where did my house go?

chain issues

2012-01-01T07:53:00.002-06:00

Tub/Shower Unit Purchase

2011-11-19T09:01:00.000-06:00

In rebuilding the camping trailer, we wanted to replace the bunkbeds in the back left corner with a tub/shower unit. The original tub unit was so small that when sitting in it, your chin was on your knees. And someone had to pull you up out of it ... impossible to get out on your own.

Anyway, yesterday on the way to pay the utility bill, my wifes says that she wants to go to some yards sales to get some things. I pass a yard sale sign. Then a little further down the street, I turn and backtrack to connect up with the yard sale signs. It didn't look like your typical yard sale ... almost no clothes, no toys, etc. There were light fixtures, switches, door stops, a bay window, refrigerators ... It was like somebody had been remodeling and had all the leftover parts for sale.
The prize for us was a tub/shower unit. Brand new. And for sale for way less than 1/3 the normal price. We bought it. And they delivered it to our place while we continued on to pay the utility bill.
This was so fortuitous, I give praise to the Lord. This had nothing to do with my normal lack of brilliance ... I'm usually quite bad at heeding promptings of the spirit. But in this case, I overcame my normal rebellious nature and just went with it ... and the result was so fantastic! Thanks Lord.
The first thing after building the floor/base ... we will need this tub/shower unit so we can plumb to the waste water tank ... before the floor/base becomes a closed immoveable unit. Then we'll have to build the walls up around the tub/shower unit ... because there would be no way to get it inside through the doorway or a window.
I am so excited that things are ever so slowly coming together. Framing and walls can go up pretty quickly. It's the foundation work and the detail work that take so much time.

Leveled?!

2011-11-04T18:44:00.000-05:00

I leveled the frame ... side-to-side and front-to-back.
A few more 2 x 4's and I can build the floor base.

Well ... uhhh

2011-09-19T17:02:00.000-05:00

The front axle has a weird bump in it near the left side ... it HAS to be replaced. But the measurements I'm recording of the bearing seats and axle are different from what is available online. Nuts. Well, I may as well by some flashing, 12- 2x4's, and a few sheets of plywood and at least make a base.

Monetarily Broke = Slow Progress

2011-07-02T08:58:00.003-05:00

This is the front axle.

You see the dent (arch) in the axle towards the left side.

Bad news.

My wife wants me to replace both axles with new Reliable 3500 lb. axles.

Reliable 3500-lb Trailer Axle

May be a delay getting around to that due to money shortage. In the meantime, I need to put jackstands or scissor jacks under at least 3 points on each side and level the frame to construct the sub-floor/ foundation.

I've removed the springs and shackles.

Due to rust, just attempting to unbolt them didn't work. I used the wire wheel in the drill to clean out the threads, then oiled them, and after that it wasn't so difficult to get them off. I need to totally wire brush them and paint them.

Brakes & Hubs

2011-06-07T14:29:00.000-05:00

There was spider egg-sack and cockroach casings inside.

I brushed all that out.

The brake shoes still had plenty of lining on them

and the drums didn't show any signs of wear.

After it was all brushed out ...

here's a view of the spindle.

Notice that the inner and out bearings are different sizes.

1-1/4" & 1-1/16" respectively.

New axles have 1-3/8" on the inner bearing ...

which is 1/8" larger than mine, so my hub won't work on them.

although new axles would be nice, I don't want to have to replace everything.

Tanks Back In

2011-05-30T19:09:00.000-05:00

The support pieces have been fitted and bolted back in place.

The tanks are back in.

Tanks viewed from the rear.

Next up are the axles ...

Just cooking in this heat ... nearly 100°F

very exhausting.

After this was done, I took the steps rod to the shop

and spent the remainder of the afternoon watching O.C.C.

(Orange County Choppers - NY)

Camping Trailer - For Sale

2011-05-28T11:52:00.001-05:00

I saw this recently and it is still for sale ...

I think that is in area code 334 ...

call 334-405-9247

They may have plugged all the leaks, but not before the damage was done to the frame ... believe me, there is wood rot ... but a 21 ft metal trailer with 18 feet of usable space for a tiny home (3 feet of the trailer is the tongue).

front view

rear view

This was the bed area ... just around the corner to the right is a water heater

I'm just showing one pic from the bathroom ...

Notice the rotted ceiling coming down over the toilet?

The front dining area that can also be made into a bed.

ripple-warped paneling is also a sign of wood rot.

They ripped out the kitchen sink and plumbing.

But hey, they left the stove.

And all the knobs are on it (those knobs are hard to come by)

Yeah, the refrigerator is missing ...

but the dining table is still there.

You can save the windows, dining area, the stove, the water heater tank, and whatever you want to keep from the bathroom. There is one tank under the trailer. And the metal frame needs wire-brushing or sanding or sandblasting before you re-paint it.

Black Frame & Rusty Axles

2011-05-27T15:38:00.002-05:00

There it is!!!

A fully wire-brushed and painted frame.

Top, sides, and bottom.

Here's looking at the back section ...

which is finally done!

Then my wife came outside ...

admired the beautifully done frame and said,

"The axles are rusty."

So true ... but they are next up.

