Dogtrot - 14x24 Little House + 14x18 Little House

[glenn kangiser]

Nice Fritz.  A true throne.

[Redoverfarm]

Thanks for sharing the photo's. A picture is truely worth a thousand words.  But basicly you are in the dry working when it's bad outside and vice versa.

[John Raabe]

Coming along very nicely Fritz!

I hope you don't mind, I wrote a little introduction at the first post in this thread and added a photo link to the CountryPlans Main page.

You have done a lot with a simple idea and a simple plan. Good lessons for all of us...

[John_C]

Fritz,   Do you remember the title of that book.  They probably have other interesting designs in there.

[teacher2]

OK, I have a question concerning the Stephen Atkinson house at the top of the thread.  What is the outside clad with?  It appears to be the "regular DIY, buy it at the local home improvement store, less than $10 per sheet" corrugated aluminum.  I love the look of it but is it durable enough for a house?  If it is I know what I may be using.  Give me some info people!!  I'm excited about this can you tell?

[considerations]

It is nice to see you moved in, even though you know there is more to do.

Very nice, and inspiring.  I've been in the 5th wheel for the last two days with my nose pressed to the glass, watching the rain sheet sideways on my foundation.      This is June for Pete's Sake!

Pictures like your's are a wonderful dose of encouragement. 

[glenn kangiser]

OK, I have a question concerning the Stephen Atkinson house at the top of the thread.  What is the outside clad with?  It appears to be the "regular DIY, buy it at the local home improvement store, less than $10 per sheet" corrugated aluminum.  I love the look of it but is it durable enough for a house?  If it is I know what I may be using.  Give me some info people!!  I'm excited about this can you tell?

I am sure it is just plain corrugated sheeting - steel - probably more like 17 or $20 now.  It is very common in Australia on houses as well as in the old Gold mining towns over here.  I'd say go for it -- it'll be cool.  You can trim it with wood to if done properly.  Flash as required.

I used it here on my garage and patio roof.

[John Raabe]

I've used corrugated steel as siding at the lower portion of a house - below the main floor window sills. You can run the grooves vertical and use a beveled cedar 2x4 on edge as a water table and transition between the wood siding above and the metal below. This is where most of the splash and banging takes place on siding so it is a practical and good looking (in my mind) combination.

Seeing a whole cabin in it is too sever and cold for my taste.

[fritz]

I'm playing catch up. 

John R:  I'm flattered, thanks.

John C:  the book is "The Cabin" Dale Mulfinger and Susan Davis - this is done by the Taunton press, and they have two other awesome books, too:  "The Getaway Home" and the "Farm House"  www.taunton.com  There are lots of great ideas.

Considerations:  I work in Des Moines, we're flooding worse than in 1993.  My ponds have both overflowed....today we had such a blast of wind that my three oak Adirondack chairs flew off the deck.  (I was in awe -- but the cabin and roof are still standing.)  Our ground is so wet, I can
't put a ladder on the grond without sinking  - so I'm doing some interior stuff.  I have some shallow spots over the trench where we burried the water and electric lines that are just holding standing water -- so long that I have tadpoles growing in one of them.

John R and others about the siding on the Atkinson place -- he does break it up some with some translucent corrugated panels... I don't have an image but it's in the book.  I wanted a wood feel -- something that would age and get a patina of an "old cabin".  I may kick myself in 10 years if the wood weathers too quickly...but I did go metal with the roof.


At the risk of posting too many photos, here is a photo from the day we had so much rain my ponds over flowed:

[BiggKidd]

I'm playing catch up. 

John R:  I'm flattered, thanks.

John C:  the book is "The Cabin" Dale Mulfinger and Susan Davis - this is done by the Taunton press, and they have two other awesome books, too:  "The Getaway Home" and the "Farm House"  www.taunton.com  There are lots of great ideas.

Considerations:  I work in Des Moines, we're flooding worse than in 1993.  My ponds have both overflowed....today we had such a blast of wind that my three oak Adirondack chairs flew off the deck.  (I was in awe -- but the cabin and roof are still standing.)  Our ground is so wet, I can
't put a ladder on the grond without sinking  - so I'm doing some interior stuff.  I have some shallow spots over the trench where we burried the water and electric lines that are just holding standing water -- so long that I have tadpoles growing in one of them.

John R and others about the siding on the Atkinson place -- he does break it up some with some translucent corrugated panels... I don't have an image but it's in the book.  I wanted a wood feel -- something that would age and get a patina of an "old cabin".  I may kick myself in 10 years if the wood weathers too quickly...but I did go metal with the roof.


At the risk of posting too many photos, here is a photo from the day we had so much rain my ponds over flowed:

  Man what an awesome looking set up you have there. It looks post card perfict.

Larry

[CWhite]

I like seeing the pictures.  What a peaceful atmosphere!
Christina

[fritz]

Hi all, I hope your summer is going well.

I hit a milestone this weekend.  My goal was to have the inside finished 90% (I have trim and celilings to put in, the trim will come piece by piece, the ceilings this fall.

Here are some photos I shot tonight.

This is the "Big" side (14 x 24) the living, guest, and kitchen side of the layout



Here is the view from the door with the ladder stairs hidden (I followed Hal Nash and went with an attic ladder)


and with the ladder stairs down:



A kitchen island works well for the cooking area



The full length windows are twin-wall polycarbonate. There is one on each of the long walls of the two cabins.

