Delivery of the Newest Tiny House Shell

It is here! Phase two has begun on Tiny House Homestead and it started with the delivery of the shell of my newest building. I thought for this post I would show you in detail how one of these buildings are delivered, set in place, and then leveled.

So let's get started. Brian arrived around 9:30 am and scouted out where I wanted this building to be placed. I had carefully considered where I wanted to place it before I even ordered the building. I got to work with my chainsaw since I had decided to set it back further into the forest. I decided on placing it back in the trees for protection from the winds in winter and the shade of the canopy of leaves in the summer. Once the leaves grow back in this spring the building will blend back into the forest. It will be fantastic! 

Dropping the Building Off the Trailer

The first thing you will notice is that these buildings are delivered on a long trailer, pulled not by a semi, but by a pickup truck with a big engine. The delivery driver for this building was Brian and you will see as we go along he is VERY good at what he does.

Brian set about getting the building loaded on to the Mule while I contemplated how much more space I will have when the other building is gone. Before brush hogging the forest it was in a great place, but now that I have all that additional space, it looks awkward. However, that is just one of the benefits of these buildings, you can move them if you don't like where you initially put them.

Old Building

I am returning the 12' x 32' building I originally purchased to serve as by bedroom and bathroom. After living with it for five months, I just wasn't happy with this particular building for this particular role. I considered eventually turning it into a hobby house, but ultimately decided to return it and go for a building I would feel more comfortable in as my bedroom. I will tackle a "bath shouse" later, but that will be a later post. For now, just know that I feel this was the best option for me and my homestead.

Brian loaded it up on his Mule and got it ready to move.

Moving the Building Via the Mule

Brian drove the building up and looked around. He walked a distance into the trees and, looking up, said, "Um, ya, not sure about getting it in their with those limbs."  I hand't even thought to look up! My myopic self had cleared branches and smaller trees out, but not considered the branches high up. The roof reaches 13' and Brian pointed out that the building might not be able to clear them safely without causing damage to the building. However, being the good sport his was, he set about giving it a whirl. He unloaded the building and scouted out the best path to take.

Since the other building is still here, Brian discovered he would have very little wiggle room, however that didn't stop him. Here is a clip showing how close he had to get to the other buildings before he entered into the forest. Again, Brian demonstrated he has some mad skills!

Entering into the forest slowly, Brian wiggled through the obstacle course of trees and asked me where I wanted it. After conferring on where the barn will be placed, Brian suggested the building go further into the forest so that the view would not be obstructed from any of the windows. I like the way this man thinks.

After deciding on its final resting place, Brian set out to level and block the building while I stepped inside to breathe in the fantastic smell of fresh wood and just take in the space. Yes, this was the perfect choice and I was quite pleased with myself and very comfortable with my decision.

Living in a Tiny House or Shouse Frequently Asked Questions About the Kitchen

My tiny house build. 

So many folks ask me to explain to them how I converted a shed building into a home. There are two specific areas that most are really interested in: The bathroom and the kitchen. Today I thought I would show you a bit of my kitchen and answer some frequently asked questions.




Q. What do you do for a kitchen?

A. I have a regular kitchen with regular things such as a sink, stove, and refrigerator. I have shelves with dishes and lots of food storage. I even have a table that can seat six for a holiday meal. If you have it, most likely I have it too.

My kitchen is cozy and functional.

Q. How do you cook? 

A. I cook in a couple of ways. First, I have a propane cooktop. It is great for frying, boiling, etc. Just like your cooktop, only I have just two burners instead of four. Secondly, if it requires baking or barbecuing, I use the barbecue. I can bake using a dutch oven either on the cooktop or the barbecue. I just preheat the barbecue and use it like an oven. I even cook bacon on the barbecue as well as any foods that have strong odors that may linger such as seafood. Additionally, I have common appliances like a toaster, coffee maker, and crockpot. I can cook just about anything you can cook in a standard kitchen.

Cook Smelly or Messy Foods as well as bake on the Barbecue. 

