Comments on: Mobile cottage looking for a home

By: Motorhomes

Motorhomes — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:34:50 +0000

ah such a lonely cottage that is…

By: Mobile Restrooms

Mobile Restrooms — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:15:34 +0000

Is this winterized? Surely would be a plus and insurance.

By: bonespa

bonespa — Fri, 29 May 2009 18:06:17 +0000

The IMA at the UW is amazing and, for a fee, I think spouses can join. There is a lot of construction at the UW hospital on the south side. Maybe you could just put your house next to a construction trailer and nobody would notice. More seriously, why not just buy a lot in Ballard with a tear down house. You could then share it with one or two other like-minded folks.

By: Fauxnothing

Fauxnothing — Fri, 29 May 2009 09:01:17 +0000

You might be surprised to detect the odor difference between the poop of a meat eater and the poop of a human vegetarian. Not really offensive, especially if you're already intimate with that person. Oh, just because I'm smarter than you, “smell” is a verb and “odor” is a noun. In “can you believe the odor when I'm smelling an ass?”

By: Jeff_Hemsley

Jeff_Hemsley — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:38:10 +0000

Must not be quite like ours since brand new and pre-built by the Tumbleweed company they cost around $40k to $50K

By: Jeff_Hemsley

Jeff_Hemsley — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:37:04 +0000

Probably not since we suspect we'll be in Seattle for only 5 years.

But Arlene and I have thought of the same sort of thing.

By: Jeff_Hemsley

Jeff_Hemsley — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:35:11 +0000

I'll be in graduate school for 5 years, so we're looking for a place that could be permanent (5 years worth of permanent, anyway). Of course, it is a mobile cottage, so if we got somewhere and it didn't work out for the land owners, we could just roll on over to some other place.

By: Jeff_Hemsley

Jeff_Hemsley — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:33:07 +0000

This is helpful information. Thank you.

By: Poop

Poop — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:10:04 +0000

Um, I'd like to not have to share the room in December when one of them poops. Call it selfish and “anti environmentalist” but you can have those smells.

Btw, they probably need to park that stupid thing on someone's property who spent a lot of money expanding their carbon footprint. I guess nothing's free.

By: MOE

MOE — Thu, 28 May 2009 07:42:17 +0000

I've got 4 of those next door that they are trying to sell for $349K. What a joke.

By: bhrea

bhrea — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:44:13 +0000

We've looked into buying an empty lot zoned for housing and pitching a tent on it, because that is about all we can afford. I don't know how serious we ever were about it, but out of curiosity, would you consider going in on a lot with other people interested in down sizing the same way?

I don't know if any of them have room, and it probably isn't allowed, but maybe check with the organizers of community gardens or other community spaces?

I LOVE your idea!

By: gerri

gerri — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:42:49 +0000

i think your trailer is as cool as it gets… how long do you need space for?

By: Ballardmom

Ballardmom — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:22:38 +0000

They specifically asked for a safe place without drama. That would rule out the Calvary building. Although for a moment I thought it would be a good way to at least have some supervision. But I wouldn't do wish that on these people. :(

By: Ballard_Curmudgeon

Ballard_Curmudgeon — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:58:06 +0000

Please contact Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church, they currently own an abandonned church (Calvary Lutheran Church) and are very open to letting people stay there. There should be room on their front yard for your cottage.

By: Ballardmom

Ballardmom — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:25:31 +0000

I was just going to say that the UW has a nice gym for students – but I don't think partners can go to the gym too – just the students. Olympic Athletic Club would definitely not fit their frugal way of living. But there are still lots of gyms between Ballard and the UW that are affordable.

By: choir

choir — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:41:15 +0000

what about the Y over on 50th in the U district?
I would think this would be where any students would head, although if they're matriculated students, why not just go to the student facilities.
much nicer, and of course, FREE.

By: Tutu

Tutu — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:03:40 +0000

I live in Ballard . . . love Ballard. Am very sad that there is no YMCA close to Ballard. Closest would be downtown, Shoreline or Capitol Hill.

