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Jabberwocky
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:00
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http://nomadmicrohomes.com/index.html
Okay, so I realize there are a lot of DIY'ers on this forum. And I realize that a lot of them could do this themselves for less money. But as tiny homes go (at least the prices I've seen, this is pretty affordable. I also like that it's modular and comes with everything short of a licensed plumber and electrician.
They also offer off-grid equipment should that be your desire.
Seems pretty upfront with pricing and options. Also links to a tiny house financing company.
Definitely has commercialized the experience, but some of us may prefer it that way.
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jaransont3
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:56
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I love the staircase/shelves/countertop design in this one. Very creative and great multi-use of space that is often wasted.
Not a fan of the over modern style overall, but it is very well thought out.
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Cowracer
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2016 12:57
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Boy, the first time you get liquored up and roll yourself outta the bed is gonna make you question your purchase. LOL
Tim
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Stein
Member
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# Posted: 20 Apr 2016 23:06
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I could see $3k in materials, but $30K? Literally $300 per square foot? I could knock out a 1,000 square foot house for that.
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Jabberwocky
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 08:52
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^^ $187.50/sq ft to be exact. You forgot to account for the loft. But you are right, you can build a luxury home (in my neck of the woods) for that price per sq. ft. That's not the point of a tiny house though. Some people don't want, need, or have the space for 1000 sq.ft.+ house and cost isn't the only concern.
Also, the price per sq.ft. is subjective, as each square foot of a house is not as equally expensive as the next. Kitchens and baths cost a lot per sq. ft., empty space in a bedroom does not. So when averaged out, a huge home with lots of empty space is going to cost less per sq.ft. than a tiny home in which all of the space contains premium equipment.
My research has yielded an average cost of $40k-80k for a tiny home, depending on how premium the materials are. By comparison, this Nomad micro house is a bargain. Granted, I don't believe the materials are premium, I think they are economy grade. I does utilize SIPs for structural though, which is energy efficient.
At some point a person in the market for a small living space has to stop looking at price per square foot and instead focus on the intangibles. This is a living space that has already been researched, designed, engineered, developed and fabricated. All it needs is for a person with average basic mechanical skills to put it together. It contains everything a person needs to inhabit this earth in comfort for the price of the average new car. - That's pretty significant when you think about it in those terms.
Anyways, I'm sure everyone knows this information already so I'll get off my soapbox now 
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Don_P
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 09:11
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So many of these look like they would depreciate similar to a trailer finally becoming a negative in a sale rather than appreciate like a more conventional structure. Anyway, just one more thing to factor.
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drb777
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# Posted: 21 Apr 2016 14:39
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Very interesting design, logically efficient. Rather than focus on searching for negatives, I can see where I'd borrow ideas from such and try to expand and incorporate into my own needs. Sort of a glass half-full/empty argument I suppose. I don't quite understand why some are so aggressive to find negatives on this forum. Quite a distraction from an otherwise very interesting outlet.
Not really a fan of tiny homes after I tried temporarily using a trailer at the acreage, and found it rather claustrophobic. But I'm intrigued by the cleaver, ingenious design ideas that these folks have devised.
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Jabberwocky
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 10:11 - Edited by: Jabberwocky
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I don't think it's that this forum is particularly negative David, I think it's just the wrong place for certain ideas like this one. This discussion, should it be held on a forum for tiny house lovers in the hipster 20-40 yrs age group, would probably be a lot more positive.
The tiny house movement intrigues me. I think it appeals more to people who prize 'experiences' over 'things.' These people would rather be galavanting around somewhere doing something rather than homemaking.
The same could be said about a person who wants to build a cabin in the woods, and yet it's still different. At the risk of speaking in generalizations, it seems to me that a person who builds a cabin in the woods values simplicity (similar to tiny housers), but a key difference is that a woodsman is content in the surroundings of nature while staying close to home. Such a person is outdoorsy, but chooses to experience those things in one spot, more or less. He can afford to take his time and build something himself, and as such, buy materials for minimal cost and pay little to no labor. By contrast, many of the tiny housers are more urban in their approach. They are off doing something somewhere else, whether it be a concert in the city or traveling Europe. A tiny house is just a landing spot for the evening. A tiny houser wants money freed up for experiences rather than a mortgage.
