| So you're dreaming of buying that piece of | | | | make sure you know the extent of the |
| paradise, the ideal cabin tucked away from the | | | | necessary repairs. |
| buzz of the city. Call it what you will: your dream | | | | Check that the floors are level- that they are not |
| cabin, cottage, chalet, lodge, vacation home, | | | | tilted or heaved. This can indicate a shifting |
| whatever it is, it's your dream. Now, most folks | | | | foundation or warped floor joists. As you would |
| when looking for this dream dive into all the things | | | | with any house, check thoroughly for any smells, |
| they'll do "outside" of the cabin: kayaking, skiing, | | | | signs of mold or dankness which can indicate |
| fishing, hunting, swimming, hiking etc- and how | | | | moisture entering the home- possibly through a |
| glorious these activities will be. And they certainly | | | | leaky roof. |
| will!- but it's easy to get caught up in the | | | | If there's a septic system, make sure you find |
| excitement, and to overlook the importance of | | | | out when it was last cleaned, and, if it has been |
| truly assessing the home you're looking at buying. | | | | serviced lately you can find out from the septic |
| Here's an important checklist to help guide the | | | | company about the type and condition of the |
| purchase of your cabin: | | | | equipment. |
| First off the best time to do an inspection on a | | | | In terms of the lot you'll want to assess how |
| cabin is in the spring time, after cruel winter has | | | | remote of a property it is- and then truly map |
| taken its brutal toll. This way you can get an idea | | | | out how you'll access it. Ask yourself if you can |
| of how well the cabin and surrounding property | | | | actually commit to the demands of the journey. |
| stands up to the hard the winter months. Take | | | | Find out if a boat and raft might be included in the |
| note of potential problem areas- and estimate | | | | sale. If there is access by road you'll want to find |
| how much they'll cost to repair or maintain. | | | | out who maintains it and what your share of the |
| Inside the house you'll want to check the situation | | | | cost might be. Find out if there's winter access. |
| with the electrical panel to determine whether it | | | | As a general rule of thumb, the best lots have a |
| has fuses or circuit breakers. Fuse panels are | | | | slope of less than 10% and should not excess |
| typical of older cottages but have been replaced | | | | 30% (unless you're a veritable mountain man). |
| by circuit breakers over the past 30 years. Count | | | | Ideally the soil should be permeable and have |
| the number of spaces available for new circuits. | | | | good forest cover. Drainage should be away from |
| This will help you determine the number of | | | | the cabin. In the best of worlds, your lots size |
| upgrades possible in the future. | | | | would be over an acre- as this is a good land |
| Check the quality of the widows- are they single, | | | | investment- but it all depends on your needs and |
| double or sealed pane windows? Next, you'll want | | | | budget. |
| to look for any apparent mold around the window | | | | Looking into these factors, with a certified home |
| that might indicate leaking or sweating windows. | | | | inspector as your guide, will help you find your |
| Depending on the severity of the moisture, a lot | | | | dream cabin- one that will stand proud and strong |
| of damage can be accrued from a cabin that is | | | | through the sands of time. |
| not properly sealed. If there is such damage, | | | | |
