I am having a heck of a time getting Wadly to agree it’s time to start building up on the ridge. He’s always been reluctant to embrace any kind of change that involved work or discomfort, though he is getting better. While I’m waiting for him to come around to my way of thinking, I’m planning and working to get other projects done.
I’m trying to not build anything that I will later need to deconstruct. I view build-to-tear-down as a waste of time and materials. Because our current accommodation is a collection of scabbed together re purposed buildings connected to an ancient Airstream trailer, we don’t stay warm enough in the winter, nor do we stay cool enough in the summer.
The current layout
We’ve gone back and forth on how to make us more comfortable and save on heating costs without wasting money. We considered replacing the Airstream with a 10’x32′ SIP box, but I really hate SIP, the box would have to be deconstructed when we finally move up the hill and it would be costly. In my view, that’s three strikes. Additionally, the new building would be on the south side of the living room which is totally the wrong side for the bedroom and bathroom. The Airstream’s there and I hate its location in relation to our living room. Any windows on the south side of the living room would look right at the Airstream and would be pointless.
New layout sans laundry and Airstream
So I came up with what we think is a better plan. Why don’t we build a single 12’x36′ building on the north side of the living room to replace the laundry room (separate building), bedroom (separate building) and bathroom and kitchen function of the Airstream? With the Airstream gone I could have south facing windows in the living room. Sounds like an excellent plan! And, when we finally move up the hill, the SIP living room could be deconstructed and this new single building could be the back side of a really nice greenhouse and could serve as guest quarters.
And what makes this idea even better, I can build the bedroom end of the new building first, move our bedroom furniture and my desk into it then move the old bedroom building (old 8’x16′ construction shack with no insulation in the floor and a roof that leaks if it’s not wearing a billboard vinyl hat) away to finish the construction of the remainder of the building. No camping while we build, no inconvenience. Nice.
Once the rest of the building is done and the kitchen and bathroom are finished we can move the Airstream away, deconstruct the laundry room and put a couple nice big picture windows in the south wall of the living room so we can enjoy the view and the sunlight. Brilliant plan. And to make the plan even better, it gives Wadly a bathroom just steps away from his new shop in the barn! How great is that?!