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Monday, October 7, 2013

More than only Tiny Houses - here are Escape-Campervans !

Escape Campervans

by Christina Nellemann on October 7th, 2013. Add a Comment

On a recent trip to Yosemite National Park, the parking lots were dotted with some very colorful little campervans that reminded me of the long-term travel vans in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. It turns out that the Kiwi company that rents out the graffiti-inspired vans Down Under now has rental options in the U.S. The individually painted vans are available in several cities around the country for both short and long road trips.

escape-campervan3

Escape Campervans are available in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Miami and New York and each are hand painted by local artists. Prices are quoted for trips from 3 days to 85+ days. A young British couple we met in Yosemite were driving their Escape campervan from Los Angeles to New York for three months and the longer you rent, the cheaper the cost. Only a $200 deposit is needed to reserve a camper van.

The U.S fleet of Escape Campervans are economical Chevy Astros, Ford E150 and Dodge Caravans. Each of the campervans sleep two to four people and include beds, bedding and comforters, picnic chairs, sinks and running water, cooking and eating utensils, heat and AC,  stereos, propane stoves, and ice boxes for food. Some of the vans include pop-up roofs with sleeping areas. Optional items can be rented including picnic tables, snow chains, rooftop storage boxes, GPS systems, tents, awnings, solar showers and child seats.

escape-campervan4

escape-campervan

escape-campervan5

escape-campervan2

 Photos by Escape Campervans

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]
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Putting Your Tiny House on Airbnb: Five Tips

by Christina Nellemann on September 30th, 2013. 17 CommentsI've had our tiny backyard cottage as a rental on Airbnb now since June and we've had over 20 visitors who've been both charmed and confused by the size of the cottage, awed by the location and inspired by the space planning and design. Airbnb is a social website that connects people who have space to spare with those who are looking for a place to stay. Our cottage (which we remodeled last year) has been enjoyed by people from all over the world as a quiet place to stay while in the Reno/Lake Tahoe area.

quail-haven-airbnb

If things continue to go as well as they do, about 20 percent of our income could come from this rental and this great service, allowing me to not have to work full time anymore. However, it has not been without its ups and downs. Several people have felt that the cottage is too small, the water tank is limited in hot water and the location a little out of the way. Albeit, some visitors have found it perfect for their needs. It can be difficult to include every need and want, but I've come up with five tips that could help you rent out your own tiny house on Airbnb.

1. Location, location, location…but not how you think

Our cottage is centrally located to many places: Reno, Carson City, Lake Tahoe, San Francisco and Yosemite. It's also out of the city, which allows our visitors to have a quiet getaway while still being about 15 minutes away from groceries and town. However, the majority of our visitors happen to be coming across the country — coming to or from San Francisco. If you market your tiny house as a way station to another location, you could bring in more visitors.

2. Offer a unique experience

A lot of visitors to the cottage were intrigued first by the name of our property and the bright colors of the house. Then they saw that we offered access to wilderness areas (complete with wild horses), a trampoline, plenty of parking, a giant vegetable garden they could peruse and their own kitchen and bathroom.

3. Be an expert in your area

Some of our visitors have been very happy with the advice I've given them about our area. I've told them the best places to go hiking, the best restaurants in the area and tips on how to avoid crowds. Be an expert in your own area and make yourself available for questions.

4. Check with your insurance and put it in writing

If you list your tiny house with Airbnb, your property is covered for loss or damage due to theft or vandalism caused by an Airbnb guest for up to $1,000,000 (in eligible countries). I also called our insurance company to make sure that we would not be liable for any injury to a guest as long as they were on our property. It turns out that bodily injury is covered under our insurance with any structure on the property. I have a small information packet in the cottage that outlines the rules of the property and for visitors to use our trampoline or swing at their own risk.

5. Be ready for last minute requests

Several of our Airbnb requests have been for that night or the next night. I've had to scramble at the last minute to clean the cottage and make it available for the next person. Be prepared for last minute requests and have extras of everything including bedding, towels and bottles of water and make sure the tiny house is heated or cooled depending on the weather.

