Small House Building Blog

US Green Building Council

Anne — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:33:36 +0000

Here’s another wonderful resource for building green. It’s the new website by the US Green Building Council: The Green Home Guide.

Why a Single Story House is Better

Anne — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:59:28 +0000

Owning your own home is something that many people dream about. When you are finally able to purchase your first home you will need to give some serious thought to the needs of you and your family. You want to be sure that you meet those with the home that you buy. You want your new home to be safe and comfortable for everyone who lives in your home, and this includes any young kids or older members in your family. Many people have found that when they really think about what kind of home would be best for their family that a single story house is actually the safest and most comfortable choice.

Some people may not think that a single story house is as stylish as some of the other two story homes on the market. Why? Well, the truth is that if you have a single story home it will take up more space on your lot since you are building out rather than up. This means that you will have less of a yard, but for some this may be a blessing. Having less yard means that you have to spend less time and money maintaining your yard. However, having a ranch style home does not mean that you cannot have a beautiful yard. If you are having your home built you will simply want to work with the builder to ensure that your yard design is incorporated into the design and construction of the house. Or if you are purchasing a prebuilt home you will want to be sure that you effectively use the space that you have.

Single story homes may be more problematic with saving energy. With a 2-story home the rooms and spaces are more condensed, so to speak, as opposed to a ranch style home where everything is more spread out. It’s like comparing a cube to a longer, flatter rectangle. The cube has less surface area to volume, so its internal space is more efficient to heat and cool. This is a big generality, though. Other factors like exterior design and materials, as well as insulation and weatherstripping of the home can have a far greater impact on energy savings.

One of the best aspects of a single story house has to be the obvious, there are no stairs! This is perfect for people who have trouble with their legs or knees, but it is also great for people who are growing older. As you get older you never know how your body will react, and not having the hassle of running up and down stairs can be really beneficial.

Lastly, but certainly as important you cannot forget about the general cost of construction. A one story house generally costs less to build in terms of construction costs. Recognize that your roof may cost more because it is going to be wider (covering a slightly larger footprint), but that is really balanced out by the lower cost for the rest of the home. For example, you will not need to have stairs designed and built (well, maybe just to the basement), or a second floor framed out. But, whether you go for a one-story or 2, your cost of construction hinges a lot on quality of finishing materials… everything else being equal.

In the end, if you plan to live in the house you’re planning into your elder years I’d highly recommend sticking with a single story design. It just makes sense.

Further Resources:
1. 6 Ideas for Elder-Friendly Design
2. Universal Design Not Just for the Elderly
3. One Story or Two?, by the U.S. Green Building Council

The Decorated Shed

Anne — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:28:24 +0000

Here’s some really nicely designed buildings that could be used for a variety of purposes, from garden shed to art studio to office space to regular full-time living space. The Decorated Shed, out of the UK, has some very unique designs with clean lines and lots of windows.

After watching a couple of their videos it’s evident how much skill and craftsmanship they put into these structures.

Fresh Air Fund

Anne — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:08:37 +0000

This really isn’t related to building small houses, but I thought I’d mention it anyway. If you live out in the country in the northeastern part of the US you might want to consider hosting some city kids for a couple weeks. Check out the Fresh Air Fund.

Review: Compact Cabins

Anne — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:06:33 +0000

Compact Cabins: Simple Living in 1000 Square Feet or Less by Gerald Rowan is a nice book to give you some beginning ideas on building a small dwelling. There are 62 plan idea in the book, most of which are very unique. There are even a handful of designs that utilize shipping containers as a basis for the living space.

Even if none of the designs really strike your fancy the author discusses designing a compact cottage based on assembling modules (on paper first). Draw out squares on paper representing the sleeping area, kitchen/dining area, and living area. Then multiply each module to accomodate the number of people that will stay in the cabin. Maybe you need 2 sleeping areas, just one kitchen area, and 2 living areas. Then arrange and rearrange these squares to give you an idea of your final floor plan.

The only thing I didn’t care for with the book is the style of the pictures. It really reminds be of a 50′s Boy Scout manual or 50′s Popular Mechanics type of style. Not very cozy. But, if you grew up in that era this kind of artwork would probably be more appealing to you.

A chapter on more details of framing and construction would have been helpful, too.

Unique Stair Designs

Anne — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 18:20:46 +0000

Who says stairs having to be just plain treads going up and down? I received an email from a friend recently that had some awesome and unique stair designs. She didn’t have a source on any of these images, so if you see something here and you know where it came from please contact me and I’ll gladly put a credit/source under the picture.

NEW lower price on Howlett House

Anne — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 17:10:00 +0000

The owner of this cute little house just contacted me to let me know the price has been reduced to $109,900. Check out the small houses for sale page to take a look.

And don’t forget that I’m offering listing small houses for sale for FREE!!! So if you’ve got a small house on the market, or know of a friend or family that does, don’t hesitate to contact me to get it listed here. You never know– you could find just the right buyer through this website.

Palladio’s Escape Cottage

Anne — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:29:34 +0000

Is this cute, or what? One of my readers let me know about this interesting little pre-fab cabin designed by Ricky Newcomer. He calls it Palladio’s Escape Cottage. It’s 412 square feet within a very architecturally interesting design. They offer both a planning e-book if you want to try it yourself, and the build-it-for-you option. The only downside I see here is that they say it requires a crane truck to assemble the building parts on-site. That probably wouldn’t be a big deal if you live close to a building supply store where you can rent one, but if you want to put this structure way out in the woods you may have a tough time getting a crane in.

Cudos on a very unique design! I love it!

Should Minimum Building Size Be Revised?

Anne — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:18:57 +0000

As many of you know, Jay Shafer is one of the leading figures in the tiny house movement. He has designed and built tiny houses, mostly on wheels, for the past decade and a half. Living in a smaller footprint himself he is an example of how to downsize your life effectively and efficiently.

Jay has just announced that he will be participating in a Global Ignite Week event in Sebastopol, CA at Hopmonk Tavern on March 3. Ignite Events are events where the presenters are given 5 minutes and 20 slides to make a presentation on something that they’re passionate about.

In Jay’s case it’s about his passion for small houses and, specifically, revising the International Residential Code (sections 304.1,2 &3 in particular). Limiting the lower size limit for dwellings is a great way to discriminate against those who want to own a house, but don’t have the means to build a McMansion. I agree, what’s the use of putting a lower limit on the size of a house? If someone wants to build and live in a small house… hooray for their chutspa for living lighter on the earth!

So, if you’re in the area of Sebastopol CA on March 3 stop in at the Tavern to hear him speak on why the residential building code should be revised.

A couple new pages

Anne — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:24:25 +0000

I’ve recently added a couple new pages that I think you might like:

Structural Wall Sheathing is a look at some of the more common materials used for sheathing the exterior walls in a house (with common stud frame construction). And a tip on how to carry 4′x8′ sheets safely.

How to Pick Good Lumber is useful for anyone buying lumber for any kind of building project. Buying quality wood up front will save you a lot of headache down the line when trying to build something square and plumb.