Tiny Houses

[rmauersr]

Tiny Houses

The Tiny House movement has spawned many ideas about downsizing that may be useful to those who have need of a mortgage free smaller house. If food, water or electric shortages become severe it may be wise to consider an alternate location to live either temporarily or permanently. One solution is to find a farmer who is willing to lease a small parcel of land for a tiny house. Potable water can be transported, electricity can be made from the sun, greywater can be recycled and a composting toilet can all be used to create a very independent dwelling. Some living space options include:

A tiny house on wheels (http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/) from the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
A travel trailer
A tiny house of conventional construction

Some advantages of a travel trailer are:


Ready to be lived in after sewer, water and electric hookups are finished
Appliances are built in
Used trailers can be very inexpensive, and if the world does not fall apart the trailer can be resold. Until my small house was ready I lived in a 35 foot long travel trailer that I purchased for $10,000. Five years later, after saving enough money to build my house, I sold the trailer for $4,000. That calculates to be a monthly cost of only $100. If I had given the trailer away the monthly cost would have been $167 per month. Now that is frugal living.


Some disadvantages of the travel trailer are:

No place to put a wood stove which is the most reliable source of heat during stressful times and long supply lines.
Walls and roof are thin and poorly insulated which increases energy requirements for heating and cooling.
A constant supply of electric power is needed in colder climates, more than can be provided by a reasonably priced solar electric system, to prevent the exterior water supply line from freezing.


The combination of a travel trailer and storage building, or travel trailer parked under a roof shelter with a storage building at one end can provide many options. In situations where the local inspection department must be dealt with, it may be possible to get a temporary use permit for the trailer if an approved sewer connection is available.

More tiny houses (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=189)

[Cartomancer]

Hey, I've been checking out the Tiny House thing too. I lived in a small travel trailer and a sailboat as well. Once you get used to it you don't even miss the extra space and possessions. Great post.

[astrid]

I found that site a while back,
Very cool indeed!!

[rmauersr]

Two houseboats

In terms of sheer economics, houseboat living is very attractive. A houseboat like Brandy Bar can be built for anywhere between $8,000 and $20,000, depending on the details (in 1989). Moorage in the Portland area runs $70 to $ 100 per month for a vessel of Brandy Bar's size, and her license costs $30 every two years. Property tax is treated as it would be for any boat. Utilities run less than for an average house, since Brandy Bar is small, insulated and tightly built.

Mother Earth News article (http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/build-a-houseboat.aspx)

More tiny houses (http://ronmauer.net/blog/?page_id=189)

[rmauersr]

Here's the other houseboat. Life on the Kentucky River.
I got a really good laugh watching this one.

The Moron Brothers houseboat.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RaFApVP0zU&feature=player_embedded#!

[modwiz]

I live in a 12X13 tent for six months of the year at a holistic institute I work at seasonally. I love it. It costs me 300.00 a month but I get electric and 3 meals a day. The food offerings are vast and varied, not to mention delicious and vegetarian, which is my year round diet. The other 6 months I live in a 3 story farmhouse with 3 acres. Very nice but more than 2 people need. My tent living comes with a lake I can use anytime and canoes and kayaks to use as available. Also, no cops ever. A community that doesn't require police. Amazing, isn't it?

[Dawn]

I left my life based on traditional American values, complete with a nice modern home in silicon valley nearly 2 years ago. At first I was homeless, which was not a problem, because I kept being invited to stay at many wonderful places by people who needed my help. After about 7 months I found the little place I now call home. My total housing cost is $340/month and that includes all utilities (water, electric, trash hauling, sewer). Living with such a small monthly requirement is very relaxing.

I have a lot of free time in this lifestyle.

I am in a small town on the beach, and am currently in a scruffy trailer park. However I've turned the little trailer space into an abundant garden, and am surrounded by flowers and the sound of water running over our little waterfall. My current living space is 220 sq ft, and I share this little home with my mate, and a home business. Fully 1/3 of our tiny home is a workshop, where we make healing devices that we send out all over the world (thank you internet).

