Tiny House Update

Tiny House updates are bit like watching silicon dry--which, by the way, is another box ticked. On a do-do list 2 pages long.

Then there is the one step forward and two steps back syndrome.

Mostly though we have been thinking outside the tiny house box. What had seemed like an all day and at least $200 investment to expand electrical and bring some of it up to counter height in the end was perhaps $35. The scattered two-outlet boxes on the 4 walls of the house have been helped by surge protector bars. Same with running power up to the sleeping loft. We bought a slender power surge bar that neatly rests at the top lip of the counter (hiding the holes we needlessly drilled trying to install the bar brackets).

While at the hardware store buying the power strips, I found an apartment style fridge and asked the clerk about it. It was the last one on the floor and she could sell me the display model $70 off. Yes, please. They plastic-wrapped it and met us at the front register. Buying the fridge was a good idea because it helped us figure out when we got back to the TH exactly where we needed to install the counter and have the door open freely. It is these little instances of “luck” that have saved us time and money.

My mini split heating/AC was installed Wednesday. It has actually been coat-wearing chilly in the a.m. When the guys arrived (after first driving past the house, I ran to the street to wave them back) they did not look pleased. It appeared they would have to dig a trench to bring additional electric out to the TH. Stand by. They checked the box in the basement and continued accessing the situation before finding a crawlspace and threading wires out through that and under the back deck and then above ground hugging the house to the back with everything neatly hidden. No garden flowers were sacrificed. The unit is so warm that even set at 64 degrees I had to turn it off after awhile. It is a blessing to have an efficient way to heat and cool my space. I’m used to being cold in the winter.

Amd, because they didn't have to dig a trench, I ended up saving $400. Yessss.

The boxes on the 2-page list are getting ticked—while at the same time the list continues to grow. Though there is no deadline, I would like to be in by my birthday Nov 5^th. My son-in-law will be busy this coming week, so the rest of the shelving installs will have to wait.

[ ] shelving units

[ ] ladder

[ ] railing for loft

[ ] smoke/carbon detector installed

[ ] TV screen/Wi-Fi booster

[ ] friend or friend of a friend in Okemos with a truck, likely 2 trips (1.5 miles)

Meanwhile I’m doing arcane research into how to use a composting toilet and where the tissue goes.

Nature's Head composting toilet