Building a Creek-Side Cabin in British Columbia

Travel across a small footbridge from Andrew Koessler’s main cabin in Langley, British Columbia and you’ll find his latest creation - a picturesque creek-side guest cabin featuring a loft with a double bed, a main floor seating area, and a kitchenette with running water. Perched atop a small hill among the scenic forest trees, the bungalow features a 9’ by 10’ base with a center ridge height of 16’ and allows Andrew’s guests to have a comfortable place to stay on the property. “We are all tired of sleeping in tents on deflating mattresses,” said Andrew. “I can’t say I have had any friends complain of a sleepless night in my cozy creek side bungalow.”

To build this impressive project, Andrew was able to utilize his Wood-Mizer LT40 Hydraulic portable sawmill and locally sourced timber. All the timber used for the bungalow build, including western red cedar, Douglas fir, and maple, was harvested and milled on Andrew’s property and 85% of the project was completed with lumber milled on his Wood-Mizer sawmill. “I built the entire bungalow myself, aside from some help moving the heavier beams into place,” said Andrew.

Andrew first became interested in sawmilling when a footbridge on his property needed to be repaired. After some research, the benefits of purchasing a sawmill became clear. “As I started seeing the potential of what was possible, I knew I needed a proper sawmill, and Wood-Mizer was the way to go,” said Andrew. Andrew started out with a Wood-Mizer LT35 portable sawmill, and despite minimal sawmilling experience, he reaped the benefits of the purchase immediately. “I dove in head-first, but it seems that all has worked out,” said Andrew. Andrew soon realized with the amount that he was using his sawmill, it made sense to upgrade to the LT40 Hydraulic portable sawmill.

With the creek-side cabin project completed, it is on to the next project for Andrew. With a renovation of his main cabin and a tractor shed in the works, Andrew shares that he’ll never run out of projects to pursue with his sawmill. However, he does remember to take the time to enjoy what he has created so far. “I love building creative projects and owning my Wood-Mizer mill has let me and my friends make a little dream world for ourselves,” said Andrew.