November, 2009

The P-POD

With a nod to Eastern style and philosophy, and an eye on ecologically sound and environmentally sensitive design, Tim Cornell of Polehouses.com has created a tiny house kit that is appropriate for any climate and location. The 576 square foot P-Pod is climatically appropriate, durable and recyclable.

Tim explained that the P-POD housing is a “building system” more than simply a specific house design. His system is a uniquely engineered “kit of parts” and space frame grids, that can be adapted quickly for any and all housing regimes, programs, and designs desired. P-POD units can be stacked 2 or 3 tall, or spread out in any configuration such as townhouses, duplexes, apartment buildings, etc.

Brian’s Bike Trailer-home

by Kent Griswold

Dylan alerted me to an update on a story I covered a while back on Brian Campbell and his bike motorhome. Brian is the man known far and wide for his amazing RV bike.

Jonathan Maus editor of Bike Portland says: Now, not only has Brian rebuilt his own bike-home, he’s also started making them for others. But, Brian’s business is far from being stable. He needs help to keep building them and he’s looking for customers.

Unlike his bike, which is nothing short of a pedal-powered motorhome, the one he has for sale currently is a pull-behind trailer. Brian has perfected the fabrication of an all-weather enclosure that is light, insulated, very stable, and road worthy.

Tiny House in a Landscape

by Kent Griswold

This weeks Tiny House in a Landscape is of a storm approaching two rustic cabins on a lake. The cabins are rather run down, but the bicycle beside the one cabin suggests that it may still be in use. A little elbow grease and a couple of weeks of work … Read more

Water and Septic Systems Can Be Tricky in a Little House

by Kent Griswold

Part I – Deciding on a Water System that Best Suits Your Needs

By Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell

Water systems and sewage disposal can be a tricky thing when you are building a tiny house in the country.

This has been an issue for us since we built our Little House over six years ago. First, we had to decide on the water system. During construction, we were running out of funds, so we first had a huge tank system and water was trucked in. That was expensive at $140 a load, (I’m not sure of the tank size, but it was huge). However, when we didn’t live here full time, it worked. I think we typically had to buy 2-4 tanks per year.

MEN-DJ10-fhr-1 — Photo Credit Kevin Pieper (Mother Earth News)

After we moved here full time, it just wasn’t economical. Even with trying to conserve water, we went through 1 tank every 2-4 weeks.

Jake’s Bus Conversion

by Kent Griswold

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

The other day when I posted the bus for sale and talked about sharing some bus conversions, I was surprised by how many responses I received. There is quite an interest in this idea and I see several posts in the future on this subject.

Jake was one of those who emailed me the other day and shared his story with me. I decided to postpone the bus conversion I was originally planning to show you and share Jakes story instead.

In 1982 I was a sophomore at a small college in the Midwest. It was the beginning of second term and I was again standing in line at the on-campus book store waiting to pay for a too-heavy stack of text books. The line was not moving at all so I put my books down on the floor and started flipping through the coffee table books on display. The book I chose to pick up first was titled Rolling Homes – Handmade House on Wheels by Jane Lidz. Thus the seed was planted.

Wes’s House

by Kent Griswold

My small building project began at the end of the summer. I had moved out of my Brooklyn loft rather suddenly on September 1st. Couch-surfing and apartment hunting became the norm for a few weeks when I had the good fortune to spend a typically beautiful day in my good friend’s backyard.

This particular yard has a number of remarkable things going for it, but the run-down locksmith’s shop next to the fire pit made the top of the list across the board. The occupants of the main house had always nursed day-dreams of fixing up the dilapidated shack, possibly even moving in some day, yet never crossed the dream/reality threshold.

So we were sitting and looking and enjoying life when this perennial day-dream popped into conversation. There and then I was given blessing to live there provided I could pull it off, so that’s what I did.