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Hey Archies! Gillian here, many of you have been following Jeremy and I’s personal Arched Cabin build for a little over a year. In case you haven’t, we are the managing directors/partners of Arched Cabins LLC and since we’re building not only a home but the business as well, we’ve been mostly weekend warriors for our 24XL x 40 build.
The foundation also sits 7.5 feet off the ground to allow for us to build next to a creek on the land which makes our build a little extra spicy. Most of the work has been done with our own hands but our gratitude is abundant to the friends that have volunteered their own sweat equity and encouraging company. We have hired out for things that would have taken our less skilled hands much more time than it’s worth to do ourselves; including drywall, the spray insulation, most of the flooring, and here and there when we just needed a few extra hands.
As I’m writing this, I just received the first photos from Jeremy of the wood flooring being installed and I can’t properly articulate how truly momentous an occasion that is. There were definitely moments, and weeks even, that felt like we were never going to get here.
Then there was a tipping point. Somewhere between drywall and light fixtures, I felt the shift. The light started to shine in from the end of that tunnel. The downhill momentum picked up. Every day felt like Christmas from the whole month of November and on. Every day something is looking finished and all our dreams for the past years are starting to come to fruition.
I’m not one to sugar coat life experiences because I believe firmly you need to be mentally prepared for what you’re up against. Building your own home has its fair share of blood, sweat and tears. But that last one. The happy tears we have shared together; standing back at the end of a grueling day and looking at a room that looks just how we planned. That’s a potent kind of magic that we’ll revel in for years. Even the little mishaps we love. It’s not perfect, but it’s perfect for us.
This is our second home build and the first one Jeremy carried the lion’s share of labor for since I was pregnant and chasing a toddler around. I have a new understanding of what he did for us on our first Arched Cabin. This time we’ve worked side by side most of the time and I have been profoundly changed by it.
Even if you hire out the whole project, building your own home isn’t easy by any means. You’ll still spend many a late night and early morning fitting all the pieces together to make it happen. It’s a labor of love and a test of patience and endurance. We have countless hours covered in sweat, sawdust, and bruises. Just as with anything in life though, you have to pick your hard. It’s hard to pay a mortgage every month for 30 years. It’s also hard to build a home for a couple years. Once you pick the path though, your mindset will set the tone for your experience.
I knew going in I had SO MUCH to learn about building. I know everything about putting the Arched Cabin kit together of course. But the rest I have limited experience with. I tried to meet each day and task with curiosity and patience. I was NOT always successful. Learning new things is tough when you’re tired. Thankfully my teacher loves me even though sometimes I’d cuss so much a sailor would blush. Like when I learned which stud plates I NEVER wanted to purchase again. I ended that day with a very bruised thumb and ego. But whether he knows it or not yet, I’ve been paying attention and Jeremy’s words played in my ears. Things he’s told weary Archies across the USA. “Sometimes you just need to break for the day and get a good night’s sleep.” I understand now. I fully believe wiser words have never been spoken when it comes to building your own home. If I had to add to that, I’d say that just acknowledging that it’s going to be hard and actively choosing to have a can-do attitude despite that will carry you much farther than complaining about it. Ask me how I know!
I know I have personally grown so much as a person through this process. It was crunchy at first for me. Working next to someone a foot taller and much more conditioned for the work with the skill of a myriad of builds under his belt quite painfully juxtaposed with my challenges, mainly my ego. However, I hold so much gratitude for the whole experience.
It hasn’t all been tough. It’s easy having fun when you’re working with the ones you love. Singalongs, high fives, laughing at mistakes, dance breaks, too much pizza and coffee in camp chairs, stinky bear hugs, and deep understanding in exhausted eyes. We’ve loved almost every minute of it. The pride we feel in knowing that our sweat equity will deeply impact the trajectory of our lives is immeasurable. The satisfaction of seeing our hard work payoff is intense.
The excitement in our teens faces to see pictures of the day’s progress when we come home tired and filthy is worth it. The days they work beside us and start to truly grasp a hard day’s work is impactful. The flexibility to change things here and there as we want and move at a pace that we were able to pay out of pocket as we went is priceless.
I still remember that first night in the first 24×24 arched cabin Jeremy built. It was magical. It gave us the first real financial security and feeling of safety that we had ever experienced. It was also the first 24ft wide cabin ever built. So it also started a snowball of the same opportunity for many people across the country (and a few around the world).
On the precipice of this new home, I can only imagine how it will feel. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited. Flooring, baseboards, cabinets, sinks and toilets and we’re THERE! Thank you everyone who has been a part of this journey with us. This community is a big and beautiful gathering of people united for a common and powerful thread. HOME. If you can lead with curiosity, flexibility, and patience for the process, you cannot go wrong.
Here’s a link to the video of the first half or so of our build. The next will be coming out in a few months’ time and we can’t wait to share it with you.