8' x 20'
Side entry door; separate tiny porch on side; maybe add small roof attached to deck/stairs.
Will need screen room to sit outside in woods in NH.
12 volt electrical system.
12 volt LED ceiling lights on switches
Only 2 or 3 AC outlets in kitchen and living area to run off generator.
solar panels and batteries
compost bucket toilet
stall shower using hand pump sprayer for water; maybe install piping and shower head in accessible wall. Heat water for shower on stove.
kitchen sink and shower drains on same side
12 volt water pump; water tank under sink?
ice box with heavy insulation. Put ice blocks at bottom. Should last for 3 days.
2 burner stove
propane boat heater (later)
12 volt ceiling fan
full size pull out sleeping mattress on main floor; turns into couch in daytime
sleeping loft with additional mattress
Ondura corrugated fiber or metal roofing
Exterior siding : wood or vinyl
Interior walls: masonite hardboard nailed to studs, with paintable white panels glued over, ceiling - wood grain paneling. This should reduce labor and weight.
Windows oriented so they can be covered with plywood shutters and padlocked when house is unattended. More windows on opposite wall from door? Small windows at peak in both ends and in bathroom.
12 volt bathroom exhaust fan.
Look at sandwich platform construction of 3/4 ply, 2x4 on end (3.5" space for insulation), 3/4 ply.
Small floor to ceiling closet against bathroom wall
Styrofoam insulation in floor, walls and ceiling

Look at sandwich platform construction of 3/4 ply, 2x4 on end (3.5" space for insulation), 3/4 ply.

Undecided:
bath across rear or on one side

I've been looking at various tiny house web sites for the past 6 months and forming ideas for my future tiny house. I am also drawing on what I have learned from building my Sonoma Shanty shed. This is my current thinking. I'm sure it will change over time, so I will update my thoughts from time to time.

Layout:
Size: 8' x 20' with door on long side of house. This is the smallest that I think would work for my family on vacations. I could probably survive in a 8' x 14' but I need to think of my family too.
Have detached small deck on side, with it's own small roof. Using floor space on the trailer, seems like a waste of potential interior space to me.
Bathroom along width of back 8' wall.
Full size pull-out sleeping mattress on opposite (front) 8' wall on main floor that sleeps 2; turns into couch in daytime
Sleeping loft with additional large mattress over bathroom, kitchen area
Small storage loft over couch
Small floor to ceiling closet against bathroom wall
Compost bucket toilet
Fiberglass stall shower using hand pump sprayer for water; install piping and shower head in accessible wall for future use. Heat water for shower on stove.
Kitchen sink and shower drains on same side

Kitchen:
Ice box with heavy insulation. Put ice blocks at bottom. Ice should last for up to 3 days. Install drain line at bottom of ice chest.
2 burner propane stove
Dickenson propane boat heater (later - won't need in summer or early fall)
Install gas piping for both during build

Exterior:
Ondura corrugated fiber or metal roofing
Exterior siding: wood clapboards, board and batten or vinyl
Interior walls: hardboard nailed to studs, with painted white panels glued over it; ceiling: same hardboard with wood grain paneling. Other option would be beadboard on walls. This should reduce labor, building time and weight.
Styrofoam insulation (3") in floor, walls and ceiling
Windows oriented so they can be covered with plywood shutters and padlocked when house is unattended. Large windows on side wall opposite from door and on front wall over couch.
Small opening windows at peak in both ends and in bathroom.

Power:
12 volt electrical system wired in walls with solar panels and batteries.
12 volt LED ceiling lights controlled with wall switches
12 volt water pump for kitchen sink; water tank under sink or in loft
12 volt ceiling fan in living room
12 volt bathroom exhaust fan.
Only 2 or 3 AC outlets in kitchen and living area to run off generator infrequently.

License as a custom built travel trailer
rent a van to tow
8'6" wide max, 13'5" tall max

Thinking of how to do a prefab tiny house at home and then load panels into rental truck and move to site.
Build panels in garage, out of weather, taking my time, everything square like a factory built house.
Wall panels would have exterior plywood attached and windows installed.
Question: what to use for exterior siding with windows pre-installed?
Would need 2 people to assemble over a long weekend.
Finish interior on site: insulate, interior walls, loft, etc.
Use timber lock screws to attach wall sections.
What to do about roof - 30 degrees vs 45 degrees, corrugated panels vs shingles
Panels must fit inside truck, dimension wise.
Build platform separately on site.
May need to double up stud on one end of wall sections where plywood overlaps, for nailing of plywood.
Plan window and door placement around wall sections, ie windows are fine anywhere within wall section.
How long wall sections? 4' or 8'
Insulate inside and do paneling on site as time warrants
Look at cost of double door on end for use as shed

Later make solar collector with liquid medium (water and antifreeze - something less toxic), going to rock and liquid filled water tank(s), going to radiator inside house. Use in spring and fall to warm house at night. Heat storage tank would need to be insulated. Use 12 volt pump to circulate water.

Some thoughts on disguising a tiny house in the country so it looks more like a shed or small barn.

I want my door on the long side. Maybe position door on 'back' side of long wall.

Make forward end look like a barn. Install two moveable fake barn doors which roll open to expose a picture window. They double as a security shutter when the shed is vacant in the off season. Install fake barn shutter window at the peak and a horizontal beam with a pulley hanging from it (like a rig to raise hay into a barn)

Make fake ramp going up to barn door.

Have screen tent set up outside for 'camping' use.

Have locked wooden gate on access road.

Store solar panels inside when away. Rig up method of hoisting marine batteries inside (ramp, dolly)

Tiny House Questions - M Miller