Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Call me an old codger (wouldn't be far from the truth!) but I think larger homes are not helping build strong families either. After supper (if we even have family supper any more) everyone goes off to their own cave to do whatever... no interaction, no learning by osmosis from one another, no learning how to work together and share space...
Heck, I know families that IM each other on the computers when they are all under the same ROOF!
Yah I agree with you. Sorta like you can't be close unless you're close. I heard someone say "if you want to save your marriage, have only one car," forcing you to rely on each other and plan together.
And how often do you see big house folks shutting off rooms in the winter so they're not heated? I don't think I can stand to hear the phrase "granite countertops" or "walk-in closets" one more time. Although my thread wasn't to decry the big houses, I agree it's not just the mortgage and heating costs that are the problem.
On the small house websites, there are many in warm-weather climates. I'm wondering how things work heating-wise, preventing pipes from freezing without a basement, and all those other practical aspects I know little about up here. I'm also hoping to learn from the experience of anyone who has built one mistakes to avoid.
I suppose tips about getting a house built in general are helpful, but I wonder if there are special considerations for the small ones.
Check out the great homes by Ross Chapin. Not quite as small as you'd originally requested but it is small by today's standards. If I were to build a home, I would choose one of his.
I am in a 747 sq' home and it's really not too bad. Storage is my main issue but it forces me to send stuff out to Goodwill that I would normally keep stuffed away forever. Easy to maintain, I can paint it in a weekend and it doesn't cost a fortune to heat and cool. My best advice is to make sure you have storage, an attic is a must in such a small house. You've gotta have somewhere to stash your Christmas stuff right?
Well we are in a trailer, on a slab... and honestly after looking at all the basements I have seen (admittedly under OLD houses!) in the north-of-Bangor area, I am glad we do not have one. Still need to figure how to do a root cellar thing, but those basements were dreadful... moldy, wet...
I would think that regardless of the size of the house, one would insulate the pipes, pressure tank, etc. and the inside of the foundation also, like was done here. With a tiny house, perhaps when it got VERY cold, your crawl space would be small enough that turning on a lightbulb under there -- if the foundation part that was above ground level were well insulated -- would help keep the frozen pipes at bay.
If you don't have inside walls to run them against to the sink, etc. then I would insulate like mad and make sure that they all had cupboard doors or other access panels that could be allowed to be open at bit in the worst of winter, to allow the heat inside the house to better warm the pipes.
I am also thinking that siting the bathroom or other areas with pipes on the side of the house that is TOWARD the prevailing winds is not the best idea. Here, our "master bath" is on the end of the trailer (which I think is dumb anyways) and that end faces our constant wind from the west. We have had one spell when a sink pipe froze already, in the early AM and stayed frozen most of the day, despite our efforts. I had noticed it seemed to want to, when I got up in the morning, but did not leave it running a trickle. NEXT time I will... no matter what time of day. Never had pipe freeze during the daytime anywhere else.
We are in 975 sq feet and, because of the poor layout, it's too small for our particular needs. A better layout and maybe an additional 25 sq ft for the bathroom, and it would be fine. I truly cannot imagine trying to live with even 1 other person in 700 sq ft or less.
I will say the key to small house living is utilizing every square inch. You need to really think about how you live in your home and design it to your very specific needs. The last thing you would ever want to do is waste space. And of course, storage, storage, storage. Take the closets right up to the ceiling and have organizers installed in every one of them. And an attic or dry basement is a must.
We are in 975 sq feet and, because of the poor layout, it's too small for our particular needs. A better layout and maybe an additional 25 sq ft for the bathroom, and it would be fine. I truly cannot imagine trying to live with even 1 other person in 700 sq ft or less.
I will say the key to small house living is utilizing every square inch. You need to really think about how you live in your home and design it to your very specific needs. The last thing you would ever want to do is waste space. And of course, storage, storage, storage. Take the closets right up to the ceiling and have organizers installed in every one of them. And an attic or dry basement is a must.
Its a boat mentality. I build boats for a living and every cubic inch of space is pressed into service. Its all they got so they got to make the most of it.
To answer the original posters question though..yes I have lived in a small home. When I first started out in life (18) I tried to get a loan from the bank but I was turned down. Undeterred, I cut wood on the farm here, had it sawn into lumber, cobbled up some money and built a 24 x 24 garage. I lived out of that for a few years, then added on a 16 x 24 addition. That brought my total BF to 900+.