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1966 Scotsman Vintage Trailer

by Kent Griswold on September 18th, 2013. 20 Comments

The other day a friend of mine, Trudy, called me and said her uncle was visiting with his vintage trailer and asked if I would like to see it.

Charles is retired and travels around a fair amount with his wife Virginia to vintage trailer shows and since he has retired he plays Santa Clause at many events as he has the right look for the part.

Chales Diffey in front of the Scotsman trailer

Charles Diffey in front of the 1966 Scotsman trailer

I drove down to their house to see the trailer and wow it is a beauty! A 14 foot Scotsman built in 1966 and weighs in around 1,000 pounds. Charles took two years restoring this trailer and has done an excellent job. Located in Fresno, he did the restoration there. The details are phenomenal and the paint job is outstanding. He was towing it with a six cylinder Jeep on this trip, but when he takes it to shows he tows it with a sixties Chevy pickup with the same color scheme.

Scotsman logo

The trailer has been completely redone on the inside. The only original appliance is the stovetop but he has added an icebox to match. The bed in the back is kept down full time though it can be raised up and put into a coach. There used to be bunk above the bed but he converted it to storage. He has an air conditioner under the table to keep the place cool. Lots of cool little vintage nostalgia is in the trailer. A picture of his father-in-law with their new trailer back in the early 1900s is on the wall.

Scotsman kitchen

The one thing this little trailer is missing is a bathroom, so full time living might be a little difficult. Charles and his wife have been on the road for the last four weeks and lived in it the whole time, so I know it is possible for living long term.

dining table

Charles will be coming back in a couple of weeks to a Vintage Trailer show in Petaluma and I hope to get down and see many more classics. Hopefully this will inspire you to see vintage trailers as a tiny house option.

