On Time and Under Budget

Those are 2 items that are just not heard in construction these days, but that's where I am. I had to move in by March 18th, I got my C of O (that coveted piece of paper saying my house is fit for human habitation) on March 15th. The original budget was just under $24,000 and the numbers punch out to a tiny bit over $22,000. I am happy with my new home, I feel like I've been living there for a long time, like it's HOME.

Almost Complete

I was committed to building a tiny house that would have minimal impact on the land, but I wanted something with design, value and that would blend into the historical town I was moving to. Several of the tiny house plans I saw looked liked dressed up mobile homes of the 1970’s, I am sure these would work great for a lot of people, but they were not what I was looking for. What I found in building a home of my own design is there are a lot of people who are interested or actively living in tiny dwellings of a more permanent nature.
Down sizing has not been a issue for me, I’ve gone from a 4000 sqft home with a 4 car garage to a 370 sqft home I have not given up anything in contrast I feel as though I have gained, living tiny does not require deprivation.
Reduction of scale makes sense, so much space in a conventional home is superfluous even in 370 sqft there are areas of the home that I will not use on a regular basis. What minimal square footage means is reduced maintenance costs, less upkeep, reduced energy consumption, reduced site preparation, moving time, development, waste…… the list is only limited by what a person is willing to live without.
Just the same when I started designing I never wanted a ‘slapped-together’ cabin; the design scale of my new home means that I have been able to afford the elements that I want. Even though I make a decent living, I don’t have a ‘Gates’ style budget so the economy of scale paid off in that I can afford that custom vessel sink in the bathroom because I have to buy one, not four. I was able to use reclaimed lumber because I didn’t need massive amounts of board feet. The benefit to this is when the house was completed I had instant curb appeal.
The final bill on my house will be just under $25,000 the estimated value of my house when it was appraised $140,000, that breaks down to almost $380 / sqft.
Although the numbers are appealing a person has to go into this with open eyes, zoning laws, land restrictions, building permits, restrictions and building codes vary within states and counties, and all of these impact what has to be done on site, and how.
I still enjoy looking at architectural books and periodicals of massive mansions people build in testament to their success and skill, as long as it is in the shelter of my own tiny home.

Turning Inward

I’ve had a flood of web inquires about my humble Humboldt home; the vast majority of the questions have to do with the interior spaces of the house. It is kind of ironic because this is the simplest part of the house, but may be to most people that’s what makes it interesting.
The inside of my home is really basic, which is really what I want. Downstairs I have one room, which seems really large to me, with a mechanical closet and a washer/dryer closet. I will be using this room as a hobby room and for a place for people to congregate when I have barbeques.
Upstairs is an open floor plan. The living area and kitchen area are one and the same. The bathroom has it’s own space. The Items that really set the room off are the use of materials. I’ve used a lot of the reclaimed wood in the space, the Purlins, the pony wall in the stairwell opening, a column in the bathroom partition wall, and the door and window jams. I was able to recover some very old French doors that were curiously diminutive; I turned these doors into a French window that will open to let plenty of fresh air into the space. The simplicity of the space works because of the quality of materials, the solid plank floors, the size and selection of the finish materials, the thoughtful selection of fixtures. Every item is thought out, measured, and scaled for the space.

Home Is Where The Dog Lives

We have been together since he was a small puppy he’s always been around the house. I raised him, feed him, nursed him through sickness, played for endless hours, and traveled with him. He is a well-mannered, beautifully behaved dog devoted and willing to do anything I ask of him. I am proud of him, in all aspects I think of him as my personal gift from God. He has done nothing but give me his endless love and devotion for years.

Even though I am particular about keeping my house clean, when you walk into my new home, be careful not to trip on a stick, a ball, or even a bone. These are my dog's treasures and I will not take them away from him. He knows where all his toys are. They may not look like much, but to him, they are worth more than gold.

I will always have a open door to my house and hope that it's a place that people will be comfortable in, but for those people that think that dogs are dirty and smelly, you will not be comfortable in my house. I will not lock my dog away when people come to visit, for he is well mannered, the most he might do is expect a pat on the head.

UNO likes his new home, and for me Home is where the dog is.

Tidy, Tight, Thoughtful

When designing a tiny home a lot of extra thought has to go into the design and placement of the MP&E's (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing). There are a limited amount of producers that make elements for a small home, and the items that exist tend to be over-priced, so I've had to develop detailed schematics for the careful placement of items that were designed for houses much larger than mine. The one exception I've made is the heater, I spent the cash and got a super efficient small heater to keep me warm on cold winter nights. On the surface this seems like a simple issue of planning, but remember that developers and engineers around the world spend billions of dollars on squeezing technology into tiny little boxes. I've had to think about the value of each item, and make choices on is function. I keep in mind my belief that "excess is immoral" and is the particular piece of technology worth having, or do I have to expend too much effort and resources to keep that technology; It is surprising how easy it is to live without something you really don't need.