Material Transportation

Transporting building materials is done in many ways, all of which vary considerably in cost. They are barging, sledding, skidding, fly in and road building.

1. Barging your materials to your site, requires two major factors. One, navigable water ways and two, road access to the waterway. This tends to be one of the cheaper, more effective means of transport and allows builders to bring in heavy equipment or supplies, which can lower construction costs.

2. Skidding materials to a building site has one major requirement, this is that a logging road or open path be clear of trees and major obstructions, which would allow the builder to "drag" the supplies behind a tractor or bulldozer. In a way, this is often the choice of many, because it provides, not only material shipment to the site, but also paves the way (so to speak) for future road accesses. This method also allows the use of heavy equipment and occasionally, the import of sand and gravel for weeping or drainage systems. This method is another fairly cheap alternative, but varies depending on the distance and local terrain.

3. Sledding material to jobsite can only be done during the winter months. This of course, means that the builder must leave the material, on site, until the spring and summer months when they can return to construct the building. What sledding means is that the material is brought to the jobsite, during the winter months, by pulling large sleighs or toboggans behind snow machines or snow cats. Builders utilize existing waterways, creeks and rivers as snow covered roadways. This method takes a fair amount of accuracy in estimating the total amount of building materials required, for missed items can lead to large expenses for transportation by other means. However, this is the cheapest means of remote location building in US.

4. Fly in building is by far the most expensive means of construction. The cost of airfreight by plan is very high. Considering that your only airstrips are the natural lakes and large rivers, and that float planes are quite a bit smaller than wheeled plans, you will find building locations limited, as well as a large number of flights required to import materials. Heavy equipment is out of the question, as their size and weight pose a problem in air freighting. When utilizing this method it is important to consider the extensive use of material located at the site (i.e. Building log homes on stone foundations).

5. Road building can be, and often is, the most expensive means of building, of course this depends on the distances you have to span, terrain type and water crossings, let alone the environmental laws, local by laws. Ministry requirements, permits and other legal considerations you would have to address. The cost of a road varies but expect to pay as much as $7,000.00 per mile for just a simple, bulldozed dirt access road. The advantages are great, you get road access after construction, and the supply costs are minimal. As well, if you own property adjacent to your building site, the values of the properties increase dramatically.

Heating

Heating, much like a home, has many alternatives, all of which vary in cost and performance. The most common means of heating are wood, propane or oil. Fuel can be easily transported or obtained on or to the location, and do not necessarily require the use of electricity. An added bonus is that the heating plant can be utilized, not only to provide space heating, but to also provide cooking facilities, hot water for showers or baths, and with propane, refrigeration or lighting.

1. Wood heat still outweighs all other means of heating for cottages or resorts, located in isolated areas. Its fuel source is readily obtainable from the forests in the surrounding area, although rather labour intensive to cut and split. Most often it is installed as a central wood stove, but installations of wood furnaces with electric blower fans and ductwork has been done. Central wood stoves, although very cheap to install, tend to leave rooms located at a distance from it, at lower temperatures. Wood stoves can be used for cooking on, as well as providing hot water for showers or washing.

2. Propane, which is often the fuel of choice, has many advantages over wood. It can not only heat your building, but provide hot water, cooking, lighting and refrigeration, without the use of electricity. Its only draw back is that the tanks must be replenished from time to time, which usually means disconnecting and transporting the tanks back and forth from a supply source. It is relatively cheap, and easy to have installed. Heat can be obtained from a central furnace with electric fans and ductwork, to independent sources located in each room, generally radiant heating units. Standard gas hot water tanks, cook stoves and refrigerators can be converted to LP or propane at most natural gas appliance dealers. Balancing convenience and cost, this is often the choice for owners.

3. Oil heat has all the advantages of propane, except for providing refrigeration. I have yet to see an oil fired refrigerator (though I may be wrong). Oil still requires transportation to the location from the supply source, but can be transported in smaller, easier to manage containers. Prior to propane, oil was the choice for remote locations, but with the advent of compressed LP gas tanks, propane soon became the equivalent fuel of choice.

In closing, unless you are going to install a power plant, or bring in an electrical service, your heating options are rather limited. Although wood tends to be more popular with a "roughing it" lifestyle, the convenience of propane or oil is rapidly become the fuel of choice.

Sometimes, the concept of isolation, and living or vacationing in remote areas has its own draw, and with more and more successful fly in fishing or hunting resorts being built, this lifestyle is rapidly becoming popular with people escaping the pressures of city living. It is a relaxing opportunity for people to get away from it all, and enjoy nature at its purest. The rewards and pride of a successfully completed project provides satisfaction for years to come. Just remember to approach it with caution. Information gathering and good planning is your best defense against increased costs, frustration and disappointment.