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Raise the Roof!
This post is going to delve into what type of roof options are available for Tiny Homes and some pros and cons about them.
For the purpose of easy math, and sticking to the guidelines of tiny homes you can transport without a special permit, I am using a 8’-6” wide by 20’-0” long with a maximum height of 13’-6” (from ground to peak) in my examples. The finished loft floor I have placed at 6’-6” (above trailer deck). I have used 2×4 wall framing and roof framing in the examples. The Roof areas you will see are exterior areas and the wall areas you will see are for the end wall of the loft. I have also placed interior side wall elevations for the loft space as well.
Gable
Let’s begin with the tried, tested, and by far, most recognizable roof type we have all been drawing since we were 5 years old. The classic Gable Roof gives some people a sense or even an emotional connection to home when they see it. It is by far the most commonly built roof on homes, garages, sheds, and even tiny homes.
The gable roof is simple to build, however, depending on the location you are living, it may not be the best option for utilizing space. Let me explain. If you live in California where the sun shines a heck of a lot more than it rains and almost never snows, then you can get away with a shallower pitch, thus improving the interior space available. The shallower pitch also gives you more wall height for larger windows if you prefer. Now if you live in northern Canada, or if your name is Santa Clause, you can’t get away with a low pitched roof. But, being that our tiny house in my examples is not very wide, I honestly worry too much about snow load. Worst case scenario is you need to physically clear it off if it snows excessively. If you are that worried about it, beef up your roof to 2×6 rather than 2×4. That way you only lose another 2” of head room rather than sloping your roof more and losing headroom and wall space.
Barn (Gambrel)
The Barn (Gambrel) Roof is considered by some to be one of the strongest and offers almost as much headroom as a lower sloped gable. It does also offer a better visual appearance to some.
The downside to the barn style is because it has more angles, it also has more joints and a larger surface area, which means more materials, which means more cost. It also requires more labour and is more difficult for a DIY’er. This style also adds more weight, which of course is the last thing we need!
Saltbox (Offset Gable)
The Saltbox (Offset Gable) Roof is much like a traditional gable, but with the peak of the roof offset to one side. One reason for this would be to allow for a bigger skylight on one side, or to offset the headroom inside for some reason.
The only real disadvantage of this style roof is because of the offset, one side of the roof surface is larger than the other causing uneven weight distribution in the case of a snow load, but once again, if it’s a smaller tiny home, this would be negligible.
Shed
Perhaps the most popular tiny home roof is the Shed Roof. Because of it’s single slope, it’s by far the easiest to build and gives you pretty good headroom and maximum side wall space on the peak side for larger windows. It also allows you to install a skylight anywhere on the surface. The shed roof is also great if you want to collect rain because you would only need to collect on one side, and it would likely be the back side so nobody has to see the rain barrels.
The down side (no pun intended) of the shed roof is it’s a single sloped surface so if you live where you get a lot of snow, you are going to have to either slope the roof more, or be vigilant about keeping it clear of snow.
Wedge
Ok, I wasn’t sure what to call this one, but it is a single sloped roof from the front to back, with the front end being lower for aerodynamics and also if you only need a loft on the back end. This design gives you pretty good side wall area in that back loft and it gives you the maximum back wall area possible. This would be good if you wanted a larger window on that back wall. This design also allows for a skylight anywhere on the surface.
The downside of the wedge roof is, because it’s a single slope and sloping from back to front rather than side to side, any snowfall or rainfall has a long way to go before falling off, which could become a problem.
Some people design their roof using a combination of these roof styles, merely for aesthetics I think. Hope all this information was helpful. In the second part of Raise the Roof I will discuss roofing materials.
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Thanks for following along!
Double-Decker Dream
What do you get when you cross an old beat up double-decker bus and the Nairobi area of Africa? You get a dream vacation in a Tiny Home offered on AirBnB. That’s right, for a mere $100-120 per night, you can stay in the two-bedroom and one bath getaway with up to 5 friends.
When you stay at The Brandy Bus, you get full access to the garden and tennis court. You would never know it judging by the photos but, it is actually located in a suburb of Nairobi near popular tourist attractions and just about 25 miles from both airports.
When you walk into the Main Floor, you walk into the open concept Living Room, slash Dining Room, slash Kitchen. The Living Room has two seats that both double as beds. The eating bar for four next to the Kitchen also doubles as work space. The Kitchen has all the necessities of home, including a two-burner cooktop and a microwave. The entire space has plenty of windows for lots of natural light and breathtaking views.
