New Tiny Home

[alexkgore]

Join Blakes Tiny home from the beginning and watch it take shape. You can cast your vote for your favorite conceptual design at:

www  dot  blakestinyhouse  dot  com/sketches.html. I will be posting more here, and I am excited to get to know you all.

Tell me what you think here, or comment on our blog.



ED: to follow those links ya'll now have to do some copy&paste and sub a .  for the  "dot"  -  MD

[glenn kangiser]

Glad to have you here, Alex. 

We don't allow advertising but if you will participate we will accept it as informational.

So we will give it a try and see how it goes.

[alexkgore]

Yeah, no problem. I am really excited to be here and we are trying to get as many people to collaborate as possible on the project. Here is a little overview which I am sure everyone here is familiar with:

Imagine if you had zero rent to pay and your heat, utilities, and water bills were at a fraction of what you pay now?  What if you were able live with less clutter, less junk, less nonsense, less TV, less energy, and less debt?  Wouldn't this result in more space, more time, more physical energy, more conversation, more family, more friends, and more fun?

This is what the Tiny House Movement is all about and as longtime admirers, we have been eager to design and try our hands at constructing our own tiny home.  As young designers we are taking a chance at developing our own cost-effective and elegant tiny house with a contemporary flair.  We see this as our opportunity to experiment, innovate, test our design skills, respond to the ever-present challenges of budget and time constraints.

We invite you to participate with us.  Feel free to explore our website and blog. Please feel free to comment, inspire or criticize us with comments, suggestions and ideas.

I'll be sure to share here. Below is one of four concept designs:





ok that didn't work. I will have to figure out how to post pictures here. There are plenty of photos on the website. The link is on the first thread. For now I am off to work.

ED: edited img tag links -  MD

[glenn kangiser]

Got to admit it is looking interesting.  Now I'm off to work.

[suburbancowboy]

Interesting idea but why not just buy a used 5th wheel trailer if you are going to go this way?

[Texas Tornado]

I looked at each of the plans on your front page, but to me they are all lacking 
Perhaps you and your team need to look at what others here have posted to see what I mean...
Irene

[dmanley]

I agree with Suburbancowboy.  Why not use a camper of some kind.  Seems like they would have more comforts and bedroom space.

[Texas Tornado]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDpqHrAMKCk&feature=player_embedded
I found this interesting...

And this as well from Youtube...
http://www.morespaceplace.com/

[rick91351]

To me these types of structures are counter productive and tend to waste resources.  You can find great deals in used pull camp trailers and fifth wheel campers.  We use a 89 Alpenlite for our summer cabin at the ranch.  It cost us a whopping $2500 four or five years ago and we use it a bunch in the spring, summer and fall.  Winter we just pull it out.  That is complete with electrical and plumbing, stove with oven, microwave, refrigerator, furnace, air conditioner, hot water heater, to winterize it it uses less than two gallons of RV anti freeze.  It is not fancy but it is paid for.  Also the tires are great so if we decide to go to Yellowstone or the Oregon Coast or Seattle......           

If guests come up we have another spot for them to plug into and dump their tanks.  Or we can put them up in cabins about a mile and a half away at a very, very good rate provided they are not taken of course. Or we also have great tent camping spots.  Tent camping was so popular last year we are thinking of bringing up a port-a-potty this next year. 

[Sassy]

Rotating cabinets, walls that slide down, etc etc - that is all high tech, very expensive stuff! 

How much are you talking about to build a tiny house like you've posted? 

I'm with those that mentioned campers/5th wheelers. 

And besides, I don't like that modern, high tech look anyway.

Now, if you can post some low cost, cozy little cabins...    

John Raabe has the right idea, here - low cost plans that most anyone can build w/tech & member support...

Don't mean to pick on you - you have the right ideas of going smaller, making every area count & do double duty to free up money & time, but can't see how you'd do it with your ideas so far...   

[bayview]

   Movable, rotate able kitchen?   I wonder how that is hooked to utilities . . .    (Plumbing, gas, electric)

  Rotate able toilet?   Hmmmmm . . .