This is a major accomplishment. I'm exhausted.

De-constructing it was Milestone 1.

Wire-brushing and painting the frame is Milestone 2.

The axles will be Milestone 3.

There is some discussion about replacing the axles (I have no idea what these are, but I'm guessing 2500 lb 4" drop axles) with

3500 lb. 4" drop axles. (I have the electric brakes and hubs)

Even if the axles I purchase aren't plumbed for electrical brakes,

I'll just run parallel wiring down the other side of the frame.

Milestone 4:

The sub-floor framing with the plumbing to the tanks ...

which means I'll have to tentatively place the tub ...

in order to figure out how to route the 1-1/2" tubing

up through the sub-floor ... with 2 vent tubes.

Aaaaaaccck!

(I'll worry about that later)

Tank-echtomy

2011-05-24T12:22:00.000-05:00

I finally decided that I needed to remove the tanks to effectively de-rust and paint the frame.

The only things left are the angle-iron tabs that the supporting metal bolts to, in order to support the tanks.

These supporting angle-irons were originally left bare and never painted.

I'll wire brush them and paint them before putting them back.

The tanks are stacked under the siding.

A token mention of what the trailer originally was - Shasta.

Not Fast Progression ...

2011-05-21T08:45:00.001-05:00

Tires are off. Working my way back on the frame.

Used a high-pressure nozzle to clean out the two tanks.

From the rear - perhaps you can see the white screw-in caps that I purchased to plug the holes in the tanks so that I don't get anymore leaves and junk inside.

This is toilet paper ... it's been in the black-water tank for a good ten years. You can still see the hearts, sun, flowers and other designs on it.

It has yet to bio-degrade.

But now the tank and lines are clear of any impurities.

I can probably use this tank to empty a tub into.

Wheels Off !!

2011-05-19T11:20:00.000-05:00

The axles and hubs without the wheels.

I had to remove them to sand the rails ...

fix the wiring ...

grease the hubs ...

and work on the brakes.

This is evidence of dog chewing ... or rodent.

This is the worst of the rusted rims.

I have to replace at least 2 rims due to rust.

This is the backside of the same rim.

Both paint and rust are flaking on both sides.

While I was at it, I pressure hosed out the two waste storage tanks

got out the leaves, manure, and glops of old toilet paper.

I'm debating on keeping the largest tank to drain the shower/tub.

The smaller tank will be for the sinks.

A Little More Black

2011-05-17T12:30:00.000-05:00

Front end view

Ok ... So I have been lazy.

Just doing my regular job combined with the necessary paperwork.

Just not motivated.

Time to get back at it again.

Kind of a side view

Time to take the wheels off to work in that area.

Making some progress.

Still at the de-Rusting

2011-05-07T20:10:00.000-05:00

Significant rust spots get scraped with a putty knife

and then I use this wire wheel on them.

I use safety glasses that have a magnifying reading lens in them ...

so I can see up close what I am doing.

Fighting Rust

2011-05-01T08:28:00.002-05:00

You can see by the black overtaking the brown ...

that I am fighting the rust.

Some spots were very bad and I went at them first with the putty knife to flake off the rust scale. Then I used a wire wheel powered by a drill to generally remove any other rust.

I've been spray painting with flat black Rustoleum.

I'm going to need at least another 4 cans.

Repair Work - Axle & Wheel-well

2011-04-26T08:18:00.002-05:00

Spent yesterday morning taking the upward bend out of the front axle on the driver-side. And hammering out the folds and creases in the wheel-well.

I hammered down on the top of that front tube ...

which brought the top of the front wheel inward -

more aligned with the rear wheel.

Here's what it looked like when I removed it.

This is NOT the way it is supposed to look.

So a LOT of hammer-work is involved to flatten and straighten it.

Look at all the crinkles in the metal.

This thing was in two pieces and folded up somewhat severely.

Using a plastic hammer, I managed to straighten most of the that out.

Although you can see it isn't perfectly smooth ...

it is flat enough that it went back into shape

and I connected the two pieces of seam back together.

Here's what it looks like from the tire side of the wheel-well.

Lots of work hammering it "flat" on a 2 x 8.

Zoey said it was a good thing she kept her wheel-well covers.

So I had to fix this one up. In order to re-use mine.

While I'm sanding & Painting

2011-04-20T10:13:00.000-05:00

I'm looking at things like this materials list from the Sonoma Shanty plans that I purchased a year ago. I'm looking at the stick-built version ... instead of buying more expensive plans. Particularly since I don't need to run this past the Planning Commission.

The Sonoma Shanty plans are for an 8' x 15' and I'm building an 8' x 20'

but they are really helpful.

As are the 8x20-tiny-solar-house-plans.pdf

by TinyHouseDesign.com

They don't cover plumbing, electrical wiring, cabinets, etc. I can get books at Home Depot, Lowes, or Camping World for those. But they do help in the basics of getting it framed up and dried-in. And give me an idea of how much of what I'll need to buy to do exactly that.

More Aluminum ... and Troubles to Ponder ...

2011-02-10T18:37:00.000-06:00

There's more in the trailer ... still a bit more to clean-up.