In addition to our tiny trailer we have also added an 8x10 ft metal storage shed. Someone was demolishing it, and we adopted it. We just did the work of take-down and put-up next to our trailer. This allows us to store inventory for our little business, and to do some of the messy fabricating jobs outside. It also makes a great cucumber trellis in the summer with the addition of some wire mesh.

This life style is a deliberate choice, and allowed me to leave (for ever) the stress of the modern world.

In order to make our life simple, we have removed the water heater. That allowed a little more room in the closet. Washing dishes, hands, and face in cold water isn't a problem. We have created a wonderful bathing situation. By adding a hose from the tub to a small aquarium pump and heater, then back into the tub, we can create a hot bath in about an hour. Once we get in the bath, we keep it warm by continuing to run the pump and heater if needed. This is both inexpensive, simple, and wonderful for long and luxurious baths. We have acquired a simple solar water heating system which we plan to install at some point.

I've posted this before on the forum but I'll do it again here. Here is a photo history of our tiny and productive garden, you can also see the little old-fashioned trailer I call home for now: www.ourtinygarden.com

[modwiz]

I left my life based on traditional American values, complete with a nice modern home in silicon valley nearly 2 years ago. At first I was homeless, which was not a problem, because I kept being invited to stay at many wonderful places by people who needed my help. After about 7 months I found the little place I now call home. My total housing cost is $340/month and that includes all utilities (water, electric, trash hauling, sewer). Living with such a small monthly requirement is very relaxing.

I have a lot of free time in this lifestyle.

I am in a small town on the beach, and am currently in a scruffy trailer park. However I've turned the little trailer space into an abundant garden, and am surrounded by flowers and the sound of water running over our little waterfall. My current living space is 220 sq ft, and I share this little home with my mate, and a home business. Fully 1/3 of our tiny home is a workshop, where we make healing devices that we send out all over the world (thank you internet).

In addition to our tiny trailer we have also added an 8x10 ft metal storage shed. Someone was demolishing it, and we adopted it. We just did the work of take-down and put-up next to our trailer. This allows us to store inventory for our little business, and to do some of the messy fabricating jobs outside. It also makes a great cucumber trellis in the summer with the addition of some wire mesh.

This life style is a deliberate choice, and allowed me to leave (for ever) the stress of the modern world.

In order to make our life simple, we have removed the water heater. That allowed a little more room in the closet. Washing dishes, hands, and face in cold water isn't a problem. We have created a wonderful bathing situation. By adding a hose from the tub to a small aquarium pump and heater, then back into the tub, we can create a hot bath in about an hour. Once we get in the bath, we keep it warm by continuing to run the pump and heater if needed. This is both inexpensive, simple, and wonderful for long and luxurious baths. We have acquired a simple solar water heating system which we plan to install at some point.

I've posted this before on the forum but I'll do it again here. Here is a photo history of our tiny and productive garden, you can also see the little old-fashioned trailer I call home for now: www.ourtinygarden.com

It sounds wonderful Dawn. People forget that they actually spend most of their time in their heads. Living in peace, largely making your own schedule allows us to spend quality time with ourselves and get to know who we might be. Your story makes me smile.

[Lazlo]

I built a 16 x 16 pyramid for less than $400 and lived in that for 2 years while I built my cabin. No electricity, no running water, and a dirt floor, it definitely teaches you things about yourself.

The cabin was built by hand. No power tools except for the chainsaw. I felled the trees, seasoned them, peeled them with a drawknife, notched them with a mallet and chisel, scavenged the roofing and windows, and used a brace and bit to put it all together.

I did this while paying off student loans and making $13 per hour.

You can be happy with far less than you ever imagined, and the single most important factor to it all is...attitude. At every turn, people were coming out of the woodwork to tell me that it wasn't possible, it wouldn't work, I wouldn't be happy...

The naysayers were wrong.