  I would rather go with a shipping container on a flatbed trailer.   And the interior finished with recycled pallets.

/.

[alexkgore]

Hello all,

Thank you for your comments and interest.  While buying a camper/5th wheelers would be less expensive, If I did that I would not get to build it with my own hands.  To me its kind of like saying why don't you put a trailer home on your lake front property, instead of building a cabin.  Of course one could get a larger trailer home for the money, but building your own cabin gives you a special experience in life that you will never forget.  I also think you can add a little bit of yourself into the project, thus making it an exciting place to live in.  

Here are some links to the tiny house movement:

pottstownmercury  dot  com/articles/2010/12/06/business/srv0000010146803.txt?viewmode=default
spootylinks  dot  com/14852.html

I would also like to agree with most of the comments here about the completeness of the project.  We have a long, long way to go. This was just the first step of putting our ideas out there. There is a lot more work to be done.


ED: to follow those links ya'll have to do some copy&paste and sub a .  for the  "dot"  -  MD

[phalynx]

Rotating toilets?  Hum, that could change married couple's fights....  "Don't you dare turn your butt on me!"

[StinkerBell]

Rotating toilets?  Hum, that could change married couple's fights....  "Don't you dare turn your butt on me!"

lol

[bayview]

Here are some links to the tiny house movement:

  Thanks for the links . . .    

  I could probably, maybe, actually live in Jay Shafers "trailer home".   His home is conventional and has a warm feeling to it.   Lots of exposed wood and storage.   Kind of reminds me of a ships cabin.

  The trailers you have displayed, while "modern", seem "sterile" to me.

/.

[hpinson]

Have you been exposed to this?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0195024028/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0195019199&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0TNQEM8CZQS3BH9MPR61#_

[glenn kangiser]

Alexanders, A Pattern Language was one of John's recommended books.  I haven't read either except excerpts though, myself.

[IronPatriotTN]

There is tiny...and there is "don't sneeze, or you'll knock yourself out". lol.
I like small cozy spaces, but damn sometimes you just want to stretch out abit. 

[glenn kangiser]

I'm still in the land of too much stuff and don't care to change.....

[glenn kangiser]

Seems to me, before this is real practical we will need to get to a time when each comrade is issued a 20' x 30' lot as his own piece of property to put it on and we will need to get to be a lot more civilized and tolerant than I am.....

Now if you can even afford a lot you can go bigger...  I need room and stuff.... [ouch]

[MountainDon]

I would like to downsize the living space and increase the space for "stuff".

[glenn kangiser]

That is kind of like we are here in a way.  16x28 we do most of our living in and the rest is extra for stuff and visitors for the most part, except for the 12x18 bedroom, and the 8x12 master bathroom....and ...  never mind....

[phalynx]

Almost all "small homes" are out of need to be cheap.  If you "darn the costs", why would you want small?

[alexkgore]

I have alexanders, A Pattern Language, but i have not read The Timeless Way to Build.

I like glenn kangisers tag line
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Thats what we are attempting to do at the website. I have quoted below some of the exciting discussion going on. You can reed more at: www dot  blakestinyhouse  dot  com/tiny-blog.html


"Skip
Sat, 18 Dec 2010 1:41:14 pm
The US restriction for a maximum height of anything towed is around 14 1/2 feet. The maximum width without a $pecial permit is 8 feet in many states. Are these designs within those specs? Have you considered the weight of your folding designs and the GVWR of the trailer that it will be built on? How about the tow vehicle required to safely move it?

Are the interior systems(electrical/ plumbing/septic) being designed as self contained/self sustainable? Would things like solar passive/solar energy, rainwater collection, grey water reuse, composting alter these designs? Were those considerations made during the design process?

Could each designer compose a write up about each individual design and elaborate on the systems and livability? Basically, inform us what makes their design vote worthy?