Once upstairs, you’ll find the two Bedrooms, separated by only a curtain, but at least it’s some separation. The Bathroom, complete with toilet, sink and a rainshower with windows for an excellent view of the stunning yard and beyond.
Speaking of the stunning yard, relax on a lounger in the sun or sit and have lunch at the table. There is also an outdoor fireplace to sit and relax in the evenings.
Finally, for those who just can’t stand being away from work or their friends, there is now high speed wifi!
Below are some before and after photos.
You can find more information and photos on The Brandy Bus website, Facebook and Instagram.
If you are interested in a vacation to Nairobi, you can also stay in The Brandy Bus through AirBnB.
Not to be a ‘Bug’ but…
In German, Volkswagen means “people’s car” and back in the 1930’s the German auto maker rolled out the first Beetle. Since then, automobiles have come a long way in technology and overall look. But the people’s car maker has, for the most-part, kept the same shape and exterior look of one of it’s most popular models…like a beetle.
In the 1970’s, people wanted the Beetle to be more ‘functional’ off-road. I know, weird right? Queue the birth of “The Super Bugger”, a cross between the Beetle and an RV built on a 1968 Beetle chassis. Back in 1975 (the year I was born) a third-party builder named Super Campers out of Costa Mesa, California built and sold the Supper Buggers for $6,000. They were constructed of fiberglass paneling and only had a small kitchen and seating area.
(Photo credit: MyStarCollectorCar)
About Me
Not sure if many of you know this but, I am a Draftsman by trade and have been working with Steve Zaleschuk from Finished Right Contracting designing Tiny Homes. To date I have helped Steve bring twelve tiny homes to life. I have learned a lot about tiny home rules and regulations (I know, very grey area) and a lot about helpful tips and tricks to maximize space and construction materials.
I have also been doing drafting & design for over 20 years. My current full-time job is managing projects for a structural engineer where I am responsible for projects from ‘napkin sketches’ to final inspections. I also work in some land development if the project requires it. I have extensive experience in land development having spent many of my drafting years doing civil engineering and land development.
I also worked as an Estimator/Salesperson at a major building supply store here in Alberta. Estimating and doing quotes for projects ranging from small fences and sheds to decks, garages and pole buildings.
Needless to say, I know my way around buildings and building products. So if anyone needs some tips, advice or even a set of plans done up, let me know and I would be happy to work with you!
Jason
The Peacemakers
So while scrolling through Facebook I came across a photo that immediately caught my eye. It was an odd looking bus/RV conversion. Upon further inspection, it became more interesting. Then upon further investigation it got very interesting!
Back in 1987, a group called ‘The Twelve Tribes’ took a 1950 Aerocoach and a 1961 GMC Motor Coach and merged them into one fantastic hippie-mobile, travelling around to concerts and festivals ans basically just living, “a life of love and unity”. The original Peacemaker is on it’s third paint job, third transmission, third engine and numerous tires.
In 2005 the group merged a General American Motor Coach and a 1955 GMC Scenicruiser to create the Peacemaker II.
Read the Twelve Tribes story HERE.
Read a write-up about the original Peacemaker HERE.
More photos and information HERE.
$20,000 Tiny Home
If I told you you could build a Tiny Home for just $20,000 you would probably say I was full of crap. Well, time to cut the crap! Canadian Engineering student Tyler Bennett completed his tiny home on wheels, complete with a heating system built into the ceiling and an elevator bed to store away when not in use, for just $20,000CAD ($15,000USD).
Tyler was able to save money by using systems and practices that you wouldn’t normally find in traditional tiny home construction. At a modest 140 square feet, the tiny measures 8.5′ wide by 20′ long by 13.5′ high (exterior measurements). The trailer it’s built on is rated for 10,000 pounds but only weighs 7,800 pounds all in, including future solar panels and batteries.
One of Bennett’s favourite features is the hot water heating system which he ran through the ceiling. Bennett also introduced a heat recovery ventilator which draws moisture from the interior and also circulates fresh air. Basically the unit heats the incoming air before it enters the home, eliminating the cold exterior air mixing with the warm interior air and creating moisture.
Another outstanding feature is the queen size elevator bed which operates on a ‘block and tackle’ pulley system which raises and lowers the bed using just a single hand crank.
To read the full article written by Bridget Borgobello, click HERE!
Cold Weather Care for Your Tiny Home
Sure, you’ve taken great care and consideration in designing and building your tiny home, but have you really considered everything? Truth is, up here in Canada and even down into the northeast United States, it gets damn cold! Many people don’t know this but, if it gets cold enough, your propane will not vaporize which means it will not work properly to run appliances which are essential to keep you warm.