[onawah]

There's a similar thread here:
http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?499-Earthships&highlight=hobbit
I've lived in small spaces too, and quite liked the freedom it affords.
The little hobbity house in the thread above is really cozy looking.

[eaglespirit]

Had I remained in North Carolina I would have been livin' in my TeePee on the hill...Her name is "Abundance"

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/1Eagle1/meditationhill014.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/1Eagle1/TeePee.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y72/1Eagle1/meditationhill017.jpg

[astrid]

This just crossed my path.

"Old School Bus Turned Into A Tiny House"

http://tinyhouselistings.com/old-school-bus-turned-into-a-tiny-house/

http://tinyhouselistings.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/110.jpg

http://tinyhouselistings.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/83.jpg

Well worth checking out that site, loads of cool pads...

http://tinyhouselistings.com/

[rmauersr]

My Sugar Shack project (in progress): Convert a 10x14 storage building into a livable guest house with solar electric power, passive solar space heating, passive solar domestic hot water, shower and a composing toilet.

http://ronmauer.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/im000541-150x150.jpg

http://ronmauer.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/Sugar-Shack-Plan.jpg

Electricity will be available from three sources: commercial grid, a generator, and solar.

Eight 6 volt Trojan T-105 deep cycle batteries will power an old 2000 watt Trace 2012 inverter. Batteries canl be charged from three sources: (1) commerical grid when available, (2) generator, and (3) two 50 watt solar modules recycled from a previous project. The higher power inverters usually serve two functions: (1) inverting DC power into AC power, and (2) a high capacity battery charger. Switching between the two modes is automatic. With external power available an internal transfer relay switches cabin power from batteries to the external source. Disruption of the external power source will automatically switch the source of cabin power source to the batteries. When external power becomes available again the batteries start another charge cycle and external power is reconnected the cabin.

Multiple sources of heat will be available: (1) a 4000-18000 BTU portable Mister Buddy Indoor Safe Propane Heater ($130), (2) a 5000+ watt portable electric radiator ($39), (3) passive solar heat from two homemade solar hot air collectors. South facing door glass also assists with passive solar heating during clear days. During the summer months awnings will provide shade for all south facing glass.

In the summer months a small one room air conditioner will be used when grid power is available.

A simple solar batch hot water system (http://www.byexample.com/projects/current/batch_collector/) created from a recycled hot water heater and recycled patio door glass will provide hot water. A backup system powered by propane or electricity will be available.

Another option that I have successfully used was to heat 6 gallons of water (outside) in a propane powered turkey cooker. In about 6 minutes the water was hot enough for a shower. Bringing the warm water inside, the intake from a 12VDC Shurflo pump was dropped into the warm water. The output of the pump was connected to a common kitchen sink sprayer. A plastic stool sitting inside the cattle watering tub provided support while bathing. The process should work just as well in a common stall shower.

Two versions of a composting toilet may be used: (1) a Sunmar NE ($1355) left over from a previous project, or (2) a very simple homemade composting toilet ($35).

Water drained from the shower and sink will flow into a mulch filled trench as described by Chapter 9 (http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/brancheddrain/index.htm), Branched Drain Design, in the book titled Create an Oasis With Greywater (http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/createanoasis/index.htm) by Art Ludwig.

[latte]

Check out Cal Earth. Developed by an Iranian lover of Rumi in the California Desert, these buildings can be made of earth or concrete in a few days. If you live in the southern California area they have a tour the first Saturday of the month and classes on how to build them. The basic house is about 400 sq ft and theyʻre hobbit house cute.

http://calearth.org/

[Dawn]

I've put this link in on another long ago thread about building your own home but it is worth posting again: http://www.richsoil.com/wofati.jsp

[ktlight]

This is a great thread. Very interesting and informative.

[Arrowwind]

If one wants to live like a hobbit.

Most of those houses are underinsulated. Those school bus ones are the worst!

