B-53
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743 & 837 square feet - click here for more dimensions
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Plans on Sale through December 31st.The B-53 is our largest home. It can be built as a 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom house. The 3rd bedroom is an optional add-on bedroom that is on the first floor level. The top floor houses two additional bedrooms. When you purchase the plans, you receive the floor plans for the additional bedroom. The B-53 is designed as a stationary house only, permanently affixed to a foundation. This is not a modular home, and therefore can not be built and shipped to you. We offer the plans so that you may build it. We suggest talking to local contractors about building costs in your area. Under most circumstances, building costs for a home affixed to a permanent foundation range from $100-$200 per square foot. |
Comments
95 Responses to “B-53”
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Very clever and aesthetic as well for most of the designs. I am a boatbuilder and many of the features of boats dovetail with your designs. some questions: total weight? Insulation? I have an 20′ocean container on my property used for tool storage. It would be an ideal shell to start with in some respects. It’s empty weight is 5000 lbs. Spray foam under the floor and 2x framing inside, run some wiring, a window or skylight and off you go. Comments? I know…UGLY!!!!
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Jay Shafer reply on November 7th, 2008 2:04 pm:
All of the pertinent specs are listed on links from our house pages. I think the container idea has tons of potential.
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Louis Meloche reply on January 3rd, 2009 5:40 pm:
I think it’s a great idea. I have been thinking about doing it for years now. Two 20 foot containers, 20 feet apart a roof spanning both, what a start !
Boat builders use every available inch, my little cabin was designed that way.
Louis
Do you know of any available plans using “sea containers” ?
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Jay Shafer reply on January 4th, 2009 11:12 pm:
Not right off.
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I love the B-53! Could it be built with the following modifications?
(1) the third bedroom space as a dining porch (for large holiday dinners & parties),
(2) a basement that would include a laundry room and another bedroom (plus some storage), and
(3) a mudroom, possibly along the side and attached to the stairs that would lead to the basement.
Any guesses on approximate cost to build this, with these modifications, in northern New England?
Kim
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Jay Shafer reply on November 7th, 2008 2:00 pm:
Yes, yes and yes. A quick guess at the price would be far from accurate since I don’t know all of the variables, but I’m sayin’ $100,000ish.
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Steve Korte reply on December 10th, 2008 6:34 pm:
Ms. Perez
I am the proud owner of the B-53 remix. This tiny home has been modified in a similar manner that you are requesting.
Some thoughts on your ideas:
You said, “(1) the third bedroom space as a dining porch (for large holiday dinners & parties)”
How many of your family members are gathering for this party? If it’s 10 or under I would recommend a picnic table on the land outside. A friend of ours in Holland has a B-53 (standard) and they have parties of 100 and up all the time. They have equipped the roof with a couple of couches for extra space. This may be a less expensive alternative to your concern.
You said, “(2) a basement that would include a laundry room and another bedroom (plus some storage)”
I really don’t think this is a good idea. This will triple the cost of production of your B-53 remix. A possible solution that our friends in Holland have incorporated is the “laundry room” is now in the bathroom. They created a custom CIP system in the bathroom. For more information on custom CIP solutions please visit http://www.morkusa.com.
You said, “(3) a mudroom, possibly along the side and attached to the stairs that would lead to the basement.”
Again, the basement would most likely triple the cost of this B-53. I would recommend “parking” this B-53 next to a pond or perhaps a lake. This way you can utilize all that mother earth has to offer without adding any additional cost to your B-53.
I hope this helps and I pray that you enjoy your remixed B-53 as much as all of our friends that visit ours do.
