Kyu's Tiny House Blog

[kyuuei]

http://www.320squarefoothome.com/2011/06/faircompanies-video-of-our-home_03.html

This house is absolutely adorable. Also, I am in LOVE with this concept.

http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/small-space-furniture-17-super-rooms/

http://www.treehugger.com/sustainab...new-more-making-the-most-of-small-spaces.html

Bed, desk, nightstand, and closet and drawers all in one solid piece of furniture.. <3 <3 <3

 

[Usehername]

http://rowdykittens.com/our-tiny-house/

How big is it?

About 150 square feet. It’s being built on a 8 x 16 foot trailer.

Cost?

$33,000.

 

[kyuuei]

http://rowdykittens.com/our-tiny-house/

How big is it?

Cost?

Thank you for the link! I've been eating tiny house blogs alive lately, and my thirst for information leaves me high and dry as updates are short and information is sporadic.

It led me to this stove top here..

http://2cycle2gether.com/2011/01/origo-6000/

If the price tag wasn't so hefty on it, I'd say it'd be perfect.. But I think I'll just have to stick with all-electric appliances and pay the electric bill.

Which reminds me! I think I've all but settled on small appliances:

- A compact stove top and oven assembly.. As small as I can find for a decent price.. something just big enough to cook with without taking up half of my kitchen.
- Same with the fridge. I still need a decent size freezer, especially when it comes to prepping and making good, healthy food ahead of time.. but hopefully I find something in the range I'd like.
- I'm debating the dishwasher issue. There are several choices, like a small table-top model for everyday items.. (pros being it's small, convenient, and eats up less electricity and leaves me with only heavy pots and pans to wash by hand.. cons being, if I'm spending that much money on such a small model, the full size ones are just a few hundred more.) .. there's the possibility of getting something like this
http://www.compactappliance.com/Fag...1,default,pd.html?cgid=Appliances-Dishwashers
Smaller dishwasher, stylish, and has storage built into it as well... The price tag is awful though. I'll have to keep shopping on the issue.
- Laundry. I'm still debating the smaller and-just-as-efficient price tag of a wonderwash + spin dryer combo... It is work for myself, definitely.. I'd have to have dedicated laundry times, and wash more frequently.. i'd also have to take the time to hang clothes to finish drying, which could mean having laundry exposed outside or in my home frequently.. But the electricity bill and the bill for the appliances are like $150.. So the price is definitely right there. But if I do do anything else, It'll be a washer drying combo, which have all had great reviews, for the price of waay more electricity, just as much water, and a price tag of $1500-2000 and almost no work on my end. I could just end up buying the smaller set until I can save up money for the bigger one.
- Heating/Cooling and air quality. While I've always lived an "Open up the windows its nice outside!" lifestyle, and don't mind putting on a jacket indoors or lounging in hotter temperatures.. I still need a viable system to clean out the air in the home during times the house cannot be ventilated, heating the home, and cooling it. I think the only 'splurge' im going to make on the interior of the home is radiant flooring.. in the attempt to keep everything cozy and cut down on the electric bill.. Having something like that means I may not need heating in places like the bathroom and I can just have a couple electric units.
Air conditioning will be from a nice portable unit.. I'll have both a humidifier and dehumidifier (for the bathroom), both already obtained (I got them a while back for free ) as well as an air purifier that I also already own.. Between all of that, I'm hoping it'll be enough to be comfortable.. Since it'll all be one pretty large, open area.. I'll only need to control the temperatures of the one space.

To be continued after dinner...

 

[kyuuei]

Ugh.. stupid typc telling me I have to re-type my post.

Back on air purification and safety!
If I go with a wooden home or other box-like frame structure, I think that I can have options like mini-split systems or a system like this one here with smaller ducts. stove, hearth, and bathroom ventilation will all be easier as well.
Between a few cleverly placed fans, windows and the ability to ventilate outdoor air, portable units, a hearth of some sort, radiant flooring, air humidifiers, dehumidifiers, purifiers and damprid products (http://www.damprid.com/ these here) for smaller stagnant places, I think I'll be set on air quality either way.

My next bill is to try and estimate how much my home will cost... While I can build some of it myself, I will need the help of a contractor for plumbing, electrical work, foundation setting, etc. Luckily I know a guy, so I can probably get the job done for less than usual, but it will still be a bill. I need this done right no matter which route I take.