Right now we live in 500 square feet that has about a 35 sqft bathroom within it. I will say this.. it is difficult if you are highly creative people to live in such a small space... we are always tripping over the oil paints and canvases, the sewing and beadwork, the property development plans, the books and magazines, the computers and the dog. .. and when I cant sleep at night I have to sit in the dark so I dont awaken my partner.

We are in the process of building a larger house that was suppose to be a smaller house but we just could not dIeal with being cramped... so it went from 1400 sq ft to about 1800. still not a large house by any means but if you like people around and dont want guests sitting in the middle of your dirtly laundry and want to work from your home and have a place for friends and relatives to stay, and grow food and do food prep and storage.. etc etc.

I understand that small houses are the alternative to the money crip but if you can't creatively function whats the use? if you cant sustain yourself from your house whats the use? If the house is cold whats the use? If it cant hold children? if it cant hold your aging Mom?

Im sure its just perfect for somebody... but not anybody I know.

Once upon a time people lived in Tepees and caves and hogans.. They got out of them as soon as they could for both physical and mental health reasons. Every year I spend about 12 weeks in a 11 foot cab over camper with my dear one. Buy the end of that time we are too ready to get away from each other and spread out, get into our projects and just get uncramped!... and I also remember living in a 30 foot fith wheel with two little kids, working the night shift..etc etc..

Yes. Please dear god.. Keep providing for me and mine lots of space.

[Kirsten_in_LA]

I love the idea of having a portable home but for me, the Tiny House is too tiny. I need more space. I found the Turtle Tuff Dome info on the Tiny Houses website. It will sustain hurricane winds and water running under the floor... also has solar panel and wood stove options.

11 minute demo video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_MDUn67-us&feature=player_embedded

List of options and prices (didn't work on the turtletuff website):
http://www.safecastle.com/turtletuff-shelter.aspx

So the dome got me thinking of other ways to have a home and be sustainable and I found this video...
8 mins: (sustainable house - regular house)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgduN7uNGOY&feature=related

The couple is clearly happy and it's comfy for a woman and babies. I think guys tend to forget that men (the majority of men, anyway) tend to be a bit more rugged in what they will bear for minimal living conditions... women just need a bit more when it comes to comfort. We (again, the majority) depend on the men to go get it for us (in this case, make us a home) because men are the hunters and women are the nesters. I "can" build my own home if I had to but that's why we have partnership.

I love the idea of living in nature and I'm ready to start exploring this way of life, now I just need to connect the dots as to what is right for me!

[shadowstalker]

I can't handle small places , so I would probably use it as my personal library to which is growing rather quickly..
Most of those tiny houses look like about the size of storage sheds. which i do need lol

[Dawn]

shadowstalker: I can't handle small places , so I would probably use it as my personal library to which is growing rather quickly..
Most of those tiny houses look like about the size of storage sheds. which i do need lol

We have a library of 3,500 books in our tiny 240 sq ft one room home. It is all digitized and has been scanned into both computers and a kindle, in addition it is backed up on memory sticks. If all electricity fails for ever more we will be in trouble. Meanwhile having a large library in a small home is no problem with the help of modern technology.

[Dawn]

I opened my Mother Earth Newsletter (free with subscription) and up came a delightful article about 8 Great Microhouses. Here's the link: http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-home-living/8-great-micro-houses.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_content=01.06.12+GEGH&utm_campaign=2012+GEGH&utm_source=iPost&utm_medium=email Plus a fun photo of one of them:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/uploadedImages/Blogs/Natural_Home_Living/Micro166alligator.jpg

And one more fun one:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/uploadedImages/Blogs/Natural_Home_Living/micro189bridgehouse.jpg

[13th Warrior]

I also follow the tiny house movement.

A lot can be learned about space management, dual purposing and efficiency. One of the greatest advantages is less upkeep, cleaning and maintenance which frees up time and energy for more stimulating projects.

A 100 square foot home definitely isn't for everyone but, you sure can do a lot with 1,000 square feet with proper planing and layout...

