Our New Kit Video

Please check out our new You Tube Video and more to come.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YtclAs8y2I

2020 Schedule update

The 2020 schedule has already started with a bang and we have a number of projects on the schedule. If you have a project in mind, don't hesitate to check in with us. Depending on where it is and the size etc. there is a good chance we can build it this year. The schedule is constantly changing in the summer months due to us finishing projects early so we can start others early as well as lots not quite being ready for us etc.
The ice roads are in great shape in many areas so we can likely take another project or two before break-up if we know very soon.
The DIY Kits have been more popular than anticipated and we'll be shipping to the bush as soon as the first barges arrive.

 “Don’t treat people the way they treat you. Treat people the way God treats you.” Dave Willis

Winter is back!

The New Year is starting out like a normal Alaskan winter...cold! We haven't had extreme cold in some areas of SW Alaska for some time but it is here now. Most of the lakes are now driveable and some of the rivers are now safe to travel as well.
As I have said many times, people can work in the cold much better than can equipment. Keeping generators, compressors, nail guns, saws and Redi-Heaters going when it's cold is the real challenge. We still have a number of projects in the works right now and we are hoping for a little warmer weather in the near future.
Some new updates will be added to our website in the coming days and weeks. We are scheduling for the summer and fall now and we still have a couple of start dates available so please don't hesitate to contact us with your building ideas.

 “The Pessimist Sees Difficulty In Every Opportunity. The Optimist Sees Opportunity In Every Difficulty.” – Winston Churchill

Winter Schedule

Our Winter season is already pretty busy but the weather has been rather unpredictable. We still have a few openings this winter for off-road work but we are still working on a summer like schedule since this year was so busy. Many of the trails are now good for transporting although some of the rivers and lakes are a little sketchy as of yet.
Our DIY Kits have been very popular since we re-introduced them and we have been working on improved directions and support systems.
We will be trying to improve our blog consistency and do blogs on a regular basis. We want to do a podcast again but we haven't found the right carrier yet.
All things considered it has been a very strong year and 2020 looks to be even stronger.

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.

George Washington Carver

The 2020 Season Shaping Up

The 2020 building season has already shaped up to be a busy one. We have scheduled work all over the state so far but we still have some start dates available. It seems like Alaska is going through a building boom right now and new projects are popping up wherever you look.
We have seen a lot of interest in the DIY Kits and we are estimating them on an individual basis and in limited number so we can give clients the attention they deserve when they start building and have questions.
Most of our remote village projects are being sent out as DIY Kits to keep the cost down and we can provide some on site assistance where necessary.
If you are interested in a Kit or having us build on your site, please contact us and we'll do our best to accomodate.


Difficult and meaningful will always bring more satisfaction than easy and meaningless. Maxime Lagacé

Kits Reborn

We took over a year off of building DIY Kits to work on better directions and client support. We believe we have a better system now and are going to start offering them again with limited scope. We will be offering Plan 1, Plan 2 and Plans 5 and 6 to start with. We found that many optional items like dormers and multiple roof-lines were too difficult for us to produce and convey directions adequately.
We will be offering blocks of hours for assistance if people are interested. We will send a qualified carpenter to assist in starting or following it all the way through. Most folks will not opt for this but we will make it available for those that do want it.
Unfortunately, we won't be able to offer custom designs but floor plans and window placements etc. will still be easily modified..
The DIY Kits are particularly popular for those building in remote areas where the cost of crew room and board and travel are very expensive.
If you are thinking of taking on a kit project, let us know and we'll get it going for you.


“Faith: It does not make things easy, it makes them possible.” (Author Unknown)

Going Forward in 2019 and 2020

2019 is over half over and it has been our busiest year to date. We are now building for some of the grandchildren of clients we built for almost thirty years ago which is kind of cool. We still have a few start dates available in 2019 and quite a few in 2020. We do build all winter so we have some winter dates available as well.
Our new pricing was posted over a week ago but our construction costs have risen higher than our increase. We plan to hold it as long as possible to give our clients the best value.
We have been very fortunate in that many of our workers have been with us 20 years or more which gives us a little advantage over our competition.
The urethane spray business has really been popular and continues to grow each year and we will likely be adding a new foam truck before the end of the year.
Give us a call or email if you want to start planning your project and we'll do our best to get it going for you as fast as possible.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Psalm 23:1

New pricing going online

I wrote in late January that our new pricing would soon go into effect but when the settings on the blog were changed I couldn't get back on and let everyone know when the new pricing would be posted online. Since I wanted to let everyone know when the pricing would be changed, I held off until now to post the new prices.
The new pricing has been sent to the webmaster and should be posted in the next week or so. If you have a proposal or quote from the last year or so, we will honor it until the new pricing has been posted
We still have a few start dates available for the fall and some available for after freeze-up as well. So far this has been our busiest year in 27 years and we are looking forward to the 2020 season with great anticipation as well.

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” 
― Nicolas Chamfort

Back on the Blog

Somehow, the settings were changed for getting onto the blog and I haven't been able to figure out how to get back on until yesterday thanks to Brina, our office manager, figuring it out for me. I tried and tried to get on over the past few months and finally gave up until Brina offered to help yesterday.
I will now be trying to post more blogs since people keep asking "What happened to the blog". Now it's on to the Podcast.
The company that we did our podcast with, went out of business and I haven't had the time nor the technical expertise to search out another carrier.
I will now be posting more blogs. Thanks for your patience!
Jay Friesen

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” 
― Helen Keller

New shop buildings for 2019

Over the years we have been know for doing garages but we never thought to let it be known that we also build large shop buildings. We are going to be publishing our new shop plans and pricing in the near future but here is a sneak peek of our sizes and pricing.
Remember, we are not limited to these sizes and design. We can also incorporate tubing in the floors for in-floor heat along with all the plumbing to put in bathrooms or kitchens as well. More and more people want the taller doors for motorhomes and large equipment so we do a lot of  14 and 16 foot walls in our shop buildings to allow for 12 and 14' doors.