Take care Ms. Perez
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Gen A. reply on January 2nd, 2009 12:50 am:
Kim, I like your thinking! Those are the same modifcations I had in mind! And, while I understand Mr. Korte’s concerns for your costs, if you’re like me, I suspect that the modifications would be to make it more functional for your needs–forgoing costs. I am not sure what the weather is in Holland–but in Northern New England, I am certain you wouldn’t want to have a Christmas party outside. As for “parking” it next to a pond, maybe you already have your property purchased (I do) and a pond isn’t an option. I think your suggestions are wonderful, and I might “borrow” them from you, if you don’t mind? Thanks! - Gen
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Thanks for posting the B-53! I’ve been telling family about it and I think it’s going to be a huge hit. I think it’s a great size for my twenty and thirty something year old cousins and friends that all have one or two kids and I’m hoping to convince them to each build one. A while back I read something about the B-52 being built on Whitbey Island. Has that happened yet? Thank you again!
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Jay Shafer reply on November 7th, 2008 1:46 pm:
I recently visited the Whidbey Is. site, and it looks like they have basically doubled the size of the designs I sent and, inadvertently, altered the proportions. They no longer resemble Tumbleweed Houses.
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Nicole Marie reply on November 7th, 2008 3:29 pm:
Jay, that just stinks. I think everyone who posts on this site should be dissapointed to hear that someone would alter B53 so radically. I thought small was the whole point! These are lovely homes that you design and the Tumbleweed company builds. They remind me so much of the small old bungalows here in So Cal that are just little treasures.
I really encourage anyone out there who has built one of Jay’s homes and not doubled it’s size to please post on the builders page. It would really help eveyone see how the houses should look and really help inspire a lot of folks out there, not to mention answer so many questions about how the homes look on the inside. The Reed’s little red roof home in Mother Earth News is a great start, but the more homes people see, the more the word gets out.
Jay, keep the small houses coming and those of us who get it will pledge to build small. All of you at Tumbleweed rock! Keep the tiny revolution rolling!
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Andrew J reply on November 10th, 2008 6:11 am:
That is a shame…my wife and I are thinking about building this house, and we would add a basement to gain a little more space but keep from altering the look and lateral dimensions of the house.
Jay Shafer reply on November 10th, 2008 2:38 pm:
I, personally, have nothing against customizations. All of the houses on our “houses built by customers” link are customized. Of course, my ego does look forward to seeing one of each built as I have designed them, and the one you’re describing would allow me to.
What’s the difference between this and the B-52? I’ve seen this house in the portfolio, and have heard about the B-52…what’s the change?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 7th, 2008 1:41 pm:
This one meets minimum size requirements (just barely). These codes demand that every room in every house be a certain size. They are horrible, but, by adding just a few square feet to those old designs, local housing officials should be appeased.
That said, I do still sell old designs to those who are interested.
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Thanks! I just hadn’t seen it, and have heard several say the B-52 was great. I don’t suppose there’s any way to see any of the older designs? Or are the houses in the current portfolio a pretty good updated representation of those designs?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 8th, 2008 4:26 pm:
I’ll have to do some sort of a retrospective display of all the old designs sometime. Until then, the current portfolio contains what I consider to be the most evolved versions of the designs.
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What does the upstars look like? I assume that those are stairs I see in the floor plan. Are there any pics of the interior of this home?
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Matt reply on November 10th, 2008 1:17 am:
never mind on what the upstairs looks like just realized there is a floor plan for it. what is the ceiling hight on 1st and 2nd floor?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 10th, 2008 2:52 pm:
7′-6″.
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Jay Shafer reply on November 10th, 2008 2:53 pm:
I have no interior pix yet. I hope someone who built it will send some.
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My girlfriend and I are thinking about building one of these homes and are going back and forth on the idea. Do you or anyone else have any suggestions that may help lay the foundation.
Thanks
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Jay Shafer reply on November 10th, 2008 2:44 pm:
Meditate on what you really need to be happy. Everything else just gets in the way. You might try living in a tent or van for a couple weeks too (I’m only half kidding). Once you’ve lived with less than you probably need to be truly comfortable, a tiny house that meets your needs will seem positively luxurious.