counter and bed

bed

nostalgic decorations

trailer details

--backside of Scotsman trailer

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tumbleweed houses plans
With wheels, traditional proportioning and archetypal form, these little structures are designed to be portable and can, essentially, be sited anywhere you can park a travel trailer.* They range from about 50 to 130 sq ft. Purchase yours ready-made or buy the plans to build it yourself.
These homes are stationary designs built as a main house or guest house. Most of the plans have an optional extra bedroom in back. The house sizes range from 261 sq ft up to 874 sq ft. We do not build the Cottages. They are designed to be built on site with a local contractor of your choosing.
The XS-House is the smallest green home design we offer. The XS stands for extra small and excessively efficient. It is very light, and easy to tow, and great for 1 person. It is also the most affordable home to build in our catalog.
The EPU is the first Tumbleweed designed and built. You can see inside this home when it was featured on Oprah. The EPU comes with a desk and fireplace in the main room; a kitchen; wet bath; and a loft upstairs. For its small size, the EPU has a large amount of storage space.
The Weebee boasts the wonderful bump-out windows in the front. The interior is completely finished in pine with stainless steel counters. The exterior of this house is finished with cedar plank siding and a corrugated aluminum roof. Yes, when it rains, you can hear it. The Weebee can also be finished with board and batten siding or corrugated aluminum.
The Lusby is popular for its downstairs bedroom with extra loft sleeping above.
The living room is flooded with light from all of the windows surrounding the front of the house. The stainless steel fireplace warms the house amazingly well. The nook is large enough to store a day bed, futon, or small couch.
The great room has vaulted ceilings which are accented by the pine interior finishing. Stainless steel counters show off the kitchen, and the bathroom has a full shower. The sleeping loft is upstairs and accessible by a ladder. It is shown above with the optional corrugated metal siding. However, it can be built with the standard cedar clapboard, or board and batten siding. The roof is covered with standing seam metal roofing.
The great room has vaulted ceilings which are accented by the pine interior finishing. Stainless steel counters show off the kitchen, and the bathroom has a full shower. The sleeping loft is upstairs and accessible by a ladder. It is shown above with the standard cedar clapboard. However, it can also be built with the optional corrugated metal siding, or board and batten siding. The roof is covered with standing seam metal roofing.
The Fencl combines both the Tarleton and Weebee home design. The main room has a vaulted ceiling. The interior is completely finished in pine with stainless steel counters. The exterior is finished with cedar clapboard. It can also be finished in board and batten siding or corrugated aluminum. The roof is covered with corrugated aluminum - and yes, you can hear the rain.The Fencl is pronounced like pencil, but with an F.
The Popomo is sleek, simple and our easiest house to build. The hot rolled corrosion resistant steel siding separates this house from anything else on the road. At 8 feet - 6 inches wide, the Popomo maximizes the road width without requiring any special permit to tow. Weighing approximately 7500 lbs, it can be towed easily by many full sized trucks. Including the hitch, the trailer is approximately 24' long. Step inside this single level, 172 square foot house on wheels and you'll find the basic necessities
The Linden features a high vaulted ceiling, many windows, and access to both lofts. The great room is full of light and is one of the largest living spaces in any of the Tumbleweed House to Go models. The kitchen features full size and full depth cabinets and countertops for a highly functional space with plenty of storage. A floor to ceiling spice rack adds character and additional storage in the kitchen. The Linden has the largest and most spacious loft in any of the House to Go models because of the innovative roofline.
This cozy cottage has a fireplace, a full bath and kitchen (261 sq ft), and also has the option for an add on bedroom (356 sq ft). Designed with cost savings in mind, this green design is proportioned just right. Charming and bright, the simple use of space and building materials keeps construction costs low without sacrificing design. The plans come with an option for a full loft over the great room, kitchen and bathroom, or a 1/2 loft with a cathedral ceiling over the great room.
Designed as a very small bungalow, the Loring comes with several options to suit your needs. You can choose between a sleeping loft upstairs, or a cathedral ceiling. We also have a larger version with a downstairs bedroom at the back of the house. It is the same floor plan as the Bodega, except that the roof line makes the curbside appearance very different. Designed with simplicity in mind, this home has an abundance of light, and yet is very simply designed. This house is not designed to be portable. We sell the plans to build it on location.
The New Vesica is 289 square feet. However, we don't include the loft in the total square footage of the house because it is not technically habitable. With the optional downstairs bedroom, the size of the house would increase from 289 square feet to 384. This house is not designed to be portable. We sell the plans to build it on location.
This small home features a bump-out on the front that can be used as a sitting area or a sleeping area. It is large enough to fit a Queen size bed. There are 2 versions of this home: one measuring 310 square feet, and a 2nd version with an additional downstairs bedroom totaling 404 square feet. The plans come with an option for a full loft over the great room, kitchen and bathroom, or a 1/2 loft with a cathedral ceiling over the great room.This house is not designed to be portable. We sell the plans to build it on location.
The Whidbey is designed as a single story home with the choice of 1 or 2 downstairs bedrooms. Its simple design makes the house affordable to build, and full of light. The bedrooms have ample closet space, and the house makes use of its pitched roof for additional storage space or whatever else you choose to use it for. We do not list the upstairs square footage because, with so much sloped ceiling, it does not officially qualify as a habitable room.
The Sebastarosa is one of our largest homes. It can be built as a 2 (750 sq ft) or 3 (847 sq ft) bedroom house. The 3rd bedroom is an optional add-on that is on the first floor level. The top floor houses two additional bedrooms. Each story of the house is 7'6 tall at its peak. The upstairs bedrooms have sloped ceilings on the sides, and the closets are positioned in the lower ceiling space. The exterior height of the Sebastarosa is 21'. This house is not designed to be portable. We sell the plans to build it on location.
The Enesti is one of our largest homes. It can be built as a 2 (746 sq ft) or 3 (843 sq ft) bedroom house. The 3rd bedroom is an optional add-on that is on the first floor level. The top floor houses two additional bedrooms. Each story of the house is 7'6 tall at its peak. The upstairs bedrooms have sloped ceilings on the sides, and the closets are positioned in the lower ceiling space. The exterior height of the Enesti is 21'. This house is not designed to be portable. We sell the plans to build it on location.
The B-53 is our largest home. It can be built as a 2 bedroom (777 sq ft) or 3 bedroom (874 sq ft) house. The 3rd bedroom is an optional add-on bedroom that is on the first floor level. The top floor houses two additional bedrooms. Each story of the house is 7'6 tall at its peak. The upstairs bedrooms have sloped ceilings on the sides, and the closets are positioned in the lower ceiling space. The exterior height of the B-53 is 20' 9. This house is not designed to be portable. We sell the plans to build it on location.
The Z-Glass house is not designed as a portable house; yet at only 14' wide it can be trucked down the road with a wide load permit. The house shown above is pictured with rolled hot steel siding. This is just one idea for a durable exterior finish that would match the modern design of the Z-glass, but since you build it yourself, the choice is yours! Unfortunately, at this time we do not have interior pictures. This house is 370 square feet and 9'6 tall from floor to roof top. We do not build this home ourselves, but do sell the plans to build it on location.