Propane Care
Propane has a boiling point of -44F and as a result, if the temperature drops below -40ish F/C, it will not vaporize and your tank will freeze! Now if the temperature does not get that cold, but still drops well into the minus temperatures, the propane volume still shrinks, which in turn decreases the pressure in the tank which may still cause problems. Here are a few tips to care for your tank in cold weather:
- If you worry about using heat tape on the tank itself, try to heat the space the tank is in somehow. This is probably the safest and best option.
- Try to keep the tank full. Sure, you may have to fill it more often or have a couple spares around to swap out, but it beats not having any heat at all!
- If you don’t want the hassle of trying to keep the tank full, use a safe heat source to keep the tank warm. The best heat source is heat tape. Wrap your tank with heat tape and even add a blanket over top of that to keep it warm. Heated propane blankets are good, but only heat the tank itself. You need to also keep the valve and regulator warm.
Water Line Care
It doesn’t take much for a water line to freeze and burst. In fact, if you even keep a kitchen window open in the cold, the water in your faucet and lines could freeze. Here are a few tips to protect your water lines:
- Just like caring for your propane tanks, try to have your water lines in a warm area if possible. Run the lines inside the outter shell of the house if possible.
- Protect lines from freezing by using the proper insulation or heat tape.
- If you have a hose connecting from a water source to a connection on the outside, there are heated water hoses available, but be careful. The heat source in the hose doesn’t run all the way to the ends of the hose so make sure to insulate or heat tape the ends.
- Another option is to keep the water moving. Not continuously obviously, but every once in a while, open the furthest faucet from the water source and let run for a few seconds.
- Remember your gray water lines too!
Storage Tank Care
Most fresh water, gray water and sewage storage tanks are outside the heated shell of a tiny home so taking extra care to make sure they don’t get damaged is also important. There are two things you can do:
- Use round tanks rather than square/rectangle. Round tanks have a smaller surface area for the same volume, causing less heat loss.
- Insulate the outside of the tanks. While this may be effective, it is still not 100% guaranteed to keep them from freezing and cracking.
- heat tape or heating elements inside the tank are probably your best options here.
Got more tips or comments to help keep the Tiny Home community warm? Drop them below!
Tiny Town Association
On of the most interesting ideas I have been following lately is the Tiny Town Association which is a Non-Profit founded by Ed Peterson. Ed’s idea is…
To build towns for THOWs (Tiny Houses On Wheels) within commuting distance of host cities. This Tiny Town model adds appeal to the host city by increasing the available, affordable housing options, without affecting the space occupied by traditional homes.
Ed has done a lot of leg work on the idea and has even built one of the models of tiny home that would be offered.
The Logan is a 32-foot tiny home designed on a single floor to accommodate seniors as well. The design is the result of many trials and boasts a one-piece acrylic walk-in shower with seat and a convenient second exterior door.
Ed has been able to secure some sponsors who have helped him build The Logan, including Timbercraft Tiny Homes who sponsored the set of plans for The Logan and Longevity Acrylics who sponsored the one-piece acrylic shower.
But not only has Ed come up with a model tiny home, he has also come up with a lot of statistics to go along with his vision.
To get an explanation of these stats and to read more about the Tiny Town Association and it’s new charity 24Pillars which is focusing on providing tiny homes to the homeless, check out these great resources:
Tiny With a Twist
I love Tiny Homes enough as it is, but when I see a tiny with a twist I am mesmerized! When it comes to saving space and making the most of what you got to work with, nobody compares to Europeans. I stumbled across the company Optinid based out of Rhône-Alpes in Southeast France. When you see their designs, there’s no doubt Eric, Christopher, Jonas and Yoann are creating some unique tiny homes.
I have to begin with my favourite part, albeit the part that would never be viable in Canada. They call it a “Sunroof” and they aren’t far off. If you live in a sunny climate, this is a feature that will have you sold! They are the first to ever introduce the idea of a retractable, roof allowing you to sunbathe by day, and stargaze by night!
What they do on the inside to conserve space and make sure everything has a purpose is amazing as well. From utilizing a tabletop as part of the stairs to the seating area transforming into a bed.
Looking at the exteriors of their tiny homes is also a treat. They utilize low sloped double roof lines in most cases to maximize interior space. Their selection of materials and colours also makes for a beautiful exterior.
Here’s a short video of the sunroof in operation.
Check out their Facebook page for more photos of their designs.
The Tiny Home Blog 