DIY Cabin Shells
Montana Shed Center offers the perfect DIY cabin shed.
Housing is a problem for many people. Getting a guest bedroom, a place for elderly parents, or a cabin on your property can be difficult. Plus, the price can make them unobtainable. A Montana Shed Center DIY cabin could be a great solution.
Our cottages are a great place to start for acquiring an affordable living space. It does require you to finish it yourself-maybe with the help of a friend, or you could hire a handyman to help out. As a result of “doing it yourself”, you can save quite a bit of money, plus you can take pride in having your handy work on display.
With a project like a cabin, you can take advantage of having a warm, dry, and secure shelter while you finish the interior as your budget allows.
Together, we can make this happen for you!
Select A Style And Start Designing Your Custom Cabin Shell.
Built with proven materials
- Metal Roof with a 40-year manufacture warranty. 1
- LP SmartSiding with a 50-year manufacture warranty. 2
- 5/8″ Tongue & Groove Flooring.
- Pretreated Skids that will last a lifetime. 3
- Available sizes: 4′, 6′, 8′, 10′, 12′, 14′ & 16′ widths and 8′ to 52′ length.
An important fact to note is that the warranty is void if materials are not applied according to manufacturer specifications. We follow those instructions carefully to ensure your products are protected under the manufacturer’s warranty.
- Shingles are optional
- Other siding materials options
- Pretreated joist is optional.
Examples of available options
We have dealers across Montana, Idaho, Nebraska, Utah & Wyoming.
There is a shed, garage, animal shelter, greenhouse, or cabin for sale near you.
FAQ About Cabin Shells
- Do these come completed on the inside?
- DIY cabin shells provide a good shell or base off which to finish out your cabin the way you’d like it. Typically, these are not fully finished. To find availability for options you would like in your cabin shell, please consult with your local dealer.
- Can I get electrical and insulation?
- We can offer electrical in any building in Montana or Wyoming and have 4 different packages to choose from. (You will likely want the deluxe or the upgraded deluxe package in a cabin shell.) Wiring is unavailable due to code changes if the building is to go into any other state.
- Can I special order products I’d like to be used in the cabin shell?
- Yes, you can. We will install customer-supplied windows at a small charge and are pretty flexible with working with customer-preferred products within reason. Please chat with your local dealer for more information.
- What do I need to do for site preparation?
- You must provide adequate access to the proposed building location, ensuring the path is wide and high enough for the garage delivery. We recommend 2’ clearance from both sides and overhead. You can find our MSC disclaimer and recommended site preparations. You will be responsible for acquiring a contractor to conduct a concrete monolithic slab or stem wall foundation.
- What should I use for a foundation/base?
- If you are looking to have the cabin shell plumbed in the future, you will likely want to have a monolithic slab foundation or stem wall (crawl space) foundation conducted. We will create a hatch in the flooring for plumbing access if you plan to set it onto a monolithic slab. The placement of this hatch will need to be communicated from you to your contractor so he can emulate this 2×2 space in the slab.
- Can these be put together on-site?
- We can conduct a DIY cabin shell on-site, but it is not recommended. Typically, these shells are used as living spaces. We always recommend allowing us to insulate the floor, as this is very hard to do post-delivery. We cannot conduct spray foam insulation installment on-site; therefore, an on-site DIY shell is not recommended.
- Can I finance a cabin shell?
- Most likely, your cabin shell will exceed $20k, making it unqualified for our rent-to-own program. We recommend you investigate financing with a bank to secure a payment plan to finance your cabin shell.
- Do I need a permit for these?
- Depending on the shell’s location, there is a chance you will need special permits for your building. You are responsible for ensuring you are within permit codes for your area. Please see your local county plan coordination department to see if you have special restrictions or permitting needed in your area.
- What is the timeframe to get an order?
- On average cabin, shells take about 8-11 weeks for completion but can vary to 16 weeks depending upon what products must be ordered in and their lead times for delivery to our shop. It is best to get an order finalized a bit early to be sure you have your cabin shell in the allotted time frame you had in mind.