Your System 01 | 02 Planning Guide

Whether you're wanting to build a cozy retreat nestled in the mountains or a secluded oasis by the lake, this three-part planning guide is here to help you understand our process, timelines, and budgeting, as well as how to dive in and get started on your dream project. Every project is unique depending on a variety of factors; therefore, the planning required ranges from simple to complex. Join us as we explore the possibilities of prefabricated home building that can be yours with a BHC kit in a three-part series, beginning with the BHC Process.

The Process: From Dream to Destination

Remote construction projects are unique like no other, this means they can have a host of unique challenges. Our streamlined BHC Process is designed to shepherd you and your team, that may consist of a General Contractor and consultants, every step of the way. Our methodology consists of 5 phases:

01. Consultation
02. Feasibility 
03. Documentation
04. Fabrication
05. Assembly

The elements of each phase are clearly defined in our BHC Process document. Below we've outlined the introductory steps of 01 Consultation. Let's get started. 

Define Your Vision - What do you envision on your site? Where is the site? What size will best accommodate you, and how will you enjoy your space? Gather all your ideas, and any inspiration. You’ll find some inspiration on our Pinterest board.

Collect Your Documents - Work through our BHC Project Handbook to ensure you have all the materials needed to get started, from your financial plan to zoning applications, and everything in between.

Schedule a 30 min Phone Consultation - When you are ready to take planning to the next level, contact us to Get Started. We look forward to learning more about you, your vision, and property. During the meeting we will guide you through our website and the BHC Process. We’ll discuss our systems, configurations and a basic budget.

Finalize Your Project Details - After our initial phone consultation, you may need to thoughtfully consider some details, or consult your financial institution. Your local jurisdictions can also provide you with a construction permit checklist.

Review the BHC Agreement - After you’re organized to assess all the relevant considerations for your unique build site, we’ll confirm all of your personal information and system modules and configuration in order to provide you with the BHC Agreement for your review.

1 hr Detailed Discussion - Together in a web session, we’ll discuss any requirements made by local jurisdictions and develop a more detailed budget for your project. We’ll intentionally evaluate if your requirements and budget align with the BHC process, systems, and services.

Sign the BHC Agreement - Congratulations! Once you have a thorough understanding of the process and have confirmed available financial resources, we’ll invite you to sign the BHC Agreement. Once signed, we will introduce you to a BHC Project Manager who will work with you throughout the build process.

Voila! Transition on to 02 Feasibility - Next, we’ll confirm the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved in the project. This will set you up for success to review compliance with the requirements of local jurisdictions, and feasibility given the project's specific parameters. We’ll set you up in our BHC systems and you’ll have the support of a BHC Project Manager, Operations Lead, and Architectural Technologist. At this point, you can prepare to receive your pricing drawings in two weeks!

There's no need to be overwhelmed, understand that building a home is a rare opportunity and can be extremely gratifying once complete. We're here to support you through the process. All of this information and more is readily available on our website, we encourage you to read through our Project Handbook and System Catalogs or click the button below to learn more.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of our 3-part Planning Guide that will focus on the various project timelines that can help keep you and your project on target.

How to Begin With BHC

Ready to embark on your kit-of-parts journey with The Backcountry Hut Company? We're here to support you every step of the way. Simply fill out the Get Started form on our website and you'll be sent a link to book a phone consultation with a member of our team. 

Complete your Interior Aesthetically, Efficiently, and Cost-effectively!

In our last journal we shared our perspective on the many benefits of building your dream cabin using a prefabricated system. From sustainability to ease-of-assembly and efficiencies across the board, the pros are clear! One of the additional benefits of building specifically with BHC's prefab systems includes access to the time- and money-saving Interiors Specifications Guide. 

Our Interiors Specifications Guide has been designed to support builders of our System 01 and 02 kits, and offers a complete list of the materials and products required to seamlessly complete the interior of each cabin in an efficient, consistent, and integrated manner.

NEW for 2024: this guide is included with the purchase of every System 01 and System 02 cabin! We're excited to make this valuable resource available free of charge to support our cabin builders in completing their projects with ease and success.

This easy-to-use guide focuses on detailed recommendations for readily available interior finishings, fixtures, and appliances from IKEA and Home Depot, with customized and itemized lists specific to both Canada and the United States. 

In developing this guide, we prioritized a series of defining features:

• Integrated: All materials and finishings have been selected to integrate efficiently with BHC's 10-foot modules, resulting in a conscious use of space that makes the most of your floor plan. We have selected products from reliable, trusted manufacturers. The result is a professionally coordinated total design solution.

• Efficient: Using our recommended materials and finishes streamlines the often time-consuming process of researching, selecting, and purchasing interior finishing elements.

• Customizable: Our range of modular options offer flexibility and a customizable experience, allowing you to choose the products and finishes that best suit your preferences and needs.

