Getting my tiny home/ cabin Thursday!

[masterplumber]

Usually makes more sense to keep the plumbing all together, IE bathroom and kitchen next to each other so plumbing can share the same wall.

For production this makes sense, but we're only talking about a 20' long building. It sounds like he is going minimal plumbing anyway. Even if he does decide to put plumbing in, a kitchen sink only needs a 2'' drain and 2 - 1/2'' water pipes that run from the mains, which would be located near the bathroom. Now if we were talking multiple bathrooms it definitely be easier to share a wall, and place them back to back.

 

[rvwandering]

Every time we're in a Home Depot or Lowes lot I look at the little storage buildings and think about making a tiny house using one of them a starting base. Please post pictures as you build the interior. It looks like a fun project!

 

[Canine]

Looks great.Can you list it as a shop and get the electric hooked up without dealing with a septic system?

 

[Canine]

To avoid future problems,I recommend getting title to the land it's on and having your own electric meter.

 

[Rugster]

Well, I have come down with a bad cold (although they did not test for the Plague, so we don't know for sure) so it's going to be a few days before I get back over for more pictures, etc.

To answer a few questions, it is a Weather King model. It is 12 by 24 and the two lofts are 8 by 12. Even with the lost space due to the front porch, there is still plenty of room to design a home with functioning bathroom and kitchen. The two lofts will be the kids rooms, of course.

I do have two electrical plus that I can use that are literally feet away from the cabin. I'm trying to keep things as simple as possible and am wondering if simply running a heavy duty extension cord inside to a heavy duty power strip will power everything I need, dorm size refrigerator, wall unit ac, TV and some lights. I think it would and if so, there would be no need to worry about wiring or anything else.

For plumbing, I'd like to use some sort of water container with an on demand propane water heater for showers. It wouldn't be a big problem to fill the container every couple of days and that would be a simple system with no need for any complex plumbing.

For a toilet, I'm thinking of going with a camping toilet. Sure, it will have to be emptied but again, no need for plumbing.

The way I'm looking at it is that if it can be done in a van, that's how I want to do it but with a bit more comfort built in. This way it would also keep me under the radar since I don't want to draw any attention to my ummmm 'workshop'.

 

[mockturtle]

What a beautiful little home!     Hope you get well quickly.  Keep us posted.

 

[masterplumber]

Well, I have come down with a bad cold (although they did not test for the Plague, so we don't know for sure) so it's going to be a few days before I get back over for more pictures, etc.

To answer a few questions, it is a Weather King model. It is 12 by 24 and the two lofts are 8 by 12. Even with the lost space due to the front porch, there is still plenty of room to design a home with functioning bathroom and kitchen. The two lofts will be the kids rooms, of course.

I do have two electrical plus that I can use that are literally feet away from the cabin. I'm trying to keep things as simple as possible and am wondering if simply running a heavy duty extension cord inside to a heavy duty power strip will power everything I need, dorm size refrigerator, wall unit ac, TV and some lights. I think it would and if so, there would be no need to worry about wiring or anything else.

For plumbing, I'd like to use some sort of water container with an on demand propane water heater for showers. It wouldn't be a big problem to fill the container every couple of days and that would be a simple system with no need for any complex plumbing.

For a toilet, I'm thinking of going with a camping toilet. Sure, it will have to be emptied but again, no need for plumbing.

The way I'm looking at it is that if it can be done in a van, that's how I want to do it but with a bit more comfort built in. This way it would also keep me under the radar since I don't want to draw any attention to my ummmm 'workshop'.

Sounds like a great plan. Sometimes those of us that are in the trades tend to over complicate things, trying to build in everything that a large house has into a small house. I like this KISS method of thinking. And it will cost much less also. From your descriptions it sounds like you are locating this on a friend or family members property (reading between the lines on my part). By keeping it simple you can more easily move in the future if the need or desire happens along. I hope you get well soon and can get to work making your new house comfortable and a home.

 

[PatsyG]

be well. so that you can enjoy that lovely little house. I would love to end up with something just like that.

 

[GotSmart]

With that much room, I could build a race track for my cat with ramps and jumps.  

 

[Rugster]

Yes, it is on my parent's land and my brother lives next door. I do want to keep it as simple as possible and as inexpensive as possible all while keeping most of the comforts of a regular home.

Masterplumber, what would you build or design for a shower? I want a very simple (and cheap) system, and see a lot of fairly inexpensive on demand hot water heaters on Amazon. Could something be built using one of them and a water container for a fairly decent shower?

I did forget to mention I have access to a well with really, really good water

 

[GotSmart]

Yes, it is on my parent's land and my brother lives next door. I do want to keep it as simple as possible and as inexpensive as possible all while keeping most of the comforts of a regular home.

Masterplumber, what would you build or design for a shower? I want a very simple (and cheap) system, and see a lot of fairly inexpensive on demand hot water heaters on Amazon. Could something be built using one of them and a water container for a fairly decent shower?

I did forget to mention I have access to a well with really, really good water

If you can set up a drain, then depending on how much you want to spend, ~~~ A fiberglass shower enclosure is cheap. If you do go with an indoor shower, a vent should be installed to keep the humidity down.

 

[masterplumber]

What Got Smart said. That would be the cheapest and quickest. If it were mine I might go a step further, and keep with the rustic theme - use a quality shower pan like a Floorstone brand, then do the walls in galvanized corrugated metal roofing. For the water supply the simplest would be to heat the water on the stove and put it one of those pump fertilizer sprayers. You can cut off the hose from the sprayer and rig up a connection to a shower head with an on/off valve to conserve water.

