A Tiny Announcement from Lina & Isha

Now that the Meyerhofer's Tiny House, Cilantro Poncho, has sprung to life in Tucson, AZ through last week's build blitz, Isha and I have decided it's time to make a tiny announcement of our own.

As many of you know, last summer I fell in love with The Guy Next Door. For the past nine months Isha and I have been living in his and hers tiny houses at Simply Home Community. 

Now Isha and I are expecting... that our baby will be here with us in about 9 months. And yes, we already know what it's going to be!

We're making a Tiny For Two!

We're affectionately referring to it as T42 or "tea for two" for the time being, though like most expectant parents, we're still considering names.

This is, of course, what sometimes happens after a bad case of Trailer Lust.

Isha and I placed the order a couple weeks ago for our 24' PAD Series Tiny House Trailer from Iron Eagle Trailers in Fairview, OR. (Yes, we even know how big it's going to be when it arrives. In fact, we were specific about that!) Rob built the trailer for my vardo, The Lucky Penny, so we know it's going to be a great foundation for our new little house. The trailer should be ready by the end of March and we'll begin building in April. We're deep in the design phase right now and we're looking forward to revealing the design soon. We've been Window Shopping Again and looking forward to Ordering Our Tiny House SIPs Kit. If you'd like to help out with the build, please get in touch.

Stay tuned for more! We're rather giddy and excited to share our new little house with you!

Tiny House Design Workshop in Asheville, NC (April 4-8, 2016)

I'm delighted to be speaking again at this year's Tiny House Conference in Asheville, NC about tiny house design considerations and strategies.

I'm also excited to be teaming up with Laura LaVoie of Life in 120 Square Feet and John Labovitz of Polymecca to teach a week-long design intensive in Asheville from April 4-8, immediately following the Tiny House Conference.  If you'd like to join us, please register for the Tiny House Design Workshop in Asheville, NC.

If you're planning to build your tiny house this summer, the week you spend in this design intensive with three instructors who designed and built their own tiny homes will prove invaluable to you. You'll be able to learn great tricks, learn from our mistakes, and save yourself a lot of money, not to mention headache and heartache!

Registration Deadline: Monday, March 21st 

Here's more info: Are you dreaming of a tiny house of your own? Are you trying to figure out the best way to maximize the space? If so, this workshop is for you! In this workshop you will develop a well-considered design for your tiny house in all three dimensions.

We'll talk about inspirations and aspirations as we discuss layout, size, and shape. We'll take you on fun tours to see tiny houses in a community and a tiny house builder's facility. We'll dig into design considerations related to windows, doors, kitchens, bathrooms, and built-ins. You'll have plenty of time to ask questions, work on your own design, and get feedback.

Your three instructors - Laura LaVoie of Life in 120 Square Feet, John Labovitz of Polymecca and Lina Menard of Niche Consulting - have all designed and built their own tiny homes. Laura and her partner Matt live in a tiny off-grid ground-bound home in North Carolina, John has parked his tiny house truck in the orchard at his family farm in West Virginia, and Lina lives in her vardo in a tiny house community in Oregon. We are excited to introduce you to tips, tricks, strategies, and information to help you design a fabulous tiny home of your own!

This one-week design intensive will take place in Asheville, NC on April 4-8 immediately following the Tiny House Conference. If you sign up with a buddy, both of you will receive a $50 rebate! If you'd like to join us, please register for the Tiny House Design Workshop in Asheville, NC.

Registration Deadline: Monday, March 21st 

Living on the Green Side

It was a pleasure to have a chat a couple months ago with Sierra Dickey '15, a fellow graduate of Whitman College who wanted to write a story about me and my little house, The Lucky Penny, for an upcoming edition of the Whitman Magazine. Even more exciting, my old friend Matt Zimmerman Banderas '04 who is a very talented photographer, was assigned the job of coming to my tiny house community, Simply Home Community to take photos for the story. The story, called Living on the Green Side, just went live and I'd love to share it with you. Thank you, Sierra and Matt, for helping me share my story and thank you Whitman for the people and experiences you provided that have helped me live this happy little life!

Read Living on the Green Side by clicking this link!

Tiny House 101 Workshop in Washington, D.C. in March

I'm thrilled to be teaching a Tiny House Workshop (TH 101) in Washington, D.C. this March through the Tiny House Collaborative. This workshop is geared towards the tiny house curious crowd. (We'll be teaching an intermediate tiny house course (TH 201) in Denver, CO following the Tiny House Jamboree in August, so if you're tiny house serious, just hang tight for more info on that!)

If you'd like to join us for TH 101 in D.C. in March, please register today!