[Ineffable Hitchhiker]

$1800 used shipping container as architects' backyard office

This chap uses shipping containers as an office, but as can be seen, could quite easily be converted into a home.



Shipping containers are built to carry huge loads and the refrigerated units are very efficient at climate control. So it's unsurprising that when they're retired from the sea, they're being used as the building blocks for homes and offices.

Given their strength they work well in earthquake country. In Berkeley, California architect Karl Wanaselja and his business partner and wife Cate Leger created their home-office using a shipping container. It cost just $1800.

Wanaselja and Leger cut their 40 foot long refrigerated unit in half and placed it in a T shape in their backyard (with the help of a crane). They didn't need to add any insulation: they're designed to not have any thermal bridging between the interior and exterior and the polyisocyanurate insulation has the highest R-value of any foam insulation.

Using a sawzall (reciprocating saw), the couple cut huge windows into the aluminum/stainless steel structure. Wanaselja says he was initially intimidated by the idea of crafting out of aluminum (the exterior material) and stainless steel (interior), but "once I got over my learning curve I actually like working with metal".

In this video, the couple talk about working in a cargo container, using materials like the soy-based plywood floor (Purebond) and the music made by rain and branches on a metal roof.


xqLg3Mxnqrc






Great thread btw.

[CD7]

How about we pay nothing for a SPACIOUS HOME! Isnt this nice...society is making available SHOE BOXES for those who just cant SLAVE enough for an OVERPRICED house. Sick...nope not good enough....Earth is ALL OF OURS and so is its shelter!

[gooty64]

I love this post!

My consciousness just expanded!

Thank you, Mr. rmauaersr for this post and to all who added to it...

[BestLion]

For 1000s of years people lived in small houses. I just read Cracker Culture about the Old South, and 90% of southerners lived in 1 room houses and often had large families. Here in Ukraine most people up until recently lived in homes no larger then 700 sq ft. The reason for small homes was easy to build, and needed less energy.
I just dont understand why a family of 3 need a 4,000 sq ft home to live in..heck they don't even live in 80% of that house.
One thing I noticed about life..is when a man is young he seeks all the wealth, wants the best car, big house and wants to keep up with the Jones. Then as he is 65 and wants to retire he sells his house-car etc..and goes and lives in a 1 room flat or even some into a retirement home that has 1 room. Instead of working his life to accumulate big homes, cars, junk..he could have bought a small pad, a small car and been much more financial free. Also in the book 'Your Money or Your Life" they talk that all this stuff 'big homes etc" doesn't make people any more happy. They say it often tends to work against people and makes them more miserable..the more is better idea....When in fact people only need just enough..I learned in life I really dont need much to be content.
Photo is my home in Ukraine..It is living space 410 sq ft. Has "the white siding' a storage room- gas furnace. My heating bill in the winter is 30 bucks a month. i jar my own grapes, tomatoes..and have a rot cellar that I store potatoes jars, and beets-carrots in. i buy meats, and flours and stuff..and barter milk..my neighbors rents my land and plants onions and gives me free milk in return.

[Dawn]

BestLion: ...people only need just enough..I learned in life I really dont need much to be content.
Photo is my home in Ukraine..It is living space 410 sq ft. Has "the white siding' a storage room- gas furnace. My heating bill in the winter is 30 bucks a month. i jar my own grapes, tomatoes..and have a rot cellar that I store potatoes jars, and beets-carrots in. i buy meats, and flours and stuff..and barter milk..my neighbors rents my land and plants onions and gives me free milk in return.

Thank you so much for your personal sharing. I really like what you said and how you said it. What a wonderful way to live. It sounds like you still have the sense of community that so many lack these days.

There is something about sharing food, which the earth produces so abundantly, with others that really (really!) makes us feel abundant. I think it is a form of love. It is also speaking to that part of ourselves which is always focused on safety and survival, "look here, I not only have enough, I have more than enough and can enrich others too!"

