I want a small but custom home
August 25, 2010 4:40 PM Subscribe
I wish to build a small, custom home in a rural setting. I've tried to research small, rustic homes but I end up seeing teeny, tiny places. No thanks.
I already live on a small ranch in the Idaho Rockies. I'm retired and single (but looking).
So, the question isn't about land, relocating, etc.
I would like to build a super well designed home for $200k. Perhaps 1200-1500 sq feet. Lots of wood.
Design doesn't have to cost a lot. Unless it is "one off" "ground up." I can't afford that. I'm looking for designs I can give a good contractor and sub the rest. I want to know and see what I'm going to get.
Of course I am interested in sustainability, etc. But I expect to use fuel, electricity, etc. I'll take care of my own water and sewage.
A small place that can act like a big place. A music/TV room that becomes a guest room. A kitchen that is designed for living, not just a bunch of cabinets. Alcoves and weird spaces that work. Closets and shelves in unlikely places. A laundry that is also functional when it is not a laundry (mud room?).
A sailing vessel comes to mind, but not nearly that small. I am not thinking square feet or even cubic feet. I am thinking living feet that is engineered in.
My log home embraces many cubic feet. It is ineffeicient as all get out, however. I don't wish to retro engineer. I don't have ten years to complete the project.
Where are the cool, already built small homes? Real homes. For two people with guests? Using Pacific Northwest materials? Wood, tile, stone? I'm not going to try and invent penicillin. It's already been invented. If it works for me, I'll take it and not care about being "original."
I'd like the already thought out ideas. I can get craftsmen to carry them out. I'm not going to quibble about the placement of a drawer. I want plans and pictures so I can say "Just do this..." Of course I am willing to pay a reasonable amount for such a design.
I appreciate your replies in advance...
I already live on a small ranch in the Idaho Rockies. I'm retired and single (but looking).
So, the question isn't about land, relocating, etc.
I would like to build a super well designed home for $200k. Perhaps 1200-1500 sq feet. Lots of wood.
Design doesn't have to cost a lot. Unless it is "one off" "ground up." I can't afford that. I'm looking for designs I can give a good contractor and sub the rest. I want to know and see what I'm going to get.
Of course I am interested in sustainability, etc. But I expect to use fuel, electricity, etc. I'll take care of my own water and sewage.
A small place that can act like a big place. A music/TV room that becomes a guest room. A kitchen that is designed for living, not just a bunch of cabinets. Alcoves and weird spaces that work. Closets and shelves in unlikely places. A laundry that is also functional when it is not a laundry (mud room?).
A sailing vessel comes to mind, but not nearly that small. I am not thinking square feet or even cubic feet. I am thinking living feet that is engineered in.
My log home embraces many cubic feet. It is ineffeicient as all get out, however. I don't wish to retro engineer. I don't have ten years to complete the project.
Where are the cool, already built small homes? Real homes. For two people with guests? Using Pacific Northwest materials? Wood, tile, stone? I'm not going to try and invent penicillin. It's already been invented. If it works for me, I'll take it and not care about being "original."
I'd like the already thought out ideas. I can get craftsmen to carry them out. I'm not going to quibble about the placement of a drawer. I want plans and pictures so I can say "Just do this..." Of course I am willing to pay a reasonable amount for such a design.
I appreciate your replies in advance...
I forgot to add- a variety of homes are showcased in the book Creating the Not So Big House, and their plans are here. The original book mostly shows off the architect's house and it's a larger # of sq. feet than you're looking for.
posted by Mouse Army at 5:09 PM on August 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Mouse Army at 5:09 PM on August 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
Some of my favourite houses are by architects Ross Chapin, Robert Knight and Russell Hamlet.
I first read about each of them in Fine Homebuilding magazine. I recommend getting an online subscription and digging through the archives. Plus I think their articles, advice and videos would be invaluable for anyone building a house. There are a few Sarah Susanka "Not So Big" articles on there too.
posted by fundip at 6:15 PM on August 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
I first read about each of them in Fine Homebuilding magazine. I recommend getting an online subscription and digging through the archives. Plus I think their articles, advice and videos would be invaluable for anyone building a house. There are a few Sarah Susanka "Not So Big" articles on there too.
posted by fundip at 6:15 PM on August 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
Boy, I wish I could show you through the house that my brother built in NE Washington State (and which I now own). He designed and built it himself, with a lot of bartering for work by local craftsmen. I'll dump out what I know of what went into it, and maybe it will give you some ideas.