Once upon a time ...

a previous owner was towing the trailer behind his car

and forgot all about it being there ...

and drove around some tall hard object just like he was only driving a car by itself. There was a mark on the siding up near the top, below the air conditioner, where a pole has scraped.

And on the driver-side just in front of the front axle, the trailer was damaged. This let water in to damage the wall behind the sink & stove and rot the bottom pan under the floor.

It may have done other damage as well ...

are the wheels lined up?

Or does the one on the front axle tilt left at the top?

Notice that the front axle looks a bit more arched than the rear one?

That's the one that was involved in the wreck.

Just one more thing to ponder while I clean up around the trailer.

Starting to rake up all the flotsam and jetsam left from the deconstruction.

Scrap Metal

2011-02-05T20:19:00.000-06:00

Cleaning up around the yard.

The top square is the aluminum roof from the trailer.

The bottom squares are the tin from under the floor.

There were several rust holes in the tin.

This is the siding - still needs cleanup.

Gettin' Down to the Bare Trailer

2011-01-28T18:03:00.001-06:00

After it was all unbolted, it was still too heavy to lift the floor off by myself. So, I borrowed a skill saw and cut the OSB flooring wood just inside the 2" x 4" frame work. There were red chalk lines marking the framing, along with a trail of nail-heads. So I just guessed based on the width of a normal 2" x 4".

These are the OSB rectangles all stacked on a pallet.

As you can see, some of them had wood-rot ...

OSB just falls apart if it gets soaked with water.

These are the sections of 2" x 4" lumber all stacked up.

The really dark ones have wood-rot.

Here we are down to the metal bottom pan.

I had to knock out the remaining side boards

and then just rolled the thin steel up.

The steel frame is in surprisingly good shape.

This is going to require a lot less sanding than I expected.

Looking from the rear towards the front.

The very back tank is for "black water" ...

Since I will be using a composting toilet,

I will probably just remove this tank.

Next up:

1) clean up all the junk from the yard.

2) sell the scrap metal.

3) Sand and prime trailer as needed.

4) Check out brakes and grease hubs.

Changes

2010-12-18T07:49:00.000-06:00

The wood stack is gone. We loaded it into a truck yesterday and took it to the local landfill. My neighbor didn't want to burn it, because it would leave behind screws and other metal things that would damage his tractor tires.
I've started unbolting the floor-pan from the trailer. Besides bolts, it seems there are all kinds of other strange connectors ... ground straps, cable ties, tanks, etc. So I am still working on this. Trying to save the gray-water tank, but get rid of the black-water tank. Gotta peal the vinyl off the OSB to find the bolt heads. Sort of attempting to save the metal pan that the floor is built in. We'll see.

Big Stacks

2010-12-11T17:22:00.000-06:00

There it is ... down to the floor ...

and most of the stuff neatly cleaned up.

Divided into sections ... the walls and roof

stacked for the trip to the landfill.

Aluminum siding to be sold at the recycle place.

This is the roof aluminum,

but it has sealant, gummy stuff, and staples in it.

I don't know if the recycle place will take it.

The Roof Comes Off!

2010-12-09T19:52:00.000-06:00

A couple of the grandsons help me fight our way into the screws so we could remove the metal from the roof. Along each end there is a re-enforcing strip, kind of a shallow "u-channel", with screws spaced every 5 inches. Each screw head had a generous glob of silicone on top of it. Then all of that was well covered with a tar-backed fabric/plastic strip. And I didn't have a blow torch to warm it up and remove it. So, one grandson used a brick hammer to chip away the covering strip and soften up the silicone globs. Then another used a putty knife to pry the silicone away from the screw heads. And I used the thin tip of one of my pocket knife blades to pry the silicone out of the square pocket in the screw heads. Then we could finally remove the screws. We decided not to fight the tape & silicone covering around all the vents ... So, using strokes of my hatchet through the thin aluminum ... I cut around the vents and we pealed the aluminum top off. What you see here is what remained after we bagged the fiberglass insulation.

This is back under the bottom bunk where there is a large amount of damage.

The cinder block is where the door used to be.

The steps were no longer functional because the bolts had pulled down out of the wooden framework. And you can see all the wood rot through the dining and door areas of the floor. The grandsons loved the "destruction" part of deconstruction. :)

And Down It Went ...

2010-12-07T15:32:00.000-06:00

I pushed it off to the downhill side.

This will make it easier to work on stripping the roof section.

This is what it looks like from the bathroom end.

The outside bunkbed wall was rotted out ... flimsy.

Next is working on this ...

Removing the refrigerator vent. The pop-up bubble vents (trash).

And separating the skin from the wood.

All the wood goes into the burn pile, the aluminum to recycle.

Leaving the floor to be removed from the trailer ... in due time.

Be Careful Where You Walk

2010-12-06T18:49:00.000-06:00

I took some screws out of the left side ...

and the front panel just fell out.

Love that wood rot.

You can stand out front and look clear through to the rear.

Kind of empty and spacious.

Both sides have now been stripped.

If you pull on something, the trailer rocks back and forth.

Getting to the point where it is scary to step inside.

Look at all this wood rot.

This is the corner with the bunk beds ...

Where did all that water come from??

