Ten months ago I started a project to try to reimagine the tiny house on wheels– to add livability, streamline construction, modernize aesthetics, increase off-grid versatility, all while keeping costs affordable. After 10 months of research, design work with Foundry Architects, structural review, panel manufacturing, and materials delivery, David Bamford (Element Design+Build) and I recently started construction at Boneyard Studios.
So the past few weeks we’ve been working hard to build this little structure, which I’m calling Minim House – fuller details (and eventually, plans) on the new Minim Homes website. So far completed are the insulated floor and the walls. The flooring is built on 2 long beams attached to the trailer, so the entire house can be detached and lifted off, should a permanent siting ever be wanted. We’re also using SIPs panels (structural insulated panels) to speed construction, add much higher levels of insulation (R-24 walls and R-40 roof), and further reduce weight compared to stick built construction. Since the SIPs arrived, it’s basically taken 3 full days to put up the walls, and will take another 2-3 full days to put up the ridge beam and add the roof panels. While the SIPs panels require a little more work than anticipated, once the floor is in, 5-6 days to have a perfectly insulated, framed tiny house isn’t too bad.
Rather than have multiple build posts, I’ll add more updates and pictures here as construction moves forward. (click on pictures for captions)