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jesse boyd reply on November 13th, 2008 9:14 pm:
this made me laugh. true. now that we are becoming a global society there is a balancing going on where some countries may get more than a hut and americans may have to do with a little less and that is OK with me. a law of nature is to find balance.
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Thank you so much for your input. I think that this is something that we are definately going to do. We have actually been going without for some time now. And really want something to be our home but that we can travel with as well. So thank you not just for coming up with such an amazing idea but for helping us make our decision as well
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Hello,
I love all your houses. Probably would pick the “Tarleton”. I would like to know if there were a way to have the entry door on the side and use the front porch space for more house space? That way @ one end I could have the kitchen and at the other the full bathroom and maybe closet. That would leave the center for a sitting area.
Just my idea. *-)
Donna V
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Francis PP reply on November 11th, 2008 5:50 am:
I like Donna’s idea! The Tumbleweed line need a house that is between the 102sf and the 117’s
a 111 square feet house with a door on the side would be amazing (and probably the one I woud pick)
Mr, Schafer, you are doing an amazing work !
Joseph Jean Francis Philippe Pelletier.
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Jay Shafer reply on November 11th, 2008 8:58 pm:
I actually have a design called the Burnhardt that matches that description. It’s in the portfolio and will be posted on the site soon.
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Jay Shafer reply on November 11th, 2008 9:04 pm:
When there’s a will there’s a way, but the house you describe would require quite a few hours ($) to reconfigure.
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Re B-53 (and others…) I’d be inclined to increase interior headroom to at least 8′ or 8′3″ (walls framed with untrimmed 8′ studs). Seems to me the tiny/small house issue should be focused on footprint more than volume, and higher ceilings make rooms feel larger.
With some careful redesign, the front porch and dormer could retain their proportions and not change the appearance of the house appreciably. Comments?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 11th, 2008 8:56 pm:
I’m one of the only people I know who doesn’t generally like high ceilings. Seeing all that heat up there in the winter gets my goat. So it’s unlikely that I’ll be raising the ceilings myself. That said, it would be pretty easy to do it yourself once you had the plans.
Another point worth mentioning is that the second floor in the midsize houses can be shrunk down so that it sits only over the bathroom and kitchen. This leaves a huge (relatively) cathedral ceiling over the main room.
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Roger in Seattle reply on November 12th, 2008 4:13 am:
Excellent point about heat, but since high-level insulation has become so easy, it’s much less of an issue than it was in those high-ceilinged houses of the early 20th century. And with the small footprint, but actual volume of heated up there isn’t really very great.
And good point also about just doing a partial second floor. Probably best option for folks who don’t need the floorspace upstairs.
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do you do customizations on the plans you sell? For example if someone wanted to make the 3rd bedroom into a more multi-purpose type room and wanted a back door add to the room. Could that change be made to the plans? if so what would the extra cost be for the customization?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 11th, 2008 8:48 pm:
I do simple customizations. The change you speak of would certainly qualify. This change would cost you $85 extra. Remember to note the change and the price I’m giving you when you place your order. Send the extra $85 to Tumbleweed Tiny House Co., P.O. Box 941, Sebastopol, CA 95473.
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This is truely amazing. I love this floor plan and boy could I use to down size my life. In looking at the site… I do have one question. Do I have to build it or can I get someone recommended to build?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 12th, 2008 1:31 pm:
Unless you live in the Bay Area, I have no recommendations, but I’d bet someone out there does.
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I like the B-53’s exterior look a little better than the Enesti, but I am wondering how you get an extra 60+ square feet in the B-53, when the footprint is the same as that of the Enesti.
Also, what do the thin lines drawn on either side of the master bedroom signify?
Can’t wait to get building one of these as soon as our home sells!! If we wanted to buy the plans, but wanted a couple of things changed would we go through you, or our building contractor?
