Makeovers and more...

Tracey knows their Canmore cabin's a success: "Our mothers feel right at home."

Finding Enough Space With a Guest Cabin

Picture this. You've just purchased or come into some land. It's beautiful and you're excited to show it off to friends and family, who will be expecting invitations.

But is the place big enough to house these guests? Often one cottage isn't big enough for everyone to be comfortable. A second smaller guest cabin (or "Bunkie" as they are commonly called) makes sense. It helps keep a lot of families and friends close ...by not keeping them too close. And if friends are angling for an invitation? Well then you have every right to ask them to help build the Bunkie!

It's a common story but Tracy C and her husband didn't choose that route when they bought their cottage in Muskoka, Ontario, six years ago. They already knew they would need more space for friends and family but "we just didn't have time to do it ourselves," says Tracy.

Alisa Q and her husband built this Telluride Bunkie from a Summerwood kit in just a few days.

Instead, they had a Canmore cabin built at the same time they renovated the main cottage. "One contractor did the whole thing," says Tracy. "Building it was the right decision. Now everyone has their own space to relax and spread out. Our mothers come up a lot and feel right at home in the Canmore. The kids love it too. They play up in the loft."

Tracy had the cabin built just off the driveway, right behind the main cabin. "It's the first thing you see when you come up the driveway." First impressions matter, so it needed to be adorable! See the pictures here.

Customers intentionally make their Mountain Brook cabin gorgeous, knowing one day their kids may banish them to it.

Start Small Before Going Big

Once you've bought a gorgeous piece of land and want to build your dream vacation home on it, you want to do it right. Maybe you're not quite sure how to lay it out.

A small Bunkie style cabin would cost less, and would be up and running far sooner. Better yet, a Bunkie would give you time get to know the place well. Like where the best sun of the day hits ... where it rises and sets ... where you want to be at those times ... what's the best spot to be in or out of the wind ... or where the best view is. These issues matter - and normally only come to you after you've lived in a place for a while.

So a Bunkie's a safe idea. You can become more familiar with your property while taking the time (and saving the money) necessary to build your dream vacation home. Then after it's complete, you can keep the Bunkie for guests.

This Cheyenne cabin's a great spot to take your time and plan your dream vacation home.

Right now Alisa Q and her husband can close their eyes and picture their dream vacation home. But in the meantime, they open them and have an adorable Summerwood Telluride cabin. "We hope that one day it'll be our guest house - but for now we're very happy."

Last year they bought a heavenly bit of land in Monticello, Utah, a 6-hour drive from where they live. It's in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, an area famous for its unparalleled natural splendor.

Their Telluride cabin was delivered to them in April 2005 and they built it within 7 or 8 days - all except for the foundation which was poured by a contractor. "We're fairly handy," Alisa admits. "This came together so fast because of good knowledge and strong backs."

The cabin "sleeps two comfortably and four," Alisa pauses, "cozily." Knowing they'll be using it for a few years, Alisa made sure they did it right. They've decorated it with one-of-a-kind style. "A big budget simply wasn't possible but that didn't stop us from making it beautiful."

The reasons for building a Bunkie go on forever. Given how attractive they are, we don't think you need any more. Just do it. Tracy and Alisa did. If it's your primary residence, you'll be proud to show it off - even if it does get a bit cozy on weekends with visitors. And if it's your guest cabin, it will keep your long weekends from getting too long.

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