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Emma
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# Posted: 18 Jul 2025 12:21pm
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I was concerned about buying a plan online in case just anyone was selling it and it’s not designed well. I can also just show this plan to someone here that I know makes blue prints and hire her to design something like this.
I noticed a lot of tiny house plans only have half or third lofts. I’d prefer a full loft if there aren’t major reasons why the half or third lofts are better
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Emma
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# Posted: 18 Jul 2025 12:22pm
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I have not looked into sheds. I’ll look into it. I don’t think we have as many options here. I have seen the Home Depot sheds advertised
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darz5150
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# Posted: 18 Jul 2025 02:20pm - Edited by: darz5150
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I know they are probably not in your area. But check out Country Side Barns.
I designed and bought one in 2019
And am very happy with it.
They have sheds, cabins, chicken coop etc.
If you check out their website it might help you with what may be available near you.
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travellerw
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# Posted: 18 Jul 2025 05:25pm
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Quoting: Emma I noticed a lot of tiny house plans only have half or third lofts. I’d prefer a full loft if there aren’t major reasons why the half or third lofts are better
From a code perspective, a full loft is MUCH preferred. A full loft provides structure against "push out" (it basically holds the walls together at the top).
However from a livability perspective a full loft is pretty nasty unless you have AC/forced air. It will be nuclear up there even with lots of insulation. Don't get me wrong, 2/3 lofts are hot too, but you can put a BIG fan in the 1/3 opening and force the air to equalize. Not an option on a full loft.
This is where good planning comes in. If you are in a location with constant wind, then the position of your building is key. You can ensure windows at opposite ends so you can open them and get cross wind through the whole floor!
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DRP
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# Posted: 18 Jul 2025 07:19pm - Edited by: DRP
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Structurally, a triangle cannot change shape, connections become key.
Any shape with more sides is a machine, it can change shape. Or, if it has 4 sides run a diagonal brace to lock the shape and we are back to a pair of triangles. That is the essence of trussing.
When the roof cannot be a locked triangle the solution is usually to make the ridge a beam capable of hanging the rafters from. It is possible to have both systems in the roof framing.
I helped with a largish half loft tiny house about 15 years ago. They are now close to 70 and want more space to full time here. She was in our berry patch the other morning... I will miss trading blueberries for mangoes but welcome full time friends. And the conversation turned to a cross gable roof which would be the more elegant solution... but would open it all up for awhile. The inspector tried to block their panels on the roof at one point... I could prove my math on the ridge beam and politely smile as he had to permit the solar guys. Anyway, think along expansion lines too.
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Emma
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# Posted: 28 Jul 2025 06:05pm
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I talked to a friend who does a lot of work designing house plans and knows building department rules. I got some good info, but also bad news as to the costs.
She paid $11,000 + for a new septic tank installation. $5000 for the tank, and the rest was installing and permits. Hawaii law doesn’t permit homeowners from installing their own septic system.. And even a composting toilet won’t solve the problem because you still have to have a septic tank for grey water. I don’t know if a grey water system would be allowed. I’m looking into that. They seem a lot cheaper. I’m not giving up, but I was appalled by the cost.
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DRP
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# Posted: 28 Jul 2025 06:24pm
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In my state they solved that issue by making a greywater system pretty much the same as a blackwater system. Not meaning to bust your dream just be ready for worst case.
This is a link to your state residential code;
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2018P7
It does test one's resolve but you can get there. Eat the elephant a bite at a time.  .
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DRP
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# Posted: 28 Jul 2025 06:53pm - Edited by: DRP
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Which for this will lead you to the septic code. Our health dept takes care of the septic and whatever is outside the building and we hire an engineer for design. Back in the day the county health dept did the design in house but that trend has been fading.
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IPSDC2021P1/chapter-4-site-evaluation-and-requireme nts
I then hire a licensed septic installer, usually Tom, who also digs the foundation while he's there. The county or engineer inspects the trenches and there is the independent third party oversight they seem to desire in all things
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Brettny
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# Posted: 29 Jul 2025 06:10am
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The tank price does seam high but you also live in the highest cost state in the US by quite a bit. For instance a 1,000gal tank here in NY costs roughly $1.20 per gallon. That's not installed.
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Emma
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# Posted: 29 Jul 2025 04:09pm
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Quoting: DRP It does test one's resolve but you can get there. Eat the elephant a bite at a time. .
Yes, I think that’s what I have to do. I don’t have to get the septic tank right away - I’m pretty sure I can do the house foundation and a few other steps first. But it sounds like septic tank permits take awhile too.
Quoting: Brettny The tank price does seam high but you also live in the highest cost state in the US by quite a bit. 
