Definitley off topic

Post here about...well...anything!
Post Reply
User avatar
Gottolovem
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1637
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:28 pm
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 with snow plow,1987 auto 1984 parts car,1987 FX-16 GTS
Location: Reno

Definitley off topic

Post by Gottolovem »

Here is a link to some of my side stuff this summer. I have been building a shop at my place it's not yet done their will eventually be a deck and roof connecting the two separate units."it will look like a barn with side stalls in the end"
http://s1016.photobucket.com/user/dan1l ... the%20shop

And yet another one of my builds for my sister. It started as a bigtex car hauler and measures roughly 18' by 9'.
bamboo floors,cedar interior,full cavity fill closed cell spray foam insulation.(I'm rather proud of this one)
http://s1016.photobucket.com/user/dan1l ... se%20build
Last edited by Gottolovem on Mon Dec 08, 2014 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: Defiantly off topic

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Wow - are you talented!
Those tiny houses, whether on wheels or not, have gotten a lot of press over the last few years. Does she intend on living in it full time or for a hideaway retreat or ? Can it actually be moved on a highway for distances?

You can build those units just on bare ground without a slab or footings? I realize those base timbers are treated, but still...here in STL-land, even on our wunnerful clay "soil," they'd sink in a few years, what with the rain and snow.
I think a lot of frontier houses started out this way; they were called "dogtrot" houses. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogtrot_house

I was drawn to the title "Defiantly off topic." I was expecting a manifesto of some sort.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
User avatar
Gottolovem
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1637
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:28 pm
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 with snow plow,1987 auto 1984 parts car,1987 FX-16 GTS
Location: Reno

Re: Defiantly off topic

Post by Gottolovem »

ARCHINSTL wrote:Wow - are you talented!
Those tiny houses, whether on wheels or not, have gotten a lot of press over the last few years. Does she intend on living in it full time or for a hideaway retreat or ? Can it actually be moved on a highway for distances?
She planed to live in it but now she is in a relationship that has changed things around for her so it's a retreat/office space when she is doing solar work up north.(northern calli in the redwoods).
It is road worthy and tied down at all four corners from top plate to trailer frame with 9' tall 3/4" wide all thread.
ARCHINSTL wrote:
You can build those units just on bare ground without a slab or footings? I realize those base timbers are treated, but still...here in STL-land, even on our wunnerful clay "soil," they'd sink in a few years, what with the rain and snow.
The short answer is I would have loved to do a proper foundation. I live in Reno NV we see very little rain and my hard pan ground is like stone. I did what I could with the money I had each unit is 200 sq ft that's as big as you can go without pulling a permit in my county. I might very well regret it later but for now I have the shop space I have always wanted/needed on my own property and don't need to rely on others to get project's done. I spent a great deal of my life as a professional picture framer and it still represents a large chunk of side money for me. I was able to build both of those units with a 240 sq ft deck between the two for under $5,000 dollars the concrete foundation would have doubled it and i would have had county inspector with his nose up my butt :shock:
User avatar
Gottolovem
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1637
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:28 pm
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 with snow plow,1987 auto 1984 parts car,1987 FX-16 GTS
Location: Reno

Re: Defiantly off topic

Post by Gottolovem »

ARCHINSTL wrote:
I was drawn to the title "Defiantly off topic." I was expecting a manifesto of some sort.
Tom M.
DAMN Spell check SOB I feel like a dumb a**
I can't spell worth a c**p :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Definitley off topic

Post by Petros »

There is something you should know about limiting the building to 200 SF. Since preparing building plans and assisting clients obtain building permits has been the way I have been making a living for over 20 years, I know a little about the subject of the need for building permits.

Most jurisdictions in the USA have adopted the International Building Code, which is what we use in my own state and likely is used in your state as well. Though most states, counties and cities will make amendments to address local issues, or often political expedience to meet local conditions, etc.

The important issue is that the exemption from permitting buildings 200 sf and under is a bit more complicated than just size. The exemption only applies to storage sheds, play houses, wood sheds and similar uses, (i.e. non occupied buildings) a small building intended to be occupied as a residence must still be permitted, and meet all of the building codes for residential occupancies. This would also apply to small commercial buildings such as the drive up coffee stands or food vendors in parking lots. This is because of public health and safety, the building code's primary focus is occupant safety, since the risk exposure on a storage shed is low, these structures are exempt from a permit. but if it will be lived in, or if you have employees or customers working or visiting the building, than it is not exempt. And even if exempt from a building permit, if it has electric wiring or plumbing, than those have to be permitted separately as well.

But here is the real surprise for most people, the law does not allow you to build a poorly built structure just because it is exempt from permit, it states that the shed must meet all of the applicable building codes. :shock: IOW it does give you free license to create a hazardous structure on your property just because it is under 200 SF. As a practical matter however, there is no enforcement process when building without permits, though I suppose if someone gets hurt or killed on your property you will be civilly liable, but the local jurisdiction might try to slap you with a fine based on this important point of the ordinance, for creating a hazardous condition on your property.

I only share this with you (and who ever else might stumble across this post), not that I think you are doing shoddy work, but if someone was living in your back yard in one of these things, and either a disgruntled neighbor reports you, or a nosy building inspector starts poking around your property, you could still be subject to fines. :o

What I am telling you, so as far as the building department, your neighbors or anyone that enters those sheds are concerned, they are only "storage sheds". :wink:
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
User avatar
Gottolovem
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1637
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:28 pm
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 with snow plow,1987 auto 1984 parts car,1987 FX-16 GTS
Location: Reno

Re: Definitley off topic

Post by Gottolovem »

Petros wrote:
What I am telling you, so as far as the building department, your neighbors or anyone that enters those sheds are concerned, they are only "storage sheds". :wink:
Well of course they are "sheds".
I'll be sure to tell the Kardashians they are not allowed to rent the studio apartment in my back yard :lol:
Seriously though thanks for the heads up
User avatar
irowiki
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 3463
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:02 am
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: Definitley off topic

Post by irowiki »

Sparks, NV man in custody over shed death, stay tuned for more at 11.
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
User avatar
Gottolovem
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 1637
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:28 pm
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 with snow plow,1987 auto 1984 parts car,1987 FX-16 GTS
Location: Reno

Re: Definitley off topic

Post by Gottolovem »

irowiki wrote:Sparks, NV man in custody over shed death, stay tuned for more at 11.
Hahaha :lol: :lol:
Petros is offering sound advice.
ironic that the tiny house requires no permits when its fully electrified fully plumbed and could theoretically disintegrate as it travels down the highway at 70 miles per hour.
we aint in Kansas anymore toto :shock:
User avatar
Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Definitley off topic

Post by Petros »

actually there are Dept of Transportation regulations it must meet if it travels down the hwy. I am not sure how they would separate the flat bed trailer from the "cargo" of a portable living space, but I also know most states have weight, size and safety requirements for how you tow cargo in a trailer (which are mostly ignored, but again, if there is an accident they will pull out those ignored regulations to fine you after the fact). it is difficult to get out of reach the long arm of the Log, especially if you travel on pubic roadways, or live in a city limit.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
drege
Top Notch Member
Posts: 324
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:29 pm
My tercel:: Hadatercel
Location: Oakland, ca

Re: Definitley off topic

Post by drege »

I don't see tiny houses as a travel trailer. They are kind of meant to be rooted, but able to be removed and relocated if need be, or if you live on some property, move it to shade in the summer, and into full sunlight in the winter - but again, theory are not intended to be a home made travel trailer.
It takes more fossil fuel resources to produce new vehicles than it would take to maintain and fuel any 70's or 80's vehicle for a million miles.
Image
Post Reply