What I find as an interesting juxtaposition however, is that part of 'experiences' is social interaction. Do tiny housers just not have people over to cook a meal? Because there's no room for guests to hang out... I dunno, it's a puzzle to me. That's one reason that my wife and I decided we need something slightly bigger than a tiny house - Who needs a giant bedroom just to sleep in? Not us, but we definitely need living room space and a full kitchen to host company.
I suppose many tiny housers are a new generation that can no longer afford urban housing, but needing external stimulation without the 'burden' of personal, meaningful relationships. Anytime they are at home, time is spent on a laptop interacting socially over the internet, and you don't need space to do that.
Again, I am generalizing groups of people, but not trying to paint anyone in a negative light. The bottom line is, again, that I feel that what a person values economics-wise boils down to what they are looking to get out of life. A small cabin owner who values living off the land, constructing things himself, enjoying nature in a nice secluded spot is going to feel right at home here in this forum. A person who doesn't know all the ins-and-outs of construction, but craves simplicity and wants to see the world will prefer a more commercialized, urban approach. For such a person, owning a small home for the cost of a new car is quite appealing, whereas the DIYer says "heck, I could build something bigger and cheaper!" - It's all in what we value personally.
Me? I fall somewhere in the middle. Out of the box thinking appeals to me a great deal, which is why I posted a link to the Nomad in the first place.
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Julie2Oregon
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# Posted: 22 Apr 2016 19:50
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Jabberwocky
I think along the lines of you and your wife. I started out this odyssey thinking about a tiny home but I realized that most are quite narrow (8 feet wide!) and that doesn't suit me, and the "lifestyle" itself tends to be more geared toward picking up and moving the home if you'd like to do that. I wouldn't. I probably would if I was younger but I'm beyond it.
But I share the "spirit" of the "tiny house" and minimalist movement. It galls me to maintain, clean, heat, and cool space I don't need, want, or use. I know this will probably sound hippy-dippy but oh well -- being laden down with a lot of material goods feels oppressive to me.
Weirdly enough, I discovered that I would be very well-suited to living tiny while recovering from two major surgeries and being hospitalized in a small room for 2 months! The room didn't bother me. Haha, I actually had my son bring my TV and computer from home, plus my French press coffeemaker, a coffee grinder, and some food essentials. In probably a 12X12 space, I'd set up a TV/computer area and a mini-kitchen and pantry. The big hospital bed and equipment took up most of it. And I spent as much time as possible (with my IV) sitting outside.
I realized that this was tiny living and I was doing great! Friends came to visit me and stayed a LONG time! I made them coffee and served pastries, lol. They said it was quiet and comforting and came to call my hospital room the "Quantum of Solace." Isn't that wild? Haha, one of my friends was having boyfriend troubles and stayed long into the night; a nurse offered to bring in a cot!
I would rather be outside than inside, and see my home gratefully as a shelter from the elements, a place to sleep, eat, and take care of business. Sure, I want it to be a bit more than functional -- it should be attractive enough so as not to be a bummer but I'm not materialistic. I enjoy having friends over but I find that good food and conversation are the keys to a good time. The home, surroundings, and my lifestyle/philosophy should all complement each other and not be at odds or oppressive. Does that makes sense?
I looked at the NOMAD earlier but didn't quite understand the pricing or what was included in the basic unit. So the loft IS included? If so, I think it's a neat space and a good option for many people interested in small living.
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Jabberwocky
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2016 13:07
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Totally makes sense Julie, and I agree. It's great that you have supportive friends! Your space needs still might be a little more compact that ours  , and there's nothing wrong with that.
My wife comes from a large family and we both have been somewhat of world travelers before marriage, and we are both social. As a result we have lots of friends strung from here to Timbuktu. So we are in need of room for overnight guests and room to have get-togethers. I also need an office space to conduct business, but if not for all of those things, her and I would be perfectly content in a tiny space. We have both lived in spaces qualifying as tiny house size before coming together, so psychologically it is no problem for either of us.
As to your last paragraph, I too found the Nomad website to be a bit cumbersome, but the information is all there if you click on enough links. The loft is included, along with everything you see in the photographs except for the furniture, foundation, and in-ground plumbing and electrical hookups. Also not sure about the deck shown in some of the concept drawings... that's probably additional. But they have solar equipment etc.. for sale as accessories. I couldn't say if they are good deals or not because those things are not up my alley.
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