Stripping Down The Trailer 2

2010-12-04T18:01:00.001-06:00

No doors or windows remaining. All Gone.

Still gotta get that awning off of there.

Pulled all the wires off this side and front end.

It looks huge and spacious with everything removed.

Taken through the front window hole looking towards the back.

The bathroom wall on the right is held on by the 50 staples they put down through the ceiling panel. I'll get the left wall loose after I get the siding off and can remove the screws coming into it from the outside.

The wife said, "Forget the fresh water tank ... we aren't doing that. We will be using city or well water pumped in. That old propane heater isn't happening either. I'd rather have a "tiny cod" wood stove. And see if you can squeeze a bathtub in here." Those are my marching orders for the moment. And I need to buy the 4 windows for the dormer area.

Stripping Down The Trailer 1

2010-12-03T21:06:00.000-06:00

One side is stripped down and the

refrigerator cabinet inside has been removed.

All the corners look like this ...

wood rot.

Look at all that wiring.

The red is 12 volt DC.

The black is 120 volt AC.

The green & white go to the marker & tail lights.

SIP's - Pricing

2010-11-16T07:44:00.004-06:00

I went down to Lowe's and tried to wrap my head around how much it would cost in lumber, and insulation ... plus how much time I would spend putting all that together. True, going that way I could piece things together as I went along and could afford them.

HOWEVER, I also wanted to see what it would cost if I purchased SIP's (Structural Integrated Panels) for the floor (base), walls, lofts, and roof. The base, walls, lofts, and roof could all be put up within one day. Can you imagine having it completely "dried-in" within one day?!! I specified 8 window openings and 1 door. I forgot the opening for the water heater. And I specified dormers 9 ft long over both sides of the sleeping loft area. Anyway, here is the quote ... to have the materials delivered to my location.

You can click on these written images below to enlarge them for better reading:

Here are some more technical details ...

So, here comes the ballpark price quote ...

Notice that part about transportation to my location as being included!

and then here comes the basic legalese ...

I need to quit spending money on interior things and save my pennies to make those payments. It may be March before I can do this.

The trailer will certainly be ready before then.

I could probably cut down my costs somewhat if I sent a truck & trailer to pick up and bring back the load (paying for fuel). Then I wouldn't have to worry about that 2 hr unloading limitation. And I'd have it inside a dry-van.

Cleaning - 1

2010-11-12T20:59:00.000-06:00

Having removed so many things and stacked them up inside the trailer ... it was time to clean things out so I could get on with other things.

Here is looking from the door towards the back end.

This is what it looks like this evening.

Looking from the bathroom back towards the door.

You can see a lot more room this evening.

The air conditioner is a bit heavy for one person to lift off the top of the trailer while standing on a ladder. The top half just lifts out ... after you unbolt it from the bottom (inside unit).

De-Construction 7 (Bottom Bunk)

2010-11-11T18:47:00.001-06:00

This is the bottom bunk area.

The heater system, freshwater tank, and water pump are removed.

Look at all that water damage in the corner.

Everything out of the bunk bed area.

This is the freshwater tank and water pump.

The pump must be a replacement ...

It was built in 1994 and the trailer was built in 1985.

Next up: climb on the roof and remove anything up there ...

De-Construction 6 (Bathroom)

2010-11-09T20:03:00.001-06:00

All the cabinets have been removed from the bathroom.

The toilet and tub are gone too.

It helps to come back at things when you have a fresh burst of energy.

The tub in all its glory ...

outside sitting on the grass.

Maybe my neighbor would like to put it in his bathroom.

It is bigger than the one he has ...

There's the bathroom with no bathtub.
Notice all the rot damage to the floor and walls.

The top bunk is gone ... now for the bottom bunk.

You can see the damage in the corner ...

With the bottom bunk gone ...

there is the heater and the fresh water tank.

Perhaps I will get them out tomorrow.

In Between ...

2010-11-06T09:01:00.001-05:00

In between work and rain ... progress has been slow this week. Speaking of which, it is time for me to run off to a camp activity with client kids. See Ya! :-)

Small Homes

2010-11-06T08:58:00.001-05:00

On St. James Pl., down behind the Methodist church, is this lovely little row of 500 sq. ft. homes. Mr. Blankenship built them as rentals. They have metal roofs and are each painted a different pastel color to make it easier to find yours, due to their otherwise being identical.

They each have a lovely small front porch that you can place a rocker on .. along with a little side-table. And the the windows are double-pane. You will notice that each small house has 2 parking spots out front.

The tenants say that they are all extremely well insulated. Which saves considerable on their electric bill. And they are allowed to keep their little dogs at home without an extra fee. Rental is under $500 a month.

The yards are of a minimal size so that the tenants don't have a lot of upkeep. Mr. Blankenship is familiar with the members of the local zoning commission, and wrote up zoning paperwork that was acceptable to them. After completion, it only took 3 weeks for them to all be rented out for the year.

These are located within a block of the downtown area. Just walking distance to the supermarket, a dollar store, several restaurants, city hall, and an art gallery. The library and hospital are within walking or bicycling distance [4 blocks]. WalMart is just far enough away to provide some logistical challenges -- bicycle with cart or taxi (according to the tenants).

