# Microhomes?



## GatorDude

Has anyone built a microhome or mini-cabin as a shelter, vacation home, or primary residence? I think that something the size of Thoreau's cabin or the unibomber's shack would be interesting and economical. I also think that the Katrina cottage would be an interesting size.

Seven Reasons to Consider a Micro Home - Associated Content


----------



## The_Blob

most of the people I know that SHOULD have a micro-home (no kids, only home to sleep & bathe/change clothes before going out again, eating ALL meals out etc etc) have McMansions & wonder "I make $100k/yr. ... WHY am I living paycheck to paycheck?" 

One couple I know has a CLOSET that is 300 sq ft


----------



## doc66

I was just talking about this with a friend of mine while we were at the range yesterday. We were talking about a small pole building with a large porch and a small "house" attached. He's young enough to start it out right without all the crap possessions that we tend to collect in our lives. My SO has all the furniture from her great grandmother and such that she would be unwilling to part with and living small, while something I'd like to do, is beyond reach at the moment.

Here's a neat article I found yesterday about car living Survivalist Truck Dweller.... and MSN did one about small home designs.

Here's the same guy with his "cabin".

The off grid survival cabin - When SHTF - The Modern Day Survival Forum


----------



## The_Blob

I've ALREADY seen "Obamatowns", the modern equivalent of 'Hoovertowns'...


----------



## sailaway

I'm working my way to Pittsburgh today and continuously think about microhomes. I am impressed with those little gambrel roofed barns.:congrat: I would like to build one that is 12'x16' with a sleeping loft and keep it off the grid. I am going to power it up with 12volt, propane for cooking and hand pumped well water. My sail boat is set up similar to this and has been a good model to design from. I would like to move some of my apple trees around it. The only problem I am having is finding a piece of land that is inexpensive and obscure enough. I would also like it to be no more than a tank of gas away from my house, 1/2 tank would be better. Keeping it simple has always been the way to go for me. A pastor at church once told me the fastest way to become rich was to want nothing, he is right.:2thumb: This place is going to be the family BOS. I am also concerned about undesirables cleaning it out when I am not there.


----------



## NaeKid

I can purchase a "large shed kit" from one of the local building-supply stores for a couple thousand. This kit is basically a frame ready to go with a barn-style roof. Easily insulated, add in some windows and you have a 180sq ft home for $1100. Buy two kits, place them back-to-back for ~360sq ft. Build a concrete basement under the house and have about 660ft of living / storage space.

It might sound bad - but - my entire house is only 820sq ft (each floor) and I have lived there for 12 years ...


----------



## GatorDude

I really like the barn idea. It seems like such a simple route to having a home. I'm sure that the building inspectors of the world must have some objection. My parents have a little barn in their backyard and it has plants in window boxes and nice windows. I could see it being easily converted into a cottage.

With everything being downsized and miniaturized, things don't seem to take up as much space as they one did. While most of this stuff isn't very homesteadish, the fact remains that you can squeeze into a small space.

Seven Space Savers for a Downsized American Dream - Associated Content

If you've ever visited an Ikea furniture store, they have lots of furniture arranged for tiny studio apartments (365 square feet, etc.). Living in a mild climate, I'd probably build one barn for sleeping and living and another barn for cooking and then put both on a large pad with a grill and picnic table installed between the two buildings.


----------



## almac

some things to look at:

Cottage, cabin & small country home plans
Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
micro compact home | welcome

i have considered building a small 600 sq ft home, or buying a small rona cabin in the past.
however for me, the cost of land here in Southern BC is prohibitive...


----------



## HozayBuck

I just finished drawing up my plans for my cabin in the piney woods of E TX, a 16x20 ft shanty roofed one roomer with a 12 x 20 screened 1/2 walled porch with removable storm windows for winter, I figure with it facing the south east it will have sun most days into the porch which will give passive solor while allowing the growing of cherry tomatoes and salad greens with luck and a place to sleep in the summer free of the bugs..

Being single it will be all the room I need and if I should ever find a lady that can stand me then she will just have to adjust..:2thumb:

It will be built from logs from Satterwhite Log Homes - Featuring Dead Standing Timber - Outstanding Quality, Performance - Environment Friendly in Longview, since I will build it, I will use their seconds which makes it cheaper then conventional construction..( I think)...and will fit into the location very nicely..a small wood stove for the colder nights and I'm good to go..