And the inexpensive heating bill is so relaxing, isn't it? Our bill is about $35/month for our tiny home. It helps that we live in a mild climate. My sister lives down the road in a 2,400 square foot home with her husband. Her bill, for contrast, is about $250 in the winter and $75 in the summer. Life feels safe and relaxing when all you need to do is earn $35.00 to keep yourself warm and comfy.

[spiritwind]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/13969_1136851424753_1331372265_30332823_7245806_n. jpg
Here's a small house of sorts for ya. We lived on this boat for 3 years with our teenage daughter. Kinda hard to grow a garden but otherwise all the comforts of home.

[Kindred]

True Freedom is in the Mind... not the space your body inhabits...

My current home is a 1941 Quonset Hut... about 700 sq.ft., all steel, with it's Original, 70y.o. roof. Still doesn't leak!... No/low maintenance,, but I've had to upgrade virtually everything. But - you know what?... it's Still Too Big!

Many years ago, I had made plans to build, and live on a boat... but nothing on the market really made sense to me, given my extensive experiences in that arena. Ultimately, I created a design that I eventually got patented... never did anything with the patent (that I wrote and illustrated myself) - it was more of an intellectual exercise for me. But, the product is still quite novel - that of a self-righting trimaran, which has been 'reduced to practice'... I even started building a 25ft prototype (the concept is applicable to any size or motive type - sail or power... Now... where's that Free Energy Device!!!???)
The prototype is 25+ft x 8ft to 15ft wide, with 6.5ft headroom almost throughout, and weighs 1400 lbs,dry.

[Ineffable Hitchhiker]

Two very interesting ideas on small-housing.
One a political view, another a private decision.




hq9xf0OhaVI

Jay Shafer: The Politics of Tiny Houses
In February, 2011, we spent a couple of hours with Jay Shafer (Tumbleweed Tiny House Company), in his 96 square foot house-on-wheels in Sebastopol, California. Jay is one of the more well-known and successful tiny house designers, and there's no denying the "curb appeal" of his designs. That appeal is generated by Jay's careful attention to proportion as well as by his decisions about which elements to include in--and more precisely, what to leave out of-- his designs. But as much as he enjoys talking about design, what he really wanted to talk about was the politics of tiny houses. Why building and zoning codes are stacked against tiny houses, how the costs of purchase and upkeep compare to the big houses he calls "debtors' prisons", and why, when the Big One shakes the land around San Francisco Bay, he'd rather be in his tiny house than anywhere else.


ZuyHGIxdjuQ


Tim Guiles: Conversations in Tiny House
In 2008 Tim Guiles built two tiny houses based on Jay Shafer's "WeeBee" design (Tumbleweed Tiny House Co.); one for himself and one for his son. He was so enthralled with tiny house living that one year later he formed a company, http://yesweecabins.com ....and hired an architect to help him with the design of his first product, an 8'x18' tiny house on a steel car trailer called "Elegant Simplicity." Tim and his partner, Kate, are now living in one of his tiny houses; he has sold another, and he is completing a third. George and Joan Packard, http://curiouslylocal.com ...spent a couple of hours filming and talking with Tim in early January, 2011, in his tiny house, perched on the brow of a high field on his Vermont land.

[Connecting with Sauce]

this isn't a tiny house...
http://www.sipsmart.com/dome/arcx_36.html

But this one is approaching it...
http://www.sipsmart.com/dome/arcx_29.html

Also as they are made with SIPS panels and are domed shaped they are ideal for shelter and areas where winds or storms may be and issue...

I like the idea of linking a couple of these together with a south facing solar green house or solar capture feature in between two gable ends like a "dumbell" weight...

SIPS are well worth investigating... SIPS build starts at about 1:30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=5nFmaQziSbo

[eileenrose]

Of course, now we just need ideas of how to implement these ideas...ie if you don't own land and can't afford land, how to get land (in order to built something)?
How to build something, if you don't have the skills/ability to build something and lack funding (for said project).
and so on...

and thanks for the ideas. I start to become excited (as I have no housing), but then remember they are just ideas (and not results....that I can obtain). But I am glad that we keep sharing them....(don't feel sorry for me)....

