I'm Building An Off-Grid Community (update 1): Tiny-Home Living

I so want a tiny house.

Laws need to change.

I think it's pretty cool what your doing OP..

you should check out earthship homes there are better and cost less to build than a tiny home for being self sustained

a reply to: Ghost147

That little place is great,and reduces all your heating and cooling costs,nice and small easy to clean,uses less material....so many benefits.....

My place is not much bigger than that,i spend most of my time on the deck looking at the views,the outdoor room is an important part of the living space.......

I love reading about people like you doing this,becoming self sufficient is great and handy skill, we would reduce so much waste and pollution as a society if more took the same initiative that you are ...

I live full time in a 340 square foot motor home.

Plenty of room and if i want to move i just unplug and drive away.

I have solar to run all the LED lighting, heater and refrigerator in it.

My cooler, microwave, computer and TV are the only 120 volt.

a reply to: Ghost147

Curves versus straight lines.

Rather than suggest house designs for you to consider using I'll suggest a design to avoid. The dome.

If you're using cut timber and other standard building materials you'll naturally find it easy to build a standard looking but smaller home. You'll fit into this well and learn to maximise the potential of every inch.

It's easy to fall into the trap of being too adventurous. The strength and soft lines of a curved form tempt many to build domes and other curved homes. The acoustics in a dome will drive you mad. You won't fit into small curved spaces comfortably because you are upright, or bent at angles when sitting. Large curved spaces waste space.

If you imagine yourself moving around doing daily indoor tasks, then build a skin around that space, you'll have the minimum sized usable space and nothing extra. This won't include too many curves. Particularly not on the vertical plane.

I'm guessing from what you've written you personally aren't likely to build domes. Some will become fixated on the technical brilliance of the design without fully considering what it's going to be like moving around and living in there.

Traditional log cabins have been mentioned. Tradition has it's reasons, born out of many peoples experience. Becoming too adventurous and forward thinking in design can lead to a lot of wasted time and energy. You need that time and energy for the gardens.

This design saves on firewood. www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: Kester

Thanks for the suggestions, and I completely agree with you on domed structures. They just aren't practical for what we're aiming for.

I'll head on over and check out that link you posted.

a reply to: Ghost147

I'd be totally comfortable in that 200 sq. footer but I'm sold on this concept (and it's cheap!).

Hobbit home

a reply to: Ghost147

I'm Building An Off-Grid Community (update 1): Tiny-Home Living. -

Sounds like you also intend to be its ruler as well, thanks but no thanks.

a reply to: Azureblue

Hey, let him do all the work if he wants.

He'll be crippled with arthritis soon enough then we can take over.

This:

The dome shaped house is very effective on so many levels.
I dream about building me this home for a long time.
Maybe one day...
eco home

a reply to: WhiteHat

Lovely.

You'll find the acoustics form a precise pattern that grates on the nerves after a few months, and if a musician once sits down in the centre of the room he won't leave until you set the dog on him. The regularity gives the extraordinary strength but irregularity gives a more varied acoustical effect.

Here's an example of a dome like building that suffered an acoustical problem. Imagine all the time and work that went into that before the embarrassment of the big day. It looked good on paper. The acoustical problem could have been predicted. Probably some did warn of it but were ignored. en.wikipedia.org...

A concert followed, when the Hall's acoustic problems became immediately apparent. Engineers first attempted to solve the strong echo by suspending a canvas awning below the dome. This helped and also sheltered concertgoers from the sun, but the problem was not solved: it used to be jokingly said that the Hall was "the only place where a British composer could be sure of hearing his work twice".

a reply to: Kester

Having just noticed the guitar in that photograph I'll say if you are a musician this may be the home for you.

For the average home-maker the exactly formed variance in acoustics as you move across the living space in different directions can get to be annoying. It just doesn't feel natural. In nature we have variability.

a reply to: Ghost147

I love the idea of off-grid, smaller homes that can be sustained by solar power and rock-well water.

My only change would be on location... some place in a region less likely to become a frozen wasteland in the event of a new, mini ice age or under water should the ice caps actually someday melt down.

I am actually in the process of building a tiny house myself. Im just coming through a divorce after 15 years of marriage and decided I would move back to Florida.

Being a 57 year old woman I have learned that for myself I really don't need all that much. Perhaps because I grew up in opulence I just really don't care. Seems a waste. Friend of mine has 2 1/2 acres and we decided to create a tiny house for myself.

I bought a brand new "shed" 12x24 to have the basics of the shell already done.. I also had them put the windows in that I wanted too just to make it easier on us. The only room we have added inside is the bathroom. I could have gotten a shed with the loft, but I don't feel like climbing stairs in the middle of night anymore at this age.