De-Construction 5 (Bathroom)

2010-10-30T22:49:00.002-05:00

The toilet is out.

The sink & faucet are out.

This cabinet is nice, but won't fit against a straight back wall.

The cabinet doors are out.

(and so is the window)

I tried the tub ...

I could get down into it ... with my knees in the air.

But there was just no getting out of it without major help.

I think that I've gotten all I want out of the bathroom.

I'm running out of de-construction steam ...

at least for today.

Next is the fresh water tank and water pump under the bunkbed.

The Water Heater

2010-10-29T21:54:00.003-05:00

This is the old water heater unit.

This is what is under the panel cover.

Here is the backside of the water heater.

This is a little 6 gallon tank.

To remove, you detach the gas line from the front panel

and the two hoses from the back panel. and then just

pull it out (this is after the removal of all 20 screws).

This may be the single most expensive item in the new tiny house.

The RV500 tankless water from Precision Temp.

This comes well packed with fragile stickers all over it ...

and the admonition to inspect it within 48 hours and report back to

Precision Temp about any damage.

Notice the dinged corner ...

That dinged corner resulted in this bending of the white surface-mount door assembly. I lifted it out and inspected everything. Then reported it to Precision Temp. But there appears to only be this cosmetic bent corner, which I straightened out. The flange behind it wasn't bent. And everything else seemed to be in order.

This is what it looks like from the front.

This unit is 1" wider and 2-1/2 " taller than the 6 gallon tank unit.

If you are doing a retro-fit, you will have to make the hole bigger.

With the white cover off ... This is what the interior looks like.

On the left is the unit that the water flows through and gets heated.

to the right is the propane unit ... near the bottom is the water safety release valve. And the drawer with the red & green LED's contains the circuit boards.

Here with the drawer open, you see the circuit boards.

In the upper right corner is the wind fan unit.

Note this label on top.

You can add a wind protection fan unit (this can be retro-fitted). If you use your RV where wind gusts are common such as the desert or shore areas or use your RV at high altitudes, the Wind Protection Fan is strongly recommended.

This cold weather package (which includes the fan) -- you can ONLY get at the time of ordering the RV500. This is due to it being factory installed. The Cold Weather Package will protect the RV-500/501 at temperatures as low as -20°F (-29°C). And costs an extra $110.

Here's the back left corner view.

I'm not sure what that thing on the side is for ...

haven't read the manual yet.

Clockwise from top left .. propane line hole, cold water input line, hot water output line, and 12 VDC wires to power everything inside the unit.

De-Construction 4

2010-10-27T16:23:00.001-05:00

This is the outside view of the back of the refrigerator.

Here is where I disconnect the 12VDC lines, the 120VAC plug

and the copper gas line ... along with 4 screws.

The refrigerator as seen from the entire back.

when removed.

This is the outside of the water heater.

I took out all those screws & disconnected the gas line.

Inside I disconnected the two water lines.

Then I simply pulled this little 6.2 gallon tank out.

There were 4 screws around the front of the refrigerator.

After I took those out, it still didn't want to come out. It is HEAVY and I had to overcome inertia to get it out. (I used a pry bar) then gently rocked it back and forth until I could ease it down on the floor. You can see the insulation that surrounded it. Toward the back is a vertical shaft that goes up and through a screen to an outside vent. There is actually unused space above the refrigerator for possible storage.

Look at the picture above this one and then back at this one. I removed the insulation from around the refrigerator box. Saw that there are screws coming from the outside, through the side wall, to hold this cabinet in place. So I took out the screws holding the closet frame in place and removed it. Yes, it had 50 staples along the top edge.

This is what is under the closet.

The 12VDC lines (red & white)

the 120VAC lines (black & white --

but mostly just appearing black here.)

the drain lines and the water lines.

And an extra group of wires from the tanks. (middle left)

Bathroom next ...

De-Construction 3

2010-10-26T14:43:00.004-05:00

This is the dinette area ... now minus the overhead cabinet.

This is the sink/stove area minus the overhead cabinet.

Here is what was holding the cabinets to the ceiling ...

after removing all the screws by hand,

then using a pry-bar to wedge them loose:

Lots and Lots of staples!

(from above)

There was light in the bathroom!!

The tarp had blown off the window and skylight.

The refrigerator is next ...

(if I keep saying that - it will come true)

De-construction 2

2010-10-22T08:15:00.004-05:00

The stove used to be in here.

I just disconnected the gas line and removed 4 screws

and it came right out.

There it is ...

No more kitchen sink, no stove, no cabinet.

I'll have to replace the cabinet top, but everything else was usable.

Obviously you are looking at the gas line and the plumbing.

And a water-damaged wall and damaged floor.

This was the crank that elevated the TV antenna.

Water came down that and damaged the ceiling panel.

No, it won't do me any good to save the antenna.

What you see here is after I removed the bottom-half of the

air conditioner unit. Now I need to go up on the roof

and remove the top-half. My neighbor wants to buy it from me.

Next up will be the refrigerator ...

Deconstruction 1

2010-10-17T08:21:00.004-05:00

All the drawers and doors are out.

The dinette set is out. The front couch/bed is out.

