Tiny houses!

[jaqeboy]

How much are you charging?  I like those tiny little houses, but I don't see the point in paying all that money for plans from Tumbleweed when you could just design something similar yourself.

$1,000 for good plans isn't a bad price. I paid $500 for the plans for my house, and they were just OK. They were also pretty standard.

The tiny houses need better plans than a standard house because they're non-standard.

Looking at the website, it looks like the completed houses go fo around $40K and up. Jack might have some options that could make it cheaper or more expensive.

Heck, if I was starting all over, I'd probably go for it myself. One of these on a nice chunk of Grafton area land would be pretty cool. Not to mention that your bug out plan could include bringing everything with you 

Yeah, I favor the Weebee design because the bumpout in front is wide enough for a sofabed. I'd love it if 2 other folks wanted Weebees. And, yep, it's towable, and because it would have a chassis and wheels, it would be considered "portable" (a camper/trailer - I'll have all the N.H. details on regs soon). I believe the price that Tumbleweed quotes on their site is for them to build it and for you to pick it up in Sebastopol, California, but I'll confirm that. My modifications would make the materials and appliances more costly, but would keep 'em warmer up here in the winter and would make the homes more autonomous re water & wastes, light & electricity, solar gain and thermal storage.

Payments for the construction of the houses would be progressive with several milestones where materials and appliancess had to be purchased. If I can get 2 other takers on the Weebee, I'll begin serious costing on that one right away. Also, you may want to join me on a road trip to NYC to see them up close at a workshop on May 17th (cost=$275, but free if you're buying plans).

[John Edward Mercier]

The State would list it as a camper trailer for registration purposes...
Most of the restrictions would be local. Don't know if this helps.

[Caleb]

Not if you didn't register it

[jaqeboy]

The State would list it as a camper trailer for registration purposes...
Most of the restrictions would be local. Don't know if this helps.

Got a cite to the statute or motor vehicle reg?

Thanx

[John Edward Mercier]

Not if you didn't register it

You don't have to register it... but over road travel would be the major focus of the State.

The State would list it as a camper trailer for registration purposes...
Most of the restrictions would be local. Don't know if this helps.

Got a cite to the statute or motor vehicle reg?

Thanx

If you would like to register it... www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/dmv or www.dmv.org (the unofficial site is accurate and easier to use).

[Fluff and Stuff]

Some interesting links from there,
http://www.dmv.org/nh-new-hampshire/rv-motor-homes.php
http://www.dmv.org/nh-new-hampshire/other-types-of-vehicles.php#Trailer_Registration_and_Titling

[jaqeboy]

Some interesting links from there,
http://www.dmv.org/nh-new-hampshire/rv-motor-homes.php
http://www.dmv.org/nh-new-hampshire/other-types-of-vehicles.php#Trailer_Registration_and_Titling

Thanks for the leads - I'll go print out the exact statutes, too - just hadn't gotten around to it yet.

So how many of these tiny houses do you want? We can start right away!

[jaqeboy]

Yeah, I know. Once I get started with them, maybe we can get them over to the East Coast for a workshop.

OK, there is a workshop in NYC by the Tumbleweed folks a week from Saturday (17 May 08). I'm looking for someone to go along and share travel/parking costs, and also because the second person, my guest, gets in cheaper. Would have to leave NH really early and return really late.

If interested, call me at 233-1058

Here's the info on the workshop: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/workshops.htm

[jaqeboy]

Yeah, I know. Once I get started with them, maybe we can get them over to the East Coast for a workshop.

OK, there is a workshop in NYC by the Tumbleweed folks a week from Saturday (17 May 08). I'm looking for someone to go along and share travel/parking costs, and also because the second person, my guest, gets in cheaper. Would have to leave NH really early and return really late.

If interested, call me at 233-1058

Here's the info on the workshop: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/workshops.htm

Any takers - just a few days left...

[Pat McCotter]

my parents are going to be here this weekend so, no, I can't make it. Enjoy, jaqeboy!!!

[jaqeboy]

Dang, I'm not going to make it either because of other commitments, but I might get a chance to meet Jay and make some kind of deal after the workshops are over.

[maulotaur]

I plan to build 3 tiny houses (modified Tumbleweed style) that will be very low-impact, nearly energy-independent, but definitely off-grid and towable. I'll start this season if I can get 2 folks interested in buying the other 2 (one's for me) within a month.

Your project sounds interesting there.  I have been considering doing something similar to this for living in one and renting out of the others.  Tumbleweed was one of the first examples that I looked at because it was featured in an article.  While they do look very detailed and nice in the photos, I think that they are much too expensive to be practical for this purpose.  They are also a little smaller than what I am looking into, and I do not think I will be towing.  Last month through a tiny houses mailing list, I came across a company that provides frame kits which are said to be "extremely well built, attractive, energy efficient, affordable and easy to complete to suit ones needs..."  I am still looking into how to attain high insulation value and/or passive solar heating qualities in regards to the particular climate there. 

[jaqeboy]

I plan to build 3 tiny houses (modified Tumbleweed style) that will be very low-impact, nearly energy-independent, but definitely off-grid and towable. I'll start this season if I can get 2 folks interested in buying the other 2 (one's for me) within a month.

Your project sounds interesting there.  I have been considering doing something similar to this for living in one and renting out of the others.  Tumbleweed was one of the first examples that I looked at because it was featured in an article.  While they do look very detailed and nice in the photos, I think that they are much too expensive to be practical for this purpose.  They are also a little smaller than what I am looking into, and I do not think I will be towing.  Last month through a tiny houses mailing list, I came across a company that provides frame kits which are said to be "extremely well built, attractive, energy efficient, affordable and easy to complete to suit ones needs..."  I am still looking into how to attain high insulation value and/or passive solar heating qualities in regards to the particular climate there. 

What's the company and the tiny houses mailing list? Don and Cathleen here have done a lot of research on the passive solar and have broken ground on a passive solar house just a few weeks ago here. They might be able to help. If you're coming to PorcFest, she may give a talk about the house at the AltExpo (tent #P32).

[maulotaur]

What's the company and the tiny houses mailing list? Don and Cathleen here have done a lot of research on the passive solar and have broken ground on a passive solar house just a few weeks ago here. They might be able to help. If you're coming to PorcFest, she may give a talk about the house at the AltExpo (tent #P32).

The mailing list I was referring to is a Yahoo group:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TinyHouses/

[jaqeboy]

Thanks, I joined the Yahoo group.

I didn't get to meet Jay in NYC (since I didn't end up going), but I notice on his website, that he's dropped the price for a set of plans from $997 to $695. I'm sure he heard a lot of bitching about the $1000 price point.