Q. Where does all your stuff go?

A. I collect the pattern of dishes I have, so I have a ton! Rather than go with standard kitchen cabinets, which upon investigation would only store 2/3 of what I store now, I chose to go with open shelving for both the dishes and the pantry. I have found the shelves look really great, were economical, and are versatile. I can rearrange them as needed without too much hassle.

Just a small portion of the pantry.

Q. How do you store food so bugs don't get to it? 

A. I keep all my perishable items either in the fridge, freezer, or sealed in Mason jars. I also have a vacuum sealer that I swear by. Bugs can't get in to the glass containers and by vacuum sealing food prior to freezing it or storing it, the food stays fresher much longer.

Mason jars and airtight plastic storage.

Q. How big is the refrigerator in your tiny house?

A. The refrigerator I chose is a 10 cubic foot model. The fact is I will freeze far more than I refrigerate, so I chose a smaller than average refrigerator. However, I do have a chest freezer I keep on the porch for putting by food.

10 cubic foot refrigerator.

Q. How do you store pet food in a tiny house?

A. I chose to store cat food in a container I found at a big box store. I added a galvanized trash can with a locking lid for the dog food. Both seal the food in to keep critters out and both fit the rustic theme I am going for with my decor.

Pet Food Container from World Market

There are lots more questions folks ask me every day, but these are the ones I could think of off the top of my head. What questions do you have a about living in a tiny house?

My Shed is Finally a Home!

Well folks, it has finally come to pass. After all the electrical work, insulation, wall board, flooring, and lighting, today I got to move furniture into the Shouse. I have a functioning living room, functional kitchen, and a kitchen table for eating meals. I can hardly believe it myself!Here is how my noteworthy weekend played out.

Saturday I wanted to go to Wichita, Kansas for a beer festival, but that just wasn't in the cards (or the bank account) so instead I headed into Oklahoma City and went to Tapwerks. Tapwerks is located in a neigborhood called Bricktown.Tapwerks claim to fame is that they at have over 100 beers on tap and another 150 beers in bottles. Oklahoma has some antiquated alcohol laws, so buying beer over 3 points (3-5% alcohol) is restricted. Finding micro-brews is difficult and very few local resturants carry anything but Budweiser and Michelob (insert retching sound here). I wanted to try some local Oklahoma micro-brews and Tapwerks was just the right place to go for some. I took a "beer flight" and tried 4 types of beers made right here in OK. 

I had the OK tray 9

OK Beer Flight (ya, the tray was nasty)

The menu had the typical bar fare and for a minute I thought I would have to order a burger, but then I spotted Chicken Pot Pie. I took a gamble and ordered it. I could not believe how lucky I was in my choice. Here is what it looked like: 

Chicken Pot Pie

That was the most delicious pot pie I have ever had. Ever. It was so rich and yummy, but I couldn't finish it all because I had gorged myself on Mango Salsa as an appetizer. All in all it was a great meal and the beer was wonderful.

After dinner we took a walk around downtown OKC. We walked past lots of small stores and restaurants. We even passed by the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Ultimately we thought about seeing a movie, but the one we wanted to see had already started. We walked back to the car and headed home. I was so full I was uncomfortable, but it was worth it! 

Clowning around in Bricktown

Sunday morning we got up and began finishing the last of the wall board in the Shouse and our friend, Terry and his boys, Daniel and Ian, came over around 2 to help us pick up furniture from the old mobile we use for storage and transfer it into the Shouse. Here is what load number one looked like: 

Terry keeping stuff from falling out

We moved the living room furniture and the kitchen table and chairs into the Shouse. Here are some shots of what the inside looks like now that furniture is in:

The all-important television on the fireplace.

Living room before final piece of wall board was hung.

First beer to be enjoyed in the living room.

The view from the living room to the kitchen. 

I am so pleased with the way the Shouse is coming together. The living room is spacious and so cozy with the fireplace. I know I have a ways to go to complete the Shouse, but it is functional and I think it is really beginning to look and feel like a home. 

What do you think?

The Shouse and Shedroom Have Been Delivered!

