With any building purchased, we will give you a schematic, in this drawing we will have an image showing the foundation that we expect to see when we arrive for delivery. Consider the following options when deciding how to build a foundation for your cabin.

Watch the following video to better understand how your property will need to be prepared for the delivery of your Zook Cabin.

Foundations for Certified Modular Homes

A certified modular home requires a solid foundation, you can either do a crawl space foundation or if you want to add more living space or just plain storage the basem*nt option is a great value.

Basem*nt Foundation

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Crawl Space Foundation

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Don’t forget:

For your Basem*nt or crawl space foundation our plans will call for your site contractor to install a pressure treated wooden sill plate on top of the concrete foundation wall & also down your center supports (or steel beam if used for a basem*nt) That way our on-site crew can attach the floor joists to the sill plate.

Foundations for Single-wide Recreational Buildings

A Stone base is the easiest and most cost effective cabin foundation for a non-certified single wide building, a concrete pad is a common foundation as well but either of these are sufficient and will be a great value to the structures lifetime.

Please Note: All Double-wide buildings are required to sit on concrete foundations.

Stone Pad

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Concrete Pad

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Cabin Foundation | How To Build A Foundation For A Cabin | Zook Cabins (12)

The minimum requirements for your cabin foundation will vary based on your building style, size and some of the other custom options.

Included in the drawing will be details about where you will need to have an access pit to allow for the hookup of your water and sewer. The access pit should be roughly 6’L x 3’W x 3’D with 3′ of the pit going under the cabin (most likely under the bathroom). Since its 3′ deep or below frost level in your area, the ground temperature keeps the pipes from freezing.

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Cabin Foundation | How To Build A Foundation For A Cabin | Zook Cabins (14)

Cabin Foundation | How To Build A Foundation For A Cabin | Zook Cabins (15)

Hooking up Your Utilities

Your local electrician and plumber would be responsible for hooking up your utilities: electric, sewer, and water. Our modular cabin design makes it easy and straightforward for them to have it completed quickly. After they are all connected, turn them on and you will be able to enjoy your cabin right away – there is no reason you should have a drawn out construction process like you would with a kit or stick built home!

The Permitting Process

Before you get too far into the project you will want to check with your local municipality to see whether you will need a permit for your project. Permit requirements vary a great deal from state to state or even within the township ordinances and the best way to find out what you need is to ask you township. (HINT: A quick search on-line will give you a phone number or email address to the local township where you are looking to build)

Cabin Foundation | How To Build A Foundation For A Cabin | Zook Cabins (2024)

FAQs

What kind of foundation do I need for a cabin? ›

Regardless of the type of foundation, the majority of American log cabin foundations are built with some form of concrete, either poured, block or precast. Some types of foundations used for log cabin homes are slab, pier, crawlspace and basem*nt.

What is the cheapest cabin foundation to build? ›

A raft foundation is cheaper and quicker than a strip foundation as it requires less raw materials and excavation. Raft foundations are typically laid on hardcore, such as stone or broken bricks – which don't absorb water, to protect your cabin from movements in the ground.

How do you build a cabin base? ›

If you're installing a concrete slab, ensure you dig down first to install a layer of hardcore. The hardcore should be compacted to ensure a stable base, and it's often a good idea to build a timber frame around the base to keep it in shape during construction.

What is the best foundation for an arched cabin? ›

We recommend digging as deep as possible for most applications and belling out the bottom of the holes to ensure the best possible foundation for the Arched Cabin. At the bottom of each hole, we place a cement block - typically 8 inches x 8 inches x 4 inches - to add stability while the cement cures for the piers.

Can you put a cabin on a concrete slab? ›

A 4'' slab concrete is put on top of the footings. Concrete pad foundations: One of the most popular foundation types for log cabins. Basically, it is a concrete base which is not very deep. Piers: These are the structures which come out of the ground and support the cabin at certain points.

What is the easiest foundation to build? ›

In general, poured concrete slabs are affordable and easy to install. They don't require a lot of excavation or materials, and they can support quite a bit of weight.

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