Definitely not tiny, maybe 1800 sq. ft. (two floors), but that fits two large bedrooms (upstairs), a large study/office (upstairs) and one smaller bedroom (downstairs). Timber framed lower floor, with the timbers exposed on the inside of the house. Non-structural straw bale walls on the lower floor, covered with stucco (so the appearance is 1.5 ft. thick stucco'ed walls). Upper floor is more traditionally constructed (studs/trusses). Lower floor is open-plan kitchen/dining/living. Center of lower floor is a big (maybe 5' by 5', floor to ceiling) red brick Russian fireplace, including bread/pizza oven facing kitchen. There's a mudroom of course w/ laundry and water heater and such.
Very careful thinking about the design. Designed to have all water fixtures very close to the water heater. Designed to use full sheets of material (drywall/plywood) as much as possible for easier construction. Oriented correctly w.r.t. the sun, windows and skylights on the proper sides, etc. High-efficiency windows. Russian fireplace for primary heating in NE Washington winter, I think he used like a cord of wood a year. Metal roof, so long lifetime, and for reliability and ease of construction it's designed to have very few vents/etc poking through the roof (look around you at the roofs of modern houses and you'll understand what I mean -- this house has like three things and all/only at the peak). Note that he did put in skylights though (worth it :).
He bartered for custom cabinetry from local cabinet makers, and custom hardware from a local blacksmith. Granite countertops, slate tile floor and slate tile window sills/seats (deep due to the thick walls). He designed and laid the floor and window sills himself.
I think what I really like about it is that he optimized across several axes at once. Simplicity, efficiency of construction, energy efficiency, livability, aesthetics, bartering / using local labor and expertise, etc. He spent a very long time thinking about what he wanted, designing and re-designing. You say you don't have ten years to complete the project, but spending a lot of time up front in the design really is the way to get the right result in the end.
posted by madmethods at 6:18 PM on August 25, 2010 [2 favorites]
Definitely not tiny, maybe 1800 sq. ft. (two floors), but that fits two large bedrooms (upstairs), a large study/office (upstairs) and one smaller bedroom (downstairs). Timber framed lower floor, with the timbers exposed on the inside of the house. Non-structural straw bale walls on the lower floor, covered with stucco (so the appearance is 1.5 ft. thick stucco'ed walls). Upper floor is more traditionally constructed (studs/trusses). Lower floor is open-plan kitchen/dining/living. Center of lower floor is a big (maybe 5' by 5', floor to ceiling) red brick Russian fireplace, including bread/pizza oven facing kitchen. There's a mudroom of course w/ laundry and water heater and such.
Very careful thinking about the design. Designed to have all water fixtures very close to the water heater. Designed to use full sheets of material (drywall/plywood) as much as possible for easier construction. Oriented correctly w.r.t. the sun, windows and skylights on the proper sides, etc. High-efficiency windows. Russian fireplace for primary heating in NE Washington winter, I think he used like a cord of wood a year. Metal roof, so long lifetime, and for reliability and ease of construction it's designed to have very few vents/etc poking through the roof (look around you at the roofs of modern houses and you'll understand what I mean -- this house has like three things and all/only at the peak). Note that he did put in skylights though (worth it :).
He bartered for custom cabinetry from local cabinet makers, and custom hardware from a local blacksmith. Granite countertops, slate tile floor and slate tile window sills/seats (deep due to the thick walls). He designed and laid the floor and window sills himself.
I think what I really like about it is that he optimized across several axes at once. Simplicity, efficiency of construction, energy efficiency, livability, aesthetics, bartering / using local labor and expertise, etc. He spent a very long time thinking about what he wanted, designing and re-designing. You say you don't have ten years to complete the project, but spending a lot of time up front in the design really is the way to get the right result in the end.
posted by madmethods at 6:18 PM on August 25, 2010 [2 favorites]
I've always wanted a Monolithic Dome home. http://www.monolithic.com/ They are strong structures, having survived tornados and floods and are also energy efficient.
and you look like you live on Tatooine or you know... in the future.
More about Monolithic Dome homes
Or if you want smaller cabin sized domes
There seems to be a variety of ways to decorate the outside, as well.
Here are some featured dome homes
posted by dreamling at 7:21 PM on August 25, 2010
and you look like you live on Tatooine or you know... in the future.
More about Monolithic Dome homes
Or if you want smaller cabin sized domes
There seems to be a variety of ways to decorate the outside, as well.
Here are some featured dome homes
posted by dreamling at 7:21 PM on August 25, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Mouse Army at 5:03 PM on August 25, 2010 [2 favorites]