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Emma
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# Posted: 29 Jul 2025 05:37pm
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This is another design concept I like
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DRP
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# Posted: 29 Jul 2025 09:12pm
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A monoslope (or shed) roof. One way to look at it is, it is potentially half a house. IF you size the upper beam as if it were carrying a roof dropping from the other side... pre planning if you want .
You are in a seismic zone. that foundation, well I've read the reports from HI on its failures. Check with the county on what they require, can it be prescriptive, we can help there, or does the foundation need to be engineered. The foundation pictured is not prescriptive it is, not to "code" (prescriptively), to be prescriptive, to normal code, it would need to be better than that. You are in a seismically active area, they may require more than "normal", which is the engineer's playground. In any event, to build that in an inspected environment needs the services of an engineer. My question is whether you always need an engineer there?
I've gone into your foundation codes breifly, prescriptive looks stock, stuff I'm used to. problem is, look at the map below, I don't know what seismic zone you are in.... In other words, let's start here, first bite, how bad are you shaking.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 29 Jul 2025 11:11pm
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It may be a good idea to know just where on the property septic and well Have to be before starting on a foundation; the whole thing needs to work together, not just for practical reasons but to meet regs.
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Emma
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# Posted: 30 Jul 2025 02:07am
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Quoting: DRP services of an engineer. My question is whether you always need an engineer there? I've gone into your foundation codes breifly, prescriptive looks stock, stuff I'm used to. problem is, look at the map below, I don't know what seismic zone you are in.... In other words, let's start here, first bite, how bad are you shaking.
Yes, all plans have to get a structural engineer’s signature here. You can have someone else draft the plan and then send it to the engineer for review. I figured any of the plans I was looking at wouldn’t have suitable foundations. The only kind of foundation I have experience building is a post and pier but they changed the building code, and that isn’t allowed anymore.
Based on the map, I am in seismic zone D2.
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DRP
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# Posted: 30 Jul 2025 07:03am - Edited by: DRP
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I hope you all are ok with the quake overnight.
Go here and read R301.1.3 "Engineered Design" https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2018P7/chapter-3-building-planning
Do everything possible according to what is in the following chapters to avoid further engineering costs. If you follow the methods the code prescribes, your code, the codified (written) construction law, says no engineering is required. If the plan is simple, well drawn and clearly fully prescriptive, I would submit without a seal and politely point to that section. Don't get off on the wrong foot but that is the state law. I'm also not at all opposed to an engineer checking you and that may be a local law along those lines. There is money there so worth finding out.
With the D2 seismic designation you can now go to chapter 4 and start looking for foundations that are allowed in D2. I think you will be surprised, there are several prescriptive options.
Here it is;
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2018P7/chapter-4-foundations
Read the last line of "Applications", a wood foundation entails engineering costs... lets keep looking. Go to R403.1.2 and .3 . From here on out pay attention to anything related to your seismic designation, and double check with the building dept that D2 is what they are inspecting for. Go through all those references in the footnotes in R403.1.3 then come back, read the next section and read the references verse by verse.
The cliff notes, a slab or a full perimeter footing that is directly under the solid foundation walls, which are directly under the exterior walls above. A solid, continuous, braced load path. It does require more steel and concrete reinforcement than here, but not onerously more at all. If it gets fancier than that, engineering is probably required.
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Emma
Member
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# Posted: 2 Aug 2025 02:04am
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Yeah, that makes sense.
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Emma
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# Posted: 2 Aug 2025 02:11am
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Quoting: DRP I hope you all are ok with the quake overnight.
Yes, fortunately I do not live in tsunami evacuation zone (I used to, and had to evacuate a couple times), and fortunately the waves were very small. It’s geologically exciting over here!
Quoting: DRP here and read R301.1.3 "Engineered Design" https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2018P7/chapter-3-building-planningDo everything possible according to what is in the following chapters to avoid further engineering costs. If you follow the methods the code prescribes, your code, the codified (written) construction law, says no engineering is required. If the plan is simple, well drawn and clearly fully prescriptive, I would submit without a seal and politely point to that section. Don't get off on the wrong foot but that is the state law. I'm also not at all opposed to an engineer checking you and that may be a local law along those lines. There is money there so worth finding out.
Thank you! I am going to read through this. I don’t know: my parents had to have an engineer sign off on their plans, and the knowledgeable person I was talking to also said it was required. But it is definitely worth checking if that isn’t true, because I was told it costs $2500 -5000. Maybe it’s a county law? I will look into it.
I helped my parents with pretty much every aspect of building their house - except the design and permitting process. So that is something I definitely need to learn more about because I know very little except what I’m learning now.
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