Whidbey

   Free Study Plans   Download Now
1 Bedroom / 1 Bath
461 sq ft
 Map out your own 3D model *new*
2 Bedroom / 1 Bath
557 sq ft
 Map out your own 3D model *new*

The Whidbey is designed as a single story home with the choice of 1 or 2 downstairs bedrooms. Its simple design makes the house affordable to build, and full of light. The bedrooms have ample closet space, and the house makes use of its pitched roof for additional storage space or whatever else you choose to use it for. We do not list the upstairs square footage because, with so much sloped ceiling, it does not officially qualify as a habitable room. The house is 17' 6" tall.

Lyndsey Lewis of Little Rock, AR built the home pictured above. You can read her story from "At Home in Arkansas". You can also check out her blog Little House in Little Rock for more insight on building the Whidbey.


Cost to Build

Estimated Material Costs: $35,000 (461 sq ft) or $41,500 (557 sq ft)

Want to know how much it will cost to have a contractor build it for you?
Visit Build-Cost.net and follow these instructions. General notes about construction costs:Costs for materials are almost the same in different regions but labor costs will vary greatly depending on where you live. We provide costs with a concrete poured perimeter foundation. Depending on where you live, it is possible you will need an engineered foundation designed by a licensed contractor or engineer in your state.

Loft

We do not count the loft as square footage in this house because with so much sloped ceiling, it does not officially qualify as a habitable room. Subsequently, the loft is 6'8" tall over much of its space. The loft is accessed by a drop down stair ladder. The plans come with two options for the loft: Option 1: A full loft over the kitchen, bathroom, living room and front bedroom. The stair ladder is located in the kitchen. Option 2: Two lofts are split by a cathedral ceiling over the living room, and the lofts have a railing making the living room open. There are two stair ladders, one for each loft located in the kitchen and front bedroom.

Can I put in stairs instead of a stair ladder?
Stairs will not fit in this design.

Why does the picture in The Small House Book show a staircase?
Originally, the sleeping area was in the loft, but to improve the design the stairwell was removed. This allowed the living area to become much larger, and the bedroom was moved downstairs. Meanwhile, no space was lost in the loft area.

Foundation

We sell our plans with a poured perimeter foundation. However, it is possible to put this house on a slab foundation or even over a basement. However, you may need to work with an architect or engineer licensed in your state to get approval from the building department.

Can this house be built on wheels?
No. This house is designed to be built on a permanent foundation.

Utilities and appliances

The kitchen maximizes space and includes a dishwasher, full size range with oven, and built in microwave. The tank-less on demand water heater ensures that you never run out of hot water, and tucks away completely out of view. A small fireplace is tucked nicely in the corner of the great room. The one bedroom house features a washer/dryer closet just off of the kitchen. The two bedroom house has an under counter washer/dryer in the kitchen. You can choose to convert the closet in the back bedroom near the shower into a washer/dryer closet.

Can I install air conditioning?
Yes, you can. Our plans do not include an air conditioning unit, but you can install one in the loft or outside of the house.