I can see all the plumbing.

I've taken out all the screws in the overhead cabinets ...

and can't get them off the walls.

There must be screws coming into them from the ceiling or sidewalls.

I found 4 screws coming into the TV stand unit, that were screwed into it from the sidewall. Which tells me that the last thing they put on the trailer was the external metal layer. It just makes it more challenging to save as much of the interior as I can so I don't have to buy more stuff when I build the tiny house.

Waste not, want not.

(and save my pennies too)

And then there are these specialized wires.

It would be nice to re-use this unit.

And maybe some of all those other wires ...

I just have to expose them, trace then down,

photo-document them, and plan ahead for the future.

Neighbor's Old Shed

2010-10-10T07:33:00.000-05:00

A neighbor of mine had an old shed just sitting in the side-yard. Then one day they started serious renovation of it. They added on a lean-to and a porch. Then an adjacent screened in room. (I'm sure that if there was a party or family dinner this would be great. However, I have yet to see it in use.) Anyway, they added some signs and a West Virginia flag and named the dirt drive, "Mountaineer Lane". Anyway, it is now a well-used small home. See what you think:

Some Interior Fotos

2010-10-08T07:45:00.003-05:00

This is what I would like my tiny house to look like. Because we really like the layout. And of course, will be saving as much of this as we can for the rebuild. We don't intend to keep the bunkbeds, but here is a view of them and what is under the bottom bunk.

This is the drinking water tank, and water pump.

To the left of this is the thermostat controlled propane heater.

I don't intend to use this heater system.

Just to the right of the bunkbeds is the bathroom.

With the tub / shower

You sit in this with your knees up in the air.

The view down the aisle to the bathroom.

With the bathroom door closed, you can see the clothes closet and a nice view of the refrigerator. Directly under the clothes closet on the right is the miniature water heater (to be replaced by a tankless water heater). Directly below the water heater is the converter and AC distribution panel (or should be - see all the wires). Left of those are a few drawers.

Right of the refrigerator is the stove with oven.

I do think I'd move the window above the sink, upward a little bit.

This isn't just a kitchen sink ... this is lots of storage area!!

This is the upper section of the dining area.

The actual dining area that converts into a bed ...

and, has storage!

The couch in the front that pulls out into a bed,

with extra storage under it.

Even without a loftbed in it, this little trailer was designed to sleep 7.

I am so going to keep as much of this layout as possible.

Now that I have emptied it out ... I need to take a bunch of measurements, and as gently as possible start removing everything from inside the trailer. While photo documenting all the hidden stuff like wiring and plumbing.

Procrastination

2010-07-28T08:28:00.001-05:00

Okay, the weather is warm enough that I should be doing something ... but now it is too hot and humid. That's all just excuses. and there are several other projects stacked up and waiting as well. Instead of looking at it as a huge monstrous thing, I just need to break it down into small projects and get working at whittling away on those.

Storage Shed

2010-05-20T08:22:00.007-05:00

My new storage shed should be arriving shortly ...

That will allow me to move everything out of the camper
Measure everything ...
And start the calibrated deconstruction of the camper.
:-)
.

Motivation ... Or Where to put the STUFF ...

2010-03-05T09:17:00.006-06:00

I got rid of 4 boxes of stuff out of the storage trailer,

More STUFF to go ...

My intention is that instead of Chop & Slash the trailer ...

I will uncover cabinets and storage areas to find out how the wiring and plumbing was all done. Measurements taken. Drawings made. Things saved for future use.

Other than the bunk beds in the back left ... I really like the layout of this camping trailer. I think it would function well as a tiny house ... with a sleeping loft ... and a high ceiling in the living/dining area.

Instead of bunk beds, we could put in more cabinets and storage. In fact, that area is large enough to put in a regular bathtub/shower combo and put a linen closet/storage where the tiny tub/shower is located. Instead of angled, we could run the bathroom door straight across and access the tub from next to the sink/lav. Of course, I'll have to see what is under the bottom bunk ... and determine if it can be relocated somewhere else ... HOWEVER, my wife hasn't agreed to that yet. But I might just do it anyway, because there are times it would be nice to just soak our older aching bodies.

And I need to seriously get my windows ...

before I go talk to the SIP manufacturer.

Assets in a Small Town

2010-02-16T12:31:00.001-06:00

I live in a small town.

Where you don't really have all those great opportunities
found on Craig's List or at the Re-Store.

Then again, you never know what will show up at the
Mission Thriftstore ...

The owner of this trailer is asking $500 ...

which in this case happens to be negotiable.

It's certainly long enough to put a tiny house on.

altho these wheel covers need some hammer and welding work

and the whole frame needs to be sanded and painted.

I think it was home-built ...

no certified weight capabilities ...

Look Under The Couch

2010-02-10T09:02:00.007-06:00

It always pays to look under the couch-bed ...

you just never know what is lurking under there.

In couch form

( I had to dig all kinds of STUFF off of it to find it.)

Yes, that latch needs fixing ...

Here it is as a bed ...

super long and wide enough to sleep two people.

Here's where I pull everything out and look underneath it ...

notice that water damage to the floor section?

