Just kicking around some ideas on a quiet New Year’s Day.
The structure would be relatively simple to build, I think. The entire area under the roof would be enclosed by screen, with canvas/tarp curtains that could be raised/lowered. The platform around the pod doesn’t offer much elbow room, though.
We’re finally settled in to our new place in Athens, GA. There’s just about as much work here as anywhere else in the country, but we’re not giving up. If we have to make our own work, that’s what we’ll do. (Check out http://athensenergyefficiency.com/.)
After referring a number of people to this blog, I realized that it might be helpful for me to write a summary of the project. So, here goes:
A few months ago, I decided to take a break from the residential design/build world to build a house; a tiny, modern, earth-friendly house, nonetheless. It was designed explicitly for one person (me), and it’s made almost entirely of wood and cotton. Eventually, I’ll build a greenhouse/screened porch enclosure for it, as it’s not weatherproof. It’s composed of six transportable components, and I’d like to think that it would be equally welcome in a rural or urban environment. With the proper investment in alternative energy sources (solar, wind, etc.), it could definitely function “off the grid”.
The long term plan for this project is to find a suitable location, build an enclosure there, and reassemble the pod within the enclosure. It will most likely become a part-time residence for Lydia and me, friends, family, etc.
I’d like to thank all of you who viewed and/or contributed to this blog. It was a great experience. Cheers.
Here are some photos taken at the open house by my friend, Brent Hoffman:
Although I made some adjustments to the design and scope of the project, my actual costs were relatively close to my preliminary estimates. The grand total came to $5,138.33. I used a few salvaged/found materials, which are not included in the overall cost.
(While job tracking for past projects, I’ve always been intrigued by the ratio of time versus cost, which seems to vary based on who did the work, how it was done, when it was done, etc.)
The next stage in the Pod saga is to find a good piece of land (urban or rural), to build a canopy, and to move the Pod there. When is that going to be? Good question. In the meantime, we didn’t want it to take up valuable space in the shed, so we disassembled it and moved it out of the way.
It took three men, five hours, and a high-clearance forklift. (Thank you, Steve Brinkman.)
To discourage mice from taking up residence inside all of that wood and cotton, I followed the advice of some friends who have an RV and put clothes dryer sheets inside the components and moth balls around the perimeter. Dad is going to keep an eye on it for me.
Here are some photos taken at the open house by my cousin, Bill Wendl:
To make sure they’re being efficient and profitable, most contractors keep track of the time and money spent on each part of a project, which is called “job tracking”. I’m in Berkeley this week, and although I didn’t bring along my building material receipts, I do have my daily log of hours spent working on the Pod. If/when I build another Pod, I’ll be able to accurately estimate the time and costs attributable to each part of the project.
Last night, I grabbed my sleeping bag, rolled out the futon mattress, and slept in the pod. The crickets were chirping, the kitties were chasing each other, and a light wind blew through the trees. It was lovely.
This morning, the crop dusters started their runs shortly after sunrise, so I stayed for a while and enjoyed a brief airshow before heading back to town.
As previously mentioned, my door/window/skylight frames are a bit disappointing (I’m blaming nobody but myself, here). I installed screen in them, rendering them somewhat useful, though I still needed a way to keep them closed. I scavenged around the shop and found some old barn door hardware, and then I fashioned some wedges out of scrap wood. It’s simple, but it works.
I’m very self-conscious about my ankles.
(Actually, the clear shower curtains weren’t tall enough, so I added a few inches on the bottom.)
My Summer Project 