It was a small home, but had big rooms. (12 x 24 kitchen) (16 x 24 living room) (12 x 16 bedroom) and a (8 x 12 bathroom). I would say that the 24 x 24 garage was a bit too small, but the 24 x 40 home was just right. After having a baby though we added a 28 x 40 addition. Now my home is 2100 sq ft and its too big really. (we are foster parents though which does change things somewhat).
As for a foundation, I don't think there is a better foundation in Maine then a cement slab. With the benefits of radiant floor heat, Maine's wet weather and its lower cost...its the only foundation I would have.
My place in Maine is less than 500 sf under a roof.
Through the forest, it looks a lot like this:
I once suffered a peeping Tom, so it has no windows, quite intentionally. But the view of the night sky and lightening storms is awesome through the windows in the ceiling.
Oh, and I share this with two indoor dogs (one 60+ pounds) and 7 parakeets.
Last edited by AliceT; 11-26-2008 at 06:45 PM..
Reason: did a booboo
Personally, I think "house size inflation" is a terrible shame, especially as the typical family is getting smaller. So much of the space in many houses I have seen is seldom used or just plain wasted, due to lack of design planning.
Call me an old codger (wouldn't be far from the truth!) but I think larger homes are not helping build strong families either. After supper (if we even have family supper any more) everyone goes off to their own cave to do whatever... no interaction, no learning by osmosis from one another, no learning how to work together and share space...
Heck, I know families that IM each other on the computers when they are all under the same ROOF!
So true, star. You are most certainly not an old "codger!"
In addition, so much of the space in the more modern larger homes is total wasted space. Out here in AZ, many of the homes have very high ceilings in the "great room" and entry and are filled with useless plant shelves that are way up high and collect dust.
Personally, I think "house size inflation" is a terrible shame, especially as the typical family is getting smaller. So much of the space in many houses I have seen is seldom used or just plain wasted, due to lack of design planning.
Lack of basement/attic and storage space in the living quarters...
More costly to heat
More rooms to be lit (and for lights and other devices to be left ON in
etc etc
Call me an old codger (wouldn't be far from the truth!) but I think larger homes are not helping build strong families either. After supper (if we even have family supper any more) everyone goes off to their own cave to do whatever... no interaction, no learning by osmosis from one another, no learning how to work together and share space...
HUGE +1 to that, starwalker... and this coming from a Gen X'er... (so you're not an old codger! ). I've lived in a 3800sf house (and was never unhappier) as well as 28sf tent (albeit for only a few months (but was never happier).
Thanks for such good responses, all. This is what I was looking for. I agree it's boat living mentality, that super-efficient use of space with some whimsy perhaps.
Alice - thanks for the photo. Interesting about your windows. Did you have this house built on the site or was it delivered? What type of basement, if any, do you have? Do you live in it year round? How do you heat it?
Northern Maine Land Man - those Hill View durable camps look very good as well as the log cabin, and the options they offer are good (porches, insulated floors, skylights, chimney, composting toilets - wow)! The price is very appealing too. It makes the idea of buying a great piece of land doable for a woman like me that wants acreage and privacy but has no building experience.
JKMEWright - I checked out the Ross Chapin designs, thanks. Really impressive. They have whole neighborhoods of his houses in WA. I like the 540 sf Lizzie cottage (Small Homes by Ross Chapin Architects).
I knew a couple on a Pen Bay island who lived in a traditional gypsy wagon in the woods with an outdoors kitchen. The boatbuilder half of the couple took his skiff to a neighboring island to work in his boatshop. It was a delightful space but too small for winter sanity.
I welcome all ideas and recommendations. Hopefully this idea will turn into a reality in the coming year to be posted here.
While I can see the heating advantages of a small house, I don't really want to live in one. My wife and I moved from a huge, two-floor apartment to a cramped 3rd-floor attic walk-up (maybe 500 sq. ft. if you count the stairwell), and it was tough for us to live in. Then we moved to an 1100 sq ft house, better, but still not enough. Now we have an 1800 sq ft house, and I can already see that it isn't going to be enough for the two of us and I'm making plans for additions.
Different strokes for different folks. Closeness and togetherness are fine, but sometimes you need to be able to get a little separation too. We each need some of our own space to get away from the other if we want/need to...and, sometimes, we *NEED* to- we can both be rather opinionated and obstinate and when we get to butting heads, a little space is a *good thing*.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
). I've lived in a 3800sf house (and was never unhappier) as well as 28sf tent (albeit for only a few months (but was never happier).
very helpful