Of course I've already cut out all the "Stuff" in my life, it amazed me when I gave all that "needed/gotta have stuff" away to my friends just how free I felt... I have my TT to live in while building, minimum furniture and I'm good to go...may even just use solar for charging a battery bank and use 12 v lights and run my Honda Gen for a few hours in the evening for the time needed to keep the fridge cold and maybe watch TV a while...

A question, if I use a bank of deep cycle 12 volt battery's, say 6 to 10, could I use a inverter to run a TV? long enough to watch the news or a DVD movie..say 2 hours...I could also be charging the battery's while cooling the fridge ... of course I can use a RV type fridge with propane ..

But having power into the site is not a big deal..but having back up for shtf is..


----------



## NaeKid

If you want movies, do what I did. I purchased a portable DVD player with supersized battery-pack on it. I can leave it plugged into a "jumpstart battery" that is plugged into a solar-panel and get a couple of days worth of movie playing.

I don't watch TV, so, I snag my news in the evening via my Asus EEE NetBook .. and again, it can be charged up via solar as well. I purchased a supersized battery-pack for it as well which gives me about 6hr worth of computer time and I have the original battery which holds about 2hr of computer time ..

For lighting in your house, using 12-volt LED lighting on solar-charged 12-volt RV-style batteries should give you a good week (week plus) of lights. If you use 12-volt RV incadescent lighting, expect 4 days on a full-charge (that is without topping up the batteries via solar-panels or wind-generator).

If you use the power-technology already in use in your TT (Travel Trailer) and just expand on the battery-banks (lets say that you use 2 RV 6volt batteries in series paralleled in a couple of sets) you would never run out of power.


----------



## HozayBuck

NaeKid said:


> If you want movies, do what I did. I purchased a portable DVD player with supersized battery-pack on it. I can leave it plugged into a "jumpstart battery" that is plugged into a solar-panel and get a couple of days worth of movie playing.
> 
> I don't watch TV, so, I snag my news in the evening via my Asus EEE NetBook .. and again, it can be charged up via solar as well. I purchased a supersized battery-pack for it as well which gives me about 6hr worth of computer time and I have the original battery which holds about 2hr of computer time ..
> 
> For lighting in your house, using 12-volt LED lighting on solar-charged 12-volt RV-style batteries should give you a good week (week plus) of lights. If you use 12-volt RV incadescent lighting, expect 4 days on a full-charge (that is without topping up the batteries via solar-panels or wind-generator).
> 
> If you use the power-technology already in use in your TT (Travel Trailer) and just expand on the battery-banks (lets say that you use 2 RV 6volt batteries in series paralleled in a couple of sets) you would never run out of power.


I have 4 RV 6 volt batteries but never got a solar set up..figured I can run my 2k Honda gen set to recharge ..thing runs like 15 hrs on a tank of fuel..I have two of them to run in tandem if need be..never have tho... but your right I can set my cabin up like an RV, easy way to go..

I don't watch TV either except for netflix and I watch a lot of their movies on my lap top..hell, it's a 12 v world!!.. I don't know how long an RV fridge would last on a 1000 pound cyl of propane but I'd say quite a while..

I'll look into a good quality solar panel set up...plenty of sun here.


----------



## NaeKid

Late last night I found a site full of 12-volt goodies - mostly planned out for the RV-liver or a trucker but they will work very well for a micro-home on 12-volt

12 Volt TV Color Flat Panel LCD TV's - 12 Volt Refrigerators - 12 Volt Appliances - 12 Volt Accessories


----------



## GatorDude

That 12 Volt site looks pretty cool. We've often used car refrigerators and all the other gadgets look pretty nifty too.


----------



## sailaway

You can find alot of 12 volt stuff in truck stops.:2thumb:


----------



## TechAdmin

They made stuff on that site I would never think to need in a twelve volt capacity. A crock pot for instance. A blender? Awesome.


----------



## samw334

Never thought about a truck stop. Thanks.


----------



## HarleyRider

*Have you considered an old RV?*

One quick way to create a mini-home is to purchase an old beat up RV, even if it doesn't have an engine. They generally come with a sofa, bed, fridge, stove, sink, bath, etc. and you can sometimes get them for pennies on the dollar. Just put it where you want it and it should do quite nicely.