What type of fireplace does the house have?
We don't specify a particular fire place or heater because codes vary so much based on climate. We recommend discussing your options with a building contractor licensed in your state.

Building this house

We sell the construction plans to build this house. It is designed to be built on site. This house is not designed to be on wheels. We recommend working with a licensed contractor in your state to build the house. When you build this house, please send us pictures. Since we do not build the house ourselves, we are dependent on you to supply us with real pictures.

Download Free Study Plans

Download the study plans for free.

Attend the Tiny House Workshop for $89 with purchase of a set of plans

Upcoming Workshops

Purchase Construction Plans

1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
Designer Package
Download Today
Pay over 1 Year
$ 79.90 /mo
for 12 months
add to cart
total cost: $959.00
$ 79.90 /mo
for 12 months
add to cart
total cost: $959.00
$ 89.90 /mo
for 12 months
add to cart
total cost: $1,079.00
Save $200 with
1 payment now
Regular price: 959
Today's price: $759
add to cart
Regular price: 959
Today's price: $759
add to cart
Regular price: 1079
Today's price: $879
add to cart



Options
Print at home pdf files


CAD (DWG) Files


1 Bedroom Plan


2 Bedroom Plan


Separate Kitchen & full loft Plan


Open Kitchen & vaulted ceiling plan


Features
Elevation Drawings


Floor Plans


Electric Plans


Transverse section


Foundation Plan


Roof plan


Kitchen design plans


Components List


Residential license to build one


Change Your Mind? Swap Plans!


Easy to modify


Add On
Modifications
$ 75 /hr
add to cart
$ 75 /hr
add to cart
$ 75 /hr
add to cart
Additional residential license
$ 250 /each
add to cart
$ 250 /each
add to cart
$ 250 /each
add to cart
Mirrored Set
$ 100
Add to cart
$ 100
Add to cart
$ 100
Add to cart
Metric Conversion
$ 250
Add to cart
$ 250
Add to cart
$ 250
Add to cart
Commercial license Contact us Contact us Contact us

Whidbey

   Free Study Plans   Download Now
1 Bedroom / 1 Bath
461 sq ft
 Map out your own 3D model *new*
2 Bedroom / 1 Bath
557 sq ft
 Map out your own 3D model *new*

The Whidbey is designed as a single story home with the choice of 1 or 2 downstairs bedrooms. Its simple design makes the house affordable to build, and full of light. The bedrooms have ample closet space, and the house makes use of its pitched roof for additional storage space or whatever else you choose to use it for. We do not list the upstairs square footage because, with so much sloped ceiling, it does not officially qualify as a habitable room. The house is 17' 6" tall.

Lyndsey Lewis of Little Rock, AR built the home pictured above. You can read her story from "At Home in Arkansas". You can also check out her blog Little House in Little Rock for more insight on building the Whidbey.


Cost to Build

Estimated Material Costs: $35,000 (461 sq ft) or $41,500 (557 sq ft)

Want to know how much it will cost to have a contractor build it for you?
Visit Build-Cost.net and follow these instructions. General notes about construction costs:Costs for materials are almost the same in different regions but labor costs will vary greatly depending on where you live. We provide costs with a concrete poured perimeter foundation. Depending on where you live, it is possible you will need an engineered foundation designed by a licensed contractor or engineer in your state.

Loft

We do not count the loft as square footage in this house because with so much sloped ceiling, it does not officially qualify as a habitable room. Subsequently, the loft is 6'8" tall over much of its space. The loft is accessed by a drop down stair ladder. The plans come with two options for the loft: Option 1: A full loft over the kitchen, bathroom, living room and front bedroom. The stair ladder is located in the kitchen. Option 2: Two lofts are split by a cathedral ceiling over the living room, and the lofts have a railing making the living room open. There are two stair ladders, one for each loft located in the kitchen and front bedroom.

Can I put in stairs instead of a stair ladder?
Stairs will not fit in this design.

