Worth the Wait
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Worth the Wait
Tucked into the side of a scenic San Francisco hill, one of the city’s more diminutive houses battles everything from dry rot to obstructionist neighbors in order to grow up.
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Hold by Estd
Pros
With a ceramic… -
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This nontoxic, washable wallpaper was custom…
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If you aren't familiar with Woolly Pocket's…
How many square feet please?
I believe the house is 500 square feet.
The main part of the house is roughly 16 feet by 20 feet... so it's 320. The small screened porch, a storage closet and the composting toilet room add another 160 sf. I hope that helps. - Alex
Cost per sq. foot?
Hi Alex, I remember you from when you visited a class your Dad was teaching at Columbia. It's amazing you're a grown up architect now! I just wanted to use this opportunity to say hello to your Dad. He might remember me from the class of 1985, eons ago... Gabrielle Jonas
The word "refrigerator" is incorrectly spelled in #16.
Thanks, Steve. We fixed it.
I curiuos to know how the grey water is being treated.
What an amazing house - great post. It's wonderful to see how easily and beautifully people are making these smaller spaces work and taking that huge step to lessening their carbon footprint. I think a lot of people are under the impression they need something so much larger then they actually do.
Lovely cabin - great work. What is the house clad in? Is it galvalume? MIll finish? Colored? It is hard to tell from the photos. Thanks
Great place! Just about every detail matches what I would put into my dream home, including the metal siding, simple wood details, and even the outdoor shower with the rain catchment system.
Bravo Alex! Beautiful design - I wish it were mine.
Am I correct in thinking there is a sleeping loft? If so, would be fun to see how it's organized and positioned. GREAT looking house!
Very interesting ....Are design/building plans available?
Great Article! My mom Jane Hills owns a home on Criehaven and I'm out there with my husband and sons during the summers. Eastern End is one of my favorite spots and your home is a perfect compliment to the island. I'm especially interested in your refrigerator... it is a pain to deal with propane. We too use mostly solar, a little propane and a back up generator. I
Alex, Wonderful house! To paraphrase, "All (else) is vanity." Don
The cost of the project was 175K, but that included transport of all the materials and crew to the island. On the site accessible by a road, I imagine the cost could be reduced considerably, possibly 25 – 50k. I am working on design plans that could be purchased. Please contact me through my website if interested.
How long did construction take?
Construction took about 5 months all told. We started in late summer and got the shell tight before winter weather made access nearly impossible...... then spent about two months the following spring finishing the interior,
Love it. Atrractive, good layout, livable, simple to build. I'd like to know more about the water havrvesting system. What is the capacity? What is it stored in? Is it used for drinking and cooking? How is it treated to make it drinkable? Is there a water pump for distribution? 12 volt? Submersible or otherwise (brand, size, cost, etc). What specific roofing material is used to minimally impact the drinking water quality? Also, can you tell me more about the photovoltaic system (size, storage capacity, component brands, sizes, types, etc). Thanks. Great slide show!
I absolutely LOVE this! I'm single & age 57 - this sq footage would be perfect for me. I've moved from a 3 bdrm, full basement house to a 1 bdrm apt. Like many babyboomers my age, I just got tired of having so much STUFF and did extreme decluttering. I really like the counter facing the living rm area. There is not one thing I don't like about it! The water views are spectacular. I want to build something like this for my retirement that is off grid. Thank you and your dad for sharing it with us.
Congratulations, Bruce and Alex (I thought you were kidding about really building it, Bruce)! It looks gorgeous! Do you fly back and forth every time you go? Debbie
Brilliantly lovely.......Blessings on your place- may you make many many more happy memories there!
I currently live in 350 SF... I can tell you that long term, two ppl in 500 sf it will get small... and the bedroom making that bed without at least enough space to scoot around the foot of the bed gets to be a real PIA. With regards to the toilet..composting is okay but a septic system can create methane for cooking. and if it is working correctly it should be long term sustainable. I do like the plan but having lived in small spaces.. say a 34 foot sailboat for 7yrs and now this apt.. I can see where it could be better in some ways.. As an older person..I can tell you that those stairs are a hip waiting to be broken the first time someone slips. Are there plans for sale of this..
Is the composting toilet information mentioned to be in the sidebar only available in the printed article? Or maybe I overlooked the information on that here. I am currently researching composting toilets for a rural retreat in NH. Does anyone know what I should be doing besides finding a toilet (envirolet) seems to be the front runner. I just don't know what permit/code issues to be aware of?
Can this be redesigned to eliminate the loft? This looks just like my dream retirement cottage. Second--can a similar design be sourced from shipping containers?
Do you have any more info on the water catch/containment system. That is very intriguing and is something I would like to know more about. Thanks.
A lovely dwelling. My wife and I have a somewhat similar situation in Northeast Ontario and love it. Bruce was a college room mate and I am trying to contact him without success. Anyone have an e-mail or phone number? Thanks, Al Polk oriskany@racc2000.com
Love your cabin. With a little insulation, I could live there year round. Just what the doctor ordered :)
Is there a floor plan available for your cabin?
Nice application of the disused 'Ships Ladder'. I often use this solution to create and access additional _non-taxable_ space when it meets the criteria of not being a living space by code. As I specialize in the design of multi-use and living units(Studios/ADU's/Cabins) in the range of 128 - 1000 sq.ft., and living units primarily in the range of 250 - 650 sq. ft., the application of a ships ladder is important to gain, and maximize, available space. Loft/second floor areas are very cost efficient and add a living spatial dimension unavailable in the typical eight foot flat or low pitched ceiling. Yes, it does have some physical draw backs for some, but there are other small 'main' floor living/spatial solutions available for those situations. Nice too see a good examples of small dwellings getting so much interest these days.
Caption below picture reads "Howell was creative in his space-saving techniques as well as for practical matters. The handrail for the stairs to the loft was pieced together with lengths of PVC pipe and plumbing hardware." I doubt that the handrail is actually made of PVC. More likely Black Iron Pipe.
What kind of insulation do you have? The glazing? I love the design - I think I would stay there much longer - but as they say No Man is an Island - so probably a month would do. Wonder about the neighbours etc. Also the role of Edna St. Vincent Millay - didn't she own this island with her husband ?
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