About this plan

A 12 by 20 foot loft cabin of 215 square feet, built on four by four skids rather than a poured foundation. A saltbox roof, a sleeping loft, a full kitchen and a bathroom with a shower. You receive these 12x20 cabin plans as a PDF plan set.

Built on skids

Skids are the most interesting thing about this plan. The cabin sits on timber runners instead of concrete, which means no excavation, no curing time and, in many jurisdictions, a different regulatory category altogether, because a building that can be moved is often not treated as a permanent structure. It also means you can site it, live with it for a season, and move it if you chose the spot badly.

The saltbox roof

An 8 in 12 saltbox has one short slope and one long one. The short side gives full headroom where the loft is, the long side sheds weather and keeps the ridge down to 15 feet 1 inch. It is the shape that gets a usable loft into a twelve foot wide building.

Inside

A full kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, a flex room that can be an office or a second sleeping space, and a loft used for sleeping and storage. A front porch sits under the long slope.

What you get

The download is a full construction set: dimensioned floor plans for each level, exterior elevations on all four sides, building sections and construction details, a foundation plan with floor, wall and roof framing layouts, an electrical layout, window and door schedules, and a roof plan with pitch and overhang dimensions. It arrives as a PDF once payment is confirmed.

Permits

Many jurisdictions exempt small structures below a certain floor area from a full permit, and many do not. The threshold varies by county, and in some places it changes the moment the building has plumbing in it. Check with your local building department before you start rather than after.

Other plans to compare

If these 12x20 cabin plans are not quite the right size, browse every design in Cabin, or compare this one with Modern A-Frame Cabin, 24×36 and Hilltop Hideout, 35×35.

Common questions

Can I modify these 12x20 cabin plans?

Often, yes. Common requests include moving a wall, mirroring the layout or adapting the foundation to your site, but what is possible depends on the plan, so ask for a free quote before you buy. Editable CAD files are not available for every plan; email us to confirm availability for this one.

How are the drawings supplied?

Plans are supplied digitally as PDF files. Our Shipping and Delivery Policy explains how and when files are made available.

Are there limits on printing?

No. Print whatever your builder, your subcontractors and your permit submission need.