Buildings under 200 sf

[DavidLeBlanc]

If one may be so bold....


1. Move ladder to where clothes pegs are on outer wall. Delete angled wall.

2. Move fridge to far end of counter by the dining alcove.

3. Put L-shaped wall where double-dotted line at end of counter is. Place 24" stove there (facing dining alcove of course). Mount combination microwave/hood above. Put clothes hanging pegs on entry area side of wall (or ladder - see comments below about bedroom expansion).

4. Either retain space formerly occupied by fridge as counter space or build closet opening to entry area as "hall closet". Put "shorty" hot water heater under this corner either way.

5. Either delete 2nd arm chair or move it to lower left corner of siting area. (For my $, the chair goes!)

6. Put shoulder height window in shower enclosure. Nothing like a nice breeze and a view whilst showering!

For me, the couch needs to be at least 7' long. That way, allowing 6" per arm, the usable sitting/sleeping area is 6'. A 6' couch yields only 5' of sleeping surface, which just isn't enough!

I would make roof peak run from right to left. That way, the place where the hanging pegs are now shown could be a doorway into a 1st  floor bedroom behind the kitchen which, alas, would lose it's window. Of course, this would exceed the 200 sq. ft. max...

Can you post a diminsioned drawing, such as John did for my pad?

[Bart_Cubbins]

Any ideas are welcome David, and yours are all good ideas except for the new ladder location. I don't think there would be adequate headroom below the roof there, unless you also radically redesigned the roof. But you could move it to the short wall next to the dining booth, behind the chair. Or, it might be able to go in corner next to the patio door if you turned the main roof so the ridge ran from side to side. You might also have to increase the sidewalls to 10' to get enough headroom there.

Another way to get an L-shaped kitchen with room for the stove would be to slide the dining alcove and patio door three feet to the left.

I might add dimensions in a couple of days but for now the dimensions are:

Front: 6' for bathroom, 4' on either side
Left side: 7' window seat, 2' on either side
Right side: 11' kitchen wall, 3' dining alcove
Back: 6' patio, 7' dining alcove, 1' at corner

For ease of construction, I was attempting to keep the main walls on 2' increments, or 1' where that wasn't possible.

Bart

[DavidLeBlanc]

I think putting the ladder on the wall behind the stove and making the roof peak run right-left would take care of headroom concerns for ascending ladder.

I like the idea of 10' walls in any case. Otherwise, this place might be a wee bit claustrophobic.

I'd call this the "walk-in house" considering it's about the size of a McMansion's walk-in closet.

[jonsey/downunder]

Bart,
Just a thought, as this building is not code compliant you could probably get away with only one entry door. I would though make sure that there is some type of fire exit from the loft, possibly a skylight and an outside ladder.
David, I think you just hit on a good name for these buildings. The country plans "McMansion's closet Range" of small homes, could be a great advertising gimmick when we start mass production.  
jonesy

[keyhole farmhouse]

having problems posting, modifing, removing posts.  I'm being told to register.  I think I am.  When I try, I'm being told that name or password is already in use. I don't understand why I can post this than not remove it.  Have gone through the forum instructions, but I'm aparently missing something.

[jonsey/downunder]

Hi keyhole farmhouse,
I don't think it is possible to use the delete feature as a guest.  You can register as a user and then you would have access to all the features of the forum. I think Glenn or John would be able to clear those posts for you when they come online later. Any help I can offer in the meantime just ask,I will be happy to offer what assistance I can.
jonesy

I just twigged; you are probably already registered. If so, click the home link at the top and scroll down the page. You will see a login box there, just use the login name and password you registered with and you are in. You should then have access to all the features you are looking for.

[glenn kangiser]

Hi keyhole farmhouse.  I pulled off the first post for you.  Maybe John has a suggestion -I think he posted something regarding this in instructions.  Try to get on as a registered user and see if what Jonesy suggested worked.  If you have more troubles let us know and we'll try to help.  I'll recheck tonight after work -3rd story welding in Sacramento today.

[John Raabe]

Keyhole farmhouse - I've sent you an email with a new password.

[DavidLeBlanc]

What happened to Bart's plan?  

[John Raabe]

Some things that are good to keep in mind are the cross section and elevations.  Buildings don't just happen in 2D. Some of these designs are interesting, especially in plan view with all the angles and pop-outs. But... do we really know how to build it? If you can't think in full three dimensions (most of us can't, myself included) then KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Jonesy's design is a good one to review. He has a floorplan, two elevations and even a foundation plan. You can just about visualize how that building is going to go together. David has a start on getting his plan covered with a reasonable roof as well. Bart's Ross Chapin redo is fascinating.

(Suggestion to Jonesy and others - turn the gable the other way and have it span the wide direction. It can open up the center to lofts and...)

We're all learning a lot here, and that is good. We are also finding out that a design starts to evolve on you the more you work with it. This is also good.

Remember, we aren't after style or clever design, or an expression of the artist's ego. We are building a container for LIFE. That container needs to both have and express life.