Thank you & Peace
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Jay Shafer reply on November 16th, 2008 3:34 pm:
We count more of the space upstairs as square footage because more of it is over 7′ tall. Both are really about the same size though.
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This is probably my favorite design — partly because, with the 3rd bedroom (which I also picture as a sort of utility room or workshop — I’m a tinkerer), it’s just over the minimum size dictated by building codes in my county. I wouldn’t be able to start building for 2 or 3 years, but that’s still considerably less time than it would take to save up enough for a bigger house — and it looks like some of the details which can save a lot of energy up here in the desert would be pretty easy to integrate.
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Hi,
I’m responding to an earlier comment Jay made back on Nov 10th about customizations. I total agree that making a Tumbleweed or any house your own is a really important thing, and I think most of the people who post on this site would agree that we don’t need any more track home clones. But, I did have a huge reminder today of just how good the work Tumbleweed and the Small House Society are doing. One reason I love the B53 is it’s resemblance to the bungalows in parts of downtown Riverside, CA, most of which are between 800- 1000sq ft. A few years ago an aquaintence of my sister’s bought one of these darling homes, a 3br. The family wanted to make it their own and decided to change a few things. The changes snowballed into a 2000+ sq ft addition that brought the total sq ft of the house to over 3000 sq ft! All this for a family of 3 and a dog. The house now sits abandoned and foreclosed, it’s tragic. I truly feel the lessons of Tumbleweed & SHS in it’s economy of space and a simplified life are great lessons for everyone. I applaud everyone who posts here for their excellent ideas on how to work with the small plans and keep the houses small, without creating another supersized mistake. I was reminded today of how important that is.
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I’m wondering what that thing is on the left-hand side of the living room space in the B53…a stove?
These houses are darling! I had just about given up on ever being able to own a house, but now I see that it might be possible after all! What do you have to do to change local zoning laws? I’m pretty feisty; who can I hassle?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 23rd, 2008 1:51 pm:
Hassle your local planning dept. to allow for more small houses per acre without undue permitting fees. And when you’re done, come hassle my local planing dept. too.
You guessed it. that’s a stove.
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We absolutely love this house. I have several questions, though.
1. The picture for this house is the same as a picture for another, smaller plan. Which plan does it actually belong to?
2. Do you have any back/side elevations of this house? I’m assuming there are some gables on the back?
3. How tall is this house? We know at least 15′ plus floor joists, but want to know how much it will stick up above the landscape.
4. Does the house with an addition have a larger kitchen than the one without?
Thank you!
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Jay Shafer reply on November 23rd, 2008 1:45 pm:
1) They are two different images. The yellow, wider house is a picture of the larger B-53. The image of the smaller green house is of the smaller Loring.
2) Yes there are.
3) It’s about 22′ tall.
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E. Joe C. reply on November 28th, 2008 10:54 pm:
Mr. Shaffer, yes the picture is similar to the Loring but wider and has a different front porch. The dimensions and floor plan are the same as the Enesti, except the large bedroom dimensions, but the entire square footage is the same. Do you have the larger dimensions Floor Plan for the B-53? I would really love to see this house at 700-800+ Sq ft.
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This is a great plan. Are the walls desined so that pocket doors would be an option? Also, is the plumbing set up on interior walls?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 23rd, 2008 1:26 pm:
Generally speaking, if there is enough wall on one side of the door or the other to accommodate the full width of the door a pocket can be installed (except where there’s plumbing involved).
Yes.
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Hi,
I want to build the larger B-53. Where I live, temperature ranges between -25 C and 32 C.
1. Is the B-53 designed to accommodate heavy snow loads?
2. Do the plans provide for the extra insulation needed here?
3. Can the plans accomodate ducting?
4. Is the staircase to upstairs sufficiently wide and high to move a queen-size bed upstairs?
5. If I want to add a basement, where would the staircase go?
Thank you in advance for your help.