Yep. It has something to do with the corner seam ...

and water flowing down to rot other wooden parts.

I can probably save and re-use the couch bed ...
It's ideal as you get older and climbing into the loft
doesn't seem so exciting ...
or you've had one too many brewskies ...

Trailers to Look For ...

2010-02-05T21:12:00.006-06:00

This is not the kind of trailer you'd want if you intended to keep it original. You would have to tear off the entire external covering ... or remove the entire interior ... and then rebuild the frame ... after propping everything up so all the sides and corners match up.

BUT,

if you are looking for a camping trailer that you can save the parts from ... and tear-down to the trailer to build a tiny house ...
then this is what you look for and buy as a bargain

(or maybe even be "gifted" it).

This is the front right corner as seen from the outside.

This is the front right corner as seen from the inside.

This is the right rear corner as seen from the outside.

This is the right rear corner as seen from the inside by the tub/shower.

This is the back left corner under the bunk beds.
Look for lots of silicone gel on the corner seams ...

The Storage Trailer

2010-02-03T08:20:00.008-06:00

It gets even worse ...

My wife figured that we needed MORE storage space for stuff,
so she bought this Shasta Trailer from our neighbor
for $500.

He had purchased another trailer and the guy he bought it from said he had to haul this one off too. Our neighbor figured to use it as a parts trailer.

A mattress off the bunkbed and the inverter were what he needed to fix up the other trailer. What you are looking at here are the wires left after the inverter was removed. A replacement inverter would cost $320.

If you look closely, you may be able to identify why the other fellow insisted that he take it with him ... No, it wasn't because of the missing skirt around the wheels and slight damage in that area. Notice this front corner? 3 out of 4 corners (the other two aren't as bad as this one) show signs of opening up due to wood rot of the frame. Yep, this hole goes all the way through to the inside ... an extra tiny window that you can look out of while sitting on the couch.

As you may surmise ... this is the reason for the tarp.

And yes, my wife has it loaded with storage stuff.

It's easier to blame it on her ...

than admit that I also have stuff in there that I could probably live without.

:-)

Everywhere is Storage Space

2010-02-02T07:37:00.001-06:00

This is the spare bedroom a.k.a. walk-in closet.

On occasion we have cleared the bottom bunk off for people to sleep. The top bunk and under the bed is storage. To the left, under the hanging clothes, is a dresser full of clothes and stuff. The light wood to the right is another hanging closet unit.

There is the dryer in what was supposed to be the closet for this bedroom.

To the right of the dryer, on the otherside of the wall, is the washing machine in what would be the pantry ...

In our bedroom, you see boxes full of stuff, another dresser unit, and some old military stuff (that's all that would fit) hanging in what was supposed to be a closet but now contains the large water heater tank. And there is more storage under the bed too.

I've heard that I should de-paper my life ...

One of these days I'll get a scanner and get started on it.

Maybe if I can find the books I want to keep in an e-form at Amazon.com, then I can give away the paper copies.

Altho, I still think I am going to need a storage shed to go along with the Tiny House I would like to build.

OverCrowding - Stuff Storage in a small house

2010-02-01T13:34:00.001-06:00

That excess stuff storage issue continues into the insides of the house. This whole thing about putting my hand on it and saying, "Do I really need this?" just doesn't fly. I have a wife who also wants to keep things in hopes of me becoming a rich man, and buying her a 6,000 sq ft DREAM HOME. I don't have the same urge and desire. Books and Tools are my issues. I think that we have a nice cozy place to live. And we DON'T really NEED more than we now have.

On the immediate left is the front door ...

That is the dining room side of the main room.

Against the north wall is the computer room.

The dining table doesn't actually get used for eating.

It's a storage place for bulk foods, spices, fruits, bread,

and anything else that's just looking for a spot.

This is the East wall - opposite the dining table.

This is the official Living Room.

The coffee table in the middle serves as eating surface,

seat for my wife's computer, desk, storage underneath,

and what-not-else.

The south wall is the kitchen.

Just to the right of this foto is the refrigerator.

We spend most of our time living in this combination room. And that is probably as it should be ... and would be in a tiny house.

The Blue Tarp on the Front Porch

2010-01-30T08:30:00.002-06:00

When you move from a larger house into a smaller house ...

There is a problem pertaining to what to do with all the "STUFF". I mean, why would you want to give up all that really good and useful stuff? Like the dishwasher machine on the pallet out back ...

So, here is the front of the cabin with the blue tarp wrapped around the front porch. Why do you think someone would wrap a blue tarp around the front porch? For more storage space, of course!

As we get closer to the porch, you can start to see the accumulation.

A stack of newspapers for use in the newspaper B-B-Q.

A dresser that just won't fit inside ... but we have to keep.

A camping stove ...

and old bottles (collector items).

Containers and milk crates filled with stuff.

a 10' x 10' outdoor screened room (in a box)

Large pictures to hang on a wall (in a bigger house)

Stuff, stuff, and more stuff ...

dishes and towels and food.

Stuff that we've had sitting out here for nearly 3 years!

You'd think that if we haven't used it in that period of time,

that the likelihood of us using it is not great.

And we might just as well pass it on to someone else.

