New Site

I am now settled into the new location and happily sited.

I am yet to address my privacy issues, but am living around them at the moment. I am also yet to fix the plumbing, or the bathroom door. The building travelled well, and apart from the door, and getting the building into (once in it was relatively easy to navigate) the driveway all went without drama.

I guess it needs to be said that the building doesnt really blend into its new setting, and has draw some attention to itself. This has mostly been in the way of young school children, who have excitedly labeled it a 'big cubby'. I should also mention that the convenience of a nearby fridge has resulted in me not yet using the esky. This is perhaps cheating, but I feel that I have already investigated this side of living in the building and that my primary goals relating to this new site focus on how my changing circumstances affect how I use the building spatially.

The new site is in a residential area, despite backing onto a small paddock and contrasts strongly with its previous site. I have been instantly more aware of security and privacy, and really miss the connection that I previously shared with the old site. At this stage I feel that this particular model of housing (micro) is definitely more geared towards rural, and perhaps more isolated applications. I am also more reluctant to use the deck and to leave the door open when Im indoors.

Transport Success

Yesterday proved a great day for transporting small buildings, with the journey going ahead without serious drama.I was particularly busy in the morning and as such was unable to take before and after transportation photos (I was busy in St Helens and returned to the building after the truck driver and his assistant had arrived), or install a pin to secure the bathroom door.Subsequently during transport the bathroom door came off its runner and will need repair. This is frustrating, as the assumption would be that a door designed for a transportable building would be designed accordingly, however instead the building had a sliding door with no method of fixing its position - probably the least suitable solution.

Another observation was the difficulty that

reversing it into a backyard presents, given the building was design for this application. The truck which we used to move the building was quite long and found it nearly impossible to navigate the building (in reverse) into a normal sized driveway.

However once on site the building was easy to setup and prepare by myself, and given the location is fairly level, took little time. I am yet the solve my privacy issues, and at this stage am just being more cautious of my movements.

Tomorrows Big Move

Tomorrows the big move, back into Launceston.

The truck is set to arrive at approximately 10.30am, and once again I will attempt to get some photos on the journey. I will also take some photos of my internal setup before and after travel preparations are made, to illustrate what must be done to ready the building for transportation.

Everything going to plan, we should arrive back in Launceston at 3.00pm or earlier, beating the worst of the traffic and allowing ample time to set the building up at its new site.

Again I plan to document the site (very different that the current location, both in setting - residential as opposed to rural, and environment - concrete as opposed to soil etc.) and its implications, initially in relation to siting and setting up the building, and eventually for living in and around the building.

Boat Shed

In the Fingal valley is a small boat building on the edge of a dam.

The building is tiny, and sits out on the waterline, overlooking the water and the mountains beyond. Its location is poetic, both picturesque and serene, making you feel as if you should be in the building, waking up to and spending your days on the water and in the mountains.

The building appears to have power and a deck fronting onto the water, which looks as if it may have a canoe or kayak pulled up upon it.

I know little about this building but suspect that it may belong to the Scotch Oakburn College, as their Fingal Valley Campus is nearby, and its construction (along with the adjacent dam) coincided with the School purchasing the property.

Saturday the 13th's Gathering

On saturday the 13th we had a gathering onsite (at the house onsite not the microhouse) to celebrate the life of my mum. Many guests came, and quite a few were very interested in my micro house and as such I spent about an hour showing people the building and its features.
Everyone seemed interested in what it was for, how living in it was going, how practical it was, and what the future held for this building and its more recent versions.

A few questions came up more often than others, such as; why not a caravan?, why is it so heavy?, how much did it cost? and what is it for? A few questions also came up less so than others, such as if it come in any other colours?
Conversations were raised and a few good suggestion came up, such as when an electrician suggested the potential for connecting it to mains power (previously considered but not yet done, which makes sense given the buildings function and likely locations) and the installation of a power point next to the kitchens food preparation space (so simple, but shamefully unconsidered by myself).
Other people recommended alternative construction methods (weight reduction) for both the building and deck, fridge options, ladder options and even different sleeping arrangements, which; within the current buildings setup a group of 5 could sleep comfortably.
Another observation from the day was the difficulty posed by the tall step to get onto the deck, which could easily be remedied.
Overall however, it was a successful day and the building recieved more praise than criticism.