Sunday, September 18, 2016

Post 23 (Sept.18)-Are We There Yet?


Did you ever go on road trips as a kid? On a 5-hour trip, it was always the last 30 minutes that were pure agony as the magic of the final destination seemed, at once, close enough to touch and asymptotically, perpetually, just out of reach.  That's about the time the backseat starts ringing with rounds of "are we there yet?" The first 4 hours of that same trip, funnily enough, weren't at all challenging because the adventure, the first 50 plays of "On the Road Again," and the changing scenery were enough to fill the tank.

If our tiny house build were a long road trip, we'd be in the final stage.  The part where any objective outsider would say, "You've made a ton of progress, you're nearly there!" The part where the people in the car are not so sure... This morning, after we worked for a few hours in the 95-degree California summer, Kacey walked into the spare bedroom of our actual house to find me curled up in a semi-fetal position.  I whimpered, "Are we ever going to be able to move in?" He laughed.  A moment later he replied sarcastically, "No, Cat, never.  It's all one big dream."

Nevermind my Sunday-morning moment of weakness, we are making tremendous progress.  All of the interior paneling is up.* All of the interior paneling has two coats of paint.  The air conditioning unit is installed.** The skeleton of the cabinets are installed.  Measurements for the counter top have been made.  Staircase/pantry is finished.  Solar panel trailer is complete.  Electrical work is one 8-hour day away from 100% complete.


  • *All of the interior paneling is up, except for the paneling around the inverter.  Once the electrical work is done, we will finish that wall.  The other day, I worked on the house by myself for the first time ever!  I put up the paneling on the triangle wall just above the front door.  What a feeling of accomplishment.
  • **The HVAC pipes are run and the unit is installed, but we still have to build a chase so tat you can't see the pipes and have Boris from GB Heating and Air Conditioning charge the unit.  Some air conditioning would have been nice on this brutally hot day!
  • This morning, we screwed the cabinets to the floor.  It's strange, but I felt so nervous just before we began anchoring the cabinets to the floor.  It was a 'well, now we're committed' kind of nervousness.  I wonder why the butterflies in my stomach chose that moment to take flight, for the gears in my mind have known for almost two years now that 'we're committed'!
  • Ismael from the Tile and Marble Master came to take measurements for a black leathered granite counter top.  I can't wait to see how the place will transform with a counter top.
  • Our staircase, which will double as pantry and kitchen storage is complete!  It's such a luxury to climb a wooden staircase to go to bed instead of a ladder.
  • The solar panel trailer is complete--functional when the panels are open, and secure when we drive it down the road.  
  • Zoran and his team will come back out for one (maybe two) days to complete the electrical work.  It will be totally surreal to walk in to our tiny house and turn on the lights.
This is where the toilet will be.  Bathroom storage is on the left.    
Shot of paneling around the shower stall.  We will put trim around the shower stall so that you will no longer see the space between the shower and the paneling.
Finished paneling where our closet will be.
A view of the paneling around the electrical box.
The inside of the inverter (and Kacey sporting a Colorado t-shirt) to the right of the picture.  
Our washer/dryer combo machine in place.
The window above the not-yet-installed kitchen sink.  Notice the light on the ceiling, as well!
Our kitchen before the counter top is installed.  You can also see the sofa in the upper right corner of the picture.  We found that sofa on deep discount, and it fit perfectly in the space available.  We have a large, deep sink that will be installed in the counter top in the lower left corner.
A view of the house from the foot of our bed.
A view of our bed while standing on the cabinets in the kitchen. 
Our solar panel trailer open and just outside the house.  Don't let the optics fool you--the panel array, while very very large, is not, in fact, larger than the whole house.  Perspective is a tricky thing.


6 comments:

  1. Whooo hoo!! When this is a slide show it will be hm? 20 seconds long but have LOVED taking the journey with you! XO, Tia

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  2. How excellent to see the progress. I know how you feel...seems like the build is going on and on but I don't feel closer to *getting there*
    It takes a trip back thru my pictures to see what has been done.
    remember when you were just framing? Or when the windows were going in...lots has been done since.
    Great job you guys and thanks again for your encouragement and insight

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    Replies
    1. sheesh...did it again. Post with no name. This is Vicki

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  3. It's been a damn long time, but I thought you might like to see your names in print.

    http://www.usiinc.com/blog/editorial/going-tiny-who-does-it-why-it-works-and-whether-you-should-too/

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  4. It it looking like a place to live! Love it!
    Mom and Dad

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  5. PS I remember when you drove up to Portland to pick up the trailer. Looks pretty different, you know?

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