I was originally thinking of building a 6X8 cabin and a root cellar to use as a BOL but as I was reading a book The Wilderness Cabin Calvin Rutstrum on Page 39 Chapter 5 there's a 7X10 Auxiliary Cabin. I've been thinking upgrade it to 8X12 then add a storage or sleeping loft and instead of a tarp for the roof use insulated steel raised roof panels. Any ideals or suggestions would be appreciated.

This guy seems to have a pretty good setup. I've watched a few of his videos.

http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com/index.htm

Ya I bought his book simple solar living he has it available as a e-book as well

There are a lot of factors when it comes to building a building.
You need a knowledge of the building codes in your area. You need to think about rain and snow fall per year. You will need to know your type of soil and how run off will effect your shop.
I call it a shop because if you call it a house it could require a building permit depending on where you are located at.
Are you going to make it on skids so you can move it if you have too? Are you using prefab because that is a little bit different kind of building because they pre cut it but it is always extra to have some more wood then they request.
You need to do your roof right and make sure you use tar paper before you lay down your tin sheeting. Are you going to be using pre hung doors? What about making room for a cast iron fire place?
When I built my shop 25 X 25. You need a good plan! Something to go by but be ready to change.

Suggestion: You might be out in the sticks in the middle of no where. I would suggest that you do a little wiring and make it so that you can hook up a generator outside and so you can make coffee inside with your coffee pot.

Suggestion: if you want a root celler, don't put it under your building because you will have a problem with run off water getting into it and animals making a home there. Put your root celler away from the building and make a door that is slanted so water will run off of it.

Suggestion: Make your building in sections that can be taken apart. I did that with a storage unit I made and it can be taken apart because I ran bolts through the 2x4 before I added the siding.
This way you can build it in your back yard and then move it a piece at a time.

Suggestion: Get a book on how to build and that will be your blue print.

Just a few ideas.
Kevin

6 X 8 pretty small....measure it out on the floor then try to put gear, bunk, camp stove, cooler etc in the space....you will find out how small it is.

Tip once you get a basic structure, with floor, walls, roof.....it doesn't cost too much more to add footage to the plan.

I like building in 4' or 8' increments....fits plywood or basic OSB board either direction.

Prefabbing 4x8 panels works great to truck to your BOL. Here's a basic design that could easily be expanded. http://www.flickr.com/photos/14655317@N05/sets/72157603785602889/

I forgot to mention I use to live in a small truck sleeper for 3 1/2 years it was no bigger then 2X3X7 as a truck driver, 6X8 is about the size of a Condo sleeper in a semi. Since I don't have a lot I don't need a large Cabin/shed I was looking at building it in 2X8 panel sections and once at site bolt or screwing it together on three 2X8 pressure treated boards.
The other reason for the size of the tool shed is I won't need a permit to build it as for cooking there's a pack stove I was looking at, it suppose to heat a 10X10 tent the next one from that heats a 12X12 tent they both come with a hot water tank,warming shelf,legs and smoke stack. As for the cooler all I'll need is what my grandparents used, a smoke house,cellar an a spring house

Cool, post pic's when done....sounds intresting.

Here are some forum posts you may enjoy
www.shtfmovement.com/post37975.html
www.shtfmovement.com/shelters-and-housing/topic7528.html
www.shtfmovement.com/post46734.html#p46734

First time I built a cabin in the wilderness of Alaska, stayed the whole year alone. The cabin was way too big, had a real hard time heating the thing even with a good wood stove. I ended up walling off half the cabin in the middle of the winter just to be able to keep it nice and warm. a good cabin size for up here where it stays cold a long time is about 12 x 12, that's a good size trapper cabin and easy to heat and maintain. My kids and I are building ours this summer and it will be small, we will use hammocks for the beds, easy to move out of the way for a little more room, and with a small cabin it is nice and cozy. hang everything on hooks and you have plenty of room. If we were in a warmer climate I would possibly make our cabin a little bigger for comforts sake, but not happening up here...