By: R. Andrew

R. Andrew — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:53:26 +0000

Would you be interested in housing another in the future?

By: Ballardmom

Ballardmom — Wed, 27 May 2009 08:09:50 +0000

Good lord … now because of this article my husband is obsessively going through the Tumbleweed tiny house plans … I foresee downsizing in my future.

By: Jeff_Hemsley

Jeff_Hemsley — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:32:40 +0000

Hello Everyone. Here are some answers:

1) How big of an actual space do you need?
Our tiny house is just over 13 feet tall. With the wheel wells, the width is 8 feet. Wit the tongue, it is just over 23 feet.

2) And, what are you studying at UW?
I'll be getting a PhD in Information Science, hoping to specialize in information policy, or (perhaps oddly) mathematical modeling of information flows.

3) where are you all from originally?
Jeff: San Francisco Bay Area, Arlene: Florida

4) Are you really tied to the idea of mobile cottage?
Well, we've got a good chunk of it built already, so yeah.

5) Have you looked into the idea of boat living?
Nope. But I'm not adverse to the idea, I just don't know anything about it.

6) I wonder if this cottage would fall under zoning as a backyard cottage (allowed only south of I-90), or as a trailer?
I suspect we'll have to find that out.

7) Was this house made by the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company?
We bought the plans from Tumbleweed, have been doing research on the project since late last year and building since around late March.

We've been amazed by your interest and emails. We've both been to Ballard before (Arlene used to live in Seattle and has family up there), but some of your emails, and your comments here, certainly make us feel like Ballard might be a wonderful place to live and make friends.

By: foleymo

foleymo — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:46:59 +0000

Was this house made by the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company? I saw something like this on CNN last November and I started looking into getting a mortgage/green loan for one, but when the economic crisis hit, I gave up.

Here's the link to the Tumbleweed site: http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com

By: cdpenne

cdpenne — Wed, 27 May 2009 05:10:59 +0000

Jeff,
Email sent. BTW I have a little experience renting a room in Ballard and I think your estimate is a bit low considering there would be two of you etc. However, I think we might be able to come to some agreement.

Nice little house BTW. Very cool.

By: Edog

Edog — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:49:42 +0000

Kind of reminds me of the travelers I've seen in Europe.

By: choir

choir — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:12:35 +0000

gread idea, greatly.

this thing belongs on a boat for sure.

as far as zoning, my guess is it would need to be 5' away from any other structure, and would have to follow regular 'house' setbacks (not the less restrictive ones for garages). on a regular 5k lot, this is 5' from side lines, and 25' from back line.

with the 5' buffer from the house, this would be difficult to fit on most standard lots. I do love the idea though! now go rent a barge!

By: greadly

greadly — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:56:53 +0000

the cottage is cute .
where are you all from originally?
Are you really tied to the idea of mobile cottage?
Have you looked into the idea of boat living?

By: Loyal Heights

Loyal Heights — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:46:52 +0000

How big of an actual space do you need? My backyard is fenced so I'd be wondering how to get your cottage inside…

And, what are you studying at UW? :-)

By: Underpants_Gnome

Underpants_Gnome — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:58:25 +0000

I wonder if this cottage would fall under zoning as a backyard cottage (allowed only south of I-90), or as a trailer?

By: Jeff_Hemsley

Jeff_Hemsley — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:44:29 +0000

Wow! It's great to see all these comments! In support of us or not, it is interesting to read.

Hose first: yep, we know about the freezing weather. We'll likely use a typical RV hose (which connects to a normal spigot) that is either wrapped with a warming device, or has one built in. They are fairly common.

As for water use, I actually doubt we'd use all that much. We are both conservation minded.

Please don't hesitate to ask us questions!

By: MichaelSnyder

MichaelSnyder — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:53:38 +0000

Hmm, 90″ wide…not legal to park on the street in a residential area. :(

I love the idea. If I can get my condo association to agree, I might rent them my parking space.

By: Trix

Trix — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:59:52 +0000

The closest RV park I know of is in Belfair. Long commute.
Thanks for the picture, Geeky Swedes! It's very cute.