Why does the picture in The Small House Book show a staircase?
Originally, the sleeping area was in the loft, but to improve the design the stairwell was removed. This allowed the living area to become much larger, and the bedroom was moved downstairs. Meanwhile, no space was lost in the loft area.

Foundation

We sell our plans with a poured perimeter foundation. However, it is possible to put this house on a slab foundation or even over a basement. However, you may need to work with an architect or engineer licensed in your state to get approval from the building department.

Can this house be built on wheels?
No. This house is designed to be built on a permanent foundation.

Utilities and appliances

The kitchen maximizes space and includes a dishwasher, full size range with oven, and built in microwave. The tank-less on demand water heater ensures that you never run out of hot water, and tucks away completely out of view. A small fireplace is tucked nicely in the corner of the great room. The one bedroom house features a washer/dryer closet just off of the kitchen. The two bedroom house has an under counter washer/dryer in the kitchen. You can choose to convert the closet in the back bedroom near the shower into a washer/dryer closet.

Can I install air conditioning?
Yes, you can. Our plans do not include an air conditioning unit, but you can install one in the loft or outside of the house.

What type of fireplace does the house have?
We don't specify a particular fire place or heater because codes vary so much based on climate. We recommend discussing your options with a building contractor licensed in your state.

Building this house

We sell the construction plans to build this house. It is designed to be built on site. This house is not designed to be on wheels. We recommend working with a licensed contractor in your state to build the house. When you build this house, please send us pictures. Since we do not build the house ourselves, we are dependent on you to supply us with real pictures.

Download Free Study Plans

Download the study plans for free.

Attend the Tiny House Workshop for $89 with purchase of a set of plans

Upcoming Workshops

Purchase Construction Plans

1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
Designer Package
Download Today
Pay over 1 Year
$ 79.90 /mo
for 12 months
add to cart
total cost: $959.00
$ 79.90 /mo
for 12 months
add to cart
total cost: $959.00
$ 89.90 /mo
for 12 months
add to cart
total cost: $1,079.00
Save $200 with
1 payment now
Regular price: 959
Today's price: $759
add to cart
Regular price: 959
Today's price: $759
add to cart
Regular price: 1079
Today's price: $879
add to cart



Options
Print at home pdf files


CAD (DWG) Files


1 Bedroom Plan


2 Bedroom Plan


Separate Kitchen & full loft Plan


Open Kitchen & vaulted ceiling plan


Features
Elevation Drawings


Floor Plans


Electric Plans


Transverse section


Foundation Plan


Roof plan


Kitchen design plans


Components List


Residential license to build one


Change Your Mind? Swap Plans!


Easy to modify


Add On
Modifications
$ 75 /hr
add to cart
$ 75 /hr
add to cart
$ 75 /hr
add to cart
Additional residential license
$ 250 /each
add to cart
$ 250 /each
add to cart
$ 250 /each
add to cart
Mirrored Set
$ 100
Add to cart
$ 100
Add to cart
$ 100
Add to cart
Metric Conversion
$ 250
Add to cart
$ 250
Add to cart
$ 250
Add to cart
Commercial license Contact us Contact us Contact us

Whidbey Plans

Free Study Plans Download

House To Go









Cottages










Recent Comments


Whidbey Text Bottom






Whidbey

   Free Study Plans   Download Now
1 Bedroom / 1 Bath
461 sq ft
 Map out your own 3D model *new*
2 Bedroom / 1 Bath
557 sq ft
 Map out your own 3D model *new*

The Whidbey is designed as a single story home with the choice of 1 or 2 downstairs bedrooms. Its simple design makes the house affordable to build, and full of light. The bedrooms have ample closet space, and the house makes use of its pitched roof for additional storage space or whatever else you choose to use it for. We do not list the upstairs square footage because, with so much sloped ceiling, it does not officially qualify as a habitable room. The house is 17' 6" tall.

Lyndsey Lewis of Little Rock, AR built the home pictured above. You can read her story from "At Home in Arkansas". You can also check out her blog Little House in Little Rock for more insight on building the Whidbey.


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Your Garden will not green-grow
-if you do not water it properly-