Little House Construction Workshop with Dee Williams
Dee Williams will be sponsoring a little house construction workshop on June 27, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. It’s a one-day workshop taught by Dee and KT Anderson with a combination of classroom and hand-on training. It’s not a design workshop but a real hands-on construction workshop where you’ll learn things like how to connect your tiny house securely to a trailer, general construction techniques, building codes, and staying safe with power tools.
You might recognize Dee Williams from the many news stories that have covered her simple living adventure since she started living in her Tumbleweed tiny house back in 2004. It took her 3 months and $10,000 to build her house and much of it was made from salvaged building materials and hands-on sweat equity.
KT Anderson has 20 years in the trades and recently graduated from a two-year program at the School of the Redwoods in Fort Bragg, California, which also happens to be one of my favorite towns on the Mendocino coast. She is currently working to design and build a green home in Portland.
The cost of the one-day workshop in Portland, Oregon is $250. To register or learn more contact Dee or KT by email.
- Dee Williams – [email protected]
- KT Anderson – [email protected]
Photos provided by Dee Williams.
Oh my goodness! I so want to go! I don’t think I’ll be able to but hopefully you’ll get some pictures and whatnot from people who did go.
Dee totally needs a blog!
I bet she’ll be able to pass on a few photos. Should be a great workshop.
So Dee is covering building codes? I thought one of the main reasons for building on a trailer is specifically to get around the building codes. At least that’s what I hear. Otherwise wouldn’t it be much less expensive to just build it on the ground? You would at least save about $3K on the trailer.
I didn’t ask her specifically but it was mentioned it as a topic in the info she passed onto me. Even for houses on trailers codes can help guide an inexperienced owner-builder but typically nobody checks. The additional costs for building on the ground with permits may actually exceed the cost of the trailer, it really just depends on the community. When building on the ground there is another set of issues like sewage, water, inspections, size minimums, future property taxes, and so on. Sheds often help you bypass all those things but technically in most places living in a shed is not allowed. I know that is a cloudy answer and incomplete but I hope it helps point out that building inexpensively really depends on the location, use, community, and home owner.
This SO makes me want to be in Portland! 🙂
Yeah Portland seems like a very tiny house friendly place to live.
Not sure about property taxes etc but it seems like a lot of folks gravitate to that part of Oregon.
Just need to find a place like John Wells. Building codes? What building codes?
I’m just amazed at what he has built and so frugaly too, as you pointed out. I never really thought that much of the osb look before, but now I kinda like it. His osb desk, kitchen counter, and cabinet doors.
RE: John Wells place…
I’ve been noticing that there are places without much building code enforcement. Another real expense is property tax. It seems John has found a place in Texas where the taxes are super low and the building code enforcement is not an issue either.
It would be very interesting to put together a list of places like this for those looking to find the last few places in America where people can live without these burdens… but I suspect they are also places with few jobs and little infrastructure.
Hey, as far as code goes… we’re focused on IBC for framing and electrical, and I also want to discuss restrictions for “living” or “recreating” in a little house on wheels. There’s great stuff in the code that can be applied to the house/trailer connection and to the general structure.
Hi,
Wow! We, have no other way to tell you hi… so hi. If you need a shower come to Di’s house in ABQ. We like your video and you look great. Remember when you flew over Banister Mall? I don’t.
Thats all for now.
Adios,
SIDPL