I used this place to remodel my parent's bathroom since it was close enough to drive to with a truck and pick the things up myself. http://goodvaluecenter.com/ so between this place, some salvage savvy shopping and Ikea, i think I can do some decent digs.

Ktichen -
For a smaller kitchen, Ikea seems to be the best way to go with pricing at around $2000 for very decent cabinetry and sink.
Although I love the way wall-ovens and cooktops can be separate, a range is the best way to go money-wise. $500 will grab me a really nice one. If I can find separates for that price or below, then I'll get them, but only then.
Fridges go on sale all the time. With some smart shopping, I can get one for around $800 for side-by-side models.
Dishwasher issue is still up in the air with me.. with two full-size appliances already, Im nervous about trying to cram this one in there too. 4-setting tabletop models run around $200-300. Portable units are anywhere between $500-600.
Total: $3500 - $4000ish dollars. I hope it will be cheaper than that though.

Interior work:
I'm thinking that flooring, radiant system, building interior walls, plumbing, the water heater, and electrical work will probably run me something around $15,000. Thats my budget for it anyways.. the cheaper the better, but thats the maximum I can spend on it all.

Bathroom:
for a cheap Toilet, I can get one less than $50 easily, but nicer complete sets are $100-$200.
Shower options.. Ive been playing with the idea of having an entirely boxed in bathroom.. with no shower doors or anything, just an area to walk into and do the showering in since the bathroom will be small anyways.. I'd only need a small bench to sit on this way. The radiant flooring will keep it warm in there too.. I don't need a tub, but they are nice. for now, I'll just propose the cost of the shower and bathtub in case that option falls through. A corner shower kit is the cheapest at $500ish dollars, but an alcove kit with a tub will run me around $2000, which is also the price of claw-foot tub with a shower overhang.. so a few options there. I'm going to go ahead and say $2000 to be safe.
A vanity I can get for $300 with the sink and all that jazz. A small medicine cabinet will run me $50.
I can get some light storage in ikea for $100.
Total: $2,500 - $2,650

Bedroom and closet:
I'm going to just split it even and say I have $1,000 for the bedroom stuff, and $1,000 for closets and organizers. Lighting and finishing touches and some unforeseen expenses can't run more than $1,000.. Laundry will be $200 for both the spin dryer and wonderwash, and hanging some lines in the bathroom will complete laundry day.

Grand total for house interior: $3500-4,000 + 15,000 + 2500-2650 + 3200 = $24,200 - 24,850.. Ish. I want to get that number way down via good sales, salvaging parts and pieces, and doing work myself.. I hope to get it down to $15-20k. But that's what Im currently looking at for a rough start. It is also why the house can't cost more than $15k total to build the exterior.

 

[1487610420]

I like this blog

from reading the alcohool stove link, the folks drive seemed to stem from ecological impact and grounded on sustainability. :thumbsup:

 

[kelric]

Dishwasher issue is still up in the air with me.. with two full-size appliances already, Im nervous about trying to cram this one in there too.

If you're at all used to having one - especially if you have/plan-to-have family/kids, I'd say plan on it. My house is an older house (built in the late 1940's), and doesn't have a dishwasher or really any place to put one. Which, even for a single guy who doesn't generate a lot of dirty dishes, is a major pain in the behind at times. A dishwasher is probably easier than other appliances too, in that if you plan for it, the area on top of it can be used as your counter space (unlike a range, for instance).

It's a lot easier to plan for one and use it infrequently (as needed) or even plan for one and install it later than it is to plan your kitchen around not having one, and then want one later.

 

[kyuuei]

Today I started reading "The Backyard Homestead". I really love the way this book is organized.. the sort of information it is providing is played out as if you don't know anything--and I really don't. It makes something scary like trying to start a garden feel safer and more fun and adventurous rather than nervous feeling. it's teaching me a lot so far, and I'm only on vegetables..

While I don't think I'll ever go to start making my own cheeses (maybe! O_O!) or anything crazy like that... drying my own herbs, and canning some plants? I can do that.
It also reminds me to start small--something I have trouble doing. I get ambitious and just want to throw everything on my plate at once.