Ever wondered how pre-built sheds are delivered and leveled on your lot? Wonder no longer! Here are  my two buildings being delivered. I purchased the buildings from two different companies, so I will post them being delivered in the order in which they were delivered. The beauty of having the buildings portable at first is that I get to position them on the land exactly where I want them. In fact, I am not quite satisfied with the placement of the Shedroom (bedroom and bathroom) so the gentleman you see in the video will be coming back this week to reposition it for me.

First, let me show you what my road looks like. You will notice there are no obstructions or low power lines. There are o obstructions or limitations to prevent delivery.

Meet the Shedroom

I am excited for tomorrow because both the main Shouse building AND the Shedroom buildings will be delivered. By 6pm tomorrow I should have both shells ready to be converted into my livable tiny house!

I Ordered My Shouse!

Check it out! I ordered it! I ordered my Shouse and it should be delivered by the 30th of this month. I sure hope it gets here sooner and you will understand why in my next post. Just suffice it to say that I have had enough of roughing it and am ready to get on with the building!

Round and Round the Shouse We Go!

Well, I am here on my property and I could not be more pleased with the beauty of this piece of land. I still can’t get over it being mine! The trees, the greenery, and the cool breeze all conspired to make me fall in love. My neighbors and new friends prepared for my arrival by mowing my yard and then gave me a lovely gift basket with some great locally made or grown products. She even included a book on raising goats!  Let me back up a step and tell you all about my arrival here.

A Guide to Options When Ordering Your Custom Shouse

Now that I have officially settle on a Shouse, I have begun research on the Shouse of my dreams. I really did not know there were so many options when it came to having a custom shed built, but I think I now have a good grasp on what will be needed to build a structure that will serve as a house for many years to come. Here are things I took into consideration:

• Construction: Many sheds are built using cheaper materials. Since sheds don't have to meet code requirements in most cities if they are under 200 sq. ft., builders can get away with this. Let's face it, most folks don't look at a shed and think, "Wow, that would make a great house!" So I set about looking and comparing construction techniques to try to find a shed builder that would build one as close to normal framing for a house since I know that will stand for many, many years. I found that 2 x 4 construction with 16" on center studs in the floor and 24" in the walls were the way to go. This allows for insulation, just as in normal house construction. Plus it allows for easy drywall, paneling, or wall board installation.

• Roofing Material: I have decided to go with a shingle roof. Where I will be living has the potential for hale storms. I think that asphalt shingles absorb the impact a little better. Plus, roofing material comes in a variety of colors as well. I am going with red. Combined with the stained building it will look great and keep out the rain for many, many years.

• Interior Options:  I opted to increase one of the lofts from 4' to 10'. This allows a ton of room for a bed and storage. The shed I am going with has quite a bit of space in the loft, so it is actually usable. Use caution if you decide to go this route as not all buildings are created equal. Be sure the loft space is actually functional if you plan to use it. In  my Shouse, one loft will be a bedroom and the other loft will be storage. 

• Door: I chose to get a quote for what is known as a "Tall Barn" shed. This means the walls are 7' tall and I can install a standard size front door. The buildings often come standard with 6' double-doors that open to allow for riding lawn mowers and other suck larger items to easily enter and exit, but I definitely don't want them. I will consider adding a sliding door in the future when I get around to building the back deck, but for now the standard front door is all I need. 

• Size: I was pleasantly surprised to find that you can order some quite large prefab shed buildings. I have decided that I will go with the largest I can get in the area I am looking at because I am not interested in having to up-size later. I have chosen the 12' x 36' size. That is 432 sq. ft. of very livable Shouse plus the 120 sq. ft. in the loft and another 48 sq. ft in the storage loft. This allows me to have a large pantry/office area, in addition to room for the washer and dryer, all under the loft, with the rest being open to the high ceiling. This will help create the illusion of space. I will eventually add a staircase to the lofts, but for now will use a ladder that can be moved. I will be posting the floor plan I have designed in the future, so, if you are curious, stay tuned.

• Windows: The company I am looking to order my Shouse from will install windows at my request, They have several sizes available and each window opens and closes along with having screen to keep flying insects out. I toyed with buying and installing my own, but in the long run this seems to be the best option since they will guarantee installation, install matching trim, and paint the trim to match. I will give the builder placement information once I confirm the layout I am going with. 

