The Time Has Come For a Renovation!
It’s getting warmer and that means it’s getting closer to our summer project, renovating the tiny house. We have lived here for nearly two years now, that was our end goal, it’s been AWESOME! I am SO grateful for my house, it was a lot of work but I never expected it to pay back as well as it has! If the only reason is that it has enabled me to be able to stay home and raise Hazel that would be more than enough but it’s enabled SO much more… I couldn’t even imagine cleaning my big house while trying to keep tabs on a toddler, I don’t know how others do it! And the experiences I’ve had… I digress…
I have posted before, here, about adding an addition. It’s a go! Not only that, we’re going to update some other things that we think will add to our quality of life. These Items will be included in our addition/renovation:
#1 – Addition of a small (~32 s.f.) bedroom on the existing patio of our home. This will give Hazel a bed separate from ours which is getting more important as she is getting more mobile. It was great in the beginning when she would nap peacefully in her co-sleeper beside my bed, now I am often woke by a kick to the throat, a slap to the forehead, someone trying to gouge my eyes out, literally. Just this morning I woke up to a baby butt, in my face, and the biggest fart ever to come out of such a small person! She’s totally awesome but a sometimes gross bed-hog! I am certain that she will end up in our bed most nights anyway as she is getting really good at moving and climbing stairs… but to have my king size back… and an hour here and there… that will be awesome! 🙂
This will also include removing one of the windows from the bathroom. Instead of just filling that space in I am going to leave the window frame in and add shelving to put all the bathroom ‘things’ that have found their way to sitting in the window sills anyway (hair dryer/straightener, gels and gunk!)
#2 – Taking the tile and radiant heat out and replacing it with reclaimed hardwood flooring. The radiant heat hasn’t been as efficient as I hoped, it lets more cold in if it’s not on so I am left with the option of higher electric bills in the winter or cold floors. I think this will dramatically decrease to have less thermal mass. Besides, i am adding more weight with an addition, it only makes sense to offset some of that by removing a 6,000 pound floor system 🙂
#3 – Replacing the cupboard and drawer faces. I used 3/8″ plywood to decrease the weight of my millwork pieces. This has been a bad idea from the start, they were slightly warped when installed and it has gotten progressively worse over time. I will be making new faces out of 3/4″ plywood that will make things much better!
#4 – Adding a bath tub! This one is still a maybe but my friend Jet pointed this puppy out to me which will work well in my shower footprint (its a little smaller).
I would still like to be able to shower but it would be nice to use the tub to give Hazel baths, right now she uses a Rubbermaid Tupperware, since we will be here a bit longer than originally thought it would be nice to make the upgrades needed to make our home work for our new [family] lifestyle. If I had it to do over again I would have reworked the kitchen to include a full sized bathtub, it would be simpler, but this will work well for a renovation! Hopefully it works out! (If you know of any other small tubs I would love a link! the space is 42″ x 36″)
I think at this point, with those additions this house will work for several more years for us! I hope to be posting more of the plans outlined AND the process very soon, just waiting for some nice weather but I am chomping at the bit for another hands on project!
Just for fun:
I love that you’re adapting your design as life necessitates! And thank you for sharing your feedback on the radiant heat. As someone who is planning a tiny home a couple of years down the road, the help your advice offers to someone in the planning stage is invaluable. Thank you for sharing your experiences, and bless you and your tiny family!
Thanks so much Karen!
The drunk Hazel pic is my favorite. If you haven’t blinded your kid with the flash, you’re not doing it right.
hehe! It was the second one 🙂
I am glad Hazel is getting her own bed. All kids sleep this way and it only gets worse.
Hazel has had her own bed since birth, it’s just a bit too accessible to mine now that she’s climbing! 🙂
AWWW I could not stop laughing in the understanding of sleeping with a toodler! The many nights I woke up in a daze after being kicked in the head by my son lol…I am happy to hear of the upgrades and look forward to some pictures or maybe video. And as always Macy, you rock!