If the banks own land/have the titles/and laws are written to keep people tethered to that system, ....and the rest of the population is paying high mortgages or rents, these ideas can only work for the smallest group of people (people who own land, or got permission to build on some one else's land, or are on the sea-paying rent/utilities to a dock owner/city)....and want to live simply. ...and they pretty much already have found this information. But thanks for sharing it with the rest of us. If anyone asks, I have it saved on my hard drive now.

[rmauersr]

A tiny house on the Kentucky River.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-RaFApVP0zU

[Zelig]

My girlfriend and I, along with our two Golden Retrievers, spent three weeks living aboard our small sailboat this past summer. I was very worried during the preparations that our vacation would turn into a disappointment and was quite stressed about all of the conveniences we couldn't accommodate on board. The reality turned out to be an eye opener and our enjoyment of the simplicity surprised us both. The small space (especially with the two dogs) required methodical routines that we adapted to quickly. If it weren't for the fact that the lakes here are frozen for half the year we'd gladly sell the house and live aboard full time. Our house is modest but still too complicated with "creature comforts" to be anywhere near as relaxing as the boat.

Thanks for starting this thread, Ron.

[dpwishy]

I live in a 17X19 foot cabin I built. I live in it with a full size pitbull, my fiance and me. It has a wood stove for heat, full kitchen (sink, range, fridge). A bathroom that has a sink, composting toilet and 2 meditation cells. The meditation cells are piped to be showers one day, but I can take showers in the main house on the property, so its dedicated to meditation cells at the moment. The water system is run off of a 100 gallon fresh water tank that is in the loft with a water pump. There is also a queen size Murphy (wall bed).

At first when I had the idea, my fiance looked at me like I was insane. She did not think that this kind of space was livable and would feel like a home. After living in it for a year, she has decided that this is the way to live. We have a beautiful home and a beautiful family.

Live simply so others may simply live...

In divine friendship,
your brother,
-wishy

[Zelig]

I live in a 17X19 foot cabin I built. I live in it with a full size pitbull, my fiance and me. It has a wood stove for heat, full kitchen (sink, range, fridge). A bathroom that has a sink, composting toilet and 2 meditation cells. The meditation cells are piped to be showers one day, but I can take showers in the main house on the property, so its dedicated to meditation cells at the moment. The water system is run off of a 100 gallon fresh water tank that is in the loft with a water pump. There is also a queen size Murphy (wall bed).

At first when I had the idea, my fiance looked at me like I was insane. She did not think that this kind of space was livable and would feel like a home. After living in it for a year, she has decided that this is the way to live. We have a beautiful home and a beautiful family.

Live simply so others may simply live...

In divine friendship,
your brother,
-wishy

Sounds pretty sweet.

[rmauersr]

Pictures, floor plans and bathroom construction detail would be really nice additions to this thread, especially for those who are planning to construct or live in a tiny house. A tiny house really has no definition. What is important is the creative use of space.

My 621 square foot, earth sheltered house with as much passive solar input as I could manage from a south facing wall is here:



19221

[sandy]

Awesome rmauersr :cool:

[Orobo]

For anyone, even moderately, interested in building or living your own way...check out this publisher:

http://www.shelterpub.com/index.html

I was given their Shelter-book more then ten years ago, by a californian residing in the neighbourhood. It was so powerful it helped channel all my creative ideas about building and living. Ka-boom.

Have bought all their books since and lived and built my life.

I have lived for five years in a wooden backyard house, norwegian style, from 1880. 21m2 ( 225ft2 )in total, with my daughter, who was one year old at the time we moved in. Heating and cooking on wood, and had a tiny bit of electricity for lighting. Could do without that. No bills. Scrounging wood in the city up north here was easy. Moved out only to live in a bigger house with my girlfriend and all the kids.

Everyday is an adventure. As it should be. Anything else hurts my soul. Pinching a bit in different places every day.