----------



## Grizz

Our family cabin is totally off grid. When we bought it in 1978 it was pretty rough. 2 rooms, 16x16 and 10x30. no water, power, phone, windows, refrigerators, bathroom. very rough but what a dream for our family. A lot better than tenting it. the flies and mosquitos were bad at times. used lanterns for light and ice chest for storage. the first year we dug 1/4 mile long ditch and ran pipe to a spring. never had a problem with it, except when a medical helicopter crashed on top of it and melted the pipe. found second hand windows and installed them. Found out why the refrigerator did not work. it had been used in the valley where they have natural gas, so we changed the gas orifice and burped it (set it on its top for a couple days) and no problems since. built an outside shower, you get pretty stinky doing all this work. My grandfather bought us a hot water heater so we plumbed that in. in the next few years my parents bought Propane lights, we worked on the valves to the cook stove with a trash burned on the side and thats all we need for heat. In the dead of winter we snow mobile in and take the chill off the the trash burner and then all we need for heat is the propane lights. We divided the 10x30 room making a bedroom for my grandfather. My mom did not like walking through all the snow to get to the outhouse in winter so the next year another chunk of the big room became a full bathroom. We have also added a storage shed out back with another propane refrigerator for extended stays or large groups. 4 years ago we gutted the cabin, insulated, took the shake roof off and put on a metal roof. We never considered running wire for a generator as we have no need for one. We use oil lamps once in a while. The cabin has been a labor of love for the family and is my favorite place to go and get away. I will retire in 24 months and our plans for our house have been greatly influenced by our cabin. yes we will have power but we will also have the options to be totally off grid. with back ups for the back ups. We currently live in a 2400 sq' house built in 1897. the new house will be a simple rectangle and around 1300 sq'. very energy efficent. very low maintenance and very pleasurable to build. this site has given me, many great ideas of things to put in the plans.


----------



## questor

NaeKid said:


> I can purchase a "large shed kit" from one of the local building-supply stores for a couple thousand. This kit is basically a frame ready to go with a barn-style roof. Easily insulated, add in some windows and you have a 180sq ft home for $1100. Buy two kits, place them back-to-back for ~360sq ft. Build a concrete basement under the house and have about 660ft of living / storage space.
> 
> It might sound bad - but - my entire house is only 820sq ft (each floor) and I have lived there for 12 years ...


heck . . .
get a container, dig a hole and put the "sheds" directly on top the container.


----------



## questor

Dean said:


> They made stuff on that site I would never think to need in a twelve volt capacity. A crock pot for instance. A blender? Awesome.


NOW . . .
If I could just get my shop down to 12 volts I'd be entirely off grid
I could really use a 12 volt lathe, drill press etc.
hmmmmm
how about a 12 volt motor hooked up to a 220 generator (he said with a grin)


----------



## The_Blob

questor said:


> NOW . . .
> If I could just get my shop down to 12 volts I'd be entirely off grid
> I could really use a 12 volt lathe, drill press etc.
> hmmmmm
> how about a 12 volt motor hooked up to a 220 generator (he said with a grin)


how about a small tractor with a PTO to the generator :2thumb:


----------



## questor

actually
my stand by generator operates on either Diesel or Propane


----------



## bradthebard

I'm a little late getting here but I built and lived in a 16X27 cabin with a wife and two kids and no running water for three years. It isn't nearly as hard as folk want to think it is. I find that you can adjust to a lack of what we think are "modern needs" with very little impact on actual quality of life.

I am currently beginning work on a 20X25 cabin that I plan to die in with my wife in about fifty years (I admit, I hope I go first. I don't want to lose her. Any woman that will haul water in a crappy old Ford while I am off working on the road is a keeper!) We cooked on a wood stove a lot of the time and I lived in a tent while we were building it. We have a seriously skewed idea of the difference between a "need" and a "want" these days.


----------



## HozayBuck

*Forgotten thread..*

WOW, time has passed since this thread started... after looking at the small cabin idea, and after rethinking it I still like the idea, but have also looked at my Travel Trailer and have decided that for now it's serving it's purpose , it already is a small cabin it already has everything I would have to put in the cabin, so why bother with a cabin?

It's an Arctic Fox 25 ft with slider, one of the best TT's built, made for cold weather living and is fully self contained...

I will one day build my cabin but for now I can do with what I have..while not having as much room as I'd like it still has all I "need"...

