When this man bought an old cabin for $100, he managed to rebuilt it all by himself

Do you find yourself longing for a DIY project to keep you busy? Perhaps you’re always looking for a way to put your skills to good use but just need something to show them off in the best way? Whatever the case, many of us have taken on a project or two around the house. A little home renovation here or there can soon give us a brand new space to enjoy as well as a chance to show off to all our friends.
Some of us think we can finish a project only to find out it could be a lot more than we first imagined while we’re halfway through with no choice but to carry on until the end. It appeared as though one man landed a bargain when he bought an old cabin for $100. However, there was a reason that it was so cheap, and now he was left to try and transform it into something amazing. It wasn’t long before he unveiled the finished project – a result that no one had imagined.

A little dedication

Many of us love taking on a project to keep us busy. So what about when that new plan starts to take over our entire lives? This cabin was about to become more of a renovation than anyone ever imagined.

Believe it or not, but the new home cost just $100. However, it was going to take a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to turn it into the house of anyone’s dreams. It just needed a little dedication.

A break from life

Richard Aiken was 65 years old, but he’d been living with the same dream for most of his life. It appeared as though Rich had plenty to keep him busy as he was much more than a husband and a father. Yes, he was also an author as well as an opera singer who held into a medical degree and no less than two PhDs.

However, Rich always wanted to break away from his life and enjoy his love of nature. That’s right; Rich was always looking for a way to get closer to Mother Nature, with a cabin in the woods being the ultimate dream.

Getting his chance

It appeared as though a cabin was always going to be just a dream. After all, Rich knew that it would be expensive to buy the land, let alone the costs that would come with building the home. However, things were about to change when Rich met a friend in Missouri. He soon learned about a disheveled cabin out in the wilderness.

There was a catch: it hadn’t been used since the ‘90s. Rich was immediately keen as he knew it would be the perfect chance to achieve his dreams with his family by his side. Little did he know how much work it would take.

A growing list of jobs

It appeared as though the cabin needed a lot of work – and it would be tough to know where to start. Rich saw the cabin, but the roof was falling down, and the entire building was now unsafe for humans. It almost looked as though all that time in the woods had given Mother Nature a chance to reclaim the space.

After all, there had been no one around to take care of the space. There was so much that needed to be done before the cabin would be safe, and it would take a lot of work to turn it into anyone’s dream.

Brand new owner

Although there was so much that needed to be done, nothing was enough to put Rich off the idea of taking it all on and making his dreams come true. He soon handed over the small fee of $100 and became the proud new owner of the cabin.

All that was left was for Rich to break the news to the rest of his family before he could set to work trying to decide where to start with his huge new task. There might have been a lot to do, but the number of jobs made it overwhelming when choosing somewhere to begin.

No end to it all

It appeared as though every single aspect of the cabin needed to be fixed, patched up, or entirely replaced. In fact, Rich was risking his life by just walking into the cabin.

Although many of us love a DIY project, it seemed as though making over the cabin could have been a step further than anyone ever imagined. However, that still wasn’t enough to see Rich give up. This could be his only chance to make his dreams come true.

The final result

Thankfully, all of Rich’s hard work eventually paid off. He and the rest of his family all came together to make sure the cabin was transformed from a falling down pile in the woods into something that all of them were proud of.

Finally, they could stand back and take a look at the cabin that would once again stand proud in the woods while Rich came to terms with the fact that his dreams had finally come true.

Falling down

One of the first things that Rich noticed about the home was that the roof beams had collapsed. The entire ceiling was now lying in the middle of the house, and it had brought down the majority of the structures with it.

The parts that were still standing? Rich soon uncovered that most of the wood was no rotten meaning that it was completely unusable and would need to be replaced. This would put them back many months.

Incorporating original features

Thankfully, not all of the wood was no good. Rich soon found some pieces that had stood the test of time and could be used within the renovations. Rich wanted to salvage the parts in the hopes they could be used to rebuild the rest of the cabin.

This was one of the many ways that Rich wanted to make sure he incorporated the character of the original cabin that he had fallen for in the first place.

A new spot

Rich knew that he would have to rebuild the entire cabin. While this might have seemed like a major task for many, it gave him the chance to move the building to a whole new spot.

It wasn’t long before Rich decided on a secluded spot in the wilderness that was greeted to a natural spring. Rich continued to use the salvageable pieces of wood from the cabin to lay the foundations for the new build.