*Toddler
thanks Jeffry!
what are you going with on heating? how is floor insulated? how about a stock tank 2’x2’x3′.
ice cream raz
We searched extensively for a conventional 4 foot tub and found American Std Huron steel was the only one that wasn’t a thin cheap fiberglass RV unit, and first one (special ordered) came in chipped. Would have LOVED the one you pictured! where do we find one of those? please TELL!
I am bummed to say that he wasn’t able to go through with the manufacturing of that tub! I found it from a friend who linked it to me on Pinterest, It would be PERFECT, I hope someone can step up and make something like it! I know it would be a hit in the tiny house world! I may just have to cast my own if I don’t find something soon! 🙂
I have seen similar looking tubs on couple of houses but no info. The picture looks like production model. Did Jet send any info. other than a picture? You are right, the size is perfect for small homes. Otherwise the stock tank idea might work, just not my idea of what I want in home. Thanks for all of the info. Very helpful.
It was a production model and the guy put it on hold because it would have cost him too much to manufacture and then deliver units (it would have been 300 just for delivery…) he was bummed but said he may circle back in a couple years and see if it is more viable.
try diamondspas. why not make a kerdi tub? i’ve not found anything not to like about kerdi. why not have a fiberglass shop to lay one up for you. you could do both of them if you wished. maybe some new or used sheet stainless steel, have someone to weld it together. maybe some new or used sheet copper. solder the seams. maybe cultured marble, man made something or another. you may wish to be seated when you price this or maybe not.
ice cream raz
http://www.signaturehardware.com. do not click on new bathtubs. well you can if you want but it’s not where your tubs are. try bathroom upper left side. then bathtubs. then scroll down on left margin to tub length. 32″ to above 71″. enjoy.
ice cream raz
I lived in Switzerland. Had a tub like that and just loved it. It was super insulated and you could soak all the way to your shoulders. Never found its like here.
Please advise where I can purchase this bathtub
went into production, sad huh!? 🙁
Where to buy tub?
I never actually found one 🙁 This one didn’t go into production because the shipping cost twice as much as the tub so it was shot down before it was made.
Were can i find that mini tub? I’ve been looking for that size
unfortunately I could not find one in production :(. This was just a prototype that they guy couldn’t make feasible!
We can we buy the tub
Where to buy this tiny bath??
Sadly it never went into production! It is just a design rendering I guess. I actually crossed paths with the guy who was going to manufacture it and he said it was going to cost a ridiculous amount of money (I think he said 20,000) just to set up production and he couldnt find a way to make it easy to ship, because of the weight it would have cost more to ship the unit that it would have to make it. I was bummed to hear it never happened! I still havent found a tub that will work that is smaller scale, I think I am going to update mine though to fit a full sized unit…
I’m frustrated, I can’t tell if my comments are under review or just not posting. What ideas did you have for a workaround for the kitchen/bathtub. Did you lose any living space with the remodel? Your couch is gone.
I’m sorry to frustrate! They were in review for way too long! We got rid of the little blue couch to do a bigger built in couch, we had to fit one more butt!
I’m not sure what work around you mean, the kitchen is all standard stuff, the bathtub… I’d still like to add… I have not been able to find a quality, smaller, affordable unit but I think I have a design in mind to add a full sized unit… TBD, we’re going to add that and a full sized fridge in prep for a move off grid soon!
Essentialbathing.co.uk has small tubs but not sure if they ship to the US
Do you have a link for that tub or any information on where I can buy one?
I eventually found the designer and he never went into production with it, sadly! I have literally searched for over 5 years to find an affordable option and have not come up with anything! 🙁
hi, where did you find that Small Bath 36L x 30W x 32H? been looking every where for one and i can not find it.?
thanx
aaron
it turns out it was just a prototype, never was made, we haven’t found one either 🙁
Where did you get the tub?