• Compliant: The materials in our manual are compliant with common North American building codes, which helps your project succeed when it comes to inspections and permits.

• Easy-to-Use: Our Interior Specification package has been considerately designed to be straightforward, with a user-friendly checklist system to help track selections and estimate costs to keep you on budget.

• Aesthetic: Our recommended interior finishings have been thoughtfully curated with the support of our award-winning architectural partner Leckie Studio, resulting in an interior package designed to seamlessly integrate with the BHC aesthetic.

• Comprehensive: Designed to cover all aspects of your interior fit-out, our manual includes detailed specifications for kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, lighting, wall and flooring finishes, and supplemental features including fireplaces and furniture.

• Accessible: Goods have been sourced from nationwide vendors with distribution and delivery available to virtually every destination in Canada and the United States.

• Cost-Effective: All interior finishings have been selected intentionally to offer high value and enduring performance at an attainable price point, and allow you to avoid adding an additional budget for Interior Design services.

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Ready to begin?

To begin your journey with The Backcountry Hut Company, please visit complete our Get Started form. You'll receive information to help you begin, answers to frequently asked questions, and a link to book a consultation with our team.

The Benefits of Building Prefab

BHC's goal is to empower cabin lovers to build recreational structures easily in virtually any remote location, with small hands-on teams and a high degree of fidelity. Our values are rooted in innovation and our cabin prefabricated solutions are designed to help you build easily, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

Comparing the cost of building a cabin using traditional methods versus prefabricated systems involves considering various factors that contribute to the overall expense of construction. While the cost can vary depending on location, materials, labour rates, and specific design requirements, we can provide a general overview of the cost comparison between these two approaches:

Material Costs 
Your prefabricated BHC system is prepared to order, and the exact materials needed to build your cabin will arrive on site, minimizing waste associated with traditional building. This benefits the environment and your budget - your material costs are known up front and remain constant. You also benefit from the economies of scale built into our fabrication process, versus the one-off approach to an individual custom build. The BHC kit-of-parts comes with everything needed to assemble your exterior shell, and our Interior Specifications Guide provides an itemized list of easy-to-obtain goods to finish your cabin cost-effectively. This also minimizes scope creep due to increased material costs accumulated over a longer project arc.

Labour Costs
Labour is typically one of the largest line items in a construction project budget, encompassing skilled labour for on-site fabrication, assembly, and construction aspects. It's also a highly variable cost, depending on labour availability, the variety of skilled trades needed, and your project's duration. Building with a prefabricated system means your cabin is fabricated off-site and arrives ready to be assembled, reducing the need for on-site and specialized labour. Our systems also come with a complete step-by-step guide, meaning your building team will be well-armed with the information needed to seamlessly assemble the kit.

Construction Time
A traditional custom cabin build involves a longer construction timeline due to the nature of on-site fabrication. Delays caused by weather, site conditions, and coordination issues can further prolong the construction process. When you build using a BHC System, your kit-of-parts is manufactured off-site and arrives ready for assembly. The streamlined process and reduced reliance on on-site fabrication can significantly shorten the overall construction timeline, accelerating the project's completion.

Customization and Complexity
Our larger Systems are designed with a high degree of customization in mind, from selecting your number of 185 sq. ft. modules, and choosing a variety of decks, end glazing options, floorplans, flex bays, and more. A traditional build can be customized in innumerable ways - an advantage that comes at a significant cost in the form of time in the planning, design, and construction phases, complexity, and potential for time and budget overruns.

Sustainability
Prefabrication reduces material waste by optimizing the use of resources, and shipping ther kit-of-parts as a total package reduces the environmental impact of getting materials to site. Our Systems are developed with the intentional use of sustainable materials and design principles, in alignment with environmentally conscious practices and our brand values. Overall, prefabricated systems offer a more sustainable approach to building, helping to conserve resources and reduce the ecological footprint of construction projects.

While both traditional and prefabricated methods have their advantages and disadvantages, prefabricated cabin systems offer cost savings due to efficiencies in material usage, labour, and construction time. A specific cost comparison will depend on various factors unique to each project, and it's essential to consider the full scope of requirements and budget constraints when selecting the most suitable construction approach.

We invite you to explore our most recent Case Studies to understand the specific budgets for these individual and varied projects: the San Juan Islands Cabin, the Great Lakes Cabin, the Golden Cabin (shown), and the Catskills Cabin. 

Building a System is simple. Planning a System takes time.

Building with a prefabricated system helps your dream cabin project come together efficiently - saving you time, money, and the stress of uncertainty. Once your kit-of-parts arrives on site the exterior shell comes to life in weeks, rather than months. The key to enjoying a streamlined building experience lies in proper planning when it comes to assembling your team, securing permits, and preparing your site.

Planning takes far longer than the build itself, and the earlier you begin the better.