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Jay Shafer reply on November 27th, 2008 4:55 pm:
1) Yes.
2) See response to Greame above.
3) Yes.
4) Yes.
5) Under the existing stairs.
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I was looking at the Lusby. Would it be able to handle the cold winters of Wyoming? The -10F nights? Thanks!
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Jay Shafer reply on November 27th, 2008 4:47 pm:
See previous response.
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Jay Shafer reply on November 27th, 2008 4:50 pm:
Actually, forget the previous response. With the tiny ones you will be fine with considerably less insulation. Iowa is about the same as Wyoming in the winter, and I had the warmest house in town and only spent about $160 per year on propane. I was living in the Epu.
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Me and my wife have been looking at smaller, more energy efficient homes for a while and while only your largest design would have enough room for us + kids, I do admit to finding the idea intriguing. Three questions though; 1) How well insulated ARE the designs you have? I live in a part of Canada where in the last 2 years we have hit low temperatures below -40 degrees centigrade for at least one week straight per winter. Once in the last 10 years we were the coldest part of the world, beating both antarctica and siberia. As such, the walls in new construction here are usually built of 2×6 studs to allow much-needed extra insulation. 2) Were we to build the design we would be adding a basement for storage. DO the plans as written allow for this? 3) What is the rated load of the roof for winter peak snow load, as that is a bit of a concern in this part of the world.
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Jay Shafer reply on November 27th, 2008 4:46 pm:
Now that is cold! You can fit 3 1/2″ of extruded polystyrene foam board in our 2×4 walls, about 7 1/2″ in the roof and about 9 1/4 in the floor, so, at about 5 Rs of insulating power per inch, you could get nearly 18 Rs in the walls, and more than 35 in the roof and floor. Unfortunately the map at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/insulation.html#map doesn’t cover Canada, but I know there’s a map out there that will tell you if our walls are thick enough for your area. If not, you could beef them up a bit.
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Hi,
Just wondering about a few things, namely: can the plans be changed to accommodate 2×6 studs without changing the interior floor space, and is it possible to replace the (I’m assuming propane powered) fireplace to a wood burner? I can see how this and your other smaller homes would be even more efficient in remote area’s if the stove burned wood. (It would allow for even less use of propane.) Thank you for a speedy reply, and am looking forward to seeing some of the older homes.
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Jay Shafer reply on November 28th, 2008 5:52 pm:
Yes, the 2×6 variation could be accommodated by altering the exterior by a couple inches. And a wood stove would be an easy switch.
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Hi!
1) Is it possible for you to label the rooms on the pictures above like you have done with the other houses?
2) Also, how long do you believe you will have these plans available for? My Fiance and I are very interested in the B-53 but don’t believe we will begin the process for another 2 or 3 years.
3) What are the demensions of the third bedroom?
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Jay Shafer reply on December 4th, 2008 2:51 am:
1. Good idea.
2. We will probably have this one around for a long while.
3. About 7′ x 11′.
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So question. I have 5 small children aged 5-10, and I try to be green every way I can, however, I cannot find a vehicle that will fit 7 people that is environmentally as friendly as many of the smaller vehicles because most people do not have a family of seven, so we aren’t catered too. I LOVE these homes, but how on earth can I squeeze all of us in one? I live in what should be a huge apartment at 1200sqft, but we are all always on top of each other. If anyone has ANY tricks or tips or ideas or suggestions (giving away free children to a good home
I would love to hear them. How does one go green and minimalize a big family? How can we all fit in one tiny home (considering at some point they will be teenagers and I have 4 girls and one boy?) can you build closet sized bedrooms that will just fit a bed and a dresser so they can all have their own little bit of space (for my sanity)? Or would that be against all county codes for size? Ok, I’m done now. Hit me!
