Lake Arrowhead Cabin Build Journey

Lake Arrowhead Cabin Build Journey Building an energy efficient, pet & family friendly vacation home at Lake Arrowhead CA.

We stained all the beams and deck ceiling.We painted and installed the James Hardie cement siding. We built the fireplac...
02/06/2025

We stained all the beams and deck ceiling.
We painted and installed the James Hardie cement siding.
We built the fireplace.
We installed the windows and sliding doors.
We installed the composite deckings.
We installed the railings.

We did almost everything ourselves!

Lots of learning curve and hard work, but the satisfaction of seeing the transformation is priceless.

Neighbors enjoying sledding on Fritz Lane. Very happy to see them having so much fun.
02/03/2025

Neighbors enjoying sledding on Fritz Lane. Very happy to see them having so much fun.

In additional to cement siding and fire suppression system, we will be using spray foam and Rockwool for our insulation....
02/01/2025

In additional to cement siding and fire suppression system, we will be using spray foam and Rockwool for our insulation. Rockwool is fire resistant. The fire insurance has been skyrocketed for mountain homes even before the LA fire. In some cases, home owners are paying over $7000 for home insurance!! Though it is more expensive to fire proof the house, it will be worth it in a long run if we could keep the fire insurance cost down.

By the way, we finally passed the combo inspection!!

Loving the 7.25 in wide ‘drink rail’ on the main deck. It looks nice, functional and feels just right under our arms.O...
01/06/2025

Loving the 7.25 in wide ‘drink rail’ on the main deck. It looks nice, functional and feels just right under our arms.

On the other hand, we use 3.5 in decking boards on the stair rails so it is small enough to grab on to….. very important when the stairs are covered in snow.

A real fire. The firebox is 36 inches. To fill it, logs need to be 30 inches long. Fortunately we have lots of long logs...
01/05/2025

A real fire. The firebox is 36 inches. To fill it, logs need to be 30 inches long. Fortunately we have lots of long logs laying around from clearing the area for our house. Cedar, spruce, pine, fir, oak. I have my pick. Cedar is my favorite. It lights easily and smells great.

We are using Timbertech widest (7.25”) PVC decking as our top rail which combine clean, modern look and exceptional func...
01/03/2025

We are using Timbertech widest (7.25”) PVC decking as our top rail which combine clean, modern look and exceptional functions with no maintenance required. It also doesn’t get as hot as composite under the sun.

The only challenge now is resist putting everything on the railing …. 😅

12/30/2024

When we started this project the hope was that we would build a relationship with one inspector who could explain how local ordinances differ from California and San Bernardino County code. There are many differences when building in the mountains than in the flat semi-desert of Southern California.

Well, that relationship never developed, and I've lost track of how many inspectors have come our way. Some are great to work with and helpful, others... not so much.

We are still trying to get past the Combo inspection. One inspector is fine with most things and has only a few suggestions. Others are way over the top and cannot be reasoned with even when quoting the Code because, "local jurisdictions override state and county building code," and "that's how it's done up here." Pro Tip: maybe that's why so many structures didn't make it through the past two winters, and our house had no problem whatsoever dealing with the worst winters in 100 years.

The latest debacle came when the inspector started pointing out structural differences between the plans and existing framing that have been there for years and reviewed by other inspectors. I asked him why the existing Structiral Observation from the local engineering firm didn't cover it. His response, "I don't know I didn't look at it, but you need to..."

So, the saga continues. Gotta love California. Can't see the Forrest for the trees...

Our deck is finally safe! We were going to use aluminum posts and railings at first but then fell in love with a differ...
12/23/2024

Our deck is finally safe!

We were going to use aluminum posts and railings at first but then fell in love with a different design we came across on Zillow (last pic ).

The wooden posts not only add rustic vibe to the deck, but also support much wider drink rails.

We still have to finish the lower deck and put the top (drink) rail down. Luckily no snow yet.. fingers crossed.

First fire in the indoor/outdoor fireplace. The draft is great, and no smoke leaks! The only problem is that logs need t...
11/17/2024

First fire in the indoor/outdoor fireplace. The draft is great, and no smoke leaks! The only problem is that logs need to be twice as big as normal.

We over ordered the decking boards, so we use the leftover to finish the porch ceiling.
10/28/2024

We over ordered the decking boards, so we use the leftover to finish the porch ceiling.

We did it!! It took approximately two weeks. Laying down deck boards is not hard. Planning and preparation is the key. W...
10/14/2024

We did it!!
It took approximately two weeks. Laying down deck boards is not hard. Planning and preparation is the key. We could have done a bit better but overall we are happy with how it turned out.

Building a deck has been the most satisfying DIY project we have done so far. It goes quickly and the transformation is ...
10/11/2024

Building a deck has been the most satisfying DIY project we have done so far. It goes quickly and the transformation is amazing. We are more than half way there, hoping to finish it by Sunday.

Picking a right product on wood finish can be time consuming . Thanks for those wood workers who share their knowledge a...
10/10/2024

Picking a right product on wood finish can be time consuming . Thanks for those wood workers who share their knowledge and stain color tests on their YouTube channels, we were able to pick the perfect finish for our DIY walnut mantel.

