Who wouldn’t want their own pair of Gulf Island Cabins?
A client came to us recently with a challenge. He wanted us to design and build two remote cabins on Galiano Island (on a relatively tight budget) to serve as a meeting place for friends and family to escape from the hustle and bustle of busy city life.
Galiano Island is located in the Southern Gulf Islands between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. There are a couple of factors that make Galiano Island so appealing for a Gulf Island Cabin getaway. Read more ›
8×12 Gulf Islands Cabin on Protection Island, British Columbia
Gulf Islands Cabin
This stunning 8’x12′ Gulf Islands Cabin (Modern Shed) is perched on Protection Island. Located just 15 minutes by boat from Nanaimo British Columbia. Protection Island has a rich history of over 129 years of habitation in the industry.
The industrial activity started as far back as 1884 with the Vancouver Coal Company and their Number One Mine which stretched from shafts from the foot of Milton St in Nanaimo under waters of Nanaimo Harbour over to the island.
Although the remnants of its industrial past are still present on the Island it now serves as a weekend getaway from the city with less than 250 full-time residents. There are no paved roads on the island with bikes and electric golf carts making up its main transportation method.
Westcoast Outbuildings was hired to design, build and handle all the logistics of transporting this Outbuilding to the island. By trailer, by ferry, by barge by land and we got it there!
If there every was an example of a great use of reclaimed materials to build and amazing reclaimed cabin this would be it.
The Sunset House in West Virginia was built by Lilah and Nick using lumber reclaimed from a barn on their property. The wood was cut and milled from the land by the previous owner many years ago. All the windows are reclaimed from junkyards over their history of thrifting together.
When building on a tight budget there are many ways to source used, free, minimal cost materials even in an urban environment like Metro Vancouver, Sunshine Coast or the Gulf Islands.
Nustled in the forest of the Pacific Northwest this beautiful 10 x 12′ Cabin Kit makes the perfect weekend getaway Complete with a raised foundation and porch and backed by beautiful organic garden beds. Read more ›
All joking aside; Seven years ago when Laura-Lee and I started Westcoast Outbuildings our first “Production Facility” was a $250 a month rented garage in North Vancouver.
We started off building humble Garden Sheds and Backyard Offices. As time progressed we took on larger and more complex buildings including multi module Off-Grid Cabins, Tiny Houses and Park Model RV’s and full size Laneway houses.
For the last several years we’ve been hold-up in an old warehouse space in North Vancouver but we’ve been crammed for space! If you’ve ever been to our facility then you know what I am talking about.
We’ve outgrown our facility and with an impending redevelopment of our entire block into Townhouses and Condos, we knew we needed to move.
We’ve been looking for that PERFECT Production Facility since the fall of 2016, NO LUCK! In retrospect I could liken our search for a new Production Facility to being a UNICORN HUNTER!
This was our dilemma… With the soaring price of real-estate in Metro Vancouver we needed to find a suitable Production Facility with the following criteria:
Enterprise Level Facility
Expandable to meet our growing demands
Overhead Cranes
Industrial Zoning
No Demolition Clause in the Lease.
Long Term Lease option.
Proximity to transportation routes (Road, Water & Rail)
Be AFFORDABLE!
In February 2017 we identified a suitable location to move and began the negotiations. After 9 Months of negotiations the deal was done and the lease signed.
WE DID IT!
Check out our new 89,183 Sq/Ft Production Facility in Squamish BC!
Our new home is on the sprawling 70+ Acre former BC Rail Yards in Squamish. Built in the early 1970’s and known as the “Old Car Shop” our new Production Facility is over 89,138 Sq/Ft in size and is the largest building on the property today. This is where BC Rail would maintain all their rolling stock back in the day before the Government sold it off in 2003.
With the exception of the occasional cameo in Movies and TV Series the Old Car Shop has essentially been vacant for the last 8 years.
These pictures are now a few months old and the cleaning and basic updates have already begun.
The main production floor boasts a 75,000 sq/ft clear span space with two gargantuan Overhead Cranes capable of lifting 20 Tons each. Complimented by 7 partial gantry cranes ranging from 3-5 ton lifting capacity.
Sure its a little rough around the edges but nothing a little elbow grease and perseverance can’t overcome!
Ultimately there are very few things we could not build in a factory of this size and you will be amazed with the new projects we have in production. Plus we are working hard to finalize an entire new product line to be launched in 2018.
The move to the facility is happening as we speak and production will recommence in early December 2017 in Squamish.
With our new enterprise production facility 2018 will bring massive growth for Westcoast Outbuildings but don’t be left out. Even with the increased building capacity there is still a limit on the total number of projects we have manpower to build.
As of right now there are only a couple production spots left for larger projects in the 2018 season.
Bring us your ideas and lets make it happen!
Cheers,
Geoff Baker / Co-Founder
Westcoast Outbuildings Inc.
1-855-910-7433 Ext 1.