Tiny House 101 includes 2 full days of instruction, interactive activities, and networking covering all the tiny house basics. Learn the basics of how to build a tiny house and decide whether tiny house living is for you.  In this workshop by members of the Tiny House Collaborative, you will have the opportunity to learn from experienced tiny house builders, designers and advocates.

Topics include:

• Intro to tiny houses & the tiny house movement
• Planning your build – budget, construction, DIY
• Tiny House Lifestyle
• Major Decisions
• Trailer or foundation built
• Framing & basic building techniques
• Plumbing, electrical & propane systems
• Toilet & gray water options – composting and more!
• Thermal envelope – insulation and ventilation
• Appliance considerations – recommendations for the best, no-hassle products
• Zoning issues, regulations – how and where to park or build
• Interior design for small spaces

Pricing:

• Standard Price = $399 per person or $700 for two people
• Early Bird Discount = $349 for Single Person or Two People for $600

If you'd like to join us for TH 101 in D.C. in March, please register today!

Tiny House Collaborative

I was on Hawaiian Time when the Tiny House Collaborative launched, so I haven't yet taken the time to tell you how very excited I am about being part of this group of fabulous people. The short answer is pretty freakin' excited!

The Tiny House Collaborative is a team of 7 individuals, each passionate about providing the resources to design, build and dwell efficiently. We are combining our energy, time, and expertise so that we can more effectively share our love of tiny homes and our collective knowledge of living well in small spaces. It's a synergistic relationship because we can do more together than any one of us could do alone.

You have four opportunities to take advantage of this synergy right away:

• Sign up for our Tiny House 101 Workshop in Washington DC March 26-27
• Sign up for a Phone/Skype Consultation to address your specific questions
• Sign up for an On-Site Consultation so we can give you the skinny on your property's suitability for a tiny home
• Sign up for a Tiny House Tour so you can explore one of our tiny homes

So how did this group of people all join up? We think it was a little bit luck/fate/coincidence and a little bit being brave enough to act on our mutual friend crushes. When we all arrived in Colorado for the 2015 Tiny House Jamboree, we decided to kick off the weekend with a hike. We got to talking about what each of us were doing in the Tiny House Movement and how it was hard to do it alone. By the end of the hike, the seven of us had decided we had to find a way to combine efforts. And just like that, the Tiny House Collaborative became a twinkle in our eyes.

In December we gathered up to Visit Orlando Lakefront RV & Tiny House Park to explore the city where James and Kai live. We turned the trip into a retreat to figure out the details and prepare to share the Tiny House Collaborative with everyone else. That means YOU! We have created a website where you can learn more about the Collaborative and sign up for the services we currently offer. Please know there are many more good things to come!

Lina's Tiny House: The Lucky Penny

For those of you new to The Little Life, welcome! My name is Lina Menard and I live in a tiny house called The Lucky Penny. I designed and built the Lucky Penny in 2014.

This profile will introduce you to my lil' house. If you'd like to see more photos and articles about my house, read Lucky Penny's Public Debut. If you have questions, please be sure to take a peek at my Frequently Asked Questions and if your question isn't addressed there, please contact me. If you want to see a video tour, please check out the Lucky Penny Tiny House Tour by Jenna and Guillaume of Tiny House Giant Journey. You can also check out other posts about The Lucky Penny on my blog.

Fast Facts

• Name: The Lucky Penny
• Location: Simply Home Community in Portland, OR
• Location Type: Tiny Cohousing Community (three tiny houses act as detached bedrooms in the backyard of a single-family home)
• Setting: Urban
• Designer: Lina Menard of Niche Consulting LLC (yup, that's me!)
• Builder: Lina Menard & Friends (I hosted work parties most weekends!)
• Plan Set: To Be Released Soon
• Number of Full-Time Inhabitants: 1
• Number of Part-Time Inhabitants: 1
• Pets: Raffi, 10 year old red Devon Rex tabby cat

Size Details

• House Width (Exterior): 8'-4" (100")
• House Width (Interior): 7'-4" (88") 
• House Length (Exterior): 14'-9" (177")
• House Length (Interior) = 13'-9" (165") 
• Exterior Square Footage: 123
• Interior Square Footage: 100
• House Height: appox. 12'-6" 
• Weight: Unknown

Construction Details

• Style: Gypsy Wagon
• Roof Shape: Vardo (curved)
• Foundation Type: Single 5000 # Iron Eagle Vardo Trailer with side extensions, welded-on stabilizing jacks
• Construction Type: SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels)
• Insulation Type: EPS (expanded polystyrene foam)

Systems

• electric point-of-use water heater
• electric space heater (Oct-Mar)
• mini-fridge without freezer (April-September)
• one-burner induction cooktop
• convection toaster oven
• mini chest freezer 
• kitchen sink
• bathroom shower

