Building a tiny home.

In the next few months I am going to build the shell of my first tiny home. Going to keep this first one simple. More of a cabin than anything else.

The building will be built in phases, due to not having enough resources, time and money, to do it all at once.

 

Phase 1

Phase 1 has two steps

First step is to build an 8x12 mini-house to securely live in while I build.  This is also going to be a scale model of the actual cabin. 

I decided to go with  a gothic arch structure because it was more efficient and pretty.  I was able to use less material and save money but it took more time and skill to build.

Because the wall is thicker it will be insulated better. The top will have at least 2 feet of insulation, but it will only be 3 feet wide.  Much of the rafter is hollow,  it won't thermally transfer as much heat.

Because the top is so narrow, there is half the air volume to heat or cool, and a single ceiling fan should rapidly circulate the air. The top will also be rounded.

The roof is too steep to hold snow and rain will run off easily.  The curve will reflect away solar rays better, resulting in less heat being transfered into the structure.

A curve is much stronger than a strait edge. Any wind that hits the curve gets deflected up rather than catching like it would on a normal wall.

Built the form for the rafters on the platform.

There is one almost ready to remove. 

The stack slowly but surely accumulated over 2 weekends.

Fixed a crack in a board.

Had to fix an arch.

I put together one side by myself.

Had to get a second person to help me set it up.

Held in place with a board on each side.  Fastened at the bottom of all rafters.

Added a rafter to each side to tilt the ridge board to correct angle.

All 7 in place, just as the battery ran out of power.
People have told me several times that it looks like a church.

Side view.

Pretty view.

Tarped it until I have the resources to put real plywood sheeting on it in the middle of next month. There is also a giant X in the middle of the building to brace the structure end to end. The arches seem to make it amazingly strong side to side.  A friend was there during a powerful wind storm and he said the building didn't budge at all.

Ladder is sitting on the 8x8 shed floor that I am going to build this coming weekend.

After a recent storm.  A swing and a miss. 

I keep getting asked what plans I used... didn't use any.  I just winged it and built it how I felt it should be.

I found some improved bolts to use to replace a bunch of wood screws.  They use special bits that won't strip out like the Phillips I have been using so far. These bolts are like 10 times sturdier than wood screws.  Putting them at the base of every rafter and they go through the rafter, through the side board, and into the 2x8 boards that go from side to side.

Second step of phase 1 is to build a more conventional 8x8 storage shed with a barn style roof. :D  This is my plan on downsizing.  Whatever doesn't fit in the storage unit, gets tossed.

Tried building the 8x8 storage shed base from 2x4's, but it was way too flexible and bouncy. I think it would have eventually broke.

So I rebuilt the floor joists with 2x6's and then put three 2x4's across the other direction. I notched the center joist and the 2x4's and the base became very solid.

Moved to almost the final location.  After seeing the area after heavy rain, I need to move it 10 feet further back to get out of a swampy area.

If you look just past the little tarped building, to the left, you can see the giant maple tree that the storm took.

Step 3 of phase 1

This step will be to put t1-11 siding around the 8x8 building and around the

 Phase 2

Second phase is to build the full home.  Thinking of scaling up the Gothic arch structure with an overhead area.  Using metal roofing for the side.


Water

Collect rain water from all buildings with roofs. store water in tank below house.  Slowly pump through a

Collect  all the grey water in an aerated tank, the extra oxygen in the water helps stop anaerobic bacterial action and prevent odor.  Use this water to water crops.


Composting.

Tall, continuous operation compost heap. Brick or concrete block,surrounded by insulation. Southern facing single pane windows allow the sun to heat the composting brick. Curtains close at night, or on cloudy days to hold heat in. 

Top of composing system will accept input and the processed soil will be shoveled from an access door.



Washing machine. 

Tiny washing machine. $85 on ebay.

Got one and have been using it for 4 months now.  Works perfectly.



Cooling. 

Super insulated energy efficient.



Energy.

Solar panels charge  a couple of marine batteries. Battery pack will keep things powered.  

The main energy draw day to day will be a solar powered fridge and freezer.


Heating.

Solar water heating for shower.  Backup on cold days?  Copper tubing on rocket mass wood stove.

Buying small fridge and super insulating it.


Data connection and local network. 

DSL data conneciton.   VPN preserves data privacy against ISP and government spying.