If you're at all used to having one - especially if you have/plan-to-have family/kids, I'd say plan on it. My house is an older house (built in the late 1940's), and doesn't have a dishwasher or really any place to put one. Which, even for a single guy who doesn't generate a lot of dirty dishes, is a major pain in the behind at times. A dishwasher is probably easier than other appliances too, in that if you plan for it, the area on top of it can be used as your counter space (unlike a range, for instance).

It's a lot easier to plan for one and use it infrequently (as needed) or even plan for one and install it later than it is to plan your kitchen around not having one, and then want one later.

This is good advice. I've been accustomed to either way--ours was broken for a number of years so I got quite accustomed to not trusting it and washing dishes by hand--it took me a while to realize I don't need to wash the dishes by hand before I put them in the new dishwasher we got last year.

I'm not sure if the cost of the house will eat up appliances--but it may be that I just keep that part of the cabinetry a literal cubby hole in wait for a dishwasher. This is all budget based, so the interior and flooring, the deck/patio area, all of that will eat up most of the budget. What I get to furnish the house afterwards will be as I get money for it. The first thing to go will be upgrades, then sizes of appliances, then whole appliances, and all in priority (I'd rather have a nicer shower head than a laundry washer, for example). If I'm stuck with a smaller fridge until I get a full sized one, I'm okay with that as long as I leave the space for a fullsized one. If I don't get a dishwasher, Im okay with that for a while. I already know I don't think I'll be able to afford a laundry unit, but Im okay with that as well.. I used to wash laundry by hand, so it isn't such a crappy endeavor. Whatever I can't afford, I'll save my money and buy piece by piece, as I find good deals on them.

 

[kyuuei]

The "Tiny house movement" is something that isn't very defined.. and I think that is what I like about it the most. 800 sq. ft is WAY bigger than 3000... Simply downsizing so that your mortgage is affordable is enough for many people. It's about taking an idea, and turning it into your own. Learning to love what you have, instead of idealizing what others possess is another huge factor that rings true over and over again in this movement. It's about smaller spaces making people happier, and bringing people together. More time, less stress. Sustainability becomes a huge factor in that because creating your own things means not relying on others--something many Americans really desire.

But.. I think. This seems to be enough.. Not having to worry about how to make ends meet is an amazing thing, and it does wonders to the quality of life.

I reckon my bills every month will land somewhere around the $1,500 range for everything I require to pay every month. That's an amazing feeling, to know that soon I'll own everything of my own and I'll get to do it with just a part-time job. The ability to travel, to invest and save, to afford what I *truly* desire.. I think that is what this movement was all about to begin with. In which case.. I'm glad that I'm going to be a part of it.

 

[spirilis]

It's the spirit of DIY coming back. Funny thing is, back in the day I think many people were expected to understand how to build their own houses as it was a family activity (stories my wife told me about her father helping her [maternal] grandfather build them a house, grandfather was appalled that the father didn't know what to do)... that all went away (just like other self-sufficiency knowledge & skills like cooking, gardening/farming, etc) for various reasons (probably commercial operations became increasingly efficient, regulations & permits became a PITA, general "specialization" of skills in our society, etc)

 

[kyuuei]

I like this blog

from reading the alcohool stove link, the folks drive seemed to stem from ecological impact and grounded on sustainability. :thumbsup:

What appealed to me about it was the fact that it didn't require ventilation at all.

It's the spirit of DIY coming back. Funny thing is, back in the day I think many people were expected to understand how to build their own houses as it was a family activity (stories my wife told me about her father helping her [maternal] grandfather build them a house, grandfather was appalled that the father didn't know what to do)... that all went away (just like other self-sufficiency knowledge & skills like cooking, gardening/farming, etc) for various reasons (probably commercial operations became increasingly efficient, regulations & permits became a PITA, general "specialization" of skills in our society, etc)

The troubling part about it is, I AM one of those people. I might as well have titled this "cushy city girl makes crazy choices". I have the heart and soul in it, but thats about all I have. Luckily, I have many friends for resources, so I'll learn a lot in this process, but this is definitely something new for me.. all of it. The most gardening I've ever done is in our backyard, with my dad doing most of the legwork on it since he desired it--I only got inspired by it when I saw the results and enjoyed fresh tomatoes and figs.
It is very, very easy to fall into the system of buying everything already.. I think I'm so accustomed to it that my steps toward sustainability are going to be slow and methodical. I'm starting out small--not having a mortgage on my house, and just paying for land out of my desire for future exploits with it, moreso than necessity.. Living in a small, owned home while slowly investing my tax returns and extra money earned into my hobbit house. To me, that'll be plenty enough to get myself motivated and started... the next things are starting out small, cultivating and gardening herbs and helping my parents with a garden of their own and reaping some of the profits from it. It will grow and expand with time and patience.