And then, the little side (14 x 18)



On the little side, I used the ladder plans here, for the ladder to the sleeping loft.


And one final view -- the little side is an office / studio / library...

[glenn kangiser]

That looks great, Fritz.  Nice job.

[ScottA]

You're doing a great job. 

[ListerD]

http://materialicio.us/2008/07/21/the-building-of-a-dogtrot/

Hmm, looks awful familiar! 

[fritz]

Hi to all, and I hope you've had a great fall and a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.  I see I've been away from the forum for quite a while, when I posted to this thread, I got a red warning saying "unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic."  I guess that means I need to come around more often.

It was a year ago Thanksgiving week that I got the housewrap / Tyvek around the cabin, which then was a framed, roofed, and sheathed shell with no windows.  Finally this weekend, I managed to get the final two gables shake shingled.  I have about a day's work of window trim to finish -- but I've been enjoying my time and procrastinating so long that I may need to wait until a sunny winter day to finish up.


I've now lived in the cabin for eight months.  Most of my construction stopped after my last update (July). Last month, I insulated the ceiling and put T & G siding on the ceiling, saving the bottom row that meets the side walls for trim work to be done over the winter to help prevent cabin fever.  I built the loft joists as double 2 x on each side of the rafter for aesthetics so I have several small sections to cut and nail.  My collar ties (for the section without lofts) are higher than the loft joists, and they make a great place to store my remaining lumber for inside work -- off the floors and still inside with climate control.


I guess, too, I can offer an update on how livable the space is.  First off, a huge tip of the hat to John for his plans and how-to along with every member and contributor here.  THANK YOU.  There isn't a single day of building that I don't borrow or lean on something I've learned in this forum. 

For hot water, I have the Aqua Start FX 125.  I have instant hot in the bathroom and shower and I use a 20 lb bottle of propane in about 90 days. I live alone and have few overnight guests (I have had tanks both  re-filled and also done tank exchange.)  As an FYI, look closely at the tank exchange services, some tanks are filled with 17 pounds, others are filled with 15.)

I have two separate water feeds into the cabins -- one on the little side for the shower and sink -- connected to the Aqua Star.  The other feed come into the big side for the kitchen sink.  I did this to minimize the amount of expose water line.  My water lines are pex, and surrounded by 2 - 3 inches of foam insulation.  I hope that is enough.  This first winter will tell me alot.  If I have problems, I'll build a pedestal out of wood and fill it with R 19 all around, but my guess is the foam will work. 

For kitchen hot water, I use an 8 cup electric hot pot.  It's very fast to boil water and gives me enough to wash dishes, or start off cooking. 

I have a Lopi Sturbridge gas stove for primary heat in the big cabin, it is LP and rather than a big tank, I cycle though 20 lP tanks.  Yes, it is more work and higher cost -- but its a trade off for chopping and hauling wood.  I have it on a programmable thermostat.  When I am here I keep it about 60 - 65 inside (I like it cooler than most people) and overnight and away, I keep it at 50.  Once I know my first year usage, I may opt for a 250 gallon tank next year.  As of now, I get between 20 and 25 hours of use per tank.  I supplement it with an electric space heater.

The little side, for now is heated by two electric space heaters which I have cycle so they dont both run at the same time.  I keep one in the bath room to keep the ambient temp above 65 to keep the composting toilet composting.

Learning to live in a small space requires creativity.  I'm learning to take advantage of corners and walls and hooks.

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks for the update, Fritz.  The dogtrot is looking great.  We also have the HX125 LP and haven't run it out of hot water yet.  It has been superseded with a newer model by Bosch but we haven't found any problem.

Remember the pix and don't be a stranger.

[John_C]

Very nice Fritz.  I've wondered how you were doing.

[Redoverfarm]

Fritz thanks for checking in.  I kept going back to your thread to see if there was any updates.  Nice to see another "dogtrot" on the forum again.  Glad that you are satisfied with your work as that makes it all worthwhile. 

[alcowboy]

Absolutely beautiful! Southern Homes & Gardens has nothing on you man! That is exactly the clean look I am hoping for!!  Absolutely beautiful!

[soomb]

What, if anything do you use for A/C?

[fritz]

A ceiling fan on each side and lots of windows.

I have 13 opening windows and 4 fixed pane.  We were in the high 90's for a few days this summer.  I find that I am much more tolerant of the weather and elements than I ever was when I lived in a suburban climate-regulated house.  I don't mind the heat (as much) and I don't mind the cold (as much) as I used to. 

The little side is shaded by a nice tree from early afternoon through sunset.  I'm planting a tree to provide some shade for the big side, but wont see the benefit for a few years.

[fritz]

A winter postcard, taken today:




Here's wishing you all the best building and planning during 2009!

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks Fritz.  The place looks nice with the snow.

[John_C]

Fritz,
I've gone back and re-read the entire thread on your house, it's one of my favorites here on the forum. 

I have a question about your gas heater.  You said you are going through 20 lbs of LPG every 20 - 25 hours. Is that correct?  In cold weather that a 20 #  cylinder a day, if it runs continuously. That seems like really high gas consumption for the size of the house. 

Did I miss something?