I know my desire to drag the TT all over the country has never worked out so I will just block it up and remove the tires and let it be, a pole barn roof over it and a screened deck and it's good to go..

Less is really better...


----------



## mosquitomountainman

HozayBuck said:


> ...Less is really better...


Now these are words we can all take to heart! After hearing people talk about what they "need" to live I often wonder how mankind survived so many thousands of years before we had running water, electricity, central air conditioning, special clothes for every occassion from riding bicycles to climbing mountains to running, computers, cars, planes, trains, refrigeration .............

:gaah:


----------



## HozayBuck

I agree MMM... about 3 years ago I bought a pair of them wanna be hippy sandals... Berkinwhozitz... and started wearing cargo shorts..and tee shirts, since I spend winters in E TX and summers in MT I can pretty much were them all the time.. and ya know I like it!! less is good!...

My Mom can't understand why I don't have a ton of cloths including suits... hahah, I've never owned a suit that wasn't issued to me by the Corps!! never will..

If we had less, needed less, wanted less, we would have more money to buy.... less?

For me it means freedom, freedom to leave one place and go to another place without hiring a moving van... freedom to go to see to smell...life

I've been telling NK and GS about how I'm gonna sell the big Dodge and get a Ford E cargo van and make it into a rolling do all be all bed room dining room etc... go where I want, see what I want, park anyplace to sleep.. fuel and food... what more is needed?

I'll have my place in E TX for when I need / want to be there but the freedom of life and the road calls...

Yes, less is more! it really is... less gives you more of your time and your life to be used and enjoyed.. and at the end of it all isn't that what it's all about? living? seeing, enjoying? why does it take so long to find this out?

Someplace out there there is a lake or creek or river I've never seen with a fish waiting for me to find it... dinner to cook over the fire.. and a sunset to watch while waiting for the stars to come out and play.....

I've seen a lot in my years and missed so much more... it's time to play catch up... may see yawl down in the desert this winter!! if I can get this van project done by then...


----------



## gypsysue

Hozay, you got your head screwed on right! I think your van plan is a good one! As you know, MMM and I bought a small uhaul truck and we're making it into a BOV/camper/wander-wagon to feed my discontent! I love to wander around the country and see what's out there. An adventure is always around the next corner! As someone who loves to wander and explore, it's no surprise I love the Christmas song that starts out "I wonder as I wander out under the stars".

Our cabin is 16' by 32', and we built on a 12' by 16' bedroom addition, which housed 4 kids before they grew up and left home. People kept telling us to build bigger. Why? More taxes, more upkeep, more cleaning. Now the kids are gone and we have more room than we need.


----------



## jadedsoul

I personally had been considering a small home for over two years. I had always been on the fence about it until recently. I decided to look into purchasing plans and modifying them as I see fit. I decided on http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/products/popomo/> mainly cause the cost was dirt cheap and in my situation cost is a great factor in how I purchase items. Another key factor in my decision is mobility and storage. I figure if i can store my preps and have them already in a vehicle that I just need to hook up to and go. For the most part I have had to keep my preps hidden from my current girlfriend and until recently everything was fantastic. Then I had a personal SHTF situation and found out the place I had been living was $41k behind in taxes and mortgage. I was given 3 days to vacate so I rented a storage unit and rented a uhaul to move. My girlfriend was more than willing to help me out. I have lived a minimalist lifestyle for many years so I have not accumulated much junk. I have what is needed and not much more. When we came to my area where my preps were stored she was in she was shocked and immediately was concerned. I then realized that I had made a huge mistake in asking for her help she works for the state welfare division. We had a long talk (7 hours) of how and why i prep. I used a tragedy that had happened near us to justify my preps and explained that I had enough preps for her and her two children, my two children and my father who is disabled. A little stretching of the truth never helped so much. By the end of the conversation she had turned her view around and started supporting my lifestyle. She called her father and had him haul up their old pace arrow motor home that has not been used since the early 90's. We parked it on a piece of land that I had acquired dirt cheap out in the boonies. Being in Minnesota the winters get cold, so I am building the tiny home to withstand a Minnesota winter. I do not know how long it will take but I am sure once it is finished I will eventually move this old beast out and set up the house on a semi permanent area I have been clearing. I plan to build an underground cellar as my first priority to hide and store my preps. To my surprise she researched all the codes and requirements and has made sure that all of my plans would be able to be done without state hassle :woohoo:. I know it will take a while longer than I had hoped but at least I have a place to start over.


