Buying Plot of Land in Columbia County NY for cabin build

[Christopher Polanco]

Hello everyone. I am considering buying 1 acre of land in Austerlitz, NY Columbia County, on the MA border near the Berkshires. The intent would be to build a small rustic cabin, 400-500 sq ft., for weekend retreats while also rent it out part time, assuming local laws permit. Anyone familiar with the area? I'm a resident of the lower Hudson Valley and have not had the chance to explore that area up there but it seems like its close to a number of nice towns like Chatham, NY and the Berkshires within 15 min, outdoor activities also abound in all seasons. I wouldnt want to spend more than $90-$100k on a build. Does this seem reasonable? Anyone know of any good contractors in that area that do cabin builds? Also the land in question already has a well and septic system with electricity on site as well as a driveway and is zoned for cabins/mobile homes and single family dwellings among a few other things. Thank you!

[Chris Szepessy]

I grew up in Columbia County (Hudson/Greenport)...about 25 min from Austerlitz area. It is a very beautiful area. Same with the Berkshires. I don't about the building aspect of it, but if you can get it done for a reasonable price, I don't think you'd have any trouble renting it out. You definitely want to check local laws. A lot of areas are cracking down on STR and/or charging fees (taxes) to run one. Let me know if I can be of anymore help.

[Christopher Polanco]

Awesome. Yeah I'm currently checking with the towns code/zoning enforcement officer. I would def want to know that they are friendly to STR's before I make any moves. Thank you.

[Ronald Starusnak]

Hey Chris, I think you can build for that price. A cabin is not usually up to the same building regulations as a new construction home would be. I can help walk you through the process. We are custom home builders but I operate more in the Syracuse area. We build houses for $75-$85 per square foot which is our cost to build and we sell that for $150-$200 per square foot, sometimes our margins are much slimmer depending on the finishes of course. You should be able to get a cabin built around $90k in my opinion. Let me know if you had any plans in mind on the build, did you want to have drywall, wood stove, pellet stove, furnace? Well drilled & septic? 

[Christopher Polanco]

Hey Ronald. Thanks for the feedback. This is actually really helpful as I'm doing all this due diligence. What I have in mind is a small 1 room cabin with a loft area. White-washed wood interior. Pellet stove. Floor to ceiling windows in the front. Very basic build for the kitchen and bath. The land Im looking at has a well and septic already in place. Just hoping that a reasonable build could be possible, not trying to spend a fortune. 

[Patrick DiDomenico]

Look into shipping container houses. You can make them look rustic, if you like. 

[Makiko Goto-Widerman]

I keep dismantled old house materials for almost 20 years in the trailers. The last inspection of the timber materials by the professional preservation carpenter was 6-7 years ago. It was buildable condition. 

i am thinking to re-erect the old house somewhere in Columbia County. 

how to find a master preservation carpenter, who can assemble the house at a reasonable price. The size of the house is about 35'x 22'

I do not need a full 2nd floor. Does not make it as a museum condition.  Just make it to move in condition. Simple kitchen and bath, but install geothermal system. I like a chemical free house and garden. 

i wish to know how much it would cost to make it happen. 

my husband became disabled. I continue to work for living, but I have to be his full time caretaker , which requires a lot of energy but not only time. 

makiko Goto-Widerman

[Kristine Ann]