If you're in the dreaming and scheming stage and wish to build in 2024, now is the time to begin the planning process. We are happy to offer a collection of free tools and resources to help guide you through this phase, and our team is always happy to help answer any questions you may have as you begin. 

We invite you to begin by exploring:

• The BHC Project Handbook: a step-by-step workbook that helps to guide you through all aspects of project planning, and provides you with a detailed understanding of what you'll need and what you can expect along the way.

• The BHC Process: a detailed overview of the key phases and different steps required in planning and executing your project successfully.

Our team is happy to answer any questions you have, and to offer guidance along the way. To begin, we invite you to connect with us by completing our Get Started form. You'll receive more information directly in your inbox, and you'll also get a direct booking link to schedule a personal phone consultation where we can help evaluate your needs and budget, your particular site and zoning requirements, and walk you through our process in more detail. 

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We understand that while you're likely building your first prefabricated cabin, we've become quite familiar with common experiences that our clients encounter along the way. There are certain elements that typically take time, and planning for these can help your project come together with a greater sense of ease.

A few elements that always take longer than expected include:

Feasibility
Making sure that your project is feasible on the whole and also in compliance with the rules and restrictions of your local authorities is key. To proceed, our team will help you assess the feasibility of your project across key dimensions:

1. Budget - Having your financing in place is key at the outset, whether you're using personal finances or working with a financial institution.

2. Project Requirements - Having a clearly defined notion of which System and configuration will best suit your site and needs, and any customizations you'd like to factor into the plan.

3. Regulations and restrictions - Having a clear understanding of the local rules, regulations, and restrictions, as well as any steps you need to plan for.

Consultants
Clearly identifying and engaging the key consultants that will support your project build is a basic step that can take longer than expected, particularly if you're building in a remote area. 

Identifying your consultants is a required element in submitting for permits, and without the right team in place you can be hung up on sourcing which then pushes your permit deadlines back. While every project is different, most require a Surveyor, Geotechnical consultant, and various Engineers. Each of these consultants also requires time to prepare any necessary documentation, and many may have seasonal limitations or pre-existing commitments. 

Site Services
If your site is relatively ready you're in a good position, but if you're building in a remote location, or if you need to upgrade services on site this may take time. Planning and developing power, sewer, septic, and other services also may require additional consultants and documentation, and in many cases these services should be in place before the kit-of-parts lands on site. 

Local Permitting 
In certain jurisdictions it can take up to 25 weeks or more to get an approved permit to build. And that's after you've gathered and prepared all relevant materials and submitted your complete application package.

Knowing which aspects typically cause delay helps to reduce stress around timelines and inform the planning process. Our team is here to guide you along the way and support you through the process. 

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Coming soon - the BHC Interior Specifications Guide

Our team has been hard at work crafting a dedicated interior specifications guide that focuses on recommendations for readily available interior finishings from two major national retailers - everything you need to complete your cabin interior seamlessly while staying true to the BHC aesthetic. 

Soon clients building System 01 and 02 cabins will be able to purchase this guide to help build teams easily pull together the finishings and finishing touches.

Stay tuned, coming soon!

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Ready to begin?

To begin your journey with The Backcountry Hut Company, please visit complete our Get Started form. You'll receive information to help you begin, answers to frequently asked questions, and a link to book a consultation with our team.

System 02 BC Gulf Islands Build

Summer is the busiest season for cabin building in most climates in North America, and we always love to see behind-the-scenes moments from building teams out in the field.

This System 02 was recently assembled on one of BC's beautiful Gulf Coast islands. The 3 module + deck kit with layout F features a 2/3 glazing wall and spectacular site placement.

The project kicked off with a dramatic delivery by helicopter, and was built by Blue Water Concepts. Take a sneak peek from the delivery and shell assembly phase earlier this summer.

This project features:

• System 02 | 3 Module + Deck | F Plan

• Two-storey 18.5' x 10' modules

• Floor plan F

• 2 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom

• Gross Built Area: 1205 sq ft

• Building Footprint: 779 sq ft

• Net Usable Area: 998 sq ft

• Deck Area: 174 sq ft

System 02 is the most adaptable kit, with options for master bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. View the catalogue to see some of our most popular configurations, and our pricing list:

System 02 is crafted to have a minimal environmental impact on the site. Interior space is designed to be flexibly modular - with a range of efficient floor plans and flex bay options, it can accommodate families or groups. The structural system is comprised of a sustainably harvested engineered glulam timber frame, clad with prefabricated insulated wall, roof, and floor panels.

The System 02 kit is designed to be built with the support of a professional contractor. A team of experienced builders can assemble the standard three-module shell system in approximately two to four weeks.

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Ready to begin?

To begin your journey with The Backcountry Hut Company, please visit complete our Get Started form. You'll receive information to help you begin, answers to frequently asked questions, and a link to book a consultation with our team.