----------



## CulexPipiens

Jadedsoul, I've been to that site in the past and it has some really neat small homes. Definitely worth a look for anyone interested in these.

Also, good to hear that your girlfriend saw the light and came around to what should be a normal way of thinking!


----------



## phxrising

I'm glad to find this thread as it's one of my favorite topics. My "dream" home is no McMansion. It's a 400sq ft or less home. I already live in about a 30X12 apt and I love it! Its WAY small for storage, the only main problem, but otherwise I love not paying all this extra money in rent when I don't have to have the space. Easy to clean, keep up, frees up funds for other things and I could go on and on. It has forced me to simplify my life which has brought nothing but less stress. I'm a huge advocate for it.


----------



## RoadRash

500 sq foot cottage opps 600 minimum requirement for insurance with my INS company. Check with Ins companies first on minimum size they will insure........
Natural gas heat wood stove in shed for the just in case. 2 small bedrooms well insulated, deck, holding tanks 2500 gallons of water , 3000 black water tank, rented most of summer to offset mortgage...... 21 foot trailer on property as bunkie.. cheap to heat and carries for next to nothing with the weekly summer rentals. Will be our retirement home..... If we last that long or our government stops raising the retirement age LMAO


----------



## phxrising

roadrash said:


> 500 sq foot cottage opps 600 minimum requirement for insurance with my INS company. Check with Ins companies first on minimum size they will insure........
> 
> good point roadrash!


----------



## EXPERT_SURVIVALIST_RANGER

My house is 170 sq ft. Its on a trailer.


----------



## EXPERT_SURVIVALIST_RANGER

The best way to get the house you want is draw the blueprints and either have some one build it, or build it yourself....


----------



## kejmack

Ranger, can you post a picture of your house? I'd love to see it!


----------



## Domeguy

*Small Domes*

The monolithic domes i can build are ideal for micro-homes except fot the portability. Have already built several that are 300 ft2. Super energy effcient and almost indestructable. The one in this picture is 10' diameter, about 80 ft2.








This one is a tornado shelter


----------



## EXPERT_SURVIVALIST_RANGER

kejmack said:


> Ranger, can you post a picture of your house? I'd love to see it!


Nope i have a 3 gen ipod touch......... No camera


----------



## EXPERT_SURVIVALIST_RANGER

kejmack said:


> Ranger, can you post a picture of your house? I'd love to see it!


Even if i did have camera, i wouldnt show you because i dont want you to follow me if something happens. It looks like a big metal box with windows.......... Its my first BOL because its on a trailer and i can take it pretty much anywhere! (m35a2)


----------



## swilgus

The dome buildings are inexpensive, easy to build, easy to maintain: but there must be a way to secure it to the ground: in a tornado, the "most" killing force is the debris, AND the fact the wind would pick the building up and fling it like a bad frisbee is also lethal problem. So, when considering such, keep the wind and debris in mind if choosing this for a "tornado" house. For a TEMPORARY bugout building, it COULD serve as one, if it is as small as the picture is showing. For any real long term shelter, they are too primative and small to sustain during a SECOND winter for example; most supplies could be laid up for a 6 month or even year's time line, but beyond that [and if the Power Grid went down 2dary to a solar flare/CME or even nuclear EMP, THAT could be a real scenario] there must be a way to self sustain power and food -farming - and of course water acquisition and storage. No amount of drying makes a gallon of water smaller than it is[  ]. So, plan as if your life depended on it...Be careful,be smart, so you don't have to be lucky...


----------



## Domeguy

swilgus said:


> The dome buildings are inexpensive, easy to build, easy to maintain: but there must be a way to secure it to the ground: in a tornado, the "most" killing force is the debris, AND the fact the wind would pick the building up and fling it like a bad frisbee is also lethal problem. So, when considering such, keep the wind and debris in mind if choosing this for a "tornado" house. For a TEMPORARY bugout building, it COULD serve as one, if it is as small as the picture is showing.


Actually monolithic domes have been constructed as 'safe rooms' and designated 'near absolute' protection by FEMA. I have built 2 community shelters that were mostly funded by FEMA grants for mobile home communities. The 10' diameter dome pictured has a tested tornado door and is designed to be free standing. It's far too heavy to be picked up by any wind. A home would be anchored as well by the footing. The difference between the tornado shelters and a home would be the absence of windows and the 1/4" solid steel doors in the shelters.