We have done everything ourselves from the plumbing, electric, insulation, drywall and mudding so far.. Not bad for two women 57 and 62. We started on it in mid August so we have done a lot considering.

I was going to post a couple pictures, but the uploader is acting hinky for me this morning. It did manage to upload one of them though. I have plenty of the steps we have taken. lol wont bore you guys with them! I will post some as more of the cosmetics of the interior get done.

I basically feel like Im camping with all the bells and whistles and comforts of home. The shed cost $7,000 and Im estimating when all is said and done it will cost me less than 15,000 and that's with the shed price included.

Anyway, here is one picture, you can see I will have plenty of light:

One thing I don't understand about tiny houses.

It seems like there would be a way to incorporate thicker walls. Wouldn't that not only be better for heating/cooling, but also to create more storage space?

I guess I'm thinking along the lines of the straw/mud adobe type houses.

OP, I hope you will post pictures during the process, It will be cool to see.

originally posted by: Azureblue
a reply to: Ghost147

I'm Building An Off-Grid Community (update 1): Tiny-Home Living. -

Sounds like you also intend to be its ruler as well, thanks but no thanks.

Because nothing screams 'dictator' more than using 'I'm' in the title, and 'we' in the rest of the topic

originally posted by: WhiteHat
This:

The dome shaped house is very effective on so many levels.
I dream about building me this home for a long time.
Maybe one day...
eco home

I'm sure in many ways it is very effective. The only big issues I see is how easy it would be to build using primarily the individuals in the community to build it. That particular design seems like it's more geared towards warmer climates as well. But, a cool concept none-the-less

originally posted by: redoubt
a reply to: Ghost147

I love the idea of off-grid, smaller homes that can be sustained by solar power and rock-well water.

My only change would be on location... some place in a region less likely to become a frozen wasteland in the event of a new, mini ice age or under water should the ice caps actually someday melt down.

We took those issues into consideration. Our projected area is well above sea level, in an area that has mild winters and not too extreme summers, where there is protection from storms, a low chance of forest fires, plenty of usable resources, no earthquakes, no tornado's.

The only real way anyone could get the best chance from a mini ice age (I'm assuming you're referring to the one projected to happen in the 2020's-2030's?), is if you live in an already warm climate. In which case the cool temperatures could still greatly effect the vegetation around that area, and if it doesn't occur, or only occurs for a few years, you're still stuck with all the other natural disasters that are common for more tropical climates.

In the end, there's no "best" location. Just some that suck less than others

a reply to: onehuman
Awesome! It's always nice to see others taking the situation into their own hands and coming to the conclusions you have about what we really need, and what's expendable.

Nice work!

originally posted by: chiefsmom
One thing I don't understand about tiny houses.

It seems like there would be a way to incorporate thicker walls. Wouldn't that not only be better for heating/cooling, but also to create more storage space?

I guess I'm thinking along the lines of the straw/mud adobe type houses.

OP, I hope you will post pictures during the process, It will be cool to see.

When we get everything up and running, we'll be documenting every single step for others to learn from

As for the thicker walls, bit. You can definitely integrate that into the plan. You'll see a lot of built-in bathtubs, or beds, tables, shelves and so forth build into walls and floors in tiny homes, for the very reason you suggested, more living space. That's essentially what a Murphy bed is after all (I posted some pictures of some examples earlier if you want to see).

As for insulation; there are varying forms that range from thicker material fiberglass insulation, to more dense denim insulation, to thinner spray foam insulation, all with varying R-Values to them as well (and cost of course). So long as you do your research on what is needed for your particular climate zone, there isn't really a big need for thicker walls just for that reason. Windows, doors, and ventilation also make a huge difference too. What we have on our houses up here is completely different than down in many parts of the states due to the differences in average and extreme temperatures. However, they all are the same thickness as any other window and door

a reply to: Ghost147

I love the idea of small efficient living spaces. I have built 500 sq ft. solar adobes but never lived in one.

My fondest memories are when I lived as a gypsy in a PU with a camper shell. Total freedom....

a reply to: Ghost147

That particular design seems like it's more geared towards warmer climates..

You need good ventilation in the top of a dome or it turns into an oven with trapped insects circling like miniature vultures. Its likely to be out of reach unless you have an upper floor, so you'll need a reliable remote system for adjusting the ventilation. The hat covering the hole in the centre of your roof has to stay on in a storm. It's a vulnerable place to have an opening.

I don't know how that particular dome was built, but you can build one single handed. Make the shape of your interior in dirt, sand, straw bales, whatever. Form wire mesh and other reinforcement over the shape and plaster with a concrete mix. Then dig out the interior.

This is more the size I'm looking for. Large bedroom and dining room, garage for car and space left over for my exercise equipment. It's larger than my apartment, not quite tiny, but not regular sized house either.

650sqft