It doesn’t matter if you have lifetime warranty on the deckings if the structure below the deck fails first.This is the ...
10/10/2024

It doesn’t matter if you have lifetime warranty on the deckings if the structure below the deck fails first.

This is the only uncovered area on our deck, snow sits there in the winter, so we put joist tape down to give it some extra protection.

One side is done. 😍
10/06/2024

One side is done. 😍

We wasted lots of time removing stripped screws in the first two days because our deck joists are made of 4x instead of ...
10/05/2024

We wasted lots of time removing stripped screws in the first two days because our deck joists are made of 4x instead of regular 2x. They are hard and not level, in fact, a couple of them bow so much we have to plane them down. The decking boards also bow…. We have to use both hidden fasteners and screws to secure them in place.

Luckily we are getting a hang of it. We installed more rows in one day than the last two days combined., feeling good after making some good progress. 😄

Fire sprinklers are in, inspection happening next week, after that, we are ready for insulation and dry wall. 🙏

We thought it would be quick and easy but it has been a rough learning curve installing this composite deck. Once again...
10/04/2024

We thought it would be quick and easy but it has been a rough learning curve installing this composite deck.
Once again, YouTube videos don’t teach you everything. After lots of frustration in the last two days, we learned some small tricks on our own, even a small change can make a big difference. Tomorrow will be a better day. 🙏

09/19/2024

This is the full security video. Hope he/she didn't break into our camper to get at the food!

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Lake Arrowhead, CA
92352

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Videos

Wandering Bear
Wandering Bear

This is the full security video. Hope he/she didn't break into our camper to get at the food!

Working on blockings this week as our decking boards will be delivered next Monday. The decking we chose is fire rated composite decking from Fiberon. We love the look of real wood but we want a low maintenance deck. Our wraparound deck + lower deck is about 900sqft, hopefully it won’t take too long to finish. 😓 #cabindesign #buildahome #lakearrowheadcabin #customhomes #framing #mountainhome #energyefficienthouse #ownerbuilder #passivehouse #ourbuildingjourney #lakearrowhead #mountaincabin #cabin #vacationrental #frombuildtobuilt #zipsystem #modernrustic #newbuildhome #highefficiencyhome #deck #fiberon

Lots of failed attempts until I get this even, white oak looking stained color on pine tongue and groove. It makes my heart sing ♥️ 🎶 #cabindesign #buildahome #lakearrowheadcabin #customhomes #framing #mountainhome #energyefficienthouse #ownerbuilder #passivehouse #ourbuildingjourney #lakearrowhead #mountaincabin #cabin #vacationrental #frombuildtobuilt #zipsystem #modernrustic #newbuildhome #highefficiencyhome #whiteoakceiling #tongueandgrooveceiling #woodceiling #whiteoakstain

We found a cool place in San Diego that has all kinds of beautiful hardwood. We picked a few walnut boards for $300 and built a 61in x 9in x 7in mantel. Similar mantel on Etsy would have cost nearly $1000. #walnutmantel #DIY #DIYmantel #fireplacemantel

We used a drone to fly a rope over the top of the roof so that David can climb up to finish the chimney. It’s scary to walk on a 12:12 pitch (45 degree) roof, to make it even worse, he had to carry a 4ft x 3ft steel chase cover for the chimney. He got a few small cut on his arm from the edge of the chase cover. After lots of blood, sweat and tears … the fireplace is finally done! 😭 #cabindesign #buildahome #lakearrowheadcabin #customhomes #framing #mountainhome #energyefficienthouse #ownerbuilder #passivehouse #ourbuildingjourney #lakearrowhead #mountaincabin #cabin #vacationrental #frombuildtobuilt #zipsystem #modernrustic #newbuildhome #highefficiencyhome

This is the designer’s heaven! So many unique and beautiful tiles to choose from! Definitely check this place out, they have stores all over the country. PORCELANOSA

So proud of David, he built a Murphy door all by himself! This will provide access to the storage space under the staircase inside the master bath. #cabindesign #buildahome #lakearrowheadcabin #customhomes #framing #mountainhome #energyefficienthouse #ownerbuilder #passivehouse #ourbuildingjourney #lakearrowhead #mountaincabin #cabin #vacationrental #frombuildtobuilt #zipsystem #modernrustic #newbuildhome #murphydoor #diy

Playing with Home Design 3D app. It’s pretty easy to use, though the options are very limited, it’s good enough for now as we only try to finalize the electrical plan. #cabindesign #buildahome #lakearrowheadcabin #customhomes #framing #mountainhome #energyefficienthouse #ownerbuilder #passivehouse #ourbuildingjourney #lakearrowhead #mountaincabin #cabin #vacationrental #frombuildtobuilt #zipsystem #modernrustic #newbuildhome #highefficiencyhome

We were lucky to catch the first snow yesterday. Not everywhere on the mountain got snow, our cabin is just high enough to get the best of both worlds. It’s like a total different scene just 10 mins away!

Finally done 😭! #cabindesign #buildahome #lakearrowheadcabin #customhomes #framing #mountainhome #energyefficienthouse #ownerbuilder #passivehouse #ourbuildingjourney #lakearrowhead #mountaincabin #cabin #vacationrental #frombuildtobuilt #zipsystem #modernrustic #newbuildhome #highefficiencyhome

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