My bad!! The small dome pictured DOES NOT have the tornado rated door.


----------



## machinist

We are presently working on this idea of a very small retirement home. I bought an old Caochmen travel trailer, 28 ft., and am rehabbing it to be off-grid entirely. Have solar PV to run a compact fridge/freezer we just bought, a Summit brand, 8.4 cu. ft., and runs on <600 watt hours/day. Lights are to be Thinlight flourescents and 12 volt CFL's with a few LED's for certain uses. Can run those things plus my laptop, some radios, and other misc. with roughly 800 watts of panels.

Kitchen stove and furnace are LP gas. 

A septic system will be installed and water is to come from a cistern. Rainwater will be collected by an open pole shed structure built over the trailer to protect the trailer roof from wear and tear and possible leaks. 

As time and money permit, this pole building will slowly be converted to a cabin about 20' x 30' with woodstove heat. Have spent very little on the trailer, and it offers immediate occupancy. That means we can take our sweet time about building the bugout cabin.


----------



## machinist

*Instant Storage Building*

Anyone thought of using an old truck van body for a storage building? Get an old reefer if possible, since they are insulated. Our DD and SIL bought a couple and had them delivered for something like $400 each, roughly 8 feet wide, by 7 feet tall, by 24 ft. long. Lockable doors on the back. Remove the reefer unit, if it isn't already, and rivet a sheet metal patch over the opening. Stuff in some styroam insulation, and rivet a patch on the inside, too.

Not perfect, but a few cement blocks will do for a foundation, and the doors are fairly burglar resistant with a top quality padlock.

Talk to a truck dealship.


----------



## Startingout-Blair

I'd love to be able to afford a couple (3 or more) shipping containers, but they run $2,500-$4,500 each. And that's without any remodeling that would be required (or insulation). At least one could be half burried in a hillside and used as a root cellar.


----------



## LincTex

Startingout-Blair said:


> shipping containers, run $2,500-$4,500 each. And that's without any remodeling that would be required (or insulation).


That is what they cost for new ones around here. I can buy beat-up 8x40 (non-high cube) for $400 to $800 needing repairs. A nice 9' "High Cube" will bring about $1500- $2000 used.

The 20 footers cost almost as much as the 40 footers :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

That must be due to supply and demand... not many folks have a place to park a 40 footer (and they are way harder to move to location)


----------



## cnsper

Well I guess you can consider my place a micro home.... 10x10 for now outside dimensions. I am working on doubling the size that that will probably do it for now. I don't have a need for anything bigger. Now a tool shed, that will probably end up larger than my house.... LOL


----------



## questor

cnsper said:


> Well I guess you can consider my place a micro home.... 10x10 for now outside dimensions. I am working on doubling the size that that will probably do it for now. I don't have a need for anything bigger. Now a tool shed, that will probably end up larger than my house.... LOL


I've noticed that about some of the 'small homes' I've visited.
for all the stuff they don't have, they have a very large garage/shop.
and that's my plan small 'living space', large work shop.OR
just a large work/shop with a living area in one corner.
and if you're Prepping you need someplace to store your preparations.

one of the things I'm trying to figure out is . . .
If I pass before any of my preparations are needed, who do I leave them to?


----------



## cnsper

questor said:


> one of the things I'm trying to figure out is . . .
> If I pass before any of my preparations are needed, who do I leave them to?


*ME!*

How about a local church as a food bank would probably not take any home stuff.


----------



## questor

the majority of my preparations are at the BOL so that will be divided up amongst the Co-Op. But there is my location, now and my BOB and the
other accoutrements the are need to get from here to there.
Quite a bit of it would not 'be useful' to a church or food bank.

hmmmm this might be a new thread . . . . . .


----------



## Jimthewagontraveler

This will be my second winter living in my home built ceder
Horse drawn home.
I planned to travel extensively but found such a good place 
I have yet to leave.
I have many modern items for luxery.
But my greatest luxery is my tiny wood stove.
It's so small (5x8" door) I found that auto exaust makes a 
wonderful chimney and it is collapsible.
Not expensive 
Not modern
So pleasing to watch


----------



## LincTex

Jimthewagontraveler said:


> I found that auto exhaust pipe makes a
> wonderful chimney and it is collapsible.