It could be like my old college books ...

that I've had no use for in 15 years ...

so I threw away a bunch of them

or donated them to the thrift store.

Now I am buying them again ...

because I finally got a job where I need that information.

darn.

After I thought I was making progress on whittling down
all my excess stuff ...

Our Cabin in the Woods

2010-01-29T07:50:00.007-06:00

We moved into this place about 3 years ago.

386 sq ft, 1-bedroom, 1-walkin closet, 3/4 bath

You could call it a 2-bedroom place ... but there are no closets.
There were closets ...
but one is occupied by the water heater tank,
and the other is occupied by the clothes dryer.
The other side of the wall from the dryer ...
the washing machine occupies the pantry.

See that green trashcan? And the vertical batten board?
Just to the right of the trashcan and the batten is the dryer vent.
The batten represents an inside wall.
Just to the left of the batten is the pantry ... and washer.

The backside view is interesting ...

About halfway the length of the back wall, you see a protrusion.

That's a 34" shower ... protruding 14" thru the back wall.

That's the only way to get one in the bathroom.

The bathroom is small enough that you have to step into the shower to change your mind -- or change directions.

You can see where there used to be an A/C unit in the bedroom ...

a blue storage lean-to ... and an amperage sucking monster (A/C unit) in the living room.

That A/C/ unit was giving us $160 - $200 utility bills in the summer.

That's more than our rent!

Under the silver tarp is a dishwasher unit that my wife insists we need to keep.

And tomorrow we'll talk about the blue tarp around the front porch.

Did I mention that we have access to a swimming pool up front, fishing rights in the pond out back, a workbench & space in the big shop building, several rows usage in the big garden, all the pecans we can pick up and eat, and the landlord let me make two 4' x 8' garden boxes. Oh yes, and I have a compost bin going ...

My wife still talks about buying a 2,000 - 6,000 sq ft house.
"The Dream"
BUT, what more do we really need?

Unwanted Singe-Wide

2010-01-28T08:14:00.008-06:00

Sometimes, this is what happens to a perfectly good single-wide trailer ... even out in rural areas ... when the local government won't let you keep it on your own land.

He couldn't give it away ... the county landfill wouldn't accept it as one piece ... SO, using a backhoe, this fellow proceeded to smash it to pieces. He sold the steel frame pieces and larger chunks of aluminum siding for scrap. The rest of it he loaded on a flatbed trailer ...
and the landfill would now accept it.

Next Size Down

2010-01-27T07:54:00.005-06:00

This is what you would call a Single-Wide Mobile Home.

14 x 70

2-bedrooms, 2-baths, 980 sq ft

It had a large carport on the left side ... a much smaller one on the right side (West) ... The wind tended to come from the West (sometimes quite violently) and had ripped off the carport on that side. Both carports had originally been the same size. But the one on the right was reduced to less than 1/3 it's original self. That was all that could be salvaged after the wind storm.

You'll notice a nice little storage shed back on the right (for over-flow). Garden boxes on the left ... a lovely chainlink fence all the way around ... and concrete driveways.

We didn't own the land.

The park owners sold the land.

The new owner doubled the rents ... took away the vehicle storage lot ... declared the child playground unsafe and tore it out ... then announced his intentions to bulldoze the park ... and create a stick-built homes development.

None of the surrounding counties would allow you to put a single-wide on any property other than an existing Mobile Home park (which were in short supply due to developers buying them up and building stores or homes on the sites). You couldn't even put it on land that you owned. We sold out to someone who said they were going to move it to another state nearby. Then the housing market crashed. No development. It has yet to be moved.

The west side tended to catch a lot of tumble-weeds.

It was also the hottest wall.

The last windows on that side are to the Master bedroom.

This is what it looked like on the day we packed and moved.

We lost half of what we paid for it.

The lesson is ...

Know what your county & town will or won't allow...

AND

own the land ...

HOA Tree

2010-01-27T07:26:00.003-06:00

The ground was soggy from rains ...

Strong winds came ...

TOPPLE.

Toppled trees are Not approved of by the HOA ...

Toppled trees just don't have that perfect neighborhood look.

We have got to do something about it before the HOA arrives.

You know this tree must have a VERY shallow root system ...

because it should have disturbed a ground area

equal to the diameter of the tree top.

You'll perhaps notice that we had to whack off some of the top

in order to push it back up and prop it in place.

Yes, the tree did survive and continue to flourish.

We avoided the HOA letter ...

this time.

The Dream

2010-01-26T09:28:00.001-06:00

This was the dream home that we REALLY wanted to live in.

2 garages, 2-story, a couple thousand square feet, enclosed courtyard, gated portal, Jetted Bath in the Master Suite, RV gate on the side, and spacious backyard.

We just couldn't afford it on $14 an hour x 40 hrs a wk.

So, we rented this lovely 1800 sq. ft. home in a benevolent HOA. If there can be such a thing as a benevolent HOA. They could spot weeds popping their heads above the ground faster than I could imagine ... for which we would receive a letter demanding it's removal today with a $25 fee for each additional day of non-compliance. When the rain and winds came through and toppled that small tree in the front yard, we managed to prop it back up before the HOA letter arrived.

We survived one year of their benevolence.