 

[Usehername]

Chin-up bar for getting into bed. I'm sure a roll-up ladder common to forts would work, too. Creates lots of space below.

Are you using pinterest to collect your ideas, btw? it's the most organized place to do so.

 

[iwakar]

I'm not sure what sort of construction material restrictions this would warrant, but when I was looking at NYC apartments, I saw a small apartment I really liked that had a murphy bed. You don't see those much any more.

A trundle bed could be an option if the wall material can't support it.

What a great project K!

 

[kyuuei]

I've been debating switching around my entire plans..

I've been thinking about maybe buying the land all first, and saying forget my home entirely.

the more I think on it, the more I feel like laying a solid foundation is what my parents need more than anything else. Paying off the land and buying a small mobile home would be more than enough for me to get started on. Living in this CLU (a 6x6 space is what I live in currently..) has made me realize how little space I truly need, and that my priority.. what I'm doing all of this for.. is for my parents and myself to have a foundation. Our family needs stability, it is something we haven't seen in all our years that I can remember. Buying my side of the land, and maybe a smaller plot in another city.. I could buy a tiny house in the form of a simple mobile home that I could have paid off in a couple years since they're the price of a car for the smaller ones. It was my original plan.. I think I got side tracked because I wanted something beautiful.. But..

If I get a smaller plot in another city.. I can move this tiny mobile home there, and I'll have a second home to get away from people with.. and I happen to like having multiple places to call home. I always have. It keeps me close with my family, the ability to easily get away when I need to. Either way, the land is the most important thing right now. I've decided that much. I can live where ever I need to live to make things work..

http://www.factoryexpodirect.com/ev1.asp

This is an example. Its small, and affordable at 22,000 brand new, but they have WAY better sales during christmas time when I get home..

 

[The Ü™]

Chin-up bar for getting into bed. I'm sure a roll-up ladder common to forts would work, too. Creates lots of space below.

Are you using pinterest to collect your ideas, btw? it's the most organized place to do so.

I'm gonna get my ass kicked for this, but I am sincerely asking: Where is the bathroom?

 

[kyuuei]

[MENTION=315]Usehername[/MENTION] I absolutely am in love with that picture you posted on here. The loft is so spacious and the mono-white decor <3 <3

[MENTION=294]The Ü[/MENTION] I took it for a serious question, I think the angle of the picture leaves out the rest of the house behind it, the bathroom and common room are probably there.

 

[kyuuei]

The Tally's running..

Pacific Yurts - $16k for a solid foundation and home exterior built to last.
Rainier Yurts - $17k for a basic model.
Geo-Desic Dome - Around a couple more k than a yurt for it..
Simple Mobile home - $22,000 for a basic, small model.

The newest thing I've found from tinyhouseblog.com?
http://www.wooden-wonders.com/products.html

They're way too expensive, but I found them so charming and awfully adorable.. I feel like maybe I could get a small one in the future for storage Or maybe even the chicken coop..

Also, can I say I am in love?!!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.302616453131866.71728.157277567665756&type=3

These pictures are so incredible!!

.. Sometimes I look at tiny houses and get super confused.. I can understand Tokyo, or Hawaii having expensive small places. But Wyoming?
http://tinyhouseblog.com/park-model-homes/wheelhaus-wedge-cabin/#more-22245

$75k for a house that small? No doubt they splurged in some areas that could be heavily saved upon, but still..

 

[Qlip]

Wow, those are very cool, I like that Gothicy looking one. Oh, I remember I had checked a book out once that might have a concept that might interest you, about a guy and his wife who had built their own house out of stone. I think they lived out east where they could pretty much just find stones, roll them back, dress them and put it into place and repeat. People can accomplish similar things with cob, adobe, lightweight CMU, and to a lesser extent strawbales. Strawbales have to be put together and 'sealed' very rapidly before the moisture gets to them.

