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  1. #1
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    Default Average Cost and time to build a lean to shelter

    I would love to someday build a lean to shelter similar to what is common on the AT. It would be your basic shelter with nothing special about it. My guess is that it would be a very tough process and cost a pretty penny. Any input on what I would be looking at would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Stir Fry
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    If you did it in your back yard maby $700.
    If it do'nt eat you or kill you it makes you stronger
    'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

  3. #3
    Registered User kayak karl's Avatar
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    the old farmer out back built a 10-12 shed with material out of my dumpster. LOL. skylite, windows and door. very frugal guy. just start saving lumber.
    Last edited by kayak karl; 11-20-2011 at 02:24.
    I'm so confused, I'm not sure if I lost my horse or found a rope.

  4. #4

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    I built a small cabin with an ax, draw knife, hammer and saw in about 3 weeks with very little help. You can spend as much or as little money as you would like. If you are creative and look around you can get most of what you need for free. Find somebody who wants an old barn torn down and you'll get all the material you need.

  5. #5
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    Materials alone will cost about 10,000$. That should get you kiln dried oak beams and pine floor planking and a metal roof. If you have to hire out any of the work like a stone fireplace or pay to transport material into a remote location the cost could double. In looking at the nice shelters in the smokies, I would say that it would cost at least 30,000 to build one in materials alone. Now if you want one of those crap 6 man jobs made of cement blocks that you see all along the trail it could cost as little as 2 grand.

  6. #6

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    I don't know, but here's one link http://www.thruthewoods.com/

  7. #7

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    You can recoup the costs here in Santa Barbara by renting it out for about $1000 a month as a studio apartment.
    Some knew me as Piper, others as just Diane.
    I hiked the PCT: Mexico to Mt. Shasta, 2008. Santa Barbara to Canada, 2009.

  8. #8
    Registered User Mr. Clean's Avatar
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    I built a small 12x16 three-sided lean-to on the river bank behind my house about 8 - 10 years ago. I used all local rough sawn pine lumber, and put a metal roof from Lowes on the top. Back then it was around $600, I think.
    Greg P.

  9. #9
    HIKER TRASH birchy's Avatar
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    Off the top of my head the average new AT shelter costs somewhere in the 7,000 to 10,000 dollar range.

  10. #10
    Registered User Doc Mike's Avatar
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    16 X 16 tree house using left overs from housing remodel and buying what else was needed like a metal roof. I have less than 600 dollars in it total. Buying everything it would be under 3000.
    Lead, Follow, or get out of the way. I'm goin hikin.

  11. #11
    Peakbagger Extraordinaire The Solemates's Avatar
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    i plan to do this on my property one day. I'm shooting for a $0 cost, which should be doable. Just have to be patient - will take a few years to collect free material.
    The only thing better than mountains, is mountains where you haven't been.

    amongnature.blogspot.com

  12. #12
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    So apparently the cost is anywhere from $600 to $10k. :O
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
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    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  13. #13
    Registered User Doc Mike's Avatar
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    Mags could be more than that if you include italian tile roof, marble fire place, mahoghany flooring, cedar shake siding, solar panels and ipod rechargers.......
    Lead, Follow, or get out of the way. I'm goin hikin.

  14. #14

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    You guys that are talking about building for <$1,000 what kind of materials are you talking about? I don't imagine it would be too heavy duty lumber, like any of these. I know you can get some really cheap stuff, even free stuff, by scronging around, but I'm imagining you'll talking about making a lean-to out of simple planks, as opposed to logs. And would it be one type of wood or a hodgepodge?





  15. #15

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    How about these the economical versions and it's greener for you'll that want to go green.





  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by john gault View Post
    You guys that are talking about building for <$1,000 what kind of materials are you talking about? I don't imagine it would be too heavy duty lumber, like any of these. I know you can get some really cheap stuff, even free stuff, by scronging around, but I'm imagining you'll talking about making a lean-to out of simple planks, as opposed to logs. And would it be one type of wood or a hodgepodge?




    Only cost here is hand tools, personal labor and roofing.

    geek

  17. #17

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    Only if you're talking about knocking down your own trees in the area. If not I'd like to know where you can scrounge up a quality logs for free, but then you got transportation costs.


    You're talking some serious labor knocking down all them trees and cutting to fit...

  18. #18

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    I have trees this size on my land...materials and no transportation costs BUT ......you gotta have the land!

    geek

  19. #19
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doc Mike View Post
    Mags could be more than that if you include italian tile roof, marble fire place, mahoghany flooring, cedar shake siding, solar panels and ipod rechargers.......

    Give it time. The i-pod charger and solar panels may not be too far off in the future....
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
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    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  20. #20

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    There are several vendors in the Northeast that sell prefab kits. If you want to build from scratch starting with cutting trees it takes a long time and requires special tools.

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