My name is Maxime Chénier and I am from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. I am 26 years old and I work as a forest firefighter for the province.
I fell in love with Jay Shafer’s houses about 5 years ago and since then I have been planning mine. I move a lot with my job, and I hate paying for rent. So a tiny house was a perfect fit.
It all started about a year ago, in October 2012, when I bought a used flatbed trailer. I wanted to put the structure up before the first snow storm, so I went out to buy everything.
The floor is 3 different section of 2 x 6’s, and a section of treated ones for my deck, insulated and covered with a 3/4 inch plywood.
Walls and roof are sections of 2 x 4’s, all insulated. On the exterior, there is 1/2 prestwood, and tar paper. I had a good deal on a door and windows so I put them in right away with the loft roof skylight. Put a big tarp on in and that was it for the winter.
Then my fire season started so the project was put on hold until September 2013. As soon as I was back, I put the half log outside finish, the black metal roof and made the roof over the deck.
Then, I jumped inside to finish the insulation, which next time I will do after the wiring and not before.
Running the wires was fast, but still a big planning. I went big with a 100 amps electrical panel, 12x15A breakers. A 30A wire goes from my panel to outside with a 30A-15A adapter. I have 6 halogen lamps, a bathroom fan, small fridge, microwave, TV, computer, cell phone, toaster/oven.
Then this week, I finished the insulation, put a plastic membrane and the beautiful pine V-joint finish. I ordered my kitchen counter, my kitchen table is on the way, the framing for my cabinets is done, my couch is done, except the cushions.
The 30×32 shower, toilet and sink are in place just not installed. I will run everything with 1/2” pex. I will have a tankless propane water heater. But no water until the spring because it is already between -5 and-12 here so I’ll wait.