Yep, that and old driveshafts! 
The local muffler shop lets me pick whatever pipe I want out of the scrap pile behind the shop. A lot of it is brand new from rich kids wanting louder pipes on their brand-spankin'-new HEMI Dodge


----------



## mamak

I, too, love micro homes. I have looked into different plans, websites, forums and whatnot. I was thinking of purchasing 20 some wooded acres with a stream or some sort of water source and put a little cottage or cabin on it. We could use it for camping and then when SHTF have it as our BOL. My deliema is that I'm finding that certain counties have building codes that include square footage minimums. I am trying to find out more about this. If anyone has any insight, please share.


----------



## mamak

Just found a thread called building permits for survival retreats. I'm gonna read through that -


----------



## LincTex

cnsper said:


> Well I guess you can consider my place a micro home.... 10x10 for now outside dimensions. I am working on doubling the size that that will probably do it for now. I don't have a need for anything bigger.


http://laptopandarifle.wordpress.com/


----------



## readytogo

http://domesintl.com/products.html


----------



## questor

What, exactly, constitutes a 'micro', 'mini' or 'small' home.
I'm looking at a 20x32 garage, with a second floor.
there will be a 'basement'.


----------



## machinist

Wife and I are 67 and have some health problems. We looked at the mini barns, but chose to go with a used RV trailer for a retirement home, placed on our kid's property. Our present home is far too large and will be sold eventually. The RV was built in '88, and needed some work--redid the roof and vents, replaced the fridge and furnace, plus new gas lines, and decorative work. Total cost will be about $2900 complete for 8' x 28' = 228 sq. ft. of space. Note that this cost is ready to live in. 

A septic tank and field cost a little over $1500, since the guy was already on the place doing other work. He also leveled a spot for the trailer. Extending the county water line from the kid's house to ours cost another $600 for materials and renting a ditch witch. At this time we put down 4 layers of 4 mil black plastic on the trailer site and covered it with gravel. That may get concrete later, but is fine for now. 

A pole framed protective roof is under construction, so maintaining the trailer roof is not an issue. This provides shade to keep that trailer from becoming an easy-bake oven in hot weather. Solar PV will provide electricity, mounted on that roof. We plan to make screen walls for this shelter for bug-free summer use. This will cost about $1,500 using some salvaged materials. 

It looks like the total cost will be about $8,000. For that we get a place that is ready to move in, has gas heat and cooking, no electric bill, no sewer bill, and minimal water bill ($20/month). We have plans for buying a used truck body, a reefer unit that will be used for storage for the lawn mower, garden tools, and a small workshop area. That will cost another $1,200 including moving it in. It is 8 ft. x 24 ft., lockable, waterproof aluminum inside and out, and insulated. Including this, the cost is still well under $10K, and people spend a lot more than that on a used car that depreciates as fast as bananas.

Looks like we can live there REALLY cheap. And the kids are right there next door for when we get really old and need some help. Sure beats a nursing home.


----------



## rhrobert

We're getting ready to start our 16x32 offgrid home. Lofts on each side for sleeping quarters, this will provide us with plenty of room. 

People always want more than they need, for us, we are happy to have a place to hang our hats.


----------



## LincTex

questor said:


> What, exactly, constitutes a 'micro', 'mini' or 'small' home?


Just a guess, but I would say anywhere under 600 sq feet qualifies. That size is still really quite doable, for all practical purposes.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/co...ead-construction/466077-650-sq-feet-less.html


----------



## readytogo

*Stop paying for empty spaces.*

Everything is big in America, but not free, the bigger the more taxes, maintenance, daily up-keep and cost overruns.Micro homes are not new, our European friends do to land restrictions have been building Micro homes for years now,also Modular homes. We are beginning to pay attention now. My home is a 1950 build on site home for the Korean War veterans, I have totally rebuild it with modern amenities, electric, plumbing ,new pressure treated lumber framing, roofing and added insulation, all the work done by me and some friends, the house is 24x24 feet, 576 sqf folks, and I don`t lack anything. I do feel sorry for families living on big homes, cooling and heating empty spaces that are nothing to brag about when micro homes, dome homes, modular homes are so available now. Highly insulated, storm proof, ready to set anywhere.
http://domesheltersystem.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html


----------



## LincTex

mike_dippert said:


> I want to get a 28' Uhaul truck and convert it to an RV.


