Wee Houses

[Penn]

This is a housing alternative I've been following for some time now. Mi esposa is especially interested in the ease of construction and the many variables (Read Green) footprint.
Has anyone here considered this avenue for housing?

http://Weehouses.com

http://weehouses.com/images_old/Blac...0X%20House.pdf

[SF-TX]

From the title, I thought you might be referring to one of these:

[Pete]

At over $200 per SF the studio design is a little pricey - but at least it's green - and on sale. But look like a red neck trailer park.

But on a serious note - high construction costs up front for "proven" green technology can save money in the long run.

Check the features and then see if any local contractors offer similar techniques and materials for a lower cost per square foot.

We're just a little too far south to make an in ground heat pump cost effective.

[SF-TX]

Recently saw an article on this company:

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

[Pete]

Originally Posted by SF-TX

From the title, I thought you might be referring to one of these:

If you have one of those you can just use the tree.

[Requiem]

Has anyone here considered this avenue for housing?

Often.

My husband and I own remote property on Kodiak Island and plan to build on it some day. We want something with a small footprint, easy to construct, relatively cheap to transport (by barge or fishing vessel), and suitable for its extremely isolated location (no electricity, etc.). These smaller homes and cabins seem to fit most of those requirements. (Although my husband, a DIY type, will probably draw up his own plans and build it himself.)

Here's two sites I've looked at frequently:

Tumbleweed Houses

Ross Chapin

-Susan

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by SF-TX

Recently saw an article on this company:

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

Ted Kaczynski started that movement.

[SF-TX]

Another source for 'wee houses:'

http://katrinacottagehousing.org/index.html

[JJ_BPK]

I have not looked at "WEE", but there are several "manufactured" homes in the neighborhood, built to the 150 MPH wind load standards.

They are a bit cheaper and you are limited in design to what fits on a 40 ft trailer.

But with a little imagination, you can build a very nice home. Because they are so well built, they stack easily and can be off set to accommodate porches and balconies..

If I were to build the next home, I would look at the WEE homes as an alternate to on-site stick built..

My $00.0002

[Saoirse]

Thanks for the links. We have actually been looking at the yurts, decking, and the pricing for it. I actually like the yurt idea better. The "wee" houses are cute but to tiny for us. They have a good reputation as well.

[JJ_BPK]

Originally Posted by Penn

This is a housing alternative I've been following for some time now. Mi esposa is especially interested in the ease of construction and the many variables (Read Green) footprint.
Has anyone here considered this avenue for housing?

I would like to separate GREEN from SMALL,, Rant on..

GREEN:

If you are building a structure that you expect to last 100 yrs, you MAY be able to recoup the additional cost to be GREEN, but it's unlikely.. Your G-kid will get the place at probate for free, so they reap the bennies and could care less..

If you want to reduce your annual costs to make the structure affordable, GREEN is not the way. All those batteries and junk on the roof are outrageously expensive so Al Gore & crowd can make bazillions..

Geo-thermal heat and air-conditioning is the only affordable GREEN technology,, and it's been around for 1000 of years.

We have a rock called No Name Key about a mile from our house, No water, No power, phones & mail were added in the last 10 yrs. In the late 50t'y the CIA used it to train for the Bay of Pig debockle,, In the 60t's it turned into a hippie & drug dealer hang-out,, still is for some, but now there are Al Gore types spending 800K for a house with no air and the water comes off the roof when in rains.

We have left leaning friends that built there 20 yrs ago, place has tonnes of batteries, solar panels, dc - ac converters,, their enclosure looks like Frankenstein's Cellar. The dam place hums like a bees nest when they want to run the microwave AND the Frigidaire.. They catch all their water off the roof,, the salt for their filtration system cost more than my monthly water bill of $25 USD.. Three yrs ago, when they retired and Kathy demanded AC, they purchased a 15KW diesel Gen Set (read $$$$$), now they have AC AND the Frigidaire,, and pay 250 a month for fuel..