You had spoke earlier of possibly wanting an instantaneous water heater. Be aware that they usually require a certain flow rate - more than all but the biggest RV pumps can produce. If you are close enough to a hose bib you could always run a hose to your tiny house and rig up a rudimentary running water system. Just be sure to use a food grade hose, and maybe run it inside of a piece of pipe to keep the sun from breaking it down to quickly.

For the drain, you can run your shower, and sink if you go that route, through a homemade filter system and then out to an artificial wetlands for disposal. If you google artificial wetlands I think you'll find plenty of info. Then just use a composting type toilet for the solid stuff - I like the Separate brand myself, as it is the closest to using a standard toilet.

 

[Txjaybird]

Good evening....I hope you start feeling better soon.  Isn't it aggravating to have something you really want to work on and then get sick?

Concerning bathroom facilities I think I'm going to build a composting toilet following the guidelines in the book "Humanure Handbook", it's basically a  bucket....wood/plywood stand & 2x4 legs so  the bucket fits under...... the stand is made for the bucket size you use .......toilet seat with lid....and uses dry sawdust between uses.

Many moons ago I priced commercially built composting toilets and they were expensive some even needed elec. to work and just seemed very complicated.  I googled the "C Head" composting toilet I've seen and heard about here and I literally have had cars that didn't cost that much!            Be Better!   TJB

 

[Rugster]

Well, I have pretty much spent the last week in bed, only leaving the house to pick my Daughter up from school. I finally feel semi human so I plan on going over tomorrow and getting some more pictures and trying to figure out what to do where. It's more to get out of the house than to do any serious work, though.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I love it. I'm planning on doing an extended road trip while living out of a van with the hopes of finding some land somewhere and think I'd be really happy with something about that size for a home base. I'd really like to travel most the year, but having this would be nice to go back to every now and then. Plus it's small and cheap enough where i wouldn't have to worry about it being left alone. Even if it was "trashed" by someone it wouldn't be end of the world.

Looking forward to the pics of the build process. Your kids are lucky, I would have loved having my own loft bedroom when I was younger. Heck, who am I kidding, i'd still love it!

 

[ilovemyvan]

Hello Rugster,

This is such a great thing you're doing. Are you considering adding a bunch of insulation to the inside?

Is it possible for you to run a pvc pipe from your parents or brother's place for your water? It would be more work up front but sooooo much easier once done. I can only see you in a year from now, logging the water you need for you and your kids. I think the pioneer spirit would worn out pretty quick. An other reason I'm asking is that if you were to do that you could install an instantaneous water heater. We installed one in our house 16 years ago (propane), I couldn't live without. It's quite cheap to use too. Our only regret is that we install the water heater closed to the kitchen but too far from the washroom. We should have use a more centralize location for it. The way it is now we have to run the water far too long before we get hot water in the shower.

Did you give any thoughts to running some black tubes/hoses on the roof of your cabin as a passive water heater instead? No monthly bill once it's all set up. The supply needed would probably be cheaper than the instantaneous water heater. It might need a small pump to get the water up to the roof if your water source doesn't have enough pressure but once again you only have to install it once and it's easy living after that. It might sound complicated but you can find how to do just about everything on YouTube. With this system it is more practical to take a shower at the end of the day because the water would be cold in the morning.

What are your plans for cooling the cabin in the summer and heating it in the winter? If you decide that you need a/c and an electric heater it probably would be wiser to have a stronger electrical set up.

Don't get discourage, it can be done. My husband and I had no construction experience when we decided to build our house ourselves. So believe me when I tell you that if we could do it, so can you.

All the best to you

Nicole

 

[Canine]

So,how is the house coming along?There are always unexpected problems,but they can be overcome.I have some extra land that I may split into 1 acre lots and build small buildings on and sell them as land with a storage building.Maybe put a small solar system on each one.I'm already commited to work in Mt. this summer so it won't be an immediate thing.Anybody think they might be interested in buying one?

 

[Rugster]

Bob, your idea would appeal to a lot of people, if the price was right and it could be done. Maybe a home base or cabin home for some.

I haven't been able to do much as I was sick and out of work for two weeks but have finally gotten over whatever I had.

I finally feel better and think it would be better for me to make the move and work on the cabin in my spare time when I don't have the kids. It is going to take some time to get it set up like I want it and staying here isn't really helping things. I'd be more than able to live in it as it is, temperatures are really nice, and other than a bed, shower/toilet, dorm type refrigerator and a lap top, there's not much else you really need to live fairly comfortably.

Another thing that is interesting is that the simple ideas I have are totally alien to my Parents. They are talking about what we would need to do to hook up running water, sewer, wire the cabin for full electricity and I keep having to stop them.

I'm on a budget and from this forum I have learned how to have most of the comforts of home without all the complications and that is what I am planning on doing. But trying to explain it does not work. My Dad, who has built homes his entire life, understands but doesn't have any idea how to do the things I want to do. He knows the complicated and popular ways, and that's perfectly fine. I think he will be impressed with my ideas, once they are in place and functional. My Mom, well, she is convinced I need full electricity, running water with a full sized hot water heater and a complete hook up to the septic system.

I do need to get started, no point in finding reasons to stall. I am excited about it, and looking forward to staying there.

 

[BradKW]

I think that something like this is what you're looking for...instant hot water, cheap, and designed for low-flo 12v water pumps: http://www.amazon.com/Camp-Chef-Triton-Water-Heater/dp/B00A0M6HDM

There's a number of different flavors of these if you look around. One fairly common remark is that the temp fluctuates some, and that putting in a hot/cold supply would be a nice addition...

 

[Canine]

I think I could sell 1 acre of land with a 12x16 building with 1 door and 2 windows for $5000.A larger building would be priced a little higher.