Interesting idea to have a public vote and allow comments about these designs. I'm not trying to discourage. Rather, encourage further depth and discussion relative to achieving the best possible end result.
Good luck.
Skip
Sat, 18 Dec 2010 1:56:19 pm
I noticed that there are two sinks within a few feet of each other. One in the bathroom and one in the kitchen. Roadtrek is a class b rv manufacturer that has created a plastic insert that sits in the stainless steel plastic sink and converts it to a hygenic type bathroom sink. This might be one way to eliminate one of the sink installations and free up valuable space.

Also, on Sarah's design, I love the "insect wings" fold out style she's come up with. Insulation and plumbing would probably be quite a challenge on that one.

What is the dome under screen structure on the top floor of Blake's design? Is that some kind of rain collection or solar system?
Lance
Sat, 18 Dec 2010 4:41:25 pm
Afternoon everyone! A few answers for all you Blake's Tiny Houser's out there. I just posted a new "dimensioned" drawing @

www  dot  blakestinyhouse  com  com/uploads/5/3/7/6/5376675/2482229_orig.jpg?680

Check it out to help clarify some of the dimensional questions at least about my design... I'll see if the others will post a dimensioned image like mine ASAP.

The WEIGHT? Woah?! Now there's a question. Not sure... haven't yet ran calculations or purchased a trailer yet? Ideally this thing would be "lighter" than a typical tiny house. I've been mulling over using light weight steel studs (maybe 2x2 and rigid insulation with most of the frame strapped with x-bracing rather than 1/2" PLWD as the diaphragm)Or maybe we buy a brick of a homemade trailer from one of the local farmers here in Boulder County?

All things to consider... at this point I can only say we're all working with an 8'x16' footprint and don't know the GVWR.

Considering a vehicle... I think Alex's 2006 Chevy Equinox can pull up to 3,500 and my Hyundai Tucson can do 2,500. It will be great to run the calcs after we get to a final design stage. Makes me think a "specs" page could be cool for all you detail connoisseurs.

I really do like the idea of self-contained systems and am interested in digging a bit deeper about what's out there, who did it, and what about that floor box.....? Now that might be a great space to capitalize on for systems in between joists? Anybody heard of someone doing that? If so pass it on!

Green Thoughts Anyone? I think Blake was considering gray water collection with his gothic arch ceilings and parapet walls extended beyond. During the design of my first concept I liked the idea of having the most of the glazing on one side for southern exposure and then closing the deck wall up during the cold night.. The more detailed we get the more we will show these systems.

"Could each designer compose a write up about each individual design and elaborate on the systems and livability? Basically, inform us what makes their design vote worthy?"

That's our next step... we're going to do a pros and cons page run here in the next few weeks and pare things down to 4 or 5 pros and then rework a more consolidated design. I expect this thing to change quite a bit more during that time since we're not tied to any form, system, or other at this point.

Also, a vote update, we have 78 so far and are waiting to announce the results until we have 100. For most of the design development and discussion we will be continually holding new polls for new opinions about new developments... if anybody doesn't feel compelled to vote yet.. please don't worry we're hoping to host many polls about many things.

Sink tips...Skip could you give us a link to that product? I would like to blog it if its good.

Interesting you like Sarah's concept as it seems the most mechanically complex..a challenge indeed. I think that's why we're not entirely tied to a form at this point... the pros and cons step should be a good evaluator of concept vs. practicality. After all we're the poor saps that will be constructing Blake's Tiny House.

Awesome questions and good discussions so far during this "early" design stage. As a testament to that I have posted a new image under the sketches tab titled, "10 Tiny Houses by F9." Here's the link:

www  dot  blakestinyhouse  dot  com/10-tiny-houses-by-f9.html

I wanted to share this image so show where our heads have been so far in trying to look for an utterly unique design for Blake's Tiny House.

Cheers!

[glenn kangiser]

Alex, where do you visualize these being used?

Being a trailer I assume you mean to use them as a trailer, so no need for land?

If on property you are restricted from living in what is regarded as a camper, by many of the code areas and overzealous parasitic taxation agencies, so where do you see it's niche as being?