Backcountry Hut Company

Specializations

The Backcountry Hut Company (BHC) designs prefabricated, flat-packed cabin kits for recreational and year-round use. The company is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Kits ship from Courtenay, BC to sites anywhere in Canada and the United States, including sites that can only be reached by truck, barge or helicopter. BHC says it has designed, fabricated and assembled over 100 cabins across North America, and it was recognised in Australia's International Good Design Awards in 2023.

The range is built as a kit-of-parts. System 00 is a compact A-frame of about 10 x 10 feet at ground level that a team of 4 to 5 people can build in under a week without heavy machinery. System 01 (single storey with loft) and System 02 (two storeys) are based on an 18.5 x 10 foot module (185 sq ft) that can be combined into larger layouts; BHC's published example configurations run from 754 to 1,826 sq ft. System 03, available for pre-order, is a larger A-frame designed for all-season living, with an 882 sq ft footprint, a loft and a complete interior package made with Swede Kitchens. System S is a preassembled sauna that arrives on site fully built and seats six adults.

System 01 and 02 kits include the insulated floor, wall and roof panels (Rockwool batt insulation, R24 in the walls and R38 in the floor and ceiling), a Loewen window and door package with Douglas fir frames, a standing seam metal roof and cedar cladding. Interiors, shipping, site preparation, foundations and assembly are not included, apart from the interior package offered with System 03. Buyers hire their own local team (general contractor, engineer) for permits and assembly, and BHC supports that team during the build. All systems take three to four months to fabricate, and BHC recommends starting 9 to 12 months before assembly.