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Jay Shafer reply on December 4th, 2008 2:42 am:
I often get asked what my definition of a “small” house is, Melanie. I have always refused to answer with any specific number because, let’s face it, a 5,000 square foot house is small if you have 20 people living in there. As far as I’m concerned, a Hummer filled with 8 people is (despite all preconceptions) perfectly viable. That said, if you like my designs in particular, I recommend the Enesti with an additional bedroom on each side and another in the back with a wrap-around porch connecting them all. But that’s only five bedrooms in total, so I guess you’ll still have to make a couple kids make XS-House shells and live out back.
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Kennon Nilsen reply on December 6th, 2008 2:44 am:
For those that need more space with more kids, You can look ot the United States Navy for help. Berth space is all that is needed for sleeping. you could reasonable sleep 4 kids on a wall that is only 8 feet long with a 24 inch wide bunk. Look at the design of submarines. These ideas are not new.
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my dogs have lived in a small home for years now (approx 32 sq feet)… it has a 2500 BTU HVAC system you might consider for the smaller homes you build. it would certainly take the edge off a hot humid summer night, especially in the loft.
see the dogouse at http://www.petmcmansions.com
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Jay Shafer reply on December 6th, 2008 6:12 pm:
Thanks, Rich.
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hey everybody -
my boyfriend and i are considering building the b-53 in a few years, and we were wondering if anyone had pictures of the interior or even just pictures of the finished exterior? we’d really love to see how people fit furniture/clothes/themselves in this tiny house!!!
thanks so much…
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Hi Jay: with the B-53 do you think a family can reasonably “get by” with only one bathroom? If so, do you suggest the top floor? Thanks, Pete
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Jay Shafer reply on December 6th, 2008 5:53 pm:
I wish I cold answer that, but it depends on the family. I can only suggest that you try experimenting. If you have more than one right now, lock some doors and see how it goes.
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pete schaffer reply on December 6th, 2008 11:04 pm:
Thanks Jay!
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Is there a place where we can see models? I am much interested in the Ernesti / B-53. Great-looking product!!
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Jay Shafer reply on December 6th, 2008 5:36 pm:
Only my house as of yet. But I hope to have a whole village for show someday.
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If you changed your car’s oil over to full synthetic and stopped changing your oil every 3000 miles you would reduce carbon footprint more than moving yourself into a tight cramped space that is overpriced and not necessary. Humans are not animals and should not be caged. A 1400 sq ft house that is built with recycled materials and is energy effeceint will have more of an impact than these small cages do.
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Jay Shafer reply on December 6th, 2008 5:35 pm:
Don’t knock it until you try it, Kennon. I generally open my house up to visitors on the first Saturday of every month. I welcome you to stop by and see how spacious just 100 square feet can feel when it’s designed well.
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pete schaffer reply on December 6th, 2008 11:06 pm:
What city is your B-53 home in? (If I’m ever in the neighborhood I’d like to take you up on the “once a month visitors.”) Thanks, Pete
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Jay Shafer reply on December 7th, 2008 12:26 am:
Sorry, Pete. I only do tours of my personal residence. It’s only 8′x12′, and it’s in Sebastopol, CA. I believe the next open house is on January 3. See this link for details http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/openhouse/#faq
James reply on December 15th, 2008 5:44 am:
I love this B-53 plan, Jay. To the person who said these homes are “cages”, I’d point out that my wife and I live comfortably in an apartment that’s less than 600 sq. ft., so we’d be fine in the B-53. That being said, though, I’d add one proviso: it helps that we live in a temperate area with mild winters. Having to stay in a small space for days at a time would be tough.
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I am interested in downsizing to something like the B-52. But, is there a way to build the 3 bedroom with a full bath downstairs and upstairs? Aging parents may come to live with us one day.
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Jay Shafer reply on December 8th, 2008 3:55 am:
I can do that.
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Concerning 20 ft containers. I framed in the end of one for a 6′ slideing glass door in a way that the outer steel doors could still close and lock. Added windows , solar panels on roof , insulation and a few other features and had a comfortable, portable small home for a very small price. great to live in on remote property while building your house or for vacation cabin?
