Clearing Up A Few Misconceptions - Inquiring Minds Want To Know

Inquiring Minds Want To Know

Building a Huge Tiny House just does not happen overnight. Especially when its done the old fashioned way. With hammer and nails. Did I mention there is no electricity on the property yet? Sure the pole is in, and the wires are on it but it needs a new electrical box as well as an inspection and all the other things necessary to begin the process. It will come, but we need to gather everything we need first and get a big enough storage unit out there to keep everything dry and to keep it from getting pilfered.

It will look a bit like this below, only clad in some type of exterior that will keep it dry inside as well as to hold heat. We are seriously considering old tires cut into shingles as well as #10 cans but we shall see what we can glean. It will also be twice the size and the roof will be canted at a 45 degree angle since there is a bit of snow in the winter to deal with.  We will need a total of 180 pallets for the storage unit as well as 4 4 by 4's cut for supports off the ground and a few dozen two by fours's. The floor will be unique too but that is a different blog. So far we have about 45 pallets and few 2 by 4's and they keep coming every few days.

When you glean it takes a dedicated effort every day to take a trip or two around town, hit facebook, and craigslist, as well as all the other places to look for salvageable wood or ask friends if they know anyone harboring a used 2" by 4" uselessly hanging around the garage. 

The gas alone is an addition to the daily costs, $7.00 to $20.00 dollars a day spent running down the pallets, leftover wood, metal roofing materials and all the other things we will need to build the house. 

But we have been asked some very interesting questions too. 

Why?

There are several reasons. 

1. We were tired of living in temporary quarters, I could not paint much there was not enough room, as an artist that is the hardest thing to work around.  

2. I didn't have windows, I did have a kitchen sort of. A microwave and a two burner tabletop hotplate and a sink. But that does not make a kitchen. I still don't, we have a 14' foot trailer that someone felt the need to break into steal everything including the propane tanks and trash the remainder but it is better than what we did have.   

3. Selling the land has proved difficult, banks will not loan on under-developed dirt. Most buyers interested in the land have not been able to qualify. Banks prefer to make loans on things people can live in.

4. It's an asset underused. If you have seen some of the pictures so far it is beautiful, who would not want to live out here.

The road in and out. 

5. When we bought the land we had a dream, build a small house and then build a bunch of other smaller houses to make small temporary homes for homeless vets where they could recover from being homeless and get back on their feet and re-enter regular housing once they got caught up.

6. Last but not least, I teach art to disenfranchised* children. I've been quietly doing so for the last 8 years. I don't charge them, I pay for the supplies myself. I need a space to continue to do that, what better then out in the woods in the fresh air? The parents can come along and have a nice day out too. In a space creatively put together showing how art affects the world in small ways as well as large ways the child will grow to use their creative side to answer their own issues in life.   I don't currently have enough space to do this in the store.

This is the Pallet House by I-Beam Design, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z7WI2v1Mh8
We were gifted a set of plans for this house. We will add to them. 
They originally designed this Palletr House for a contest on temporary or emergency housing. 
We will make the art studio/classroom a bit like this using their fabulous
award winning design as inspiration. Our version of this building will take
about 150 pallets as well as 4" by 4" and 2" by 4"s.
Pallets and the wood that they are made from are
America's most wasted materials. 

With the last two whys;

Number five, we had to think long and hard if this was something we wanted to attempt. A few years ago we felt we should move into town and give up the idea when we started our business. As it evolved, so have we, and our focus is on the used, as well as is on restoration projects. As the news brings such unpleasant issues surrounding vets we can see that the dream not only should be considered but is very possible based on the business plan we are working out. Think inexpensive, safe, clean and open air.

Number 6, that's pretty much a necessity, it makes my soul sing to help kids that get less opportunities because they can use what they are taught to brighten their own world. 

So, stage one, get a large enough enclosed storage area built that will put us out there on the land every day in-between working hours. 

Stage two, build the Huge Tiny House.

Stage three, prep the different areas on the acreage to accept the layout of the temporary houses, all tiny themselves, get the permits, licences etc  and begin to build them one by one. Yes, we will glean for those too. If we spend very little money, there is much less to recoup. No bureaucracy just get it done. 

The key is using reclaimed everything. This is not going to be some swanky get away, this will be bare bones passive housing and classroom. Warm or cool and inviting all year round. 

The last two reasons: We were told we couldn't, it is impossible, you don't have enough money, you don't have the proper credit. We were told we were losers to even consider it.  Did I tell you we started our current business with $65.00? We were told we were stupid for trying that too. The business is more than 8 years old now. Don't tell me we can't do something if we are prepared first to dream*, but then to make the dream come true.

*Yes, we are dreamers but everything we have ever dreamed we have made happen. This too will be fact and not a dream.

OK! So, the first thing we have to do is get a storage unit up where all our things will go as well as 'house' us the first winter. It's much easier to build if you are on the property. With that we have a tiny, tiny trailer 14 feet by 8 feet, man that is larger that what we had with the temporary 8' by 10' space, and the view is so much better! 

So far we have gleaned at least a third of what we need. Our total cash expenditures to date? $66.77, not including the gas. Certainly we will be spending more but the budget is tight. To build the bones of the storage unit we have a budget of  $300.00. To build the shell and finish it with cladding inside and out for the Huge Tiny House, $1000.00. 

We also accepted a challenge, no using credit. This must be built without incurring standard debt. When you see the list of off grid items we will need to make this a successful rehoming and classroom build, and if you have something big to offer, I will gladly trade one of my artworks, or even paint one for you in barter. This does not count against the challenge. 

This does not include the sinks, electrical, plumbing, permanent furnishings like a tub, shower, those things will be on another budget and we will try to get much of that for as little as possible too.

Anyway if you have a question just ask, we will do our best to answer. 

* ~ *

*Disenfranchised children means homeless, or poor, maybe one of their parents are in jail or mentally ill. Some foster children qualify. How do I choose the student? I don't usually, they choose me.