Chris Broomfield, 50, had been in the carpentry contracting business for years when he decided to take what he’s learned working on other people’s homes and use it to help secure a lucrative future for family.
In 2015, Broomfield and his wife bought a five-acre property in Remsen, New York, for $27,000. It was close to where Broomfield grew up and not too far from a property his brother owns nearby.
“I realized that carpentry is a knowledge and experience-based. I couldn’t really hand that down to my kids,” Broomfield tells CNBC Make It. “So I needed to build something that at least would give them a head start on something to borrow against or something that creates additional income.”
Shortly after closing on the land, Broomfield says he started commuting every weekend from his family’s home in Connecticut to work on building an A-frame cabin — a style he chose because he thought it was the most cost-effective at the time.
“I love the architecture of the A-frame. They’re beautiful and timeless,” Broomfield says. “As a carpenter, I was doing almost everything myself, so I wanted it to be a faster build.”
Broomfield built most of the A-frame cabin himself.
Mickey Todiwala for CNBC Make It
Though Broomfield did most of the work himself, he did hire outside help to drill a well, an electrician to wire the cabin and somebody to hang the sheetrock.
It took Broomfield three years to complete the work on the one-bedroom, one-bathroom A-frame cabin for a total cost of about $90,000, he says.
Building the A-frame was challenging, Broomfield says, because he was commuting eight hours round-trip to work 12 hours over the weekends, all while still working as a full-time contractor. Despite the challenges, he says he loved working on the cabin because he knew it was just the beginning of his vision to build multiple rentals on the property.
“The process was amazing for me. I loved being up here. I loved being able to build anything that I wanted to build. The free rein was really enjoyable,” Broomfield said.
One of the standout features of the A-frame cabin is a motorized king bed that slides into the woods, allowing guests to sleep under the stars, which was inspired by Broomfield’s wife.
“I wanted to sleep outside with my wife. She hates bugs and camping, so I was trying to give her what I love. I wanted to give her that experience and get her hooked on what I like to do and get her to enjoy things that I’d like to do too,” he says.
The A-frame is a one-bedroom, one-bathroom cabin.
Mickey Todiwala for CNBC Make It
The A-frame also has a fully equipped kitchen, fireplace, fire pit and multiple decks. When the cabin was first listed on Airbnb in 2018, the going rate was $60 a night. Now, Broomfield uses dynamic pricing, so the rate ranges from $380 to $700 a night.
All the hard work Broomfield put into the A-frame cabin showed, and after he listed it on Airbnb, it went viral. It’s one of Airbnb’s “most-wishlisted” rentals in New York. It’s also a guest-favorite listing and earned Broomfield the title of “superhost,” according to an Airbnb representative.
In 2024, the A-frame cabin had a revenue of $119,337 and its estimated revenue for 2025 is $143,504, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.
After Broomfield first opened the A-frame cabin as a short-term rental, he and a team built The Treehouse in 13 weeks. What makes this cabin particularly special is that it sits 14 feet above ground. To reach it, renters must cross a suspension bridge on the property.
The treehouse ranks among the top 10% of Airbnb listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability, according to an Airbnb representative.
In 2024, the treehouse cabin had a revenue of $151,966 and this year, Broomfield estimates that number will be $150,562.
The A-frame cabin has an open design, decks and indoor fireplace.
Mickey Todiwala for CNBC Make It
Shortly after listing the treehouse on Airbnb, Broomfield completed the Birch Falls Spa Cabin, a studio with an 18-foot-long indoor waterfall. In 2024, the Birch Falls Spa Cabin generated $120,227 in revenue, and Broomfield’s estimated 2025 revenue is $120,890.
With all of the rental properties he had built on the five-acre property, he named his business Evergreen Cabins. As of September 2025, the Evergreen Cabins have brought in $2.1 million since the very first property was listed for rent in 2018, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.
Broomfield says that today he brings in about $400,000 a year with revenue from the rental properties and was able to retire from contracting in 2021.
The cabin has a fully equipped kitchen and a dining table that seats four.
Mickey Todiwala for CNBC Make It
Since retiring, Broomfield’s day-to-day consists of overseeing his staff, designing new cabins, and developing future plans for the Evergreen Cabins.
“There’s always going to be something that is going to be pushing me to do the next thing. I can’t sit back and do nothing. My family is a huge part of my inspiration and my drive; eventually, they are going to be the ones owning this,” he says.
“The legacy of Evergreen is, I don’t really have a plan for it [but] I do know that it is going to inspire and help people. My kids are going to be a part of that.”
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