universal cottage

vojacek · February 01, 2005, 11:07:16 AM

are there any photos of the universal cottage out there? anything would be helpful to us.

John Raabe · February 04, 2005, 10:16:03 AM

There is a photo here: http://www.jshow.com/y2k/listings/57.html

February 08, 2005, 03:55:04 PM

We're looking at building that one also.

Does anyone know how high the first floor ceilings are? 8 or 9 ft.?
Thanks!
Looking forward to posting and reading here often,
Gini

vojacek · February 08, 2005, 04:50:56 PM

okay, let's rephrase,...are there any OTHER photos?

shackgini · February 08, 2005, 06:07:24 PM

QuoteWe're looking at building that one also. Does anyone know how high the first floor ceilings are? 8 or 9 ft.?
Thanks!
Looking forward to posting and reading here often,
Gini

Oops I'm sorry, I just found my answer, it was on the elevation part of the pdf.

February 09, 2005, 08:55:03 AM

Quoteokay, let's rephrase,...are there any OTHER photos?

This is my preliminary idea of the Universal Cottage's master bedroom. Since I will be using the engineered beams I have moved the floor plan around so this room upstairs is 20 x15.
Changed the length of the house to make it 20 x 40.
Anybody see any problems with this idea?

Note: This picture is modified from the original one I posted. I moved the windows from 2 feet from the corners to 4 feet to avoid racking.

shackgini · February 09, 2005, 10:06:30 AM

That looks great! I like the windows.
My dh and I have also thought of extending the building around 4 or so feet. Let us know if you find anything out about that idea...

Gini

John Raabe · February 09, 2005, 10:51:56 AM

There is little problem with extending the length of the cottage since the structure runs side to side. For such changes, you can just make two copies of the floor and foundation plans and cut and paste them to length. Re-label this with the proper dimensions. If you are using the beam and joist structural plan you will need to check any longer beam spans. If you use the engineered I-joists, they can go full span.

Some people are also going 24' wide with this house. That will involve readjusting both the beams and joists — but a local consultant can size those for you rather quickly.

This is a relatively new plan so there are not yet lots of owner photos to post. Come spring and summer I expect that to change as it is a popular plan.

shackgini · February 09, 2005, 04:32:41 PM

Quote
Some people are also going 24' wide with this house. That will involve readjusting both the beams and joists — but a local consultant can size those for you rather quickly.

This is a relatively new plan so there are not yet lots of owner photos to post. Come spring and summer I expect that to change as it is a popular plan.

That's a great idea also, making it wider.

And thank you for this plan, it just might be the only one my family and I can afford to build!
Gini

February 09, 2005, 07:04:11 PM

I like windows. Lots of windows.

But is the one between the bed and the corner too close to the corner?

(did somebody say 4 feet, or was that another forum and building style?)

John Raabe · February 09, 2005, 07:25:27 PM

That window layout should be fine. For a braced wall panel (braced against wind and earthquake, not needed everywhere) you want a 4' panel of structural plywood or OSB starting in the first 8' from the corner.

See more detail here: http://www.iccswwc.org/documents/26.pdf

The most common way to do this is to make the corner solid for 4' on each side, but that is not the only way to meet the requirement.

Dan · February 09, 2005, 08:45:12 PM

John, does the brace wall panel apply to inside corners like on the Victoria's cottage kitchen and nook wing?

John Raabe · February 10, 2005, 01:54:45 AM

The code in my area needs racking resistance calculated for any extension over 6' from the wall plane. There are many other ways to get this resistance including using interior walls.

What I outlined above is the simple prescriptive path that is usually allowed without needing to be engineered.

Amanda_931 · February 10, 2005, 09:09:11 AM

Good. Simplifies my thinking.

Thanks for the explanation.

I wasn't going to try one of those Frank Lloyd Wright all-window corners, though,

February 11, 2005, 03:01:14 AM

Would buying the Sunkit be helpful with this plan, or is it even applicable since this is not a "solar" plan?
Could this plan be adapted to a passive solar home?
Thanks,
Gini

Jimmy C. · February 11, 2005, 09:11:40 AM

Quoteokay, let's rephrase,...are there any OTHER photos?

Downstairs view from the dining area to the living area.

And a view from the living area to the dining and kitchen area.

Kitchen area.

Living Area

shackgini · February 11, 2005, 09:43:40 AM

Thanks for these views.
It sort of cements in my mind what I'd like that view to be for us; the view into the kitchen from the dining area...
I'm thinking of not having upper cabinets over the peninsula, but having hanging open shelving. I've seen pictures of it in magazines, it is very cool. Plus more "open"... And maybe not even a peninsula/cabinet, but an island instead... WHOOHOO I love planning this stuff!

Gini

Jimmy C. · February 11, 2005, 10:10:28 AM

You are welcome.
The 3-d software is helping me to see it the way my wife and I want it to be.
I don't want any surprises towards the end of construction.
I can hear my wife now......
Can you make this room a few feet bigger and move this window over here?
So far the software has saved me 5 or 6 changes that I would not have noticed in the 2 dimensional view.

vojacek · February 11, 2005, 12:05:07 PM

thanks so much for the photos. they are really helpful.

shackgini · February 11, 2005, 11:21:58 PM

QuoteYou are welcome.
The 3-d software is helping me to see it the way my wife and I want it to be.
I don't want any surprises towards the end of construction.

What software is it? I am looking for some, but most don't run on Mac. Thanks,
Gini

February 12, 2005, 12:34:22 AM

looks to me like it could be adapted to passive solar. we plan to incorporate some passive solar aspects, even though we will build on a west-facing hill. we have good southern exposure, so will have lots of windows on the south side, with awnings to minimize summer overheating. I know that we will need some thermal mass to store the heat - still thinking about how to do that without overloading the floor beams.
also thinking about maybe a Trombe wall in the daylight basement. what do you experts think? is that do-able?

Jimmy C. · February 12, 2005, 08:34:36 AM

Quote

What software is it? I am looking for some, but most don't run on Mac. Thanks,
Gini

I'm using a program called Total 3D home -Deluxe 2005. It was $29.00 with a 10.00 mail in rebate at Comp Usa. It is a windows based program

DavidLeBlanc · February 16, 2005, 06:33:51 PM

Try "DesignWorkshop Lite" from http://www.artifice.com/ It's free and includes "walk throughs" etc.

While there, check out http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Davis_House.html which has a 3-D model you can load into the freeware! It's a very sweet small house located in Eugene, OR and designed by an Architecture Prof for his own use. Pics of the actual build!

shackgini · February 16, 2005, 09:30:09 PM

QuoteTry "DesignWorkshop Lite" from http://www.artifice.com/ It's free and includes "walk throughs" etc.

you're not going to believe this, but I downloaded that a couple of days ago! It's great. Thanks for posting the link though, I hadn't gotten around to doing it and I'm sure there are a couple of others out there with a Mac.

Gini

DavidLeBlanc · February 17, 2005, 03:31:58 AM

It works on Windows too!