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groingo
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# Posted: 12 Aug 2011 10:19 - Edited by: groingo
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Over a year before I decided to do another project I looked over my 2.5 acres to find the best over all place to build, it had to have equal sunlight year round and had to have something interesting to look out on to, that accomplished I began to put plans together based on previous small home living experiences and acknowledging that I am truly a minimalist at heart and I don't want it to be the same as every other small house, it needs to break new ground.
The theme of the entire project is "flexible space", nothing is built in, even the Kitchen is one unit... stove, fridge, storage and sink are a single moveable unit making change easy and experience has taught me, the same every day in a small space is not good.
Being my third "small home" this one is double the size of my last one measuring 10 by 20 feet using all things learned from the first and more.
Walls are carpet material to hold heat and reduce cold transfer...(walls always feeling warm).
Upper half of walls are made of tongue and groove knotty pine while the ceiling uses 10 inch knotty pine planking, all to absorb and hold heat while looking really nice and smelling great while adding thermal mass which I have found the lack of can make heating a small space difficult and more expensive than it needs to be.
Even the Chimney is different, at the center of the peak rather than
offset using a German made high temp Chimney bladder that weather seals the pipe (looks really good too) also a double insulated 2 inch clearance pipe which ends at a stout and ornate upgraded (double baffle) very efficient Box Stove.
Insulation was based on location and known historical weather patterns precisely for my location, so I decided on using the new ECO Bat recycled insulation, R-19 in the walls and R-30 in the attic and R-12 foam sheeting inder the floor backed by a full coverage Tyvek blanket then all exposed under house is also sealed and thus far it is working well, winter will tell but I expect nothing dramatic.
Electrical outlets are also unique...they come to the appliance and recoil back into the floor when not in use.
All lighting fixtures are floor lamps using either CFL's or LED's or both.
Windows are vinyl framed dual pane while the entry door is fiberglass exterior insulated.
Backup power is provided by my amazing little Yamaha 1000 watt generator that will go 24 to 28 hours on a gallon of gas meeting all power requirements at 1/4 power output.
Dual window shades are actually panels...black on one side and white on the other to allow additional heating or cooling (black facing out is for heat, white facing out is to cool).
Bathroom and toilet are by Coleman with waste being handled by a 30 gallon peat moss based digester.
The toughest challenge was to build an odorless cat potty box for my blind and deaf cat, that too has just been completed (thankfully)!
Power use will be under 2 kwh a day, fact is in my large house I am
already at 1.78 so it won't be hard to do.
All in all, the total cost is just over ($5000.00) for everything and I
can't wait for fall and winter.
Next spring: I am considering adding an 8 foot slide out extension on one end....we'll see.
VIDEO WALK THROUGH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V22O5On5DUY
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hattie
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# Posted: 12 Aug 2011 12:28
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groingo: That's a neat little place. Loved the video. Do you live in it year round?
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 12 Aug 2011 19:28
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I will be starting this fall.
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Nirky
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# Posted: 12 Aug 2011 20:53
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Looks very functional. Never thought of wall carpeting, love it. Gas gen is your backup power, is your main solar? That sounds like a challenge, I lived in Kent, WA for 5 years, know sun doesn't shine much from Oct-June.
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groingo
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# Posted: 12 Aug 2011 22:16
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Main is still PSE but am looking into alternatives, problem now is I am now using less power than the monthly access charge so payback now takes a lot longer (catch 22), last 2 month bill was $24.91 and that was at the main house (1500 square feet), will be less with this one.
Ah yes Kent, grew up in Federal Way myself, spent a fair amount of time at the Aero Space center.
The carpeting serves a couple purposes mainly heat retention and if you don't like the way it looks you can change it in 30 minutes!
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mrmiji
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# Posted: 13 Aug 2011 09:56
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Tell me more about the peat moss based digester.
I grew up in Federal Way myself...Dumas Bay.
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 13 Aug 2011 11:16 - Edited by: groingo
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Twin Lakes side behind Indian Hill....Northeast Tacoma side?
I actually was just down the road on the King County side of Dash Point state Park. Small world!
The Peat Moss digester I got the idea from Washington State Parks, they use the same thing in the high country.
I just use a 30 gallon plastic garbage can, drill 10 1/2 holes in the bottom , sprinkle a light covering of Peat in the bottom, dump waste (both liquid and solids, sprinkle some peat over the top and that is it.
The combination of liquids and peat break it down within a week and the peat also removes odors, mix it up occasionally and that is it.
Ultimately it breaks down into an almost ash like powder which can be used on non edible plants as fertilizer.
The can itself can be placed above ground or in the ground, above is easier to maintain.
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johng
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# Posted: 13 Aug 2011 16:49
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Dash point, Federal way, you guys are bringing back childhood memories.
My dad was stationed at McChord in the 70's.
We spent many summer days at Tillicum park on American Lake.
Looking at Woodbrook school on Google 35 years later, it hasn't changed.
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groingo
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# Posted: 14 Aug 2011 13:04
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Ah yes, spent a lot of time at McChord, used to volunteer at the air Museum and spent some time at the Castle and even some time on old Bitchin' Betty (Green Dragons F-15 Flight Simulator), them was the days.
Now I'm building small houses and Crappers....how life has changed!
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mrmiji
Member
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# Posted: 14 Aug 2011 13:15
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I worked in Current Ops in the Castle in the early 90s.
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CabinBuilder
Admin
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# Posted: 12 Sep 2011 16:38 - Edited by: CabinBuilder
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Admin's Note:
Continuation is here ?
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