Building Gypsy Rose

Wow, you sure do live in a beautiful part of the world. It's been fun watching your build and it's certainly given me ideas for when I start my own in a couple of months.

Best wishes to you and Marion for a very happy new year,

Justin.

Hey Handsome! Got any more pie?

Hugs:)

I have enjoyed you blog on building your little house. There is one thing I did not read and that was what you did to insulate the floor. Did you cover the bottom of the trailer with exterior plywood?

I just read your entire blog in one sitting. Fantastic! Thanks for the inspiration, especially on the wood stove and the shed. I knew I wanted a "toy box" but I thought it would have to be an outbuilding. Better to have it integrated.

I sure would love to get my hands on your specs... dimensions or materials lists or that kind of thing. I am new to the small house movement but I wish like crazy I had discovered it years ago. I am so eager to get going on my own project!

I'm curious to know more about your plumbing system, particularly water sources and uses, (shower?) pumps, and storage.

Finally, I love the pics of Vermont. I used to live very close to Tunbridge (in Vershire) in the early 90's. It's a beautiful area. I miss the land, the vibe, and the people!

Gary,

The underside of Gypsy is currently covered with hardboard. (You can see pictures of the install at http://paddleways.com/blog/gypsyrose/2007/10/the_space_between_the_walls.html ) It was intended as a temporary solution to protect the insulation (R19 fiberglass batts) during the move, but like so many of the "temporary" projects, the hardboard is still under there. The intent is to eventually replace it with plywood and coats of paint once I feel comfortable that all the plumbing (grey water drains, etc.) are in their final configuration.

All the best,
Kevin

Mandy,

One of these days (?) I'd like to draw up the floorplan of the completed project. (I had drawn plans before we started, but there were modifications along the way that need to be reflected.) I also had drawn up framing plans that I could post as well.
One of my intentions with this blog has been to encourage others to build their own homes. Your feedback is very helpful in letting me know that I've succeeded in that regard. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.
Yes, Vermont is a very special place. As a kid growing up here I couldn't wait to get away. When I returned after a decade of wandering the rest of the country I began to really appreciate how unique this land and her people really are.

All the best,
Kevin

Hey Kevin thanks for the quick reply! I appreciate it.

I'd love to see the plans whenever you get a chance. Meantime I'm fiddling with various online planning and design tools. If you have a recommendation for something like that I'd love to hear it. I may decide to buy a set of plans but right now it looks like I would have to make enough changes that it probably makes more sense to start form scratch.

Careful about inviting questions... I'm going to have a lot! :-)

Hi Kevin,

Not enough superlatives in the English vocabulary to describe how AWESOME Gypsy Rose is!

I love the water manifold system you installed in Gypsy Rose. Can you give us more details about your internal water tank? How many gallons does it hold? Do you harvest rain water or rely solely on water from the brook?

If possible, I would be delighted to learn more about your solar/turbine configuration.

Any comments about appliances such as refrigerators and ovens? Are they Energy Efficient units?

Have you considered hosting a workshop much the way Peter King and Jay Schaefer has done?

Thanks

You said it, Drew! Not nearly enough superlatives. Gypsy Rose has become my primary source of inspiration.

Kevin, I'll second the request for a workshop - I'd even consider coming from the West Coast!

mandy

Drew,
The water tank is 50 gallons. I bought it from PlasticMart.com (horrible name, for sure). It fits under the couch. (The tank is 50"x16"x16." I cut a hole in the top of it and installed an inspection/clean-out hatch (from a marine supply store). The tank is plumbed to a 12-volt Shurflo pump that pressurizes the system.
When first building Gypsy, I was unsure where I'd be siting her and what the water scene would look like. I bought a 12-volt submersible pump that I could use to transfer water into the tank from the filler on the outside with visions of also having a tank in the back of my truck that I could fill up and then pump into Gypsy. As it stands now, however, I have a stream just outside the door and I fetch a 5-gallon pail of water on a daily basis (my current average water usage).
I'm planning on writing a post about the solar setup. I'm delighted with the way that it's working out. I find that solar is a bit of a mystery for most but it shouldn't be that way. It's easy to install one's own system and I hope to be able to give a good description of all the system design considerations.
As for appliances, I'm using a Brown propane range/oven. It took quite a bit of searching to find one that didn't have electronics (ignition, clocks, timers, etc.). I don't use the pilot lights on the range, though. They use too much gas. My fridge is a propane/110-v model from Dometic. I'm still in the first few months of using it in the propane mode so I haven't gotten a handle on its fuel usage yet. (I had calculated it as burning a 20 lb tank every 3 weeks.)
No, I hadn't considered workshops but who knows :)

All the best,
Kevin

Kevin,

From one hard-core Sox Fan to another, thank you for answering my questions.

If and when you have the opportunity, I would love to read more detailed posts on your Off Grid system.

Thanks!

Drew

Yes, thank you Kevin - this is all very helpful info.

I just visited Jay Shafer's tiny house today (of Tumbleweed Tiny Houses). It was great inspiration, especially in terms of designing space for storage. Wish I could visit the Gypsy Rose!

Here's an easy way to offer a workshop: I could interview you about different aspects of construction and we could make a podcast out of it. Whaddaya think?

Mandy,

I would love to read your Thesis when its completed.

I spoke to Jay a few times through his Blog and I really hope his vision of a Tiny House Village comes to fruition.

Although such Tiny House Communities (or Communes) may exist under the cloak of privacy already in the U.S., I predict one will emerge in New England with the confluence of Libertarian Thinkers and Rural Land, esp in Vermont.

Although many Tiny House Companies offer Homes and Plans at reasonable rates relative to the gaudy marketplace, I believe prices will eventually dip due to an anticipated sharing of ideas and information by enthusiasts.

And if anyone has the time or the inclination for it, I believe a complete "How To" Book on Building Tiny Houses from point A to point B would fare well in this space.

Seats at Fenway along the Monster would entice our resident Blogger for a full 9-inning interview. I'm kidding. I think.