They are currently very active in the NEW Greater No Name Key We Want Power Committee. Latest quote to get installation,, Bazillions..,,

http://www.npr.org/2010/11/23/131543...-electric-grid

Please don't think I am against cost efficient systems,, I am very much against the AL Gore PR machine about being GREEN.. Frogs are green,, the rest are wannabes..


SMALL:

Never get small when you can have large. Out home is just short of 1200 sq ft 2BR/2BA, Plus we have a 450 sq ft lower enclosure. The day we moved in we were out of space,, still are..

If you are planing a small cottage retreat for you & momma small is good,, but after a couple months, you will be at each others throats... This is an exponential hazard if there is more than one season,, add fall and winter and you will find the storage for off season clothing becomes paramount.

Net Net, plan to build North of the 50 deg latitude and be an Inuit Fashion Plate,, or between the 24 latitudes. We picked the 24's,, closet is full of T-shirts and Shorts, & flip-flops.. Enclosure has COLD stuff so we can visit the g-kid after Labor Day or before Memorial Day...

I still need a man cave, work shop, storage for toys, and a garage.
My Lovely wife shops for fresh food daily, goes the the Library 3 times a week for TWO(@) books, and complaints about the lack of style of her flip-flops she buys at the flee market (nearest Wally-World,, 120 miles,, one-way)

We both need to drive 60 miles(round trip) to the nearest doctor of worth, several times a month.

Rocks can be as rural and remote as Wasilla..

Back to WEE and other like structures.. Given the foot print of a 40 ft semi, each unit is approximately 400 sq ft. I like modulars, you can stack or build a structure with three or four boxes and get a moderate abode.

Add a poured formed cellar for storage, shop, man-cave.. Ba Da Bing...

FOG Rant off..

[lksteve]

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

I would like to separate GREEN from SMALL,, Rant on..

GREEN:

If you are building a structure that you expect to last 100 yrs, you MAY be able to recoup the additional cost to be GREEN, but it's unlikely.. Your G-kid will get the place at probate for free, so they reap the bennies and could care less..

You neglected to mention that the definition of Green will change before you pay for the house...in the mid 70s, when I was in college after my first enlistment, the major environmental concern was global cooling...

That said, I have looked at purchasing a smaller, more efficient home...with just me and the dog, it makes sense...the problem is I want a small house and a three car garage...that seems to be a sticking point...

[The Reaper]

Bigger house, better insulation and energy efficiency.

Done living in a crackerbox and making rental payments on a big storage space. $50 per month for storage is $6,000 every ten years.

TR

[craigepo]

$200 per square foot is really, really expensive, at least in comparison to the prices here in Missouri.

While our building practices here are generally at the other end of the spectrum from what might be considered "green", there are a few trends people are following that are helping out with building/operating a home.

1. Most people pour a basement, instead of building on a foundation or concrete pad. For a little extra money, you get 2X the amount of living space in the home.

2. Folks are now pouring their basement using foam insulating concrete forms. While a basement is naturally insulated, the foam forms are left in place, and greatly increase the R-value of the basement walls.

3. Passive solar heating: By facing the large windows south, the home is partially heated by the sun in the winter. In the summer, the sun is too far overhead to have the same effect in the rooms.

4. Tankless water heaters. An old idea, but heating water only when necessary saves a ton of energy/money. One caveat for this area: make sure the tankless water heater comes with a flush valve. Local water is very hard, and the heater needs to be flushed every six months-one year to get rid of lime buildup.

5. Geothermal heat pumps: my sister built a 3,000 square foot house, and heats/cools the entire home for about $1.00 per day. More expensive to start with, but the payoff period is relatively short.

[Gypsy]

Originally Posted by lksteve

That said, I have looked at purchasing a smaller, more efficient home...with just me and the dog, it makes sense...the problem is I want a small house and a three car garage...that seems to be a sticking point...

Buy a garage and build an apartment above it.