Has anyone used a portable " cabin" as a deer lease cabin. I think Derksen Portable Buildings is the brand I've seen all around. Just curious how it's worked out if someone has tried it at the lease, or has one just for storage. Seems too easy, no contract or credit check. Just pay monthly under a ' rent-to-own' agreement...

We did not have a manufactured one but we built a portable building on skids. Come-a-long up on a trailer and we were on the road.

i went from and old camper to one of these thats the 10x16 loffted barn and its been best thing i have ever done . i have insulated it installed lots of electric plug outlets and lights inside . i put a half way towards back with full size bed behind that wall and a futon that can be folded into a bed for guest or couch on front side of the wall. shelves line right front corner wall by door with small refrigerator and microwave and gridell. i had them change out the two front swinginging barn style doors to only one door on front and had door installed on back . pm me if have any questions or send me your number i can send you images of the setup this weekend when i go down there. you wont regret purchasing one . recommend the lofted barn for storing stuff up and out of the way

I have used several over the years with great success. Saves a lot of work for those of us without a lot of carpenter skills. Add insulation and elec. and paneling and you are good to go. With a small tractor or 4X truck you can place it nearly anywhere you want.
Derksen builds most of their doors and you can never ratproof or mouseproof them. Be sure you get a regular house type door for the entrance.
And if you are on a yearly lease you can take it with you when you leave.

We've had one at our lease for three years. Nice, comfortable, and mouse proof!

What about a shipping container? I would think it would be very secure...

Has anyone sprayed on hard insulation. I think that would ne the ticket! I agree with a conex box. Bullet proof and easy to convert.

Aren't those conex boxes pretty expensive....

Conex I've seen are anywhere from $2000 to $5000...the question I have wou be the cost of moving it if you lose your lease.

As for the spray on insulation, that stuff is incredible! I remodeled a 120 year old house for my in-laws, and we used that. In the dead of summer, with 110* heat, doors open all day while finishing out the house, the ac cycled a few times throughout the day and the interior NEVER got above 74-75* all day. And it's basically a soundproof building. I worked on the fence around the house one morning from 6:30 till 9:30, and my f-i-l called me at 9:30, asking when I would be there...they had no clue I'd been sawing and working outside their bedroom window for 3 hours. I'll definitely use the spray insulation when I get a cabin for the lease!

For your basic box about $2500 for a 40'. I have 2 of them on the ranch for storing feed and such. You would really have to do some work on one to make it work out as a cabin. I know mine get extremely hot inside during the summer.

Yrs. ago I/We built two Metal Shipping Containers for Work and Cooking Quarters for a framing crew we were sending up No. They
work really well and locked up nicely...they were about $2200 to
purchase, and we built bunk beds, tables, ect fairly cheaply...the heat, a/c, and stoves, ect were more expensive..
They did ship easily...just hired a couple of trucks and they are
gone
DD

I am in construction and estimate buildings for a living. I debated this for a while. Ended up buying a travel trailer. Comes with a ton more stuff, clean, my wife will stay in it, easy to pull (has wheels), and comes with more then I would have put in a shed. Once you don't want it or are tired of it, easy to pull to town and sell it. Doubt there is a big market for used sheds convereted to cabins. However, a shed / cabin has a lot more room if that is important to you.....

I built an 8x16' shed a number of years ago and finished it out on the inside with insulation and paneling. Wired it and built in beds too. Didn't have a bathroom in it but considered building a separate 4x6 or so building for a stand-alone bathroom, just never needed to do that. Transported it 4-5 different times so I got to where I could load it on a 16' trailer by myself in less than an hour. Sold it a few years back to another hunter that paid me every dollar I had in it and was glad he could do that. I also tried to convert a metal container but it was a ton of work dealing with the metal instead of wood. Very hot in the summer no matter how well we ventilated it..

There's a guy out of Bracketville named Buster that will rent you a conex box and/or a trailer for your lease. I think he will supply most anything you could want for your lease.

Square1containers.com

ernie williamson

Hard-wired-How did you build the skid/floor to be sturdy enough to drag with a come-a-long?

If using a metal container for a cabin with electric connection and some sort of a heater you need to make sure you have two exit doors (one on each end) could be very dangerious if a fire was to happen. This would mean you would have to purchase the container to modify (cut in another door). you can also purchase freezer containers they are insulated very well!