help with our 14' x 7' house plans

[ponytigger]

My partner and I are building a 2x4 construction small house on a 14' x 6' 11" Load Trail trailer up in Montana. We don't have much building experience, but this is a sketchup of our plans for framing it. We've been looking at a lot of other people's plans and designs online and working on this model every day for two weeks. 

If you have any feedback about better implementation for ease of building, or structural abilities, we'd love to hone in our plans so we can start building soon.

It's 13' 5" tall, the big purple block represents the trailer bed.  We're curious specifically about the cantilevering, and the viability of those three 2x4's in that configuration. Would it be better to replace them with rough 4x4 or something?  We haven't finished up the entryway / door framing entirely, we're not sure what size of door we will get. Above the door, we want to put in two right angle triangular windows...so thats empty for the moment too.

Also, the loft platform, does it seem sturdy? We will be using hurricane ties on most everything.   Here are photos, the floor joists aren't visible, but they are 2x4 at 12" OC, with a piece of outdoor painted OSB below, and then OSB & cork on top.  We're planning on putting up OSB on all the walls, and siding with 1" doug fir waney edge boards.  The inside we're going to do with 1" tongue and groove beetle kill 'blue pine' boards.










Thanks for your time and feedback! SKP file is here if you want to play with it
http://crunchcasts.com/trailer.skp
Jared & Sydney

[paul s]

Before you back up the truck to tow it, u need to consider many things,  trailer needs to be dual axle with brakes on at least one Axel, each axle rated at 5000 lbs.

If you plan on living in this in Montana, you will need 2x6 walls floor and roof for insulation or u will regret.

and where is it going to be parked?
this is the biggest thing and i mean legally parked.  if not legal just takes one complaint from one person and u are looking for a  new place to park, and by park i mean that u will be living in it full time, often u can park it but can not live in it past 30 days

good luck

ps i been figuring on this  since last oct , almost a year now

[paul s]

have u considered the shed roof, a lot easier in soo many ways and  better space or so it is to me

[Don_P]

You're 13'5" above the trailer deck? I think 13' above the ground is the legal height for going down the road.
Bow roof?
SIPS?

[NathanS]

I believe the general rule is that joists for cantilevers should run at least twice as far into the building as it overhangs. So, a 12 foot joist could cantilever 4 feet.

Also, the headers either need hangers or trimmer underneath them.

[ponytigger]

Thankyou for the replies!! We are 13' 5" off the ground, not counting for trailer suspension post built...I hear it may sink a few inches?  We have a 2 axle 7' x 14' trailer with double electric brakes.  Each Axel is rated for 3500 lbs, so a total of 7000 lbs.  We're thinking we can keep it under that, do you think it's realistic?

Yeah, It does get really cold here in Montana.  I'm familiar with it, with this size of a trailer though, we've decided that 2x6's would just eat up far too much room.  We're going to have a nice wood stove in it, and truthfully we may not stay in Montana during the winters anyhow. 

Shed roof was our number two choice. I really liked the extra space, and ease of construction.  Maybe on the next one =)

NathanS, any chance you could post a link to a picture or something that explains it?  I am not sure what you're referring to exactly.  Tried googling around for a while, but it's not any clearer for me.

[NathanS]

NathanS, any chance you could post a link to a picture or something that explains it?  I am not sure what you're referring to exactly.  Tried googling around for a while, but it's not any clearer for me.

I think you should buy a framing book. It will answer all your questions, and then some.

http://countryplans.com/books.html "House Framing," the top link is a good one. Most any framing book should have diagrams on how to install headers and cantilevers.

Also, on youtube, there is a 3 part framing series by Larry Haun that will show you how a professional carpenter works and thinks.