Backcountry Hut Company (BHC), a Canadian studio creating flatpack cabins that assemble easily onsite, has unveiled a new model dubbed the Catskills Cabin. The attractive compact dwelling is inspired by traditional alpine cabin design and boasts a stunning use of timber and rustic features throughout. What’s more, the entire exterior shell only took 10 days to fully install.
As its name suggests, the not-so-tiny cabin is located in the Catskills region of New York. It stretches over two levels, with a generous 998 sq ft (92.7 sqm) of interior living space. The home is built with a sustainably harvested engineered glulam timber frame and is clad in prefabricated insulated panels that make up the walls, roof, and flooring.
The exterior shell creates a tight thermal envelope that reduces overall energy costs and helps maintain interior temperature throughout both the warmer and cooler months. Clients also have the option of further upgrading this envelope system with additional sustainable features such as rooftop solar panels, to achieve Net Zero or Passive House recognition.
Inside, the ground floor features a warm open living space, central modern kitchen, full bathroom, storage space and access to the outdoor terrace. The second story boasts cathedral ceilings with extra-large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lush forest landscape, plus twin master bedrooms with a central shared bathroom.
The home also enjoys beautiful cedar-beamed ceilings, custom herringbone cedar shelving, timber and slate floors, and continuous views across the natural surroundings. The landscaped outdoor area is finished with a picnic table, tree-stump seating, barbecue and fire pit for outdoor dining and entertaining all year round.
The Catskills Cabin is based on the original BHC System 02 model, which costs CAD$210,000 (about US$163,335). That said, the total budget to complete the entire cabin came in at CAD$413,000 (US$321,227). To give you a clearer of idea of how quickly the expenses add up, the overall budget is broken down as follows:
- BHC shipping: CAD$17,500 (US$13,624)
- Consultant fees and permitting: CAD$36,000 (US$28,026)
- Foundation: CAD$20,000 (US$15,570)
- Interior finishing: CAD$50,000 (US$38,926)
- Construction trades: CAD$79,500 (US$61,892)
- System 02 kit: CAD$210,000 (US$163,489)
Source: Backcountry Hut Company