Finally…..a Tiny House in the Making!

After five years in a motor home, (it wasn’t supposed to take that long, but…), I have finally purchased a “lofted cabin” and am about to embark on the creation of a tiny home. Since I plan to pay as I go, and do the majority of the work myself (and by that I mean, me, my son, my son-in-law, a couple brothers and anyone else I can hog tie…..are you busy this weekend?), this should be an interesting adventure. Hopefully, it won’t take five years to complete. I’m not getting any younger. I thought it would be fun to incorporate this journey into my blog as well. Stay tuned……First photos coming soon.

P.S. I’m totally open to suggestions by anyone with experience who has ventured into the tiny home realm. 😃😁

October, 2018

May I say that these delivery guys are amazing! I’m all stressed and worried about him just making the turn off the main road, and he acts like it’s nothing. Then I’m worried about him being able to fit it in the “hole”, since it’s on the trailer completely opposite of what it says on the work order, and he’s all, “Naw, it’s all good”, while spitting tobacco, “we don’t pay no attention to that anyway. I can put it anywhere it needs to be with this little Mule here.” For those who don’t know, a Mule is a handy-dandy riding gizmo with fat tires, an attached jack, and front forks, that has the power to lift the entire front half of a 12×36 building! (It also has the power to tear up a perfectly good lawn, if it’s been raining for days prior to delivery!)

 

 

The first pic is of my faithful home for the last five years. Soon to be laid to rest at the top of a junk heap in the metal yard. (May she Rest In Peace.) Next is soon-to-be new tiny home…big to me after a camper home for so long! Third pic is leveling up and big pic is removing the floor to install floor insulation and plumbing.

One of the first lessons I learned is that what looks good on paper doesn’t always work in the real world. The little squares on the graph paper represent one foot per square, which is great for floor planning, but it fails to show you how cramped you might actually be once the walls are up. Soooo….immediate changes all around. Things are still in the general areas, just shifted, turned and altered…..right out of the gate.

Here is the general conversation between my sweetest son-in-law (the builder, by trade), and myself.

Me: I love this…I think we can do that, don’t you?

SSIL: Well, realistically, that’s not feasible.

Me: Oh, ok, how about this? I really like this too.

SSIL: Well, you could do that, but it’s gonna cost you a lot more. The logical thing to do is…..

And so goes the first phase of the tiny house build out. Don’t misunderstand me, he really is a saint and is already busting a hump to get started, it’s simply that I’m the floaty-cloud dreamer and he’s the stable rock. (Translated: The one with the common sense.)

The way I see it, I’m refraining from buying furniture, rugs and useless miscellany, (i.e. cart before the horse) so I’m doing pretty damn good, if I do say so myself. The following are a few pics that are my inspiration, and hopefully will be more than that…..if SIL will let me.

 

 

Walk-in shower with window wall. The space saver ladder/stair. White lower cabinets with upper open shelves and farmhouse sink. I love the glass tile and found the pale green, beige and white at a discount store, so that may become my kitchen. I just love the black and white, don’t know what for, but it’s too cute not to include. I would love it on the bathroom floor, but since it’s glass, I’m sure that’s totally “not realistic”. Lol.

Stay tuned, I’ll add more as it happens….Please entertain yourselves with some of my other postings in the meantime. Thanks for dropping by!

December 18, 2018

Sorry, I’ve been away so long. Mother’s medical and some personal family issues have taken most of my time. But hopefully I’m back in the swing of things. Luckily, my fantastic SIL continues to work on my house even when I can’t!

We have ripped up the floor for plumbing and insulation, and reinstalled. We now have all plumbing ready for hookup. Hot water heater is installed and waiting. Wall heater and exterior paint has been purchased. Out of order, I know, but you grab those things when the price is right! 

 

SIL has framed out for the bathroom, ran all the electric, all switches and outlets ready to hookup. All new windows, bigger and energy efficient, have been installed. Light fixtures are wired….just waiting for me to finally settle on something. Oh, and for the money to actually GET the ones I want. It stinks to have caviar taste and a bologna budget. But I will get there! Lowe’s is gonna love me before this is over. Well, me and SIL.

 

This shed came with two lofts, a large one (12’ x 10’) at the back and a smaller one (12 x 8) at the front. The front one extends out over the porch and 4’ into the shed. David, (significant other), and I removed the 4 feet extending into the shed “living room”, raising the ceiling to the full 12 feet. And we cut two feet off the back loft. This made the living/kitchen area appear much airier, loftier and bigger overall.

I spent some time putting in insulation last night. Now that is a fun, scratchy mess. But I’m told the ceiling will be even more fun. I’ll bet.

Even tho I’m not “in” my new little home, I was able to add a little Christmas to the porch. I can see it coming down the road, and it makes me happy! Merry Christmas, Everybody!

So that’s it for now. Stay with me…..more to come. Thanks!

New photos…

 

So we got all the insulation in. What a messy, itchy chore. And no, we don’t have it in backwards, some of it has no paper backing. And may I say, the paperless is way easier when attaching to plyboard. It sticks nicely and didn’t require staples. On the other hand, it gets pink cotton candy fuzz all over exposed skin!

The loft was a real treat also, butt-walking across plywood, dragging insulation like a  fat worm behind, then holding in place with the tops of our heads while stapling overhead. After a day of that, I’m re-thinking the loft as a sleeping area. I don’t think I realized how close it was actually going to be. I reallly don’t relish belly crawling to bed every night. Note to self: Consider a sleeper sofa.

We do have some sheetrock up also, which makes me happy. I will be covering one wall in the living area and the walls in the kitchen area with whitewashed faux red brick. The plan is to cover all other walls and ceiling with beadboard.

UPDATE: February 29, 2019

Sheetrock walls and ceiling are in! Cabinets are in! I’m only going with lowers and open shelves above, each side of the window.

These cabinets will be white with wood countertop, white farm sink, and emerald green glass subway tile backsplash. That’s assuming I don’t change my mind….again!

I have decided to go with white-washed brick on one wall in the living room, where I will hang rough cedar book shelves on industrial pipe. Here are a few inspiration pics for the look I’m striving for.

Thanks for following along. More later!