For those contemplating owning a "summer home/cabin"....
John D said
Aug 20, 2012
Rent.
We've been on borrowed time with the existing well. 25 years and it has seen it's service live. It had failed several times in the last few months, and finally had to be replaced. $4100 to the local well drilling outfit, and I've got better, cleaner, and much more reliable water service... But
- Rework water filter piping to accomodate new well feed & pressure tank. What they did worked, but left the filter cartridge housings sticking out from the wall unsupported (used to be "protected" & supported by the old pump & pressure tank). Go to nearby grocery/gas/bait/hardware/tool rental store and get the needed supplies. Cut the pipes, built a bracket, and turned the cartridges 90 deg to hang flat to the wall. Solder/sweat the piping and the water is back on.
- Discover that the well diggers didn't reattach the main building ground to anything. Previously it was clamped to the well pipe going into the earth (well & pump/tank was indoors in the basement). Go to nearby grocery/gas/bait/hardware/tool rental store and purchase a 10' ground rod, clamps, and wire, and drive saidsame and reconnect the earth ground.
- Check & inspect their electrical connections at the pressure switch & contactor. Re-do all of the latter (it worked, and was probably OK for anyone but me, but IMO plumbers should stay away from electricity).
- Break out the yard tools and repair the landscape damage from the well-drilling equipment. (This was un-avoidable, and they REALLY were very careful with the heavy equipment).
- Diagnose & repair lake-water irrigation/sprinkler pump system. The place has an in-ground sprinkler system. There's a well pump down by the lake, with a 2" feed hose & filter screen inlet box in the lake. Dang pump was losing its prime. Discover the rubber gasket/donut/o-ring for the suction hose's quick connect had a cut in it. Make new (temporary) gasket and bring old one home to find replacement. Also discover that the secondary filter-screen (output side) housing has a crack in it, and WILL be a problem shortly...
- Install 12 LED/Solar walkway lamps ("got a great deal, 1/2 price, couldn't pass it up - Nana"). Spend 3 - 4 hours with silicone finishing the job the mfg. should have done so they don't fill up with water like the existing ones.... remove old ones and install 5 new locations.
- Break out the Stihl and drop a 12", 40' dead pine in the north lot. Chop up same into 18" hunks to fit into the Franklin stove. Invoke paternal "need young muscle" covenant and get #1 son to help haul/move freshly created tree-hunks (and 3 other similar sized, previously stacked piles) out of the woods over near the firewood racks.
- Go to nearby grocery/gas/bait/hardware/tool rental store & rent hydraulic splitter. Then quarter about 200 hunks of tree within the 4 hour rental period. Take freshly created 800 smaller hunks of tree and stack neatly onto firewood rack(s). Tweak back muscle(s) and take this as a gentle reminder that I'm not 23 anymore... take ribbing from 17yo knucklehead with a smile...
- Pull the transom plug from the boat and drain 4+ gallons of rainwater out of it. Give it a pat and say "next trip".
- Fulfill promise to hit the "Mini-Golf & Go-Kart" place on the way home today. It's REALLY hard to concentrate on putting when you're interrupted by the THUNDEROUS & MUSICAL ROAR of Top Fuel, Funny Cars, and Pro-Stocks blasting through the trees less than 1/3 mile away...
So, how was everyone else's week??
John D said
Aug 20, 2012
Forgot to add...
Doggie found:
- 1 fish-guts pile - 1 skunk den
Proceeded to roll & wallow in each. After 2 baths she still STINKS!!
bowtie said
Aug 20, 2012
That's part of why I sold the place in Webb lake at Voyager Village (Between Danbury and Hayward WI). I didn't want to drive the almost 2 hours to then spend the weekend doing all of what you said.
The other part is my in-laws have a place in Moose Lake (on Island Lake) and eventually that will go to my wife and her brother. I'd like to keep that one, but again I don't have the free weekend time to go there 3 times a month and spend half or better doing all the same crap I have to do at home too. Not relaxing for me. The flip side is that I have 2 kids who spend 5 weeks a summer there and I'm sure will want to more as the years go on. Either way, I'm pretty sure my BIL will keep it and we'll have access.
Derek69SS said
Aug 20, 2012
Just move out of the city, and you don't need a cabin to get away from it all.