Check out this site www.husly.net and http://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/index.php?award2008-husly_en-1

19247

as they got to the 4th placement in the prestigious Bauhaus award in 2008. An international architecture award with projects from more than 125 countries.

In short it is a modular house built from pallets. Designed to be copied by people living around cities in the need of housing. It was built as a part of the Generator project and lived its life ever after. Now situated in Trondheim, Norway, as an artist residency AND being reviewed to be approved by the building code authority.
It is a long term project, cos as the saying goes "time is money". With no money, you need time.

love, O.

[pie'n'eal]

Dear Ron,
Your blog page is excellent!


Tony

[Zelig]

For anyone, even moderately, interested in building or living your own way...check out this publisher:

http://www.shelterpub.com/index.html

I was given their Shelter-book more then ten years ago, by a californian residing in the neighbourhood. It was so powerful it helped channel all my creative ideas about building and living. Ka-boom.

Have bought all their books since and lived and built my life.

I have lived for five years in a wooden backyard house, norwegian style, from 1880. 21m2 ( 225ft2 )in total, with my daughter, who was one year old at the time we moved in. Heating and cooking on wood, and had a tiny bit of electricity for lighting. Could do without that. No bills. Scrounging wood in the city up north here was easy. Moved out only to live in a bigger house with my girlfriend and all the kids.

Everyday is an adventure. As it should be. Anything else hurts my soul. Pinching a bit in different places every day.

Check out this site www.husly.net and http://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/index.php?award2008-husly_en-1

19247

as they got to the 4th placement in the prestigious Bauhaus award in 2008. An international architecture award with projects from more than 125 countries.

In short it is a modular house built from pallets. Designed to be copied by people living around cities in the need of housing. It was built as a part of the Generator project and lived its life ever after. Now situated in Trondheim, Norway, as an artist residency AND being reviewed to be approved by the building code authority.
It is a long term project, cos as the saying goes "time is money". With no money, you need time.

love, O.

When I was a young man and first setting out into the the world to try to make my own way, I found a copy of the original "Shelter" in the local library. The timing was perfect and it was a tremendous joy to climb right into the book and explore all of the possible roofs that I could place over my head. It was a tattered book and felt as though it had lived an exciting life of its own, accompanying a variety of young adventurers as they crafted their own individual, unique abodes. I found my ideal piece of land -- completely impractical and precariously sloped -- and was romantically drawn to the panoramic view that rewarded the determined climber. I would bring potential girlfriends there to see how they reacted to the task of hiking up and would gauge their potential based on this. I still have the land and have yet to build anything of significance on it. A life that I didn't choose kidnapped me and held me captive for the bulk of my prime years and now I only dream about what could have been. Deep sigh.

[TargeT]

If I end up in the Virgin Islands I'll definately be looking into options like this, perhaps partially or fully burried conexs.

Good site:
http://www.shedandshelter.com/


This page has some interesting container houses (I'm assuming this is the easiest route so this is where my interest is currently.)
http://cdn.homedit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/container-guest-house3.jpg
http://www.homedit.com/22-most-beautiful-houses-made-from-shipping-containers/

I imagine using 4 containers with an open central area (green house? court yard? enclosed and used as living space?)

another interesting option is what these guys put out :
http://c541658.r58.cf2.rackcdn.com/vault/img/2011/05/10/4dc92bbec29e068473000ed5/medium_cutaway.jpg
http://www.monolithic.com/

[thunder24]

i'm working on a partial underground house now.... in the future, hopefully imma bury a container and add on... I really like the idea

[Violet]

I have a lot of free time in this lifestyle.

...
I've posted this before on the forum but I'll do it again here. Here is a photo history of our tiny and productive garden, you can also see the little old-fashioned trailer I call home for now: www.ourtinygarden.com

That garden looks like so much fun!!!

I don't even have a balcony in this humid old bug-infested apartment and I pay more than 700 dollars for it too :( No plants for me :(