All of our shop buildings come with a monolithic slab with 18 to 24" perimeter footers reinforced with rebar and wire. Overhead doors with electric openers, personnel doors and windows as requested.

Pricing for the 2019 Season

As with most companies, we have been faced with large increases in material and labor costs over the last few years which has forced our hand in increasing our pricing. We haven't published the new pricing but I expect it will be implemented in the next few weeks. Some things won't be increased but we are going to be reviewing our price list and options for revisions. Naturally, contracts already in place will not be affected.
The good news is we are looking forward to a very busy year with projects planned throughout the state. We still have start dates available this year but if you need construction financing it is best to start the process now since it can take three to six months to get everything in order.
On subsequent blogs we will be listing the names of banking contacts for construction financing in different areas of the state.




"If you want happiness for an hour ? take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day ? go fishing.
If you want happiness for a year ? inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime ? help someone else."
Chinese Proverb

Notes from the Earthquake

When the earthquake hit on November 30, 2018 my first thought was "We've got over a thousand structures built here in Alaska, what now?" It was a sobering thought I must admit. Thankfully we had very few reports of damage and everything reported to us was very minor.
We have always tried to add a little extra support here and there and add structure and hardware above and beyond what is required which is added comfort when we come up against an earthquake or high wind events.
Urethane foam spray adds significant strength to any structure as well as high insulation qualities and we have received many requests for urethane spray foam for this coming year. Our equipment is more portable now and we can take it into remote areas. Historically, urethane is installed for its high insulation qualities but the structural qualities have high value as well.
If you are interested in building in the 2019 season, please contact us since we still have some opening start dates in different areas of the state. If we are already to scheduled to build in your area, we can likely build for you while we are in the area.




"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do no pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for power equal to your tasks." Phillips Brooks

The 2019 Season

The 2019 season started in June and July of 2018. We do have a number of projects on line for 2019 but there are a limited number of start dates available yet. Every year it seems that we book up a little faster than the year before which is definitely a good thing.
We have done many urethane jobs this year and will continue to do more and more in the coming year.
2018 was the busiest year we have had and 2019 looks to be a similar year. We are going through all of our published plans and updating floor plans and options and we certainly welcome input from anyone looking at our website.


“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.” 
― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

The 2018 Season

The 2018 season has been the busiest we've seen in 27 years. We have had projects all over the state and still have many more to build. All and all it has been a very good season with the normal challenges that comes with building in so many different locations.
We discontinued the DIY Kit program since we found there wasn't as much demand as anticipated.
It's possible we may re-start the program at some point but for now the Kit program has been sidelined.
We started spraying urethane insulation foam in 2017 and it has been very popular. We are still only doing foam spray for past and current clients but we may offer it to the public at some point in the future.
We may be offering some new plans in the near future as well depending on requests. We are currently in the design stage.
We still have a few openings for 2018 and some openings for 2019 are also available.  We are going to try and do blog posts more frequently in the future as well.


“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” – Norman Vincent Peale

New A Frame Plan for 2018

We have received a lot of requests for A Frames over the past few years so we are replacing our plan 4 with A frames. The pricing will be on our website very soon but here is a sample. This is a 16 x 20 model with a base price of $20,500. These will also be offered in DIY Kits as well. We are going to have larger sizes as well which we will be posting on our website as soon as we get the pricing updates finished.

New For 2018!

We are going to be offering a few new products/services in the new year. Nothing too dramatic but new none the less.

• New Pricing- There will be a few changes to our price list in the new year. After a review of our prices, we found that some styles and sizes were priced incorrectly and we also found it necessary to increase the pricing across the board as well.
• FCC Cabincast- Our podcast host went out of business in November so we haven't done any new podcasts since then. We will be starting back with the new podcasts next week with a new host.
• New A Frame Plan- We are replacing plan #4 with an A Frame plan. The A Frame plan has been requested many times before and since plan #4 has not been as popular as the other plans we thought we would exchange it for the A Frame instead of adding a new plan #13
• Spray Foam- We are now offering spray foam insulation on all of our cabins, homes and shop buildings. We are using the 2 pound closed cell urethane which has the highest R-Value of all spray insulations.
• New Project Manager- We also have a new project manager on board to assist in managing all of our projects this year. Korie Russell came on board in June 2017 and has a very wide knowledge in construction and logistics. He will be doing a lot of the field inspections and walk-throughs especially on the remote projects.

These are just a few of the changes we will be making  this year to hopefully be more organized and service our clients better. We also welcome any thoughts from our blog readers on how we can improve. Happy New Year Everyone!!

For 2018
Less talking – More Listening
Less Planning – More Doing
Less Soda – More Tea  (Coffee ok?)
Less Junk Food – More Salads
Less Complaining – More Encouraging
Less Worrying – More Hoping
Less Doubting – More Believing
Less Lazing around – More Working out
Less Frowning – More Smiling
Less Insecurity – More Trust
Less Weakness – More Confidence
Less Ignorance – More Understanding
Less Hate – More Love
Less ungratefulness – More Gratitude

Merry Christmas from Friesen's Custom Cabins!