Sustainability Features

• salvaged door, windows, and finish materials
• electric-only appliances
• SIPs construction for energy-efficiency
• liquid-applied water resistant barrier for air sealing and energy-efficiency
• all LED lighting
• energy-efficient appliances
• low-VOC paints, stains and sealants

 Budget

• Total Budget: $25,000
• Total Build Cost: $24,250
• Building Materials: $14,000
• Car & Truck Rental: $2,750 (I don't own a car, so I rented cars and trucks for my build)
• Build Space Rental: $2,250 ($250/month for 9 months)
• Volunteer Meals: $1,500 (I ran work parties most weekends and provided coffee, continental breakfast, snacks, a picnic lunch and for those who stuck with me till the end, dinner!)
• Furnishings: $1,500
• Contracted Labor: $1,250 ($750 roofer, $300 welding for flip-up porch, $200 electrical consultation)
• Appliances: $1,000
• Estimated Sweat Equity: $16,000 (800 hours at $20/hour*)
• Total Value: $40,250

Small Developer Bootcamp in Portland

Yesterday, on a gorgeous spring morning, my landie Jake and I rode our bikes down to the Native American Center at PSU to attend the Small Scale Developer Bootcamp hosted by Eli Spevak of Orange Splot, LLC and John and Jim from Incremental Development Alliance. These three incredible people teamed up after meeting at an event last year. Eli told Jim and John that Portland has lots of people eager to make our neighborhoods better places through creative, community-oriented small scale projects. They scheduled a one-day bootcamp for the summer of 2016. But as more and more people contacted Eli with questions over the winter, he realized the demand for this information was even greater than anticipated, so he convinced John and Jim to bump the training up. They agreed and had the opportunity to present to a sold-out crowd of more than 100 people yesterday! The event actually kicked off on Tuesday evening with a set of presentations by small scale developers at The Zipper, a fun new food court with local independent restaurants created by Kevin Kavanaugh of Guerrilla Development. It was fascinating hearing about all the small-scale residential, live-work, incubator, and mixed-use spaces that have been created. A special focus of the bootcamp was missing middle housing, a term coined by Daniel Parolek to describe the mid-density housing that most American cities quit building many years ago and now sorely lack. Daniel was there for the bootcamp to describe missing middle housing - you know, like fourplexes, garden apartments, rowhomes - and its role in our urban fabric.

Yesterday the ten sessions included topics like:

• Financing Your First Deal
• Site Selection & Buying Property
• Deal Structures & Money Sources
• Understanding Pro Formas
• Due Diligence & Acquisition
• Understanding Condominiums
• Property & Asset Management

It was heartening to see so many people in Portland eager to learn about how they can play a part in making better neighborhoods by filling the gaps in our urban fabric with missing middle housing and small mixed-use projects. It was also fun to recognize so many faces in the room and meet new people. I'm glad I was able to participate and I look forward to seeing what happens in Portland over the next couple years as a result of the Small Developer Bootcamp!

Biz503 Radio Show re: The Future of Green Building

Later today I'll be one of the guests for a radio show on Biz503 (a segment about business in Portland on the Portland Radio Project station). This particular episode is focused on the future of sustainable building and I am honored to be one of the panelists, along with fine folks from Sustainable Northwest Wood - which provided most of the lumber for The Breathe Building, Earth Advantage which is the standard the Breathe Building was built to, People's Food Co-op - where I'm a member, and several more! I look forward to sharing a bit about Simply Home Community and I imagine we may also discuss The Breathe Building, the ADU Case Studies Project, the Space-Efficient Housing Working Group, and other sustainable building projects I've been part of here in Portland. Read on for the blog post Biz503 wrote to preview the show and tune in if you can!

BIZ503: THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILDING

Sustainable building is on the rise – in Portland and across the world. The global green building market has surpassed $260 billion, and client demand is expected to keep pushing that number higher.

People are turning towards architecture that’s harmonious with nature for many reasons: economics, health, energy reduction and an overall awareness that the spaces where we live and work can be more than toxic boxes. From tiny houses to sustainable wood, to living buildings and urban forest canopies, there’s a movement to build green.

Join us Friday, Jan. 22, at 1:00 p.m. for a live broadcast of Biz503 as we talk to industry experts about the in-and-outs of the sustainable building movement. Mark Grimes of NedSpace and Cindy Tortorici from The Link will lead a discussion about the designs, ideas and visions of those who are pushing the borders of what it means to “build green.”