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Jay Shafer reply on December 8th, 2008 3:54 am:
Cool!
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Will you be posting elevation drawings of the B-53 anytime soon? I’m interested in the pitch and style of the roof, as well as dormers.
My fiance are interested in building the B-53 (and will send pictures when we’re finished) but have talked to builders, realtors and the city, and in Canada where we live we cannot use your building plans — different codes etc come into it at that point. How much information can you provide us, to keep this house as closely to your plans, without feeling like you’re getting ripped off
Thanks
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Jay Shafer reply on December 8th, 2008 3:53 am:
I want to see that house built. I wonder what your local officials have against it. If they say it’s too small pull 104.11 of the International Building Code on ‘em. It encourages local departments to weigh the benefits of alternative design, materials and methods in the course of evaluating a project. Let them know that building small is the greenest thing you can do. Then let ‘em know that, if they didn’t know that already, they’re in the wrong business.
We can also make simple adjustments to the plans for a low cost if that becomes necessary.
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I really love the B-53. I want to buy the plans, but want a couple of modifications (see below) Would you do these, or a building contractor?
1) Ceilings at least 8 ft. (or 8′3″ as I’ve seen mentioned here). Downstairs especially. Is Up possible too?
2) Skylights (that can be opened) in the upstairs bedrooms for more light (as I’d be building this in Seattle). Possibly moving a window or two downstairs and wrapping the porch around to one side for a porch swing.
3) Smaller bathroom down (a water closet with toilet and ¼ size sink) leaving another foot (or so) on that side of the Living Room. Can the stairs be reduced or placed in such a way to give more room to the downstairs?
4) Remove the small interior wall between kitchen/booth, to build an L-shaped bench instead (the space could then be used with or without a table)….and similarly opening the closet directly upstairs for a window seat with storage under.
A couple more questions, following on earlier queries:
Would you be post elevation drawings of the B-53? I’m interested in the pitch and style of the roof, as well as dormers.
What do the thin lines drawn on either side of the master bedroom signify? Is that storage?
Where is the ‘builders page’, with the pictures of builders homes? Do I have to purchase plans first to have access?
Any thoughts on approximate cost to build, with these modifications, in Seattle?
Thanks! ‘Just enough’ is beautiful.
Grace
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Jay Shafer reply on December 12th, 2008 4:49 pm:
All of your ideas seem viable. I’d love to do the modifications myself, but considering how full my plate is already, I think you should just buy the plans and turn them over to an architect.
We don’t normally post side elevations anywhere other than the portfolio and in the plans themselves, but I’ll see what I can do.
The lines represent storage.
Look for the “See houses built by our customers” link on the home page.
I don’t think your modifications should add more than $5000 extra.
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I love your direction and dedication, I stumbled on this article last night and am very pleased to see the quality of craftsmanship employed here. Having had a few wooden boats I can truly appreciate the keen use of limited space. You have got my mind going now and I’d like to share the following thoughts;
I noticed Dee’s Solar array and was thinking it’d be really cool to incorporate it into the roof structure using solar shingles, see their site:(http://www.oksolar.com/roof/).
Another thought is to have heated water via a tankless system with hydro powered ignition, their site is http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/HeatingProducts/WaterHeating/AquaStar1/AquaStar125.htm
As far as water supply is concerned, maybe a flexible bladder (waterbed?)sandwiched between the loft floor and ceiling below could yield as much as 50 gallons of storage (yes I realize thats 8.5 lbs per gallon). And provide a gravity flow?
For refrigeration, I like the one mentioned here, http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/08/refrigeration_b.php
What do you recomend for the toilet, Have you looked at SunMar composting toilets?
Thanks for your time, hope these ideas help.