We at FCC wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I'm really not a fan of company Christmas cards since they are usually so impersonal. This year has been a very good year for us and all of our partners and we owe it too our clients. Obviously without you we have no business so we want to take this opportunity to say thanks!
We are in the process of making many changes for the New Year to serve our clients better especially in the area of communication and updating. We also will be offering some new plans and features which we will cover in upcoming blogs and podcasts.
We sincerely wish the best Christmas season for all and for all a few days to recover before the new year.

"Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share our blessings, all the snow in Alaska won't make it 'white'." Bing Crosby

The 2018 Season is looking good!

25 years ago when I became a General Contractor I had already been in the industry for 15 years and I couldn't imagine still doing this in "2018" but we are here and going stronger than ever.
The 2018 is already being scheduled but we do still have a few start dates available. We are currently working on our new price list but it won't go into affect until it is posted online.
The 2017 season was very strong, one of the strongest we have ever had, and 2018 may even be more busy. Fortunately we have a very experienced crew many of which have been with us for many years so it should be a great year.
We'll be working in all quadrants of the state this year from Ketchikan to Barrow and most points in between.
If you are needing a construction loan, now is the time to get it started. You can call or email us for referrals to lending institutions and loan officers in your area.
Please be safe during the Christmas and New Years season. We'll be working throughout the Holidays so don't hesitate to contact us or set up a meeting to get started on your dream.

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.  Francis of Assisi

Friesen's Urethane Services

We finally have our urethane equipment on line this year. We started offering the urethane product in the spring of this year and it has been very popular. We especially encourage spray urethane in floors that are on pilings above the ground and in walls and roofs in areas where it is very cold and fuel prices are high. It is also worthwhile in skirtings and between rim joists in crawl spaces and in between floor.
We are set up to go to remote areas with our equipment and we'll be on a travel schedule starting in the spring to different rural towns and villages. If we have three or more projects in one area we can keep the pricing lower than if we travel for only one project.
While it is true that urethane is more expensive than fiberglass insulation, the comfort and energy savings make it well worth the extra cost.
Right now we are scheduled to go to Dillingham and Naknek in the spring of 2018 as well as several Bering Sea Villages. If you are on the road system we can usually include your project in our travel schedule as well.
Please email us at friesenscustomcabins@gmail.com or call 907-746-2082 if you are interested in an estimate.

Some facts about our urethane product.

• Saves energy operating costs. 30-50% per year
• Reduces air and moisture infiltration-resulting in a more consistent temperature
• Reduces dust and pollen infiltration
• Adds structural strength to the building
• Reduces the likelihood of mold
• Reduces ice damages
• Reduces HVAC capacity requirements
• R-values remain stable over time
• It has the highest performance of all insulation
• It is permanent and will not sag or settle
• We use a 2 pound polyurethane unlike other products which are .5 pound
• R value is R7 per inch
• It acts as it's own vapor retarder
• It will pay for itself in a shorter time if you live in a rural area with oil heat

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” – Milton Berle

Things to know about financing your dream!

One of the biggest hurdles to get over when you are wanting to build a new home or cabin is financing. There are many ways to finance but the most common is the conventional construction loan. I am going to give a brief  description of the steps required. The process can be very frustrating and seemingly impossible at first but we can help you through the pit falls.

• The first step in acquiring a construction loan is getting pre-qualified for your long term financing. If you call our office we can give you the names of people to call at various institutions for your long term financing. By long tem financing I am referring to your conventional 30 year mortgage.
• Once you have been pre-qualified for X amount, you can apply for a construction loan. The bank will give you a packet of endless paperwork that we can also help you with.
• It is important to note that the bank will want you to have some skin in the game when it comes to a construction loan. You will need to have a minimum of 20% down which is a considerable sum if you are considering a 200 or 300K project. Sometimes the bank will take your lot value into consideration providing it has been paid off and you own it free and clear. They may even take into consideration your equity in the lot if it hasn't been paid off.
• We can help you with your budget, schedule, sub-contractors as well as design decisions. Your project must have an appraisal and it must appraise out higher than the loan amount of course.
• Once you have finished your project, your long term financing will take over and you will close your construction loan and start paying your mortgage which will be at a much lower interest rate.
• The process seems daunting at first but we have guided many people through it over the years and it can be very rewarding building your dream.

"Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting." ~(Anonymous but sounds like Jesus Christ)

DIY KIT SEMINAR 2017

Our DIY Kit Seminar is going to be on May 20. We have had tremendous response so far and we have a few spots left if you want to attend. We will cover all the steps of building one of our DIY Kits and lunch will be provided as well.
If you are planning on purchasing a kit or have already purchased one, it will be well worth your time.
Please call 746-2082 or email at friesenscustomcabins@gmail.com to get your name on the list. See you there!
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning    

FCC Cabincast #8 FAQ's Part 2

Have a listen to our podcast #8. Today we answer more Frequently asked questions. Please email or message us on facebook your questions. We'll try to answer them all!
Thanks for listening!

http://alaska-cabincast-episode-2.madewithopinion.com/fcc-cabincast-8-faq-s-part-2/#

The FAQ Podcast Part 1

Have a listen to our latest Podcast. We are going through some of our favorite FAQ's. This is part 1 in a 3 part series. The podcast is definitely amateur since we are not professional broadcasters but we are trying to improve it a little every week.
Thanks for listening!
http://alaska-cabincast-episode-2.madewithopinion.com/


“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” -Winston Churchill

Fairbanks Office

We are in the early stages of opening an office in the Fairbanks area. Over the past 25 years we have built many projects in the Fairbanks area and we feel it is time to have a local presence.
We have a number of projects scheduled for the Fairbanks area this year and have had many more requests for work as well.
Our office will likely be a small office cabin between Fairbanks and North pole and our search for a suitable spot has begun.
The Fairbanks office will cover work from Cantwell to Fairbanks, and from Fairbanks to Delta Jct. and Tok as well as the Yukon River villages and North Slope.
Any comments and suggestions from those of you in the northern region are welcome and we look forward to being able to serve your area better.