Jon H said
Aug 20, 2012
Derek69SS wrote:
Just move out of the city, and you don't need a cabin to get away from it all.
I agree with Derek. Weekends are great, everyone leaves and life is good at home.
Years ago there were four cabins between my and Bonnie's families. I was the only male around and became an expert at building/fixing and putting in/out docks, shore stations, boats, water systems and then maintaining them all summer so others coudl swim, ski, fish, party, etc. If someone asks me if I want to go the the lake with them I just run the other way!
John D said
Aug 21, 2012
It kinda sounds like a bytch session, but I cannot just sit around and do nothing... I don't like heat/sun, so just laying out on the dock and "tanning" is out.
My type of relaxing is tinkering with stuff, and except for the filters & grounding the other stuff could have waited... but I had the time/days to knock it out. I don't have cable/satellite at home, but I do up there - so I can "relax" and watch my favorite shows in the evenings... and the basement workshop is nice & cool.
I'll 2nd Jon, If you're not mechanically/carpentry/fixit guy inclined, a "seasonal property" isn't for you (unless you've got a fat wallet). We've had the place since '84, and its appraised value has OCTUPLED since purchase. Being 100% paid off, it's also an investment.
My bro and sis inherited our dad's cabin on Big Sandy when he died in April. I and my wife are the ONLY people who have been there all summer. We went first in June to get the water working again and were able to stay overnight. We spent most of that Saturday working on the well and mowing the yard. Then they got 12" of rain and the garage, shed and much of the yard were flooded as was the crawl space under the cabin with the well pump and water heater. The power company turned off EVERYONE'S electricity and won't turn it back on until they have inspected the buildings to make sure every and anything electrical that was compromised by the flood has been replaced. I made sure the well pump still ran and then elevated it above the water line. I'll tell them it wasn't submerged. Not sure how they'll feel about the water heater but it has survived several of these episodes in the past and still works. We have been up there 3 times during and since the flood and always drive up in the early morning and home again in the evening now, 3 hours each way, since there is no water or power. We also spend hours picking up all the tree debris and mowing every time. We haven't even thought about attempting to put the dock out, wet a fish line or use the boat. Maybe "next" year...
Kinda thinking it is too much work and not enough available time to keep it but my life is changing in September and we'll reevaluate next year.
Chris R said
Aug 21, 2012
Lost in the 60s wrote:
My bro and sis inherited our dad's cabin on Big Sandy when he died in April. I and my wife are the ONLY people who have been there all summer. We went first in June to get the water working again and were able to stay overnight. We spent most of that Saturday working on the well and mowing the yard. Then they got 12" of rain and the garage, shed and much of the yard were flooded as was the crawl space under the cabin with the well pump and water heater. The power company turned off EVERYONE'S electricity and won't turn it back on until they have inspected the buildings to make sure every and anything electrical that was compromised by the flood has been replaced. I made sure the well pump still ran and then elevated it above the water line. I'll tell them it wasn't submerged. Not sure how they'll feel about the water heater but it has survived several of these episodes in the past and still works. We have been up there 3 times during and since the flood and always drive up in the early morning and home again in the evening now, 3 hours each way, since there is no water or power. We also spend hours picking up all the tree debris and mowing every time. We haven't even thought about attempting to put the dock out, wet a fish line or use the boat. Maybe "next" year...
Kinda thinking it is too much work and not enough available time to keep it but my life is changing in September and we'll reevaluate next year.
Wow, if there was ever an instance that would take the fun out of having a cabin to escape too. That would be it. Seems none of the rest of the family really cares enough about the place to keep checking on it a few times a year and what not accept you guys, thus your forced to do more work every time. Talk about being discouraged.
