Straw bales for insulation double glazed windows with an extra plastic sheet attached in winter 
Posted on 01/05/2023 2:29:55 AM PST by Jonty30
My husband, daughter and son-in-law built a tiny house in our back yard, and then we hauled it down to AR where we already own a large amount of wooded land. We (wisely) hired an electrician to wire it, and I did the plumbing. Once it was in place, they built a large deck around 2 sides, and that is where we spend most of our time. That was back in 2014-2015.
It cost around around $14K to build, and it includes one loft for each couple, a toilet, shower, sink, and propane stove.
Since the build, we added solar for electricity, and an outdoor water tank which we fill from our nearest neighbor’s well. Heating is provided by a ‘Mister Heater Buddy’ and cooling is by fans, or going outside. Refrigeration is an ice box out on the deck.
But yeah, it is basically a glorified hunting/fishing camp.
Straw bales for insulation double glazed windows with an extra plastic sheet attached in winter
Worked out pretty well really, we had privacy and could have friends over any time of day or night without disturbing everybody else in the house but were still close enough to go back home if we needed to do laundry or anything.
Yeah, it would seem to me that the more exterior walls exposed, the more heat loss you have..
As utilities go, I don't see how it could very efficient.
Bingo! What a HUGE waste for these idiots supposedly “living green.”
The heating load in a building is related to the external surface area of the building. The total surface area of six individual buildings is FAR higher than a single, compact building with the same total floor area. Plus you need SIX heating and cooling units versus one. Don’t forget lots more piping to run water and sewer to each building plus more electrical wire and breaker panels, too.
This is the stupidest “green” idea yet.
I suppose there’s a little bit more efficiency in that there’s a little less empty space being heated than there would be in a full sized, two story, four bedroom house. But it doesn’t seem like it would be a LOT less.
This could be almost as effectively done in a regular-size house, with defined spaces. The tiny house approach duplicates bathrooms, kitchens, and HVAC.
Some ham radio operators dream of a small separate building for their stations, but going out to The Radio Shack in inclement weather, and the need for separate HVAC usually doesn’t work out well. Electronic gear hates cold or damp-cold conditions, and deteriorates faster.
73
Exactly right. Heating load is all about the surface area/volume ratio. This is about as anti-green as you can get.
It’s well known in green building that a simple square floor plan house has the best surface area/volume ratio and lowest heating load.
So - we went from “It takes a village” to “You are a village”.
I read far enough to discover one of the extra houses is actually a 2-bathroom structure used by the kids...effectively...an outhouse. There’s no bathrooms in the kids’ houses. Have no idea what the 6th house is...mother-in-law suite?
“The smaller units have no bathrooms. So, in the winter you have to bundle up to go to the big house to go.”
That’s what chamber pots are for.
I had a small apartment above the garage. As the boys got older, they would transition to the apt. Sort of living on their own. But still usually over for dinner.
Adding 5 trailers significantly increases the odds of a tornado coming through.
Location, location, location.
KY? Sub-zero temps and heavy snowfall isn’t an issue. Not so in many places.
Two of the kids have split personalities?
lol
quote “Together, their six tiny homes”
um.. the total square footage of the SIX “tiny homes” is equal to a normal size home. I am going to guess about 1200 square feet for the total six!
Do they poop less? I am guessing each one of those has to have its own AC and Heat! There is no environmental benefit to this. This is a gimmick, and like someone else pointed out, this is more like detached bedrooms and actually less efficient than one single house of a similar total size.
I cannot imagine my kids using a chamber pot. But, everyone has their own thing I guess.
doesn’t seem like a fire hazard at all...
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