                                            A recent project in Fairbanks

"The essence of all art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure." Dale Carnegie

DIY KIT Seminar 2017

Good News, we are planning another Free DIY Kit seminar in May of this year. Last year we had over 50 people attend and another 50 or so on the waiting list. To be effective in the seminar we can only reasonably accept 40 people. We are shooting for May 22 for the seminar. It will start at 10:00 and end no later than 3:00 with a break for lunch on us.
If you have one of our kits or anticipate building one in the future, the DIY Seminar is a valuable tool and will help you tremendously in the building process. Please email us at friesenscustomcabins@gmail.com if you plan on attending since space will be limited.
See you there!!

Check out our Alaskan Cabincast Episode 5 featuring Paul Holmes "Bushbuilder Extraordinaire"

This is Part one of a  two part podcast.  Paul Holmes worked with us for 23 years until he was forced to retire due to health issues. Paul worked on hundreds of projects with us in all types of weather all over the state of Alaska. He was one of those guys who was always ready to go no questions asked. He still does some consulting work for us from time to time. His stories are great and he has a lot of them. I think you will find the podcast worth your time.



Check out this great Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/alaska-cabincast/id1202291697?mt=2

This is Paul hauling some windows and materials to a remote jobsite.

The Alaska Cabincast Episode 4

Thanks for the unbelievable response to the podcast! We are now up on iTunes and Google play. Take a listen to Episode 4.
alaska-cabincast-episode-2.madewithopinion.com

Grip Strut Steps and Snow Grates

We try and introduce new products and options each year as they are requested.

                                     

Grip strut snow steps have always been popular but they were a special order item. We now are offering grip strut steps and snow grates. These are excellent for snow country. They make going up the steps much safer and the snow falls right through. We can also put snow grates in front of the entry door to stomp the snow off your feet before going inside.

Alaska Cabincast Episode 3 Winter building

Check out our podcast! We are only on our third episode and so far the response has been...well....um...underwhelming, but we won't let that stop us haha. It isn't as easy as it looks as I am finding out.
This episode is about winter building. Thanks for listening!
http://alaska-cabincast-episode-2.madewithopinion.com/feeds/alaska-cabincast-episode-2/rss/

New Garage Sizes For 2017

We have been offering two and three car garages and larger for years and we have built smaller garages as well but we never have had them on our site....until now! The following garages have basically the same features as our two car garages except the walls are 9' instead of  10' and the doors are 7' tall instead of 8'. Naturally we can upgrade the doors if desired.  One personnel door and two 3 x 3 windows are also included as well as the concrete slab.

                                      12 x 20 Single car or small SUV: $12,995

 

 

 

 

                                   12 x 24 Single car or full size pickup: $14,400

 

 

 

 

14 x 24 Single car or full size four door pickup: $15,895

 

 

 

 

 

                          16 x 24 Single car or full size four door pickup: $18,495

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                             20 x 20 Two small cars or two small SUVs: $18,995
 

 "He that hath a garage in Alaska hath a good thing for he can fill it with many things and the cars dwell outside."
(Ancient Alaska proverb)

Planning your dream!

Many people come to me and ask what size cabin or home do you think is best for me? The only way to answer this is by asking a few questions.

• What is your budget
• Do you plan on living there full time?
• How many are in your family?
• Do you have frequent visitors?
• Are you or members of your family able to climb stairs?
• How are you planning to heat ?
• How long to you plan to own it, do you plan to sell it within a few years to upgrade?
• Do you plan to add on in the future?

There are many other considerations as well but you have to start somewhere. Most folks already have a good idea of what they want and what they can afford before they meet with us.
Size is a very important issue when determining what you are going to build. Naturally, every square foot cost money so the larger you build the more it will cost. Modern houses on average are much larger today than they were even in the 1950's and 1960's and there are many more features as well. If you are building a remote cabin, chances are it will be smaller than a home in the city or on the road system.
With the  "tiny home" movement we have seen all the features of a 1500 square foot home compacted into 200 square foot much like motorhomes and campers have done for years.
For planning purposes, if you can give us a basic idea of what you would like to build on a bar napkin sketch, we can start narrowing it down for you. Once we have a basic plan started, we can do the 3D walkthrough in our office, place all your furniture electronically to see if everything will fit, give you a firm cost of everything until we arrive at a final design and cost. We can normally turn drawings around in 24 hours so you have a place to start.
Send us your dreams on a simple sketch and before you know it you'll have a completed home or cabin to enjoy.
"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do." Pope John XXIII

The Alaska Cabincast Episode 2.

Thanks for listening to our first episode of the Alaska Cabincast. We received no bombs in the mail yet so we decided to do episode #2 this week. We'll try and have a new episode every week until people tell us to stop!

