Cottage Compound for familes?

[RoxyRocks]

I was looking at the Cottage Compound and was wondering if anyone has ever done this for a family? I was thinking that the smaller cottage could be made into a bedroom suite for the boys(our oldest is 8 and the youngest is 5 months) I was thinking that way it would be big enough for each of them to have there own "space"

[MountainDon]

The biggest problem I see in doing this, is how do you heat each small structure? There are few places that can get along comfortably without some sort of heat. Or like here, cooling.

Other than that I can see it working.

[John Raabe]

Many people have liked the idea of a compound of small buildings. It gives privacy with a sense of connectedness. Often this concept works best in milder climates where you do not have to shovel snow to get to the bedroom. (Actually, covered decks and walkways can make the concept work in almost all climates.)

Heating and cooling can be handled by small heat pumps, electric or propane wall heaters or small wood heaters (although tending more than one fire can be a bother).

While the individual cottages have more exterior surface area than a larger single building you often do not need to condition all the spaces all the time. Thus heating and cooling costs can sometimes be less than single building homes especially when the mix of people is not always the same.

[pagan]

Super insulated small spaces will take very little to heat, or cool.

[RoxyRocks]

Ok, I'm a little confused Couldn't I heat it the same way I would heat a larger home? I was thinking if we did go with something like that we would have it connected like it showed in the gallery with it connected by a hallway/mudroom/laundry room.

I might be just thinking too big(in a small sense ) I just love the cottage look...I have sinceI was a young  girl and the stack of 'Cottage Living Magazine' in my living room doesn't help.

Maybe we should just stick with the Universal Cottage plan and maybe someday one of my boys will build their Mom a MIL cottage behind there house

[RoxyRocks]

I wanted to add that Eastern Washington isn's the calmest weather it defiently had 4 seasons....this last winter they got several feet of snow and were pretty much 'trapped' in their homes

[pagan]

If all of the buildings are going to be connected then you could have one heating system.

[Pritch]

An outdoor wood furnace could likely service several small buildings simultaneously. 

-- Pritch