Mosquitomountainman / GypsySue's rig - but there's isn't that long. I think their's is about 16-18 feet.

I know of an old Dodge motorhome with a 440 I could get for $100. I'd have to swap a diesel engine of some kind into it.


----------



## questor

mike_dippert said:


> I want to get a 28' Uhaul truck and convert it to an RV. There are quite a few write-ups floating around the internet about them. Unfortunately the diesels are becoming scarce, and the gassers measure fuel consumption in gallons per mile (exaggeration).


I've always thought a 40 foot step van would be pretty spiffy.
Especially if you could give it 4 wheel drive.
sliding glass doors at the rear with a fold down deck that locks everything in place when folded up.


----------



## BillS

I think a microhome is a terrible idea. High cost per square foot and no room for stuff. That's a big deal if you're a prepper.


----------



## JustCliff

I think I will be going with a container. I have two already and built a bedroom in one of them just to see what it would feel like. Working on getting my BOL straight so when the next container is brought in it can be put in place then the other two can be put were they need to be. 
My son in law is thinking about getting one too so they will have their own place ready at the BOL. 

They are a bit steep in price on the outset but, when you only have so many hands and so little time to work on things, It justifies the price.


----------



## gabbyj310

I bought a "trailer" and have spent a good deal of money on restoration but I "SO" want an small underground real home....SO.......Instead of buying a container(later on) to use for a "shelter" and doing everything that needed to be done,I've thought of building a space in the ground with those new insulated blocks,foundation,and the whatever rooftop to hold the dirt off the trailer roof(which all total, has been waterproofed)then slide the trailer into the space and backfill.I've utilized the trailer for my tornado shelter and plenty of room for all my preps too.Course this is all a maybe,what if,and still in the dream stage but ,hey if I'm winning the lotto,Yipee for me!


----------



## LincTex

BillS said:


> I think a microhome is a terrible idea. High cost per square foot and no room for stuff. That's a big deal if you're a prepper.


No biggie. 
When I lived in my 12x28 cabin, I had a large steel building near that kept all the big stuff.

A small square footage is easier to heat and cool. Most preps are not temp sensitive and can be stored in an outbuilding.


----------



## machinist

Lost another post hitting the SPACE BAR! What the heck is wrong here? 

Yes, I agree to only heating what space you LIVE IN. Keep the food in a root cellar, the tools, farm/garden items and such in an outbuilding, and that covers it. Our vehicles always did live outside. Only the tractor deserves to be inside! 

Oh yeah. And, get RID of all the useless junk most of us store in our homes at an outrageous cost for heating, cooling, and mortgage payments. Downsize and get rid of the mortgage, too!


----------



## cowboyhermit

I have a LOT of stuff, mostly tools and materials but I am also sentimental and love history so I have tons. Literally truckloads. I have been most happy in a small/tiny/micro home. When I see so many people get rid of stuff that they may need and going on a minimalist rampage it make me shake my head. The key, as mentioned above is to keep the storage outside of your actual living space. This is better in many ways, as mentioned only heat/cool what needs to be, things can be stored at a cooler temperature than in a living space, less risk of losing everything, etc and yet everything is there when you need it.

I have lived in a "bunkhouse" that was something like 8x16, a travel trailer, and a 24x24 cabin and enjoyed everyone. My favorite is by far the cabin of course but realistically it is much more room than one person needs. Many families around here had a "summer house" that was much smaller and was used in warmer weather when people are outside most of the time anyways, this worked good for storage because you could shift stuff from one to the other depending on which was used.

The cost/square foot doesn't really matter imo, that's like saying "how much is that car worth/pound". Most people building these are spending a tiny fraction of what a "normal" house costs, that is the significant factor. I do have concerns with many of them though, people don't typically anchor them, they often have a low mass (thermal and structural), and many are putting looks at a higher priority than functionality or durability.

gabbyj310, I really like that idea, if you have a hillside to built it into it will probably be easier. Other than a backhoe not much in the way of special equipment would be required. Of course it could be re-purposed at any time as an excellent storage space or even framed in to make a living/working space on it's own.


----------



## readytogo

*The 'Smallest House in Italy'*

Take a look, it can be build here too.:2thumb:
http://finance.yahoo.com/photos/the...ideshow/1-tiny-house-photo-1376578117692.html


----------