“Don't be afraid! We won't make an author of you, while there's an honest trade to be learnt, or brick-making to turn to.”
― Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist

http://alaska-cabincast-episode-2.madewithopinion.com/feeds/alaska-cabincast-episode-2/rss/

The Alaska Cabincast- Our first Podcast

I have attached our first podcast. Hey, we know we are much better at building  than broadcasting so if it hurts your ears too much at least you can turn it off. We will be bringing new and better contact each week.
Feel free to leave the most negative comments. LOL

http://alaska-cabincast-episode-2.madewithopinion.com/alaska-cabincast/

Bush Shipping Part 2B Summer Transportation

In Bush Shipping Part 2A we covered the basics of summer transportation of materials. We will explore a little further in this post.
Many remote recreational lots are in areas where there were state land sales or state land disposals. Others are homesteads, remote parcels, patented mining claims, agricultural plots, manufacturing sites, open to entry sales and many other programs. In the old days you could take a dozer and blaze a trail to the site and this is still a possibility in some areas, however, things are much more regulated today for building trails, crossing streams, and private and government land. In most areas there is usually some sort of ATV trail that is suitable for hauling materials. It is important to take other users into consideration when using these trails in summer since hauling 40 loads of material over a fragile ATV trail can really tear it up and anger other users which is best to avoid if you plan on being a good neighbor. When you start cutting trees to make the trail wider you might meet with some resistance as well.
We have found in many instances if the trail is more than seven or eight miles and not improved it is sometimes more economical to use a helicopter to haul materials if there is a suitable staging area close by.

• Helicopters are expensive but they are very quick way to handle building materials, often you can get everything hauled to the lot in one day and be ready to build. You also have to consider the ferry time when you use a helicopter. You will be charged  when they leave their base of operations and the clock runs whenever the rotors are turning until they return to their base. Even at the higher cost this is a very efficient way to transport materials to a remote site.
• Float planes are a good option if you are near a suitable lake or river for landing. Dehaviland Beavers and Otters are the workhorses of the float plane world and you can move a lot of material with either of these aircraft. The important thing is you need to have a suitable spot to offload and people to help when the plane arrives.
• Boats and barges are a great choice if you are on a waterway suitable. Remember, the difficulty of getting materials and equipment from the landing spot to the site must be considered in figuring costs.
• Track Vehicles are an excellent means of transporting materials in the right area. They can haul a big load through wet and muddy areas usually right to the site. In some areas they are not practical since the trails are made for ATVs and the track rigs are too large.

There are many methods of  transporting materials to a remote building site, more than we have discussed in this blog. Remember to take into consideration transportation to the staging area, loading and unloading, and transportation from the landing area to the building site. These steps are very important and can take a lot of time and effort.

"In every day, there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact.” 

— Les Brown

Our new Outhouse Plan for 2017

Anywhere else in the United States an outhouse is a novelty. Here in Alaska in many areas it's a necessity. We have had many requests for outhouses over the years and for some reason we've never had a plan that we could duplicate until now.
An outhouse is a very simple project but it requires the same tools and knowledge as building a house and takes more time and material than most people realize. We now are building outhouses in our shop and delivering them to your site. We are also doing pre-fabricated outhouses that you can assemble yourself on your site which will save a few bucks as well.
All outhouses come with a pressure treated base, T1-11 siding, metal roof (Color your choice), cedar trim, toilet seat and paper holder.
The cost for the outhouse kit is $1,295 and $1,595 for a fully assembled model. If we are building your cabin we will dig the hole and deliver at no extra cost.
If you choose to pick up at our shop, the outhouse will fit on a snowmachine trailer or a standard size pickup.

“As the old year retires and a new one is born, we commit into the hands of our Creator the happenings of the past year and ask for direction and guidance in the new one. May He grant us His grace, His tranquility and His wisdom!”
― Peggy Toney Horton,    

Winter Building 2017

Winter in Alaska to many signifies the end of all outdoor activity but to us it is the beginning of our Winter building season. After freeze-up we are able to access many areas of the state that are impractical to reach during the summer months.
After many years of experimentation we have developed many techniques for building in cold weather. Naturally, there are times where the temperatures are so severe that it's not practical to keep working outdoors but generally speaking temperatures to -15 degrees or so don't create any major problems as long as there isn't significant wind to deal with.
We have done metal roofs down to -53 degrees but it wasn't very productive. Interestingly, low temperature bituthane and 100% silicone perform well at -50 and even colder without any change in flexibility or viscosity.
Excavation can be a challenge especially if the ground has been cleared of organics and cleared of snow. The organics and snow keep the ground insulated and don't allow the frost to dive deep.
Many sites have no road access but are fairly close to a road, traveling on ice roads on rivers and lakes allows us to access many sites with our regular vehicles which also keeps the cost down.
If you have a project you want done in the winter season so you can enjoy it in the summer give us a call and we'll get it going for you.

                                Happy New Year From Friesen's Custom Cabins!!                      

Bush Shipping Part 2A Summer Transportation.

