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How To Build an Open Source House?
An anonymous reader writes "I'm starting a project that I hope that the engineers, makers and general DIYers in the Slashdot crowd can help out with. The full story's on the website, but the short version is as follows: my aim is to make a cheap, recycled, sustainable building, to document the process fully and to release anything that would help others to do the same. I intend to use an old train carriage as the shell, but the ideas should extend to shipping containers, aeroplane fuselages or anything similar. I know I'm not the first to do this, but I can't see anyone else who's provided a detailed step-by-step account of the build, complete with plans and the rest. Before I start, though, I'm trying to draw on as much collective experience as possible, and to head off mistakes before they happen. My question to Slashdot is simple: what do you think I need to know before I begin?"
A high-cube container is 9' 6" tall, which gives about 9' internal vertical space to work with, which means that even with 6" in the floor and 6" in the ceiling for insulation, electrical, plumbing, etc, you have an 8' vertical space.
Normal containers are a foot shorter, which means it will feel more claustorphobic, and train carrages are even shorter.
The biggest challenge is the width, with only less than 8 feet of width, you pretty much HAVE to mate containers side by side and remove the interior walls to get nice space.
Test your net with Netalyzr
I am in the process of building my own eco-house. The first step is to get some land outside the "rubber-stamp" "where's your permit" world because when the inspector shows up he will take one look at your creation and since it will not fit neatly in one of his stacks redtag it until it does. What we did was buy unimproved land a few miles from an unincorporated city of a few hundred people. The only regulations we are under are county which deal with water and septic, which is good all the way around. As for anything else.. I could build a match stick house on a gasoline foundation with a blowtorch door bell and no one would say squat.
People have done some nifty things with trailer and container houses...
http://www.greendiary.com/entry/20-amazing-homes-made-from-shipping-containers/ :P )
http://26.media.tumblr.com/9cyPFQbgCnxj7a2aELgniTn8o1_500.jpg
http://renaissanceronin.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/shipping-container-treehouse.jpg (OK, OK, it's just a CGI
I've been leaning more toward things like FlatPack houses, since the shipping effort is much lower per sq ft.
First off, build a list of local electricians and plumbers, and the name of whomever is going to sign off on this house
Talk to your wife.
Talk to your bank. Your lawyer. Your real estate agent. Your insurance company.
This project of yours may have no re-sale value.
The equity you build in your home is an important part of your estate planning.
Take the time to get to know your neighbors - otherwise you will be dodging pitchforks from the day you begin.
We all grow older - and "cool" doesn't age well.
Ugly doesn't age well.
That is why the home buyer avoids the awkward, the eccentric, the physically demanding. Why he pays for comfort even at the cost of some efficiency.
architecture: turned upside down
And there are a few more issues why it is hard to "open source" a design. There are many ways to build a house, which is best for you depends on where you live.
Climate. Can be dry, can be humid, can be hot, can be cold. This influences your material choice - also in my experience heating is using natural gas, while cooling is using electricity. Heat from the sun: do you want to capture it or avoid it? Do you have lots of rain (tropical rainstorms) that need sufficient drainage? Or do you have snow in winter that requires a sufficiently strong roof?
Local regulations. In The Netherlands for example it is not allowed to design a home with the front door opening into the living room. There must be a small hallway with a second door to get to the living room. This again has to do with the climate. In other countries that's not an issue.
Fire safety regulations vary all over the world.
Windows and ventilation. Requirements vary with the intended use of a room (living room, bedroom, kitchen).
And then there is of course the issue that shipping containers and train carriages are not wonders of insulation. Unless you start off with a reefer container of course. But reefers are a bit smallish inside thanks to the thick walls. Especially the roof is getting low. All in all not very much sustainable when it comes to energy efficiency when in use. It's not just because we normally build our homes from concrete and bricks and not from steel sheets.
Railcars have been used before. Insulation, airhandling, all the rest will be relatively trivial. Not having the local council ruin your plans will be the tough part.
Moisture will be an issue. You'll need to seal it up and when you do, moisture inside the vehicle will be a problem. You can use a spray foam insulation. For inspiration on how to make confined spaces into a livable space, go tour a yatch.
My brother built a vacation place on Tenakee Springs, Alaska. First thing he did was deliver a shipping container as a quick-and-dirty, bear-proof shelter. The door of it is visible here. Obviously, it is now incorporated into a larger structure.
Best regards.