KCI Hard at work

Since my husband returned from his meditation center, we’ve kicked some serious butt.  Bob, Jeff and I have built cabinets, caulked and insulated the ceiling, put the battens on, and, and, and.  I’m sure there’s a bunch of other things but my mind is mush.  We start at 8 am and usually finish by 6 or 7 pm.  Dinner has not been much to speak of as you can imagine.

Insulating is interesting. Maybe there are quicker ways of doing it, but it seemed to take me forever.  First I cut and glued 2 inch extruding foam between each roof truss.  Each one had to be individually measured and cut, and then there were little jigs and jags around roof protruding things – usually wood, sometimes misfired nails.  Styrofoam boards at the top need to be cut on a 45% angle, otherwise it’s just straight cuts. The 2 inch boards were cut with a skill saw. Then I did it all again with a 1/2 board.  This took 2 days. It was a mistake to apply low expanding foam in between the first and second layer.  The 1/2 inch boards were a pleasure to work with. It’s just a matter of using a T ruler and cutting with box cutters.  A good snap pulls it apart.

Bob built the front door, but we’ll have to get glass put in.

We’re moving Friday, so whatever isn’t finished by tomorrow, is not getting done until a later date.

KCI The saga continues

My Dad is concerned that the place we’ll be parking the trailer is a bit soft.  If you remember we had to clear a huge pile of compost to create a space.  It’s now spread out over my mother’s gardens, but then when we got too lazy to haul, we just started spreading it in the clearing.  There’s probably a good 4-6 inches of compost over the whole space, so yeah, it’s soft. I suggested my Dad start parking his vehicle there to firm it up.   By the time we get there a few tons of SUV will have done the work necessary.  It’s either that or me jumping up and down on the spot, and since I only weigh 110 pounds that’d be a lot of jumping.

I got to help build kitchen cabinets.  That was a great day. I held and screwed and applied melamine to edges.  This involved ironing, filing and sanding.  Three skills I am proficient at – not that I ever iron clothes, but theoretically I know how to, so I could apply those skills.

10 days after it arrived at my house, the roof sheathing is done.  The weather has not co-operated at all.  Today was supposed to be clear so that’s why we left it until now.  Of course, the rain clouds are moving in.  Argh.  I’m hoping it’s all done and the seams caulked before it starts to pour.  We no longer get light rains these days. It’s all torrential monsoon like weather.

Bodega Study Plans

Here is another of our updated study plans. These are for the Bodega:

You can print a copy of the plans here.  Here are some of the features of the Bodega:

• Starting at 261 sq. ft. (356 with the 1st floor bedroom added-on), it is designed with cost savings in mind. It is a perfect example of green design & well-proportioned architecture.
• The plans include a full range with an over, built-in microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and a stacking washer/dryer.  Hot water comes courtesy of a tank-less water heater.
• The Bodega is designed to be built on a permanent foundation.

OK, folks. Let us know what you think of the Bodega. If  you could build it anywhere in the world, where would you put it? What would you change about the design? We love the feedback, so keep it coming!

B-53 Study Plans

We’ve updated the study plans for 9 of our Tiny Homes and we wanted to share them with you.  Let’s start with the B-53:

You can print a copy of the plans here.  Here are some of the features of the B-53:

• It’s our largest home at 777 sq. ft. (874 with the 3rd bedroom added-on).
• The plans include a full range with an over, built-in microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator and a stacking washer/dryer.  Hot water comes courtesy of a tank-less water heater.
• The B-53 is designed to be built on a permanent foundation.

Now for some feedback from you. How would you personalize this home? If you could change one thing, what would it be? If you think of any practical ways to adjust the study plans, let us know.

Coming to a City Near You

Next year Jay Shafer be visiting these 12 US cities teaching people how to build their own tiny home. 2010 was a huge success, with most workshop dates selling out.
If you have suggestions for 2012, please let us know.

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