  I posted Bush Shipping Part 1 a couple of years ago and I think it is time to expand on it a little. In Part 1 we talked about shipping to villages in Rural Alaska. In this Blog we will talk about hauling to remote sites where there are no villages.
There are many different modes of transportation to remote sites depending on the season. In the summer months we can utilize boats, barges, track vehicles, ATV's and aircraft on wheels or floats.
  Most sites are accessible by trail, river or lake or a combination of both. For example, if you are building on the Yentna River, you might be able to ship an entire cabin package on a river barge to a point close to where you want to build. From the drop off-location you may need to haul overland with ATV or other equipment or possibly shuttle the material in a smaller boat or raft. Some projects will require loading and unloading materials several times which adds significantly to the cost since even a small cabin can weigh 10,000 to 20,000 pounds and larger cabins can weigh over 100,000 pounds. Suffice it to say it will always be a lot more material than you anticipate.
  Many sites are on lakes accessible by float plane which makes transport fairly simple albeit expensive. There are many things to consider when figuring the cost of transporting material by float plane. You need to be certain there is a suitable place to tie up the plane and unload it as well as easy access to the building site. Since most lakes have a 75' setback for building, the cost of hauling the material from the lake or river to the building site needs to be considered as well. Many times people want to build on a bluff above a river or lake which makes transporting even a short distance more challenging.
  In over 25 years of remote building we have encountered almost every situation imaginable. Notice I said 'Almost' because there are always more adventures to cover in" Bush Shipping Part 2B Summer Transportation".

"Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great."Orison Swett Marden

The 2017 Season

  It seems like every year we get booked up earlier and earlier. Now is a good time to do your planning and get on the schedule for the 2017 Spring and Summer building season.
  If you need construction financing you should allow two or three months to complete the process so if you wait too long it could push you very late into next season.
  We do build year-round and we still have dates open for this winter season. The lakes and rivers are starting to firm up and we should be able to drive trucks and equipment on the ice soon so we can access many of the places we can't in summer.
   2014, 2015 and 2016 were our busiest years in 25 years and 2017 looks like it will be very strong as well.
   We look forward to hearing from you soon!



"Positive anything is better than negative nothing." Elbert Hubbard

Lay-a-Way Expanded

  We started our Lay-a-Way program for our DIY Kits in 2012 and it has been extremely popular. We are now expanding the program for our built-on-site projects to give more clients access to the program.
  The plan is very similar to the DIY Kit Lay-a-Way program except it doesn't need to be completely paid for before we start. Since the average project only takes thirty days to construct, the contract will state that the final payment must be made upon completion of the project.
  If you are interested in the new plan, let us know and we can work out a custom plan for you to attain your dream cabin.

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

We want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Over the years we have built over a 1000 projects statewide and we also want to thank all of you that we have worked with over the past 25 years.
We will be posting on the blog more frequently since we have had many requests for more blog posts.
2017 will see new plans and options on our website and we are really excited about the new offerings.

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” Epictetus

Tiny Houses

In recent years we have received many requests for Tiny Houses. We are introducing four sizes of completely finished tiny houses. These are not the typical tiny house that has wheels but they are small enough to be moved down the highway with a special permit. They are super insulated and energy efficient. The smallest is 12 x 20 and comes complete with kitchen, bathroom, appliances, deck and small loft and runs $49,995.
We can build it on your site or deliver for you. We will have other sizes as well up to 16 x 24. We are working on financing options with two local financial institutions. These make great rentals, guest cabins, mother in law apartments etc.
Please give us a call or email for more information.

Bush Shippping Part 1

We are frequently asked for shipping rates for our kit packages to rural Alaska. Shipping rates vary widely throughout the state. Barge shipping in the summer is generally the most cost effective if the service is available to your location. Since many towns and villages are on the coast or close to a river or other navigable waterway,  barge shipping is available to much of rural Alaska.
If your town or village is a regular stop for the barge, the cost is much less than if your location is a secondary town or village which means the freight has to be offloaded at another location to be lightered by a smaller barge to your location. These secondary locations may cost as much or more than the freight from Anchorage to the first location so air transportation may be a more feasible option for these areas although the cost for shipping by air is very expensive since it will generally require a charter and the village must have an airstrip suitable in length.
Yukon River villages are more reasonable in cost for shipping from Nenana but there is a substantial cost for trucking the Kit from Palmer to Nenana.
There are two main choices for barges to Western Alaska. Northland Services in Anchorage and Alaska Logistics in Seward. Northland Services is a larger company and services more locations. Alaska Logistics also services many locations and is slightly less expensive. It must be noted however, shipping to Seward by truck is going to be an added cost and needs to be figured into the equation.
Many other options exist for Kodiak and the Eastern side of the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutians. The Alaska State Ferry is an option for Kodiak, Cordova and many towns in Southeast.
Since there are so many different shipping options for different areas, I can only cover a few in this blog. In Part 2 we will cover some of the more remote locations and methods of handling freight. Once we know what kit you want and the finish options you have selected, we can submit for a quote on the cost of freight to your location.


"Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see a bird that had the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses."
Dale Carnegie

Engrave this quote in Our Store! |

Rate this Quote! |

2015 Pricing

In the past four years we have had only one price increase and it was last year. Unfortunately, we are going to be forced to raise the price slightly for 2015.  Material pricing has remained fairly stable but the small increase we implemented last summer simply was not enough to cover the increased costs since our last increase in 2011.  The increase will be 7 to 8% and will be effective January 1, 2015. Naturally, all contracts before that time will be honored at the existing prices on the website.  No one likes the price increases, especially us, because it is a hardship on our clients. After spending 35 years in the business I know it is a necessary evil to remain viable and to continue to give quality service to our clients in the future and past clients as well.

"There is more to life than increasing its speed."

