Add a rooftop deck and it's perfect. I like the bed design, climbing wall, human generator. It's pretty well designed. What do you think?
I am a bit sceptical about the value of the hamster wheel. I'd like to know how long you have to walk on that thing to generate one kWh. I suspect it only generates in the order of 50W, in which case 20hours of walking would be needed!
That was my thought as well but I liked it just for its exercise value and any power generated is a bonus.Yes it looks nicely done. Just one thing: I am a bit sceptical about the value of the hamster wheel. I'd like to know how long you have to walk on that thing to generate one kWh. I suspect it only generates in the order of 50W, in which case 20hours of walking would be needed! But maybe the electrical requirements are very low, since the heating and cooking is all propane (a retrograde step compared to use of on-grid methane, but I realise this is not being promoted as eco-friendly).
Exactly. One gets about 150W on a rowing machine at steady state, but that is hard work. So I can't see how just walking, against the resistance of the dynamo, can yield more than 50W or so.Yeah, I'm curious about that, as well. With a bicycle, one can generate about 100W, pedaling at a "moderate" pace--I'd have to delve a bit further for the specifics. So more than a full day's work for a kWh--nothing to get terribly excited about.
Entertainment.It wouldn't matter, but for the fact that this wheel becomes a central feature of the living room. So it needs to justify its presence, I feel.
I agree, that seems to apply to tiny houses in general even if they are on the grid. It's generally easier to just buy an older traditional "small" house and don't do it in one of the more expensive markets.I like. I’ve become a bit obsessed with watching YouTube vids of tiny house/living off the grid homes. But, in some cases, the cost to build off the grid homes seemed pretty expensive.
It's okay for a vacation cabin, or a single person. Certainly not a family, or even an adult couple who have occupations and lives. That kitchen is inadequate and the lack of privacy would drive me mad in no time. Also, where would you keep the books?
It's not laid out as efficiently as it could be, partly, I suppose, because they need the big empty space in the middle for the elevator-bed. That, like the treadmill, is likely for novelty value, rather than functionality. I'd have a fold-out that serves as seating in the daytime and ditch that big stupid bathtub - or at least put a cover on and use it as a table.Kinda weird. The guy says it's 20' x 26', whereas our A-frame is only 18' x 22' (w/ small loft space); yet we seem to get a hell of a lot more out of supposedly smaller space.
Need those for a permanent residence.We have a couple of small outbuildings, as well
Yay! Glass or plastic? Hydroponics or dirt? Heated? How? (Never mind; my preoccupations don't belong here.eventual greenhouse,
That's tiny. But at least it's all your own.and my studio/workshop (6' x 12' interior).
It often looks like people are unnecessarily forcing themselves to live in a too small environment when for the same money they could just buy a regular 2 bed/1 bath home in a small town.
(greenhouse)
Yay! Glass or plastic? Hydroponics or dirt? Heated? How? (Never mind; my preoccupations don't belong here.)
That's tiny. But at least it's all your own.
When you build a bigger one, you can make wine in there.
We're in Zone 4 and have one attached to the house. It's made of old windows on a wood frame (plus two layers of heavy plastic lining - a little cat hides in there) and has a heated concrete floor. It's a propane furnace, so we only use the floor-heating in the coldest times, but there is an open door from the house. The stands for the planter-tops are made of a couple of dozen great big plastic drums filled with water. On top is a row of shallow hydroponic tanks. We get fresh kale, chard, escarole, arugula and bok choy all year; I also have some peas and spinach coming up in containers of earth along the far wall.I'm still working it out. Probably plastic and dirt--if I can figure out a way to heat it with minimal investment resource waste, I would like to do that. I'm not sure how feasible a year-round greenhouse is in our zone.