RICKS70SS said
Aug 22, 2012
We bought a Motorhome back in 1996 at an RV show. This thing was HUGE. 37 ft Had everything we wanted in it. @ TV's you know why. 2 furance's daul A/C queen size bed walk thru bath Storage was fantastic. I had 4 basement ( their name for the storage area) IN one alone I could carry 6 golf bags And there were 3 more plus two 1/2 that size. Some guy at work tried giving me a hard time about buying something that big. he said you should buy a cabin up north ( this was back in Michigan). I said why ? he said then you go there anytime you wanted for a vacation. I said thats what I don't want. When I get in that motorhome. My vacation is some place NEW everytime. Not the same old place ! We did thatmotorhome thing for 12 yrs. LOVED it. Drove to Sturgis in it about 7 times Daytona & Phoenix for yrs. Had my home where ever I wanted it to be .. Now were thinking of getting a Diesel pusher about the same size and just travel . Sell what we have here and hit the open rd. You stay at a resort or camp ground for a month then move on. If you do like your neighbors or the area. Pack up and go. Can't do that with a cabin! But maybe one on wheels is the way to go. We sure had fun doing it. And met some life long friends doing it. No SNOW for this Guy Just my point of view. :)
Tim H said
Aug 22, 2012
RICKS70SS wrote:
We bought a Motorhome back in 1996 at an RV show.
I remember that motorhome
RICKS70SS said
Aug 22, 2012
Yeah I bet you do. And Thanks for your help for that :)
4-door Chevelle said
Aug 31, 2012
I actually bought a little house in the town of Silver Bay. I am headed up there tomorrow. Not too much work so I have been fortunate. I love the place and probably will retire there!
Rent.
We've been on borrowed time with the existing well. 25 years and it has seen it's service live. It had failed several times in the last few months, and finally had to be replaced. $4100 to the local well drilling outfit, and I've got better, cleaner, and much more reliable water service... But
- Rework water filter piping to accomodate new well feed & pressure tank. What they did worked, but left the filter cartridge housings sticking out from the wall unsupported (used to be "protected" & supported by the old pump & pressure tank). Go to nearby grocery/gas/bait/hardware/tool rental store and get the needed supplies. Cut the pipes, built a bracket, and turned the cartridges 90 deg to hang flat to the wall. Solder/sweat the piping and the water is back on.
- Discover that the well diggers didn't reattach the main building ground to anything. Previously it was clamped to the well pipe going into the earth (well & pump/tank was indoors in the basement). Go to nearby grocery/gas/bait/hardware/tool rental store and purchase a 10' ground rod, clamps, and wire, and drive saidsame and reconnect the earth ground.
- Check & inspect their electrical connections at the pressure switch & contactor. Re-do all of the latter (it worked, and was probably OK for anyone but me, but IMO plumbers should stay away from electricity).
- Break out the yard tools and repair the landscape damage from the well-drilling equipment. (This was un-avoidable, and they REALLY were very careful with the heavy equipment).
- Diagnose & repair lake-water irrigation/sprinkler pump system. The place has an in-ground sprinkler system. There's a well pump down by the lake, with a 2" feed hose & filter screen inlet box in the lake. Dang pump was losing its prime. Discover the rubber gasket/donut/o-ring for the suction hose's quick connect had a cut in it. Make new (temporary) gasket and bring old one home to find replacement. Also discover that the secondary filter-screen (output side) housing has a crack in it, and WILL be a problem shortly...
- Install 12 LED/Solar walkway lamps ("got a great deal, 1/2 price, couldn't pass it up - Nana"). Spend 3 - 4 hours with silicone finishing the job the mfg. should have done so they don't fill up with water like the existing ones.... remove old ones and install 5 new locations.
- Break out the Stihl and drop a 12", 40' dead pine in the north lot. Chop up same into 18" hunks to fit into the Franklin stove. Invoke paternal "need young muscle" covenant
and get #1 son to help haul/move freshly created tree-hunks (and 3 other similar sized, previously stacked piles) out of the woods over near the firewood racks.
- Go to nearby grocery/gas/bait/hardware/tool rental store & rent hydraulic splitter. Then quarter about 200 hunks of tree within the 4 hour rental period. Take freshly created 800 smaller hunks of tree and stack neatly onto firewood rack(s). Tweak back muscle(s) and take this as a gentle reminder that I'm not 23 anymore... take ribbing from 17yo knucklehead with a smile...
- Pull the transom plug from the boat and drain 4+ gallons of rainwater out of it. Give it a pat and say "next trip".
- Fulfill promise to hit the "Mini-Golf & Go-Kart" place on the way home today. It's REALLY hard to concentrate on putting when you're interrupted by the THUNDEROUS & MUSICAL ROAR of Top Fuel, Funny Cars, and Pro-Stocks blasting through the trees less than 1/3 mile away...
So, how was everyone else's week??