Of course, just buying something is probably the fastest and less backbreaking way of getting the job done.

 

[kyuuei]

^ I was trying to do a hybrid and buy a package and build it myself, but the more I'm looking at it, for the money I can't avoid buying a simple trailer. I'd really enjoy a more futuristic dome home though, and I think I'd continue to dwell in such a place even after I build my large hobbit-home.

http://tiny-themovie.com/partners/

My name is listed as a sponsor on that site, the movie is set to come out this year. I can't wait.

 

[kyuuei]

A couple things.

1. Back to basics! These are my requirements:
- I don't want a concrete foundation.
- I need the house to be entirely built for under $30k. I'd prefer a $20k house.
- I need to be able to build this myself.
- City of Houston standards are a ceiling of at least 7 ft tall, and a room of at least 7 feet wide

..From post one. I still need something where the foundation can be simple and inexpensive. I still have around a $30k budget. I still need to be able to assemble this myself. And I still need to be within city code standards.

So far, the only buildings to semi-meet my needs are the simple trailer home, and the semi-quirky yurts and domes. I'm sure I could find a contractor that could build a small cabin-like home for around $10-12k.

I'm still in the back of my head trying to figure out the price of building that hobbit home of mine. The more I think on it, the more I thin k it's possible to have that AS my first home. It took that guy $3k.. Even if I don't have the knowledge and power he does, I still think I could build a house like that for 30-40k. Bigger than his, and more modern, less nature-friendly since that isn't the purpose of my home.. and most of all, mine.

What I'm picturing:
- A more magnificent front. I want a large door, something that I can walk into with ease, taller people would need to stoop slightly to enter. I require this since it won't have a hobbit feel if tall people could easily walk in and out. I'd need a porch area leading up to the door, and the gardening would be up to me.
- An open, awesome view of the ceiling. I am going to keep that amazing spiral ceiling although I am going to seal all of the wood instead of using raw exposed wood (I want this thing lasting.. and not being prone to insects and moisture.)
- Im unsure of how to work the areas I want yet. I need a kitchen, living area, dining area all in that vicinity.. I dont want to clutter the platform, so I think I'll use it as either the kitchen and eating area, or the guest area and leave the entire bottom portion to it.
- I want off-shoots for room. A small storage closet, and a small guest latrine half bath. A nice decent-sized room, and office, with the master bath connecting them in the back areas. I'd like to be able to crawl out windows of those two to the roof-top. I want an outdoor seating area of some sort on the roof in the back area.. Im not sure how to work all of that yet.

Anyways I'd need to find an architect and make some legit plans for this house, and then a contractor that knows his industry well enough to make this happen for me. Also, preferably for the guy to be a nerd so attention to the RIGHT details is there. If the guy has never heard of LotR, chances are he isnt going to know what materials inspire it.

It seems like a daunting task.. Anyways.

If I get a yurt OR a dome, the layout will be the same.
- Get a carpenter to build me a custom loft/closet bedding system. Bed on top with curtains for privacy, closet underneath it all, with a small studio desk offshoot for computing and drawing.
- A small loft above for more storage options
- An open kitchen area along one of the walls, with storage all behind it curtained up and out of sight out of mind.
- Living room area open as well.
- Bathroom blending in at the end of the kitchen.. Completely waterproofed room, all tile with a military-style showering area.
- Flank the outside of the bedding walls with bookshelves for my library of books and storage items.


Ive been trying to look more into container house units, but finding real viable information and not just "omg look at my containhousegaizlol!" pictures is difficult.

2. Locating the land.

I still need to pick a place to live. I want to stay in close proximity to Houston. Places I find to be viable options:
- Deer park
- Dyersdale
- The Woodlands area
- Egypt (not the country lol)
- Coldspring (only if we get a lake-side property or something damn close to it)
- Harmaston
- Huffman, again if we could get lake-side
- Mantu
- Channelview

Dyersdale is an area I wouldnt mind at all.

I found a BEAUTIFUL lot on paper.. the price is right, the acres are at our lowest area, and it's a really good location.

 

[PeaceBaby]

Enjoyed your update.

I found a BEAUTIFUL lot on paper.. the price is right, the acres are at our lowest area, and it's a really good location.

Should I be telling you "GO FOR IT!"