Thinking about converting a shed into a house.

[Madison320]

I live in Huntsville, AL. I have a good job but I wish I lived closer to the mountains. I take about 10 trips a year to the southern Appalachians, which are about 3 hours away. I either stay in cabin or a hotel. I've been thinking about ways to make a cheap vacation home there. I've seen some videos on converting a prefab shed to a small cabin. It seems by far the cheapest and best solution. I'm not interested in off grid, although I may try a composting toilet. If that doesn't work I'll put in a septic tank. It seems to be the cheapest and best way I've found to make a small 200 sq ft house, that's still comfortable to stay in. The lots I'm looking at are about 10K. I can get a 10x22 for about $5K and that is big enough for my design.

Some questions I have are:

Would you put it on a concrete slab?

What's a composting toilet like?

How much money do you think it would take to finish the inside? Insulation, drywall, electric, water?


Here's a video on a couple that made something similar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-uKj_QrJyc

 

[helmuth_hubener]

Would you put it on a concrete slab?

Personally, no. Not needed. Though, it totally depends on the site.

How much money do you think it would take to finish the inside? Insulation, drywall, electric, water?

Depends how "finished" is finished. Could easily be more than the rest of it combined ($15K). But, if you do it all yourself... it could still be $10K, and a lot of time and work (but a lot of fun!).

Does the lot have 240V and water hookups?

 

[Madison320]

Personally, no. Not needed. Though, it totally depends on the site.

Depends how "finished" is finished. Could easily be more than the rest of it combined ($15K). But, if you do it all yourself... it could still be $10K, and a lot of time and work (but a lot of fun!).

Does the lot have 240V and water hookups?

I haven't picked out the lot yet. I'm going this weekend to look at them. I'm only looking at ones with water and electric. Also I didn't realize some didn't come with 220V. I assumed if they could run electric it would be 220V. I'll check into that.

Dang, I didn't realize finishing was so expensive.

 

[oyarde]

I helped a guy once . After the Insulation , just put plywood on top and painted it because a guy gave him some after a project was done . I have some unpainted indoor /outdoor barn paneling in my living room at the cottage in the woods . I got it at around 15 a sheet at Lowes. I think a sink , stove , wood stove and shower would not cost alot if you do it yourself and there is water access . I would imagine the only really expensive part would be a septic if you have to have it . We used paint that was discounted because it was returned .

 

[phill4paul]

I haven't picked out the lot yet. I'm going this weekend to look at them. I'm only looking at ones with water and electric. Also I didn't realize some didn't come with 220V. I assumed if they could run electric it would be 220V. I'll check into that.

Dang, I didn't realize finishing was so expensive.

Materials are expensive these days. helmuth about has it right, judging by the video. If you are a handy man you could save a lot on materials cost. If you have connections for cheap/free pallets then the interior walls/flooring could be had cheap for the cost of a 12" planer (@$400 new/$200 used), tongue and grove blades for $70, and a router and you are set. I've looked at those buildings and if I remember correctly they have only single pane windows. Those would have to be replaced.
As far as a pad goes it depends on your property. If you are in the foothills and the property has a spot with nice slope then I would think of anchoring one end and elevating the other so that there is storage underneath. The property you buy will determine what is best. Then move on foundation up.

 

[phill4paul]

I'd add...get out there and look at innovative ways for space savings. Here's an interesting video, but there are many more out there. Tiny homes are kinda like "Transformers" if done right.

 

[tod evans]

Some questions I have are:

Would you put it on a concrete slab?

Absolutely not. you need air movement.

What's a composting toilet like?

More work than a regular one but not insurmountable unless you have a houseful of split-tails.

How much money do you think it would take to finish the inside? Insulation, drywall, electric, water?

Drywall and electric won't cost as much as the well providing the co-op will set a pole close to your shed no charge...Check before you buy!


[edit]

I started typing before the last several posts......

It looks like you're looking at some sort of developed land ie; 'lectric and water supplied?

Much better to buy land but it's your money....

 

[tod evans]

 

[Madison320]

Absolutely not. you need air movement.

How would you do it? The shed I'm looking at is on runners. Would you place it on gravel? Railroad ties?

More work than a regular one but not insurmountable unless you have a houseful of split-tails.

After reading some reviews on Amazon, I'm probably going for a septic and regular toilet.

Drywall and electric won't cost as much as the well providing the co-op will set a pole close to your shed no charge...Check before you buy!

About 15 years ago, when I first moved here, I bought 5 acres and a mobile home. They charged me $1,000 to run an electric line to a short pole by my trailer. I think I just rented a ditch witch and ran the water myself from the meter.

It looks like you're looking at some sort of developed land ie; 'lectric and water supplied?

Much better to buy land but it's your money....

You mean go "off grid" and use a well and solar panels or generator?


Here's the cabin I'm thinking about. It's the "Cabin" model.

http://www.premierbuildings.us/our-models

 

[phill4paul]

 

[Madison320]

I'd add...get out there and look at innovative ways for space savings. Here's an interesting video, but there are many more out there. Tiny homes are kinda like "Transformers" if done right.

I thought about the "trailer style" tiny homes but they look too cramped to me. They're only 8 feet wide. Those space saving gadgets are cool but they look like a pain if they break. Everything is custom. I prefer standard stuff that I can get at Walmart. Also those little houses are very expensive.

 

[Madison320]

If you guys were going to build a 300-500 sq ft house, what method would you use?