Hey, you does your woodwork wherever you can plug in your saber saw. I prefer hand or cord tools, because the batteries don't last worth a damn, but sometimes we have to be mindful of available sunlight.I work on larger projects (involving carpentry, etc.) outside, when feasible, and in the house, which is weird--I should probably move such projects to the teepee.
this is going to sound very pessimistic, but ...It's pretty well designed. What do you think?
definitely an issue for us, to be sure!Also, where would you keep the books?
not always. you have to consider power generated compared to output as well as resulting situational contaminants, IMHO. Taking a stroll on the hamster wheel during inclement weather sounds all good until you work up a sweat in a small space, and that doesn't even include the cleaning requirements for the wheel. You would have to walk slow and keep it very, very clean.That was my thought as well but I liked it just for its exercise value and any power generated is a bonus.
it can be expensive, or you can do what I did: move and remodel a small barn. (448 square feet)I’ve become a bit obsessed with watching YouTube vids of tiny house/living off the grid homes. But, in some cases, the cost to build off the grid homes seemed pretty expensive.
depends on the time of year. in the summer, you can roll up the sides. I don't recommend it in the winter, though. traps dust, confined space, etc. (unless you're strictly using hand tools, then I would recommend it, unless it's cheaper to buy a barn)(A teepee strikes me as the whole wrong shape and lighting for carpentry - but I've never worked in one.)
Moving a barn to your property is harder than setting up a tipi. Personally, I'd go for a lean-to, made of local/found/recycled materials in summer and stop heavy carpenting in winter - unless you had a commercial operation and deadlines to meet, in which case it's worth your while to build a proper workshop to your particular requirements.depends on the time of year. in the summer, you can roll up the sides. I don't recommend it in the winter, though. traps dust, confined space, etc. (unless you're strictly using hand tools, then I would recommend it, unless it's cheaper to buy a barn)
I don't know... I just watched the barn being moved, so it was quite easy, whereas the Tipi was a whole lot harder, especially as it was just the wife and me.Moving a barn to your property is harder than setting up a tipi
it would have to be. anyone living there long term with someone else would go nuts!Do keep in mind, though: the cabin of this thread is nobody's permanent residence: it's a short-term rental.
that sounds kinda interesting. We got most of our ideas from blue water sailing magazines and the Solar Living SourcebookI watched a series on Netlix where different people built all kinds of portable cabins - just to be occupied for short vacations. Can't see the point of it, really, but enjoyed the innovative designs.
I've watched a church, a Southern mansion and a lighthouse being moved, and I got plum tuckered out, just thinking about why anyone is that crazy or that rich.I don't know... I just watched the barn being moved,
I see a whole new reality show concept.....(granddaughters hillbilly glam-camping experience with an en-suite pee-pee tipi - LOL)
...or be living alone again, one way of t'other.anyone living there long term with someone else would go nuts!
Not on You Tube - we haven't enough bandwidth to go exploring. May have caught it regular tv - it sounds vaguely familiar. But then, we watch Holmes, This Old House, that one about flipping properties and Grand Designs - anything to to do with building and renovation. In the olden days, I used to gobble up Harrowsmith articles on construction.Have you ever watched "Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley" on youboob?
tell me about it!just thinking about why anyone is that crazy or that rich.
on youboob or IRL?I've watched
Hey... not a bad thought! I'll talk to the wife and see if she wants to be famous and write up the concept for one of the American TV stations (I don't think other nations are tasteless enough to actually air the idea, but I could be wrong). I'm thinking I should make it a Bear Grylls/Duck Dynasty meets the Kardashians and go hillbilly glamping. I'm open to suggestions about possible trials, tribulations and things to do for the serial, with full credit to you as co-author since you're the one who got me thunkin' on it.I see a whole new reality show concept.....
good question. I always thought it was more about the circular nature of popular or fashionable styles, like high-waist jeans and bell-bottoms around here. When the grandkids act up I threaten them by telling them I am going to buy a pair of bell-bottoms and make sure I can belt them around my chest, then walk around their school asking after them. All I need now are some platform shoes with goldfish in the heel... I think my brother still has a pair!Here's a ponderable: why grey? For years now, any interior surface that's not glass or wood is grey-scale. Is it that people are suffering sensory overload from living in cities, surrounded by colour and noise and motion all the time, they need to recover in a B&W home-scape?
Love it! But take it easy on the young'uns. Our mandate is to ally with them against the generation in between.When the grandkids act up I threaten them by telling them I am going to buy a pair of bell-bottoms and make sure I can belt them around my chest, then walk around their school asking after them. All I need now are some platform shoes with goldfish in the heel...