Mahatma Gandhi

New Start Dates for 2015

It is that time of year again! We start getting many requests for work for the next season during the period between Thanksgiving and New Years.  We still have start dates available for the 2015 Summer and Fall season. 2014 was one of our busiest years and 2015 looks like it will be busy as well.
Now is a good time to set up a time to meet to discuss your future project. If you need to apply for your construction financing it is a good idea to start early since it can take months to processs.
If you are interested in a DIY Kit, we usually have a two to three month backlog. If it is to be shipped to rural Alaska by barge it is best to have as much notice as possible for logistics.
We still don't have thick enough ice to drive safely in most places but we will soon. We still have a few start dates available for winter work as well, so don't hesitate to call.
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

Helen Keller

A Word about Financing

We always receive many questions about financing options. While we have no in-house financing options outside of our Lay-a-Way program for our DIY kits, we normally refer our clients to First National Bank of Alaska for construction financing.
The process goes something like this.

1. Meet with a mortgage specialist who will qualify you for your long term financing. They will refer you to a construction loan specialist for your construction financing or give you a 90% letter to give to a construction loan specialist of your own if you have already selected one.
2. Meet with the construction loan specialist. They will give you a worksheet for your new home project. This worksheet will determine the budget for your new home.
3. After you have this worksheet and you are pre-qualified, we can help you with the work sheet and drawings. An appraisal will be ordered on the drawings to determine if the home is going to be appraised at or above the amount of the loan.
4. When the appraisal is finished and is sufficient for the loan, the final papers will be drafted for your construction loan.

The process can take two to six months depending on the variables so it is best to get started now for the spring and summer season. For more information and referrals to local loan specialists please give us a call at 1-888-909-8091

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving."     W.T. Purkiser

New Start Dates!

With the warmer temperatures and lack of snow we have been able to open up a couple of new start dates for this season.  We are still able to excavate in many areas which is unusual for this time of year. If you have a project you wanted to start this year but thought it was too late, give us a call and we will see if we can get the ball rolling for you.

Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside. No matter what is going on outside of us, there's always something we could be grateful for. ~ Barry Neil Kaufman

DIY KITS

Our DIY Kits have become very popular.  We are now able to offer building assistance through some of our Sub-Contractors.  For those people who are nervous about tackling a DIY Kit themselves, we can send a crew member or two crew members to help organize and build the project.
This is a good option for remote projects. You can hire a crew member for a day or two or to help with the entire project. The crew member is trained in the construction of the kits so it will speed up the build considerably.
We are taking orders for spring and summer now so we can have them ready for the first barges in June. We are also still doing the lay-away program if you want to pay for it in monthly payments throughout the winter.
A Kit Seminar is being planned for the spring as well and we will post it on the blog and Facebook.
If you are interested in a Kit or a cabin built on your lot in 2015, let us know and we will get the process started for you.


“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
― J.K. Rowling

The 2015 Season

2014 was our busiest year yet and 2015 looks to be more of the same. We are booking now for the 2015 season and for the 2016 winter season. We still have a few start dates open for this winter season as well. With the warmer temperatures we are still able to excavate and pour concrete. I am confident we will have ice to drive on for the winter season.
We have seen warm winters before but we were always able to access our off road projects.
If you are looking to build in the next year, give us a call and we can set up a meeting to discuss.

We consume our tomorrows fretting about our yesterdays.

Persius

New Email Address

For those of you who have been following our blog over the years, you may notice that it has been silent for a few months. It has been such a busy season that I just haven't had time to post lately.
I will now be trying to do a new blog post every week. We do have a new email address posted on our site. It is friesenscustomcabins@gmail.com
We don't have enough ice yet to do our offroad work but I am confident I will come soon enough.
"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream" C. S. Lewis

Season Updates!

The 2014 season has been extremely busy, it may turn out to be one of the busiest ever but that remains to be seen. We have had a lot of work on the Kenai this year as well as Valdez, Fairbanks and Talkeetna. We have sent kits to Galena, Willow, Skwentna, Wasilla, Nome, Dillingham, Dutch Harbor and Bethel so far with many more in line to ship to other areas of the state.
We had our first price increase last month which was the first in three years. The way material prices have been going, we may have another slight increase before the end of the season.
Kit prices have remained stable for a couple years but we will have to increase them as well next month.
We still have start dates available this season and we are scheduling off-road work for the winter season so don't hesitate to give us a holler with whatever construction needs you have.

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
Dale Carnegie

Scheduling for 2014

As it turns out, we were able to start many of our projects early this year which has opened some new start dates in July and August and possibly one in June. The road restrictions are off and the frost is out of the ground in most places. We have also finished some of our kits early this spring which has brought our lead time down so we can meet the barge schedules.
Let us know if you would like to build this year and we'll see what we can do.

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts."

- Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)

Kit Seminar Cancellation

Due to unforeseen circumstances and scheduling difficulties, our May 3rd. kit seminar has been cancelled and will be rescheduled later in the summer. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
We will be announcing the new schedule in the near future on facebook and the blog.



“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” –Theodore Roosevelt

Another Free Cabin To a Family in Need!

We got the idea for a Free Cabin to a family in need program in 2011 and announced the first recipient on Thanksgiving Day. We are now offering another free cabin to a “Family in Need” and we’ll announce it at the State Fair in August. We realize the need is great but we can only do our small part. Unfortunately this will create disappointment in those we cannot help so we ask for your understanding. The cabin for this year will be a 16 x 24 Plan 1 with 768 square feet. There will be one bedroom downstairs and a full loft upstairs. We will be building the complete dried-in shell and the new owner will be responsible for doing the finish work to make it liveable ie. Plumbing, electrical, insulation etc. The requirements are as follows: • Please describe your need in 200 words or less and email to us at friesen@alaska.net • The applicant must hold title to a suitable building lot in the Mat-Su valley. • The lot must be accessible by road. • Applicant must show financial ability to complete the cabin and make it liveable. • This cabin is to be used as a full time residence for the owner. "To much is given, much is required." Luke 12:48

DIY KIT SEMINAR SCHEDULE CHANGE

Our spring kit seminar date has been changed to May 3rd due to unexpected scheduling conflicts. Please email us at friesen@alaska.net if you are planning on attending. The seminar is open to everyone and will be most beneficial to those that are planning on building one of our DIY kits in the future. Look forward to meeting you on May 3!

