Micro Pool House/ Cabin 10'X10' 2 Story

[rodb]

Hello,

Does anyone have a pointer to some plans for a full 2-story 10'x10' cabin?

I have a need for a one story poolhouse, and a 15 year old son that would like a music studio/place to get away from parents and from the parents perspective , a place to send 15 yr old when he is acting up. 8-)

 I already have a 10X10 foundation that is pre-plummed, so changing the dimensions is not an option.

Am I going to have to do something custom or is there something out there to copy?

Please let me know,

Rod

[DavidLeBlanc]

You might find what you're looking for at http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com or at least some inspiration.

I think our host's little house plans would also be a great (and much less expensive) place to look.

[John Raabe]

You could use the $50 Little House plans to layout the structure for this building. Use the 10x14 floorplan but cut it down 4'. I would also go up one size on the floor joists since you won't be having the stepped in support beams of these plans.

You can do this same layout on both floors and then use the roof structure from the above cabin plans to top it off.

Keep at least one 4' wide panel of plywood covered wall full height on each side of the building - no windows or doors in this area. That will ensure this taller building stays stiff against the wind.

You also want to think about the loft ladder and where that will go. The enchilada plans include a snappy but easy to build ladder that hangs on the wall in wooden brackets.

Little House - http://tinyurl.com/axmz2
Enchilada - http://tinyurl.com/af8wj

[trish]

While changing the dimensions on the first floor may not be an option, you could canteliver out a bit on the 2nd floor to gain a little more floor space.  Possibly adding a small footer for a support post if necessary; that could give you a several extra feet of 2nd floor  hang over space if necessary to accomodate the needs of your teen.

I'm not sure what part of the country you are in, but if you're doing a pool house I'm guessing that the weather isn't too severe.  One down side to canteliver space is that it can be colder in winter.  Is that a concern where you live?

[rodb]

Hello all,

Thanks for all the great ideas.

John...I already have a concrete foundation and floor which I was going to tile...will that effect your plans?

Also, I was thinking of using a prefab metail spiral staircase to save on space, but a ladder might be cheaper.

How much could I Cantalever the upper floor without compromising the structural integrity?

It would be cool to have a little outside deck on the upper floor...8-)

I live in the Santa Cruz Mountains of Northern California...so it doesn't get too cold...but I am @ 1300ft on the top of a ridge, so we do get some crazy winds(80+ MPH during bad storms), but this will be nestled between 2 very large Monterey Pines.

Maybe I should include a building site photo?

I would also like to match it to the main house which is stucco, so the whole thing will be shear walled with some kind of plywood.

Thanks again,

Rod

[JRR]

I was just on vacation last week in your area.  Santa Cruz was particularly nice.

You might consider putting the staircase "outdoors" in your project .... saving a great deal of floorspace on both floors ... if you can afford the outside space that is.

[Jens]

So it sounds like you either live off of 17 some where, or up Empire Grade.  I would think EG if you are talking about winds.  I was born and raised in Live Oak, and worked for Pac Bell for 2 years there, maybe I fixed your phone?  Just some FFT, SC county allows 10 by 10 with 10' above grade to the top of the structure without permits, so long as it doesn't have utilities.  I don't care if you just build it, as that is what I would do (SC Nazi code enforcement Gestapo and all).  I'll try to remember who you are, and IM you before we head down there this summer.  

Cheers

[Jens]

Just had a thought.  Rodb.  That wouldn't stand for Rod Buckholt, would it?  If it is, you used to rent movies from me in Live Oak!  And, I know that you are a builder too (if memory serves).  If not, just a crazy coincidence!

[rodb]

Hello All,

No, wrong Rod B... and I am up off of hwy 35 in the Northern SC Mountains. Don't want to be too specific if you know what I mean.

I think I will purchase the plans from the owner here and chop them down a bit.

Will most likely be 14' above grade, but I won't be talking to the Permit Nazi's that want you to get a permit to put up a TV antenna.

Thanks for all the suggestions

Rod

[glenn-k]

rodb, I love your attitude.

You sound like a man who still believes he has some constitutional rights.  I hope your beliefs are correct.

You may want to find a used copy of  
 The Owner-Builder and the Code: The Politics of Building Your Home
by Ken Kern, Ted Kogon, Rob Thallon

To benefit this site use this link to search for it at Amazon.

http://www.countryplans.com/books.html
They had 9 copies starting at $4.99

[rodb]

Hi Glenn,

Yes, I believe that I should have the right to do what I would like on my property without the damn government sticking their nose into my business every chance they get.

I believe that there should be building codes for safety reasons, but when I have to spend an extra $10K on just hardware (Hurricane Ties, etc) because some inspector says so...that is going too far, especially when the engineer is shaking his head laughing.

I also chase those county clowns away when they want to inspect my well. Rumor has it that those greedy so and so's would like to put a meter on my well. HAHAHAHAHA....yeah, they can do that as soon as they reimburse me for the $2K I just had to sink into my new well pump 440' down in the ground.

Not to mention the countless other times a plumber has had to come up to replace my pressure pump because a dang earwig or a colony of ants got fried in my pressure switch which allowed my holding tank to go dry.

Or the $20K I had to spend on my sprinkler system that they insisted I have or the extra $2.5K for the extra holding tank for fire, etc, etc, etc.

My county has cost me upwards of $60K that was unecessary for my situation....and to top it off, they said when I was building my original house that since I lived in a scenic corridor, I had to paint my house an earthtone color from a pallete they handed me.

I could go on, but after looking at what I wrote thus far, I must sound like a kook. Suffice to say, I have had enough of our county inspectors and their regulations.

A man should be able to build a 10X10 room or a 100x100 room if he sees fit on his property without asking "Mother may I"

Ok, I am off my soap box and thanks for the pointer, I will check it out.

Signed,

Rod the Revolutionary....nah, just a little ticked off.

[glenn-k]

Possibly you may be interested in this also.

http://www.landrights.com/

Be sure to check out their Signs section, and keep us posted on your progress or interesting happenings.

Please note that I am not suggesting anything, implying anything, guaranteeing anything or anything at all.  I just like people to keep themselves informed.  They're your rights- what you do with them is up to you -your results may or may not be satisfactory.  I know the laws are real and there and are effective in some areas.  Corrupt officials or illegal agencies may try to deny you your rights but that doesn't mean your rights are not supposed to be there.

[hobbiest]

right on Rod.  He isn't kidding all.  Santa Cruz county is insane when it comes to building something.  It is one of the many places as well, where you have to have an ecologist study your land, and if you have one little lizard that happens to walk through it, and they haven't seen it before, they won't let you build for fear   of "animalicide".  Nazi's, definately.  What do you dxpect though from a city where people spend $500k on a house, just to knock it down and build a new one?