Doggie found:
- 1 fish-guts pile
- 1 skunk den
Proceeded to roll & wallow in each. After 2 baths she still STINKS!!
The other part is my in-laws have a place in Moose Lake (on Island Lake) and eventually that will go to my wife and her brother. I'd like to keep that one, but again I don't have the free weekend time to go there 3 times a month and spend half or better doing all the same crap I have to do at home too. Not relaxing for me. The flip side is that I have 2 kids who spend 5 weeks a summer there and I'm sure will want to more as the years go on. Either way, I'm pretty sure my BIL will keep it and we'll have access.
Just move out of the city, and you don't need a cabin to get away from it all.
I agree with Derek. Weekends are great, everyone leaves and life is good at home.
Years ago there were four cabins between my and Bonnie's families. I was the only male around and became an expert at building/fixing and putting in/out docks, shore stations, boats, water systems and then maintaining them all summer so others coudl swim, ski, fish, party, etc. If someone asks me if I want to go the the lake with them I just run the other way!
It kinda sounds like a bytch session, but I cannot just sit around and do nothing... I don't like heat/sun, so just laying out on the dock and "tanning" is out.
My type of relaxing is tinkering with stuff, and except for the filters & grounding the other stuff could have waited... but I had the time/days to knock it out. I don't have cable/satellite at home, but I do up there - so I can "relax" and watch my favorite shows in the evenings... and the basement workshop is nice & cool.
I'll 2nd Jon, If you're not mechanically/carpentry/fixit guy inclined, a "seasonal property" isn't for you (unless you've got a fat wallet). We've had the place since '84, and its appraised value has OCTUPLED since purchase. Being 100% paid off, it's also an investment.
My bro and sis inherited our dad's cabin on Big Sandy when he died in April. I and my wife are the ONLY people who have been there all summer. We went first in June to get the water working again and were able to stay overnight. We spent most of that Saturday working on the well and mowing the yard. Then they got 12" of rain and the garage, shed and much of the yard were flooded as was the crawl space under the cabin with the well pump and water heater. The power company turned off EVERYONE'S electricity and won't turn it back on until they have inspected the buildings to make sure every and anything electrical that was compromised by the flood has been replaced. I made sure the well pump still ran and then elevated it above the water line. I'll tell them it wasn't submerged. Not sure how they'll feel about the water heater but it has survived several of these episodes in the past and still works. We have been up there 3 times during and since the flood and always drive up in the early morning and home again in the evening now, 3 hours each way, since there is no water or power. We also spend hours picking up all the tree debris and mowing every time. We haven't even thought about attempting to put the dock out, wet a fish line or use the boat. Maybe "next" year...
Kinda thinking it is too much work and not enough available time to keep it but my life is changing in September and we'll reevaluate next year.
Wow, if there was ever an instance that would take the fun out of having a cabin to escape too. That would be it. Seems none of the rest of the family really cares enough about the place to keep checking on it a few times a year and what not accept you guys, thus your forced to do more work every time. Talk about being discouraged.
We bought a Motorhome back in 1996 at an RV show. This thing was HUGE. 37 ft Had everything we wanted in it. @ TV's you know why. 2 furance's daul A/C queen size bed walk thru bath Storage was fantastic. I had 4 basement ( their name for the storage area) IN one alone I could carry 6 golf bags And there were 3 more plus two 1/2 that size. Some guy at work tried giving me a hard time about buying something that big. he said you should buy a cabin up north ( this was back in Michigan). I said why ? he said then you go there anytime you wanted for a vacation. I said thats what I don't want. When I get in that motorhome. My vacation is some place NEW everytime. Not the same old place ! We did thatmotorhome thing for 12 yrs. LOVED it. Drove to Sturgis in it about 7 times Daytona & Phoenix for yrs. Had my home where ever I wanted it to be .. Now were thinking of getting a Diesel pusher about the same size and just travel . Sell what we have here and hit the open rd. You stay at a resort or camp ground for a month then move on. If you do like your neighbors or the area. Pack up and go. Can't do that with a cabin! But maybe one on wheels is the way to go. We sure had fun doing it. And met some life long friends doing it. No SNOW for this Guy
Just my point of view. :)
I remember that motorhome
Yeah I bet you do. And Thanks for your help for that :)