When done right the architecture steps out of the way, takes the spotlight off itself and shines it on the life that is going on both inside and outside of itself.

Good building has sufficiency, firmness, and delight. With a 200sf limit the glass ceiling is on sufficiency. Don't expect this to be a family home. Think in terms of one open space with things happening at the edges - otherwise it can be too claustrophobic. Make it comfortable and sufficient for one person. Borrow space from the outside and pull it inside.

The best designs are likely to fit into a fairly simple package. Try taking your floorplan and "extruding" a cross section up from it to see how the roof might fit and if there is in fact a loft potential. Then sketch out a rough elevation to see if you like the look of it.

Good work - and keep it up!

[DavidLeBlanc]

Again, I ask: what's happened to Bart's plan? Everything else loads, including the plans I posted and my plan that John posted with diminsions, etc. but Bart's plan doesn't show up and the browser hangs waiting for data from countryplans.com

[PEG688]

Hey Dave,, on John's last post . Think of the coolest boat interior you've seen , project that with out loft , and put a roof , simple one , on it    Might be fun to see what that could look like  :)HTBH  ;)PEG

[John Raabe]

Dave:

Not sure if you are having problems seeing the floorplan Bart posted - the one w/ the TinyURL address?

Shows fine here and all the others are posting.

[Bart_Cubbins]

David, I've also had it not show up sometimes. Refreshing the browser once or twice has always brought it back though. I think other people have also had problems with tinypic.

[Bart_Cubbins]

Jonsey, the idea behind the two doors was that one leads out to a deck or balcony on the view side. The other allows visitors to approach the house from the side with no windows, thereby maintaining the occupants' privacy. On the other hand, if one could live with the patio door being the main entrance, then the existing extrance area could be used to not only to expand the kitchen, making room for David's stove, but also providing space for a stacked washer/dryer.

Hey PEG, are you working on a plan? Was it you who had plans for developing a community of small homes?

[jonsey/downunder]

Hi to you keyholefarmhouse,
Welcome aboard and don't worry, we are all just learning stuff here.
jonsey

[glenn kangiser]

Hi keyholefarmhouse.  Looks like you have it now.  I'll leave the rest of your previous posting as it may help someone who has a password problem.  Welcome to the forum.

[DavidLeBlanc]

This: http://tinypic.com/95y7sx.jpg, which is Bart's floorplan, shows up here as a broken image. It won't load/display in IE either!

[glenn kangiser]

I just edited your posting using the provided link, David, and it came up fine on mine -and I assume it should show on your's

I'm using Mozilla Firefox -will try IE also.  I just viewed and modified in IE no problem -image is there and fine.  Have any problems with other pics-adware-spyware- virus- can't think of much else-- :-/

[Bart_Cubbins]

I'm using Firefox and it shows up for me, though not always on the first try. If anyone can suggest a reliable host that doesn't require providing a full auotbiography to set up an account, I'll move it.

[Jimmy C.]

Has anyone ever thought about exterior walls hinged at the ceiling?  You could fold out a new room anytime you needed.  Would this pass as an under 200 sq.ft. building if it expanded  as a temporary function?

[John Raabe]

I think you're onto something there Jimmy!

Especially for a lockbox type remote home. Have a deck or patio on 3? sides with 8' wide sections of the wall that could swing up and be quickly enclosed with screens, canvas or whatever.

These expandable "rooms" could include a dining room and pop-up bedroom(s).

When it's time to go, pull things inside and button up the walls. Neat.

Saves on windows and doors too!

[glenn kangiser]

Why stop with one folded section?  Make it  from lightweight materials- aluminum sheeting -foam board- light weight wood paneling- light steel tube or aluminum tube framing- first thing hinged is the roof then the wall to the outer roof edge (hinge at bottom when folded down) then end walls fold out of wall section being hinged at the sides

I'm going to make a door for my garage -above ground that is counterweighted to lift for my big truck and make a roof.  It should look like a mountain when closed.  To the Bat Cave, Robin.

[Mark_Chenail]

I found this a very intrigueing exercise but would like to point out that most of the designs posted are aimed at the young skinny nimble and able-bodied.    As I am confined to a wheelchair and plus-sized into the bargain, I decided to see what I could design all on one level and as accessible as possible.  That meant NO steps, ladders, lofts for sleeping.  So here are two designs.  The first is a simple minded shed built as a pole building.



The second is a bit  more upmarket and designed
for a slab. Its a bit over 200 sq.ft with the bumpout.



Feel free to send suggestions and ask questions if my drawings arent clear.  They were done on Paint and converted to gif.

[PEG688]

/quote]
  No on both counts . I don't have a cad program , nor do I know how you all do that computer stuff .   Jee I can barely send e mail    I can build it if , once you design it , and I can design on paper but not the puter    Amanda's trying to help me with cut and paste , multitple windows , etc . I am learning slowly    Some great designs your all coming up with    Keep at it , HTBH  ;)PEG