• Finishing: You can choose three options with regards to finishing your Shouse externally: Paint, stain, or unpainted. I am going with staining. If you enjoy painting and have access to the painting supplies, you may wish to just order it unpainted and finish out the outside however your wish. I am ordering my building stained because I like the cabin-like appearance of the building. I don't want to mess with having to finish the exterior so I find the extra $300 or so dollars it cost to order it stained a worthwhile investment.

• Other Options: Many shed companies offer insulation, electrical, and limited plumbing. If you have the budget, they can do the work. I don't know what that runs since I will be doing all my own electrical and plumbing, but you can bet it isn't cheap. 

Ok, so dear reader, wondering what this beauty is gonna cost me?  $7,485 for the prefab 12 x 36' Building,  9 Lite Steel Door: $275,  Windows (5 @$65 each and 4@$75 each) $625, plus the cost to increase the lofts of $375. Estimated total:  $8760 plus tax. Insulation, wall board, electric, and plumbing will be an additional cost. Even so, tell me where I can buld a house for under $14,000? A sweet deal if you ask me.

So now that you know a little more about the construction of one of these sheds, do you think a Shouse is a good idea or bad?

I am Building A Shouse

Rancho No Dinero is evolving. Come discover what a Shouse is and where my new piece of land is located. Welcome to the new and improved Rancho No Dinero!

Check out this episode!

It Is Official - I Am Going With The Shouse

You may recall my post on November 14th about converting a prefab shed into a house. If not, you can read it here. Go, I will wait. Ok, you get the gist of it, right? I did not post yesterday as I was deep in thought about the building of the Tiny House. The piece of land I am looking at had a mobile home on it at one time, so I am happy to report it already has septic, a well, and electric going to it. That is HUGE in the world of land improvements. While I still plan to ultimately be off the grid, those improvements mean I can do more down the line if I choose to. The beauty of where this land is located is that code is not an issue. That means that building a tiny house on wheels may no longer be the best option for me. Let me explain why I am thinking a Shouse would be a better option.

First off, let me explain that a shouse is a shed or outbuilding that has been converted into a house or living space. From here on out I shall distinguish between a tiny house as a house on wheels and a shouse as a shed converted into a house. Here is why I think in my homesteading situation a shouse would be a wiser choice. Let us compare the two:

• My shouse will be 12' x 30' or 360 sq. ft 12' x 36' or 432 sq. ft. plus the loft space of 120 sq. ft. A tiny house is 130 to 204 sq. ft.
• A shouse allows for a full size bathroom and a washer/dryer. A tiny house does not.
• A shouse will allow me to can (preserve food) and put by. A tiny house has more limitation with regards to stocking up and cooking.
• A shouse will allow me to keep my freezer. I could not fit a freezer in my tiny house. 
• The shouse will have a loft that is 12' x 10' with enough headroom to put a long dresser on one side. A tiny house loft has only enough space for the mattress.
• The shouse can have a small staircase. The tiny house has a ladder or a staircase, but the staircase takes up valuable space. 
• I can install a more user-friendly closet in the shouse.
• I can use regular, full-size furniture in the shouse. 
• I can continue to sew using both my machines at the same time in a shouse. There is not enough room for my sewing machines in the tiny house. 
• The dog and cat will have more space in the shouse than in the tiny house. I can install a doggy door as well.
• The cost for the shell of the shouse (not including electric wiring, plumbing, insulation, and wall board) is the cost of just the trailer for the tiny house. 
• Windows can be installed where ever I want them in the shouse.'
• I can insulate the shouse just as effectively as the tiny house and still use my electric fireplace to heat the place.
• I can install an a/c unit in the shouse. 
• Like the tiny house, I can build the shouse on skids so that the building can be moved later if I so desire. If I don't like where I set it up at first, I will just have it moved to where I desire it.

So, I do believe that I have made a decision to go with the shouse. You will see that the information I provide in this blog is still related to tiny house living, as a shouse is not a mansion and the two are not mutually exclusive, but you will also note that this blog is really focused not only on living in a small footprint, but about living a more sustainable life.

What do you think of 360 square feet? Does this seem too small still or is this more reasonable in size for you?