Cabins are small, self-contained buildings used as guest cabins, getaways, studios or full-time homes. This page gathers every cabin photo gallery in one place: modular cabins built indoors and delivered by truck, ferry and crane, off-grid cabins in the mountains and on the coast, and compact island cabins. Each gallery has photos, a spec table and notes on size, delivery and permits.
Cabin photo galleries
How modular cabins get to the site
A modular cabin is built in a factory in one or more sections, called modules. The modules are trucked to the site, and on islands they cross by ferry or barge. A crane then sets each module on its foundation. Building indoors keeps the work out of the rain, and the cabin can be ready for use soon after it arrives. The Salt Spring Island, Saturna Island and Mayne Island galleries show this delivery step by step.
Off-grid and remote cabins
Remote sites often have no power, water or sewer connection. The Desolation Sound and Pemberton galleries show cabins planned for off-grid use, with a simple layout that is easy to heat and keep dry. Access is the main question on these sites: the roads, the ferry schedule and the crane reach all decide how large a cabin can be.
Do you need a permit for a cabin?
It depends on the size, the use and the local government. A small cabin used as storage or a studio may not need a building permit. A cabin that people sleep in, or one over the size limit, usually does. Rules also differ between islands, regional districts and cities, so it’s worth checking with the local building department before ordering anything. The shed size without a permit page explains the common size limits, and the backyard outbuildings page shows offices, studios, sheds and garages built across BC.