DIY KIT SEMINAR

We are going to be doing at least two KIT seminars this season to familiarize current and future KIT builders with our process. The first one will be on April 22 at 10:00 AM. We will go through foundation, floor, wall and roof framing, window installation, stair building and metal roofing. The seminars typically take around four hours or so and we also have time afterwards for questions. The seminar is free for all. Please email or call us to let us know your coming so we know how many to expect. See you there! The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it. –Chinese Proverb

DIY Kits for this Summer

Our DIY kits have become increasingly popular in Rural Alaska. When ordering your Kit, bear in mind that we need plenty of time to make sure we meet the barge deadlines. We strive to make sure we deliver two weeks prior to the cut-off date to make sure we don't miss anything. We recommend ordering your kit at least three to six months in advance to ensure your kit makes the barge. Some villages only get one barge per season so it is critical to get the order in with plenty of time to spare. "ife is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ― Albert Einstein

New Duplex DIY KIT Plans

We are now offering two Duplex plans in DIY Kit form. The covered decks can easily be made into arctic entries. The cost for the 24 x 42 DIY Kit Plan runs $35,995 and the 28 x 42 runs $41,995. They are a great investment in the bush; you can live in one side and rent out the other. We will have more duplex and four-plex plans in the near future. A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing. George Bernard Shaw

2014 in with a roar!

The 2014 season is shaping up to be very busy. Appraisals on homes are getting back up to normal levels and from what we hear, people want to build! Last year was the busiest year ever for our website with 84,000 visitors and our Facebook page has almost 16,000 likes so we are gearing up. We don't anticipate doing much more volume than normal because we are still a small company that can only handle so much. Our Kits have become very popular in Rural Alaska and we expect a lot of growth in that area. We still have a few start dates available for this season and we also have some starts available for winter work as well. If you are interested in building this year or next, now is the time to get the ball rolling. We look forward to hearing from you. "If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else." –Booker T. Washington

Pricing for the New Year

As mentioned back in October, we haven't had any price changes since early 2011. It appears that we will be having an 8% increase at the end of this year. 8% does not get us back to where we were in 2011 but it will help defray some of the increases that we have experienced in the past few years. No one likes to hear about a price hike but alas, we have no choice. We will try to hold the new pricing as long as we can since we know that many folks have already budgeted for 2014 projects. Naturally, all contracts in place before the increase will not be affected. It’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. –Abraham Lincoln

Chimney Cleaning Tip

If you have a woodstove, it should be cleaned every year or so. You can hire a Chimney Sweep to do it for you which is great if you can afford it and don't want to get up on the roof. You can purchase a chimney brush with the fiberglass extensions and clean it yourself. A more simpler method is to get a long tow chain, remove the chimney top, lower the chain into the pipe as far as you can and make circular motions for a minute or two. You will hear the creosote breaking loose and falling down the pipe. In the older woodstoves, it will fall into the fire box. In the newer stoves, you will need to remove the black pipe closest to the stove and suck the debris out with a shopvac. Good Luck! "You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try." –Beverly Sills

Home Kit Comparisons

We are asked many times a month about how our kits compare to our competitor, a large material supplier here in Alaska. Up until now we have never published the difference, and there is a big difference. Their kits look similar to ours but there are several major differences. 1. Our kits come with bigger floor joist, bigger rafters, and are framed 16" on center instead of 24". The larger rafters and floor joist allow for higher R values in the insulation. 2. Our kits are designed to meet the residential and energy code. 3. We can make any change the customer wants including windows, doors, decks, arctic entries and any other feature requested. Their kits are not changeable. 4. We have a toll-free hotline for customers to call for assistance in building. Since we are a licensed General contractor, we can actually send out a carpenter or two to help out if you get in a bind. 5. We offer training in advance of construction to all of our customers who want to participate. 6. We send an instructional DVD with the kit. (They do as well now that they saw us do it) 7. We carry optional leveling devices for homes and cabins built on unstable soils. We are not saying they don't have a good product, just pointing out some differences. "Never run down your competitor, especially when they are your major supplier." (Anonymous Alaskan General Contractor)

Extreme Conditions Kit Options

We are in the process of developing three insulation options for your DIY kits to meet the needs of rural Alaskans. Our standard kit consists of the framing shell and includes foundation, framing, windows, doors and metal roof. The standard kits do not include wiring, plumbing, insulation or drywall etc. We have found that many in bush Alaska need more energy efficient options. With oil prices as high as $9.00 per gallon and even more in some areas, it makes good sense to spend the money up front for energy efficiency. On the road system, fuel prices are quite reasonable in comparison so the payback on energy efficient upgrades may not warrant the extra cost for super insulation which is quite costly. Naturally, there are many ways to make a home more energy efficient and we are starting out by offering three options for the DIY kits. We are in the process of building a price list for the super insulated kits right now. If you would like pricing on a particular model you can email or call and we can get the pricing for you very quickly.