Changing the design

It turned out that laying out the foundations was a lot more complicated than anyone imagined. Rich had hoped to remain as authentic as possible to the original design of the cabin. That was until they tried to dig out the new foundation.

The family hit bedrock around six feet below the surface. This would make it too much to lay a foundation, but Rich had a plan. He decided to build the cabin above the ground instead.

Original materials

To top it off, Rich also wanted to use as many materials from the surrounding woods as he could. It all started when he decided to pour the concrete for the basement floor. It wasn’t long before Rich discovered that he would need to use new white oak to make the flooring joints if he wanted his plan come to life.

Plus, Rich needed split cedar shakes for the shingles. It was the only way to complete the cabin.

Reusing the pieces

Thankfully, not all of Rich’s plans were halted as he soon found a fallen oak tree in the surrounding woods. He took it back to the cabin where the family agreed there was only one job for the piece: to become the new stairs in the cabin.

This way, they wouldn’t have to cut down any of the trees unnecessarily. Plus, new stairs helped to add more of a story into the cabin thanks to the tree’s journey.

Handmade touches

The family were left with no choice but to ask for some help with some of the pieces. Rich took a handful of designs to a local carpenter to try and help finish off certain aspects of the home.

This way, it could be completed with handmade features using wood from the area. The carpenter worked hard to create the doors and the windows for the cabin before fitting them in the home to finish the look.

Filling in the gaps

Rich and the rest of the family scoured the woods as they searched for enough wood to cover the sides of the cabin. However, using fallen trees and branches meant that not all of the planks slotted together.

Thankfully, this was just what Rich wanted. He decided to use chicken wire in between the gaps before he filled them in with filler. Rich wanted to be closer to nature, but he didn’t want it in his home.

Outside features

As if the rest of the work wasn’t enough already, Rich and his family decided they would hand-dig the outside water feature to their home. The natural water spring was the perfect supply to a new lake.

They worked as hard as they could until the ground was too tough, and they needed the help of bulldozers and diggers to finish the job. The team finished their new addition by adding in a wooden veranda.

Warming the home

Believe it or not, but the fun didn’t end on the outside of the cabin. This was only the beginning as the new feature paved the way what lay on the inside. Rich wanted to install a traditional hearth that could be used to heat the cabin and cook meals for anyone staying in the cabin.

They chose a Rumford fireplace that would have once been a common feature in homes across the nation from the 1790s to the 1850s.

Sourcing light

Of course, the family needed a way to light the home. The cabin was entirely off the grid, meaning they needed a way to create light without any electricity.

Rich wanted to use as much natural light as possible with the addition of a handful of windows. He later added a candle chandelier that delicately sat at the top of a peaked roof so the family could still enjoy the cabin when the sun set.

A handmade gift

Amazingly, Rich’s new cabin was surrounded by Amish neighbors. They wanted a way to welcome the newbies to the area, so they got to work using native white oak and a fallen walnut tree to make their gift.

The Amish arrived with a dining table that they brought to the house as the perfect addition to the home. Rich and his family couldn’t believe how their dreams were coming together in front of their eyes.

Made to move

The table had been designed so it could be moved around the home to wherever it was needed. This meant that it could be moved closer to the fire on colder nights or away from the heat if the family wanted to enjoy their meal in the cool.

It was also a huge design so everyone could gather around the table at once. Now, it is used as a place for the family to enjoy their meals.

A place to rest

The family continued to add in all the finishing touches they needed to stay in the cabin. One of the most important features is a double bed that is found tucked away in the peaked roof.

The bed is drowned in sunlight throughout the day before it becomes the perfect way to snuggle up and escape the cold by the evening. People can rest their heads here before heading out into the wilderness the following day.

Enjoying their work

The cabin might have cost just $100 to buy, but it took Rich and his family ten years of hard work before it was finally complete. The renovations turned out to be a lot more than anyone ever imagined.

Their dedication paid off in the long run. Rich and the family have since been left with a cabin of their dreams while everyone else in the area can enjoy the view of the new addition.

Making memories

The family admit they still have a few finishing touches that need to be added every now and then. They like to keep on top of the cabin with any renovations, repairs, and new coats of paint every now and then to make sure they can enjoy it for years to come.

Thankfully, they have all got plenty of use from the cabin so far, such as their vegan Thanksgiving where Rich lay out a Four Directions Harvest Table.