Lumberjacking & Excavating at Cabin Site

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When Building on a Hill, Gravity Always Wins!!

Source: Dave & Patty Hagen
15 Jan 00

We luckily found a site that had never been developed. Along with the natural challenge of that came a very steep hill to the lake. We cut trees & band-sawed them for lumber. We made roads, culverts, stairways, docks, septic systems and built retaining- walls and footings. We installed a walk-out wood foundation.

We built a 4-stall garage with an upstairs efficiency apartment (air-con, kitchen, toilet) for guests,a gazebo (12' octagon w/deck) for a quiet retreat in the woods and a shed to put our tools and toys in.

We uncovered a major rock formation during excavation, so we collected them for fireplace and foundation stone. Because of the steep slope, the rocks and the rain we did, admittedly, do a few of the jobs over more than once.

Here are merely a few of the images of that saga, which is still ongoing as we finish landscaping, road and stair building.

From a Forest to a Homesite!

 New Driveway to County Road 

 Felled Trees ready for Band-Saw             Lumber Being Dried

 Inquisitive Neighbor                  Retaining Walls Required

 Deck For the Gazebo                         Boats at the Ready

 Build it, then Hoist it!             Road to Future Cabin Site

 Garage w/Apartment Up                  Gazebo Ready for Picnic

 Patty Hauling Rocks                          Future Cabin Site

 Labs Fresh From a Swim                      Footings for Cabin

 Still Invisible from Lake                     Winter Fun Also!

A Few Progress Shots During Site Preparation

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