Another thing I was thinking about was how much would I have to spend to get the bare minimum just to make it habitable. A sink, a toilet (maybe I could just go outside), a futon, a small fridge, shower, leave the walls unfinished. Except for the winter the weather is pretty moderate in the southern Appalachians. I could get a small window ac unit.

I'd feel more confident about the whole project if I didn't have to spend that much money in the beginning. The other option is to go all out, get a loan and get a larger cabin done quickly so I can rent it out. But I'm nervous about doing that. I'd rather have something I can afford, even if I don't rent it out.

 

[tod evans]

Set it on piers, it'll help keep bugs out and you'll be able to get underneath to work on utilities or for storage...

Pole power is by far the best form of 'lectric and would be my first priority after purchasing land...

You'll need to power a well pump eventually....Gutters and bottles would suffice for a while same with a composting toilet.

I wouldn't even consider solar unless you've got more money than sense or unless you're literally miles from pole power, and even then wind/water and boiler power are often more efficient and reliable....

1st priority should be land, land, land! They don't make any more.....

 

[helmuth_hubener]

I haven't picked out the lot yet. I'm going this weekend to look at them. I'm only looking at ones with water and electric. Also I didn't realize some didn't come with 220V. I assumed if they could run electric it would be 220V. I'll check into that.

Oh, typically it would be 220 or nothing, absolutely. But you never know what those good old boys might have rigged up there in Alabama -- it's Alabama, after all! ;-)

Dang, I didn't realize finishing was so expensive.

Again, it depends how "finished" is finished. Is "finished" a port-a-potty, a used sink, one outlet, and a lot of extension cords? If so, then maybe it would only be a few hundred dollars! Just depends on how nice you want it to look, what you're willing to put up with, etc.

Converting a shed is not the only way, BTW. Hopefully that is obvious but just wanted to point it out. You could, for example, renovate a cheap mobile home. Converting things that were not built to be houses (such as sheds, storage containers) into houses can end up being a lot more trouble than it seemed like on paper. Whereas a mobile home was at least built to be a house. You also could start from scratch! Design whatever you want. That can be really fun.

 

[tod evans]

 

[helmuth_hubener]

If you guys were going to build a 300-500 sq ft house, what method would you use?

Would you be interested in a geodesic? Ala

http://www.curbly.com/7332-put-her-in-a-pumpkin-shell

 

[phill4paul]

I thought about the "trailer style" tiny homes but they look too cramped to me. They're only 8 feet wide. Those space saving gadgets are cool but they look like a pain if they break. Everything is custom. I prefer standard stuff that I can get at Walmart. Also those little houses are very expensive.

Yeah, thy are a little too cramped for me. The video merely pointed out a few space saving options to make a small space much more efficient. I find a lot of the innovations in tiny home designs brilliant.

 

[Madison320]

Oh, typically it would be 220 or nothing, absolutely. But you never know what those good old boys might have rigged up there in Alabama -- it's Alabama, after all! ;-)

Again, it depends how "finished" is finished. Is "finished" a port-a-potty, a used sink, one outlet, and a lot of extension cords? If so, then maybe it would only be a few hundred dollars! Just depends on how nice you want it to look, what you're willing to put up with, etc.

Converting a shed is not the only way, BTW. Hopefully that is obvious but just wanted to point it out. You could, for example, renovate a cheap mobile home. Converting things that were not built to be houses (such as sheds, storage containers) into houses can end up being a lot more trouble than it seemed like on paper. Whereas a mobile home was at least built to be a house. You also could start from scratch! Design whatever you want. That can be really fun.

I lived in a mobile home for about 6 years and I don't think I'd do it again. Everything is cheap and hard to work on. They use 1x2s instead of 2x4s. The drywall is like cardboard. The underside is made of plastic sheeting! I never figured out how to fix that crap underneath without it falling apart after a few months. Duct tape falls off in a few weeks.

As far as I can tell the shed I'm looking at uses the same construction as a normal home. The model I'm looking at is specifically sold as a cabin. 2x4s every 16", 2"x6" floor joists, engineered wood exterior panels, etc. I'm nowhere near a construction expert but when I look at these sheds I can visualize how to work on them, they're so simple.

 

[Madison320]

Yeah, thy are a little too cramped for me. The video merely pointed out a few space saving options to make a small space much more efficient. I find a lot of the innovations in tiny home designs brilliant.

What annoys me is that there seems to be a huge gap between tiny houses and "regular" houses. Tiny houses are like 160 sq ft and then the next stop is a 1000 sq ft house and even 1000 sq ft is hard to find. McMansions are way more common than 500-800 sq ft homes. I think a major reason is zoning laws. 1000 sq ft is usually the minimum. My wife and daughter lived in a 900 sq ft concrete block house in florida for 5 years and it was no problem. That's another thing that bugs me about housing. Why is it that only florida builds concrete block homes? They're awesome in my opinion. They last forever, they're hurricane and termite proof and cheap to build.

 

[angelatc]

What annoys me is that there seems to be a huge gap between tiny houses and "regular" houses. Tiny houses are like 160 sq ft and then the next stop is a 1000 sq ft house and even 1000 sq ft is hard to find. McMansions are way more common than 500-800 sq ft homes. I think a major reason is zoning laws. 1000 sq ft is usually the minimum. My wife and daughter lived in a 900 sq ft concrete block house in florida for 5 years and it was no problem. That's another thing that bugs me about housing. Why is it that only florida builds concrete block homes? They're awesome in my opinion. They last forever, they're hurricane and termite proof and cheap to build.

Yeah my first house was a 950 sf concrete block home in FL. I'm probably never going to build a house but if I did I would definitely check into it as an option.