Our show guests include:

• Lina Menard,  member of Simply Home Community, and Owner of Niche Consulting
• Terry Campbell, Director of Business Development, Sustainable Northwest Wood, Inc.
• Ryan Shanahan, Senior Green Building Consultant at Earth Advantage
• Tom Liptan, Board Member at the Urban Greenspaces Institute , (recently retired from Portland Bureau of Environmental Service)
• Eric Corey Freed, Author, Speaker, Green Architect and Founding Principal of organicARCHITECT
• Jenna Chen, Design Manager & Collective Manager at People’s Food Co-op
• Thomas Robinson, Founder of LEVER Architecture
• Joel Miller, Building Manager at Ecotrust

Support Living Tiny... Legally

At the Tiny House Jamboree in Colorado Springs, I met Alexis & Christian of Tiny House Expedition. They've been traveling for the past several months to make a film called Living Tiny... Legally, which explores how people across the country have worked with their cities to find ways to live legally in their wee homes. They're now running a Living Tiny... Legally Indigogo campaign to raise funds to complete the project. You can support this film so that tiny house enthusiasts and city officials have great examples of how to make tiny legal. Read on for more info from their website and then jump on over to the Living Tiny... Legally Indigogo campaign to make a contribution.  

Living Tiny....Legally!

August 7th-9th 2015: The First Tiny House Jamboree in Colorado Springs, CO. Event organizers expected a turnout of 10,000 people. 40,000+ showed up, representing all 50 states.

The biggest takeaway? People want to live tiny, legally! AND there’s a very real desire to live in tiny house communities. 

We are Alexis & Christian, the filmmakers & tiny house community advocates behind Tiny House Expedition,

and Kai Rostscheck, mover & shaker behind I Love Tiny Houses, Tiny House Lending & Tiny House Dating...

We are traveling the country to create a documentary series featuring case studies; exciting examples of how a handful of cities from all over the country are making legal tiny house communities a reality...

Our goal is to legitimize conversations about legal Tiny Housing and to provide a proactive, illustrative resource for those seeking to bring tiny houses to their city but don't know where to start...

We’ll talk with founders and city officials representing these ongoing projects, in both urban and rural settings. We’ll ask city planners about local objections & potential solutions, to zoning issues, safety certifications and more.

These communities are in various stages of development and each represents a unique kind of arrangement, but many of the issues and opportunities are similar.

Ultimately, we’ll determine why each city said “yes” or wants to say yes, to Tiny Housing, if the right conditions can be met, of course.

This documentary will be YOUR FREE resource, to help YOU, the people that want to live tiny, live tiny legally... With YOUR HELP, this documentary can be used as YOUR tool to proactively further meaningful conversations with your local municipal planners and help make legal tiny housing a reality in YOUR community.

Check out the Living Tiny... Legally Indigogo campaign to support this film by making a contribution!

Less Is More 2016 Wrap Up

It was great fun Kicking Off 2016 with Small Home Design by teaching Less Is More at Yestermorrow. Monday and Tuesday we went on field trips to small houses in the Mad River Valley and Montpelier. We got to see five little houses this year, ranging in size from about 120 square feet to 1700 square feet. All five of these houses were owner-built, which was neat because we had the opportunity to talk to the homeowners about their challenges and successes. I had been to each of these small homes before, but I learn something new each time I visit, so that was great!

On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday Dave and I presented slideshows to share building basics and design tricks for small spaces. We asked the students what else they wanted to learn and ended up doing a crash course in building science, a presentation on toilet options, considerations for construction and finish materials, and sharing net zero energy information. We also introduced design exercises and drafting techniques.

One of our activities was designing a tiny house together by taping it out on the floor. I was impressed by how many different considerations came up as the students deliberated the merits of putting the door in one location or another and selecting a roof style. They were excellent at weighing their options and thinking things through. It was fun to see students design exercises morph into their individual projects as their understanding and design skills evolved. (Photos forthcoming.)

On Thursday the students worked away the day designing their own small home projects, ranging in scale from a 200 SF tiny house on wheels to a 1800 ski house that can sleep 12. They presented their work on Friday to the class and our jurors, Paul Hanke and Kathy Meyer.

Other projects included:

• a small home with a movement studio for dance and aikido
• a little house inspired by medieval timber frame construction
• a Texan live-work space with a double roof for shading
• a small lakehouse to retire to
• a cabin in the woods with an impressive roof
• a round house with pop-outs
• a multi-generational home with a turret suite

It was fun to see students design exercises morph into their individual projects as their understanding and design skills evolved. And, of course, it was great to be back in Vermont and at Yestermorrow. This was my eleventh trip out there and it looks like I may have good reason to go back again this summer to help out with a Build Blitz. One of the students in the class is excited to build a tiny house on wheels and several other students are eager to help out. Stay tuned for more about that possibility!

Meanwhile, I’m scheming my next tiny house design workshop, which will be in Asheville, NC right after the Tiny House Conference. If you’re noodling through your tiny house design, mark your calendar for April 3-8^th and Contact Me to be added to the list for more information!