Best Regards,
Michael
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Jay Shafer reply on December 12th, 2008 4:35 pm:
thanks for all the ideas and links, Michael. I have a composting toilet as described here. I highly recommend it. http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/sawdustoilet.html
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meghan evans reply on December 17th, 2008 8:43 pm:
my husband and I are using the sawdust toilet…it really does work!
Currently we are living in our RV, with an office in our barn. (Yes, the barn was built before the house.) I love the ideas on this site, and I think that the B53 will be on our top five list when in comes time to build.
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Thanks for the new link, I can see the B53 specs now. I have only 2 questions:
1. If you were going to add a fireplace to the B53, where do you think it would fit most easily?
and
2. Have you considered partnering with a company that would design solar, wind, & ground-source heat pump systems to make your Tumbleweed designs off-grid? It seems like a logical next step in reducing consumption, and, if you had a link to the other company on your website, it would mean they were honest & familiar with your designs. They might even answer people’s detailed questions about insulation for various models based on climate of the building site.
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Jay Shafer reply on December 12th, 2008 4:20 pm:
1) I’d put the fireplace right behind where the heat stove is currently located in the living room.
2) Yes. We are in touch with a couple specialists and hope to work them into our operation more consistently in the future.
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Message for Kim Perez who asked about modifications. My idea for extra dining/laundry is this: add on the third bedroom and build in an L-shaped bench with a table for dining. Extra chairs can be pulled out and placed on the other two sides of the table if more people are dining. In the adjacent corner put in a fold-up triangle-shaped desk unit that is opened up for use. The space where the dining booth is right now can be used for stackable washer/dryer and a little dry food pantry space. As a cook one of my main concerns about the houses is will I have room to really cook and bake, make jam, make bread by hand, etc. I would also probably keep a small storage shed against the side of the building for bulky kitchen appliances and stuff.
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I love this house! I wish I could have found some in my area when my husband and I were house hunting a couple years ago. We are currently living in about 850 sq. ft. of space, but this is laid out so much better!
I have stumbled upon another site that I always toss around when I’m dreaming of building. Do you know of anyone trying SIP’s for building these? They’re supposed to be awesome, and easy for a few people to buld a house themselves. (www.ameripanel.com)
Also, I see that you push the tankless water heater in these homes. Do they actually work? I’ve heard they get limed up real bad here in WI, and to me that makes sense. (Kinda like a coffee pot that needs to be kept clean with vinegar) I would love to put one in my current home, since we have limited space as well.
Love what you do!
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Jay Shafer reply on December 18th, 2008 3:40 pm:
SIPS will work just fine. I was going to build my first house from them, but went with something I already understood.
I hadn’t heard that about the water heaters. Thanks for the heads up.
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I can’t seem to find the difference between the 774 sqf Enesti and the 837 sqf B-53. Where is the addtional 63 sqf thats in the B-53 thats not in the Enesti?
I like the lay out of the Enesti but I like the size of the B-53.
Thank you for your time
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Fallooza reply on December 18th, 2008 10:50 am:
the front bedroom of the B-53 has a bump out over the porch. the Enesti does not.
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I love this house. I live in Alaska, and am wondering if there would be any problems with this house in the sub-zero temperatures. Can someone advise if there would be any foreseeable problems, or if any extras would be required?
Thanks very much.
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Jay Shafer reply on December 31st, 2008 4:19 pm:
This and all my houses were designed with 2×4 walls. This one also has 2×8 rafters and 2×10 floor joists. This allows for about 15 Rs of insulation in the walls, 35 in the roof and about 45 in the floor. That’s more than enough in most areas (especially in such a small space), but, if you want more, you can always beef up the framing.
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I have been looking at house plans over the years, to replace my existing too large, propane using home. I commend you for your simple living and plan to get back to it someday. It is so easy to get wrapped up in material things. Does the international code thing work. Our local code I eleive is 950 sq ft, so the plans wouldn’t need to be changed to much. Great job!!!!!!
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