A Frame Cabins For Sale

The Pros and Cons of Living in an A-Frame House

A frame cabins are making an come-back. These simple buildings have two walls made from the sloped sides and roof of an A-shaped roof. The first floor is wide and tapers to a peak on the second (or sometimes third) floors, creating angles that are not common in cabins. This architectural design is unique among other cabins on the marketplace because of its triangular shape, large windows and high ceilings. There are some quirks that you need to be aware of before you move in.

A-frames Cabins For Sale Have Lots of Natural Light

Many A-frames feature large windows in both the front and back. Some designs add even more brightness by using skylights. This natural light gives the A-frames a spacious feeling that makes them seem larger.

We suggest that you angle your A-frame in the right direction to get great light, especially in the morning and night. Make sure that the largest windows face east or west.

It can be difficult to achieve optimal airflow and ventilation.

Open-plan living with high ceilings might not be the best design for airflow. Rising heat can cause A-frame houses to become too cold on the bottom floor in winter, and too hot on the top floor in summer.

Proper ventilation is essential for heat to escape from the cabin or spread evenly in a warmer environment. This can be done with either a floor fan or a ceiling fan. Your electric bill will be higher if you have baseboard heat. However, it shouldn't be prohibitive if your cabin has good airflow. For rooms with high ceilings, radiant heat can be a smart choice.

Strategically Place Furniture in Aframe Cabin for Sale

An important consideration when building an A-frame cabin is the height of your furniture. Your couch, chair or bed will be higher than the wall, and you'll have less floor space behind it. You must ensure that there is enough space for furniture, but also consider the amount of head space needed to use it. You can push furniture closer to the walls if your roof pitch is higher.

A measuring tape will be your best friend when you are choosing furniture for your A frame. Double-check your measurements--especially height--before making purchases and setting up any rooms on upper floors.

Lower Floors Have Less Square Footage

The charm of an angled roof is undeniable, but the drawback to the A-frame is that it reduces square footage. Although the ground floor is spacious, the floors above are smaller and cabin owners might have to maneuver around furniture to keep their heads from hitting the ceiling.

You have two options when it comes to smaller A-frame cabins. One, you can accept the unique space constraints and one, you can be creative and use the space behind furniture as storage. It is possible to expand small rooms by adding Dormers without changing your cabin's footprint.

A Sloped Roof Can Provide Seasonal Benefits

A-frame buildings can be found around ski resorts. A sloped roof prevents snow accumulation and ice buildup. The accumulation of snow can cause roof damage and can even lead to roof failure. An A-frame house, especially one with a metal roof, avoids harmful snow accumulation due to the power of gravity.

Pay attention to the grading surrounding your house during rainy seasons. Many A-frames do not have rain gutters. This makes it crucial to ensure that water does not pool around the foundation.

Stairs Are Not Easy in Aframes

Whether you are buying or building an a-frame, think about how you will get from one floor to the next. Many A-frames prefer spiral staircases that are attractive, but this can cause problems if you don't have a second set.

A sloped roof can be an obstruction when trying to get furniture up to the second or third floors. It's important to plan for the access you have on the ground floor, in case of injury or other condition that makes it difficult or impossible to climb stairs.

Photographers May Take Photos of Your Cabin

Passersby may be drawn to the A-frame cabin's picturesque exterior and ask for a photograph. We consider this a compliment and their A-frame draws a lot of attention. While it is nice to have pictures taken for a rental cabin, it might not be as flattering if strangers were actually taking photos of her permanent residence.

We really don't want people to build an A-frame house... unless they are totally in love with it. As in relationships, things end up badly if one is not in full-hearted and for the long run. So, this time, instead of praising A-frame buildings, I am going to give you five reasons you should keep clear of them.

1. You can build it by yourself

Yes, a small A-frame home kit (SOLO or DUO for example) is so simple that two people can put it up without extra help. Larger kits might require more people but the music is the same: you can get it up by yourself.

Why is this bad?

Cause people can get overconfident and face the installation without due preparation.

Here is the hard truth: 

without doing proper homework and without involving the right people for help, you are setting yourself up for failure.

A few words of advice: 

• read as much as you can on the topic of self-building before you start the project

• talk to people who have done it already or who work in construction

• get a feeling for what you could be overlooking

If you do these things right, then self-building can become a big plus.

2. It has no external walls

Except for the front and back walls, there is no vertical external surface in the house.

Is this a problem?

Well, this is highly subjective. The inclined ceiling and the ample interior spaces are what gives A-frame their characteristic feeling. Some like it, some don't. To compensate for the inclined interior surfaces you have the large open-space interior areas. 

3. It has 20% more exterior surface

That's right... compared to a regular house offering the same living space, it has about 20% more surface exposed to the elements (yes, we did the math... more than once). However, the length of the connections between construction components (floors, slab, walls, roof), is about 10% shorter than what would you would find in a regular house.

This means:

• you need 10% less material to build the connections

• you get better air-tightness

• you get less heat-loss from the connections.

Yes, the materials you need for the building envelope are still 20% more (read extra cost on materials) but, as it is mostly roof we are talking about, the degree of insulation is generally better than the one you find in regular walls.

The result?

Overall the A-frame consumes less energy than a regular house of an equivalent living area (read lower energy bills)...and does it cost more to build?

Generally, it doesn't. 

In fact, installing a metal roof costs way less than installing exterior cladding on a wall... without counting the maintenance over the lifespan of the house.

4. You cannot step on the roof

Yeah, there is no way around this... you cannot step on the roof. It is simply too steep.

But hey, as you cannot stand straight on the metal cover of your house, so cannot the snow or the heavy rain.

Everything falls down to the ground. No questions.

Guess what? ...even the wind has a hard time getting a good grasp on this roof.

So what seems like an issue (who wants to walk on a roof anyway???) comes to be quite handly.

And you know what? ...the steep angle of the roof makes it perfect for generating your own electricity with solar panels!...and no, you don't have to clean them from snow in the winter cause snow still follows gravity.

5. No conventional storage space

Ok, here we are tight.

If you have a big family and you are used to having several wardrobes, you might get in trouble by getting yourself an A-frame.

We already confessed that there are not many vertical walls inside an A-frame house, therefore space for installing a traditional wardrobe is quite limited.

But hey, there is plenty of unused space close to the floor, both on the ground and on the first floor.

For an AFrame Cabin, we are talking about 15 cubic meters (530 cubic foot) of hidden and empty space at the ground floor...

...all you need is a little bit of creativity and you can turn most of this space into proper storage.

Conclusion

I tried to make you hate A-frames... but the more I dig deep into every aspect of it, the more I don't see why people should build a regular "cubic" house.

A-frame homes are not for everyone but, for those that love this super-efficient concept, A-frames can be (and will be) a deep satisfaction.