Raoul and Vicki Hennin founded Montsweag Brook Corporation on the coast of Maine in 1998 to fulfill their creative entrepreneurial dreams.

His Bungalows surprise and delight clients with a substance and scale not found in other kit designs.

Before delivery on site, bungalow components are precisely crafted in the Bungalow Barn. Assembly techniques on-site are quick, efficient and fun. Owners enjoy a celebratory Bungalow raising in one or two days instead of one or two weeks of conventional construction.

Panel-Framing builds on the craftsmanship and strength of Timber-Framing. It also takes advantage of the efficiency of modern SIP construction methods and the common-sense of stud framing. Heavy timbers span cathedral ceilings, but no bulky posts intrude on the living space. Prefabricated panels assemble quickly, but are weather tight from day one. And, perhaps best of all, Panel-Frame structures go up with little impact on the site.

Raoul sells existing plans for $250 (not including modifications). The plans consist of 20-30 pages (depending on the house) of framing dimensions for the individual panels printable to 8.5×11 paper, and two pages of elevations on 11×14. As an example, the 12′x16′ house is made up of 22 panels, some of which repeat and need only a single spec sheet. Along with the plans, Raoul will provide phone support on a limited, good faith basis to help anyone who would like to undertake one of these buildings on their own. The plans assume basic carpentry skills.

Raoul has had good results with a customer who actually built the entire structure on his own from the plans, with some phone support. Another client purchased a kit that Raoul fabricated. He picked it up in a Uhaul truck, and assembled the panels on his own site in one weekend.

Raoul currently has plans available for the following structures:

12′x16′ left-hand porch
12′x16′ right-hand porch
12′x16′ full footprint (no inlet porch)
12′x20′ full footprint
12′x24′ with sleeping loft over 8′ full porch, with stress-skin panel roof

To learn more visit the Bungalow In A Box Site.

Raoul Hennin

In Shop Construction

On Site Construction

Elevation

Jay Shafer and his partner Steve Weissmann of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company have just revamped the website. It has a fresh new look, and is very easy to get around to see what they have to offer.

If you haven’t visited the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company website in awhile now is the time to do it.

Visit it today: Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

Better Barns Hardware plans would be perfect for a tiny house. Here are a few examples of finished products using the plans they supply. My favorite is the cabin above but you can view many more examples of there fine designs at the Barn Hall of Fame.

Here is how Better Barns Hardware describes their designs.

• Distinctive Design… every barn plan is proportioned to look right. We pay careful attention to details like strap hinges and a transom window over the doors. To allow for maximum use of inside space, our roof trusses are designed to accommodate the addition of a loft for extra storage.
• Creative Uses… for our barns are not limited to storage. Many of our customers have a specific use in mind– pool cabana, play house, practice room, workshop, garden shed, cabin-in-the-woods or studio.
• Premium Quality… is apparent in our list of construction details - perfected over 20 years of constant change and improvement.

Our plan suggest the use of pressure treated lumber for floor joists; three-quarter inch plywood is always used for flooring.

Architectural style shingles, (which look like wood shingles), are used for roofing and are available in a number of colors.

The natural beauty of cedar wood is used in many of of our barns. Cedar’s resistance to insects as well as the elements makes it the first choice for using plans from Better Barns Hardware and Plans.