/diy/ - Do It Yourself

In addition to portability, you may want to consider making the entire setup able to be compacted, and carted away in <24 hours

>>258623
Good call. I will add the acquisition of a trailer to my list of projects. I should be getting a car in a week or two ('94 Buick Century), and I hope it has a trailer hitch, or that a hitch can be easily installed and inexpensively acquired.

>I'm thinking of building
If you live anywhere near civilization, you won't be building shiz without a permit or you'll be facing police who will remove you from the premesis.

>claims to be homeless
>has access to a computer and stable internet

>>258703
I have work space I can use offsite, with a much wider range of tools at my disposal. I'll need to make some precision cuts to get the hexayurt to fold properly: the ones that fold completely and require no taping for setup do not tolerate inaccuracy.

Good point, though: I'll have to keep the noise down on on-site projects so as to avoid attracting negative attention.

>>258714
>has a 4 year old laptop that was given to him as a gift before his life fell apart
>uses various public wireless hotspots
There are plenty of homeless threads around 4chan.

>>258714
Come on, are you really that fucking stupid?
The internet is all around you, and laptops are cheaper than them rocks you smoking.

>>258714
I was without electricity, phone, and internet a few of weeks ago for almost 2 weeks due to some massive storms in the area.

Once the library in town had power I was able to get online and post on 4chan even though I still didn't have anything at my home. They have tons of PCs to use as well as their own WLAN.

Bump. I'm talking to restaurants about oil cans for my rocket stove in the morning.

Shameless self-bump.

this sounds like a good way to get harassed by the police and/or get all your shit stolen or destroyed depending where this empty lot is.

>>260690
Kind of worried about that, actually. They've had people camp there long-term with no issues, but the potential is still there, especially since my setup will look a lot more permanent.

If you're doing that much DIY, why not build a small camper?

Hard sides to protect from weather, portable if you lose your squat, all mod cons, as simple or complex as you want.

>Easy mode
Get a small garden shed, enough to lay down in and insulate it for the winter.

>Camper mode
Build one of these on a rickshaw/trike frame. You could also add a hitch on the back to let you tow it with a car if you can get one
http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/8/view/11255/cornelius-comanns-bufalino.html

This guy has actually built some of the things you were thinking of.

http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/14897/kevin-cyr-home-in-the-weeds.html

http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/

Also most sheds don't need planning permission to buildif they are small enough.
For the rest of your building needs get pallets from the local dump or from warehouses.

http://youtu.be/Okqa7qdAPbo
I'm surprised I don't see homless people carting these about.

>>261691
Well, the problem with homeless people is that "most" of them are mentally ill. That is the only reason they are actually homeless. They just can't get out of their own way.

>>261680
>pic

looks like a small movie set.

This is a great thread. I've been looking for things like this for a while. Small, affordable homes that don't take up much space and can be assembled by anyone is going to be a huge thing before long, especially for the Eco-minded. Just the thought of being able to set up anywhere and take your home with you is just too fantastic for words. Hook up some solar panels to recharge a battery bank for any small electronics you might have, and presto!

Hmm, if you can get a loan I've seen people who have built 1,000$ houses. There was even a video on it. It was also portable(kind of like a trailor)

>>261915
I have roughly US $4k.

I love the micro/tiny architecture movement
http://www.relaxshacks.blogspot.com

Derek “Deek” Diedricksen - Gypsy Junker

His Youtube page. He makes good movies and is a good presenter.
http://www.youtube.com/user/relaxshacksDOTcom

here's a page in the same vein as the previous posts, this guy makes some pretty cool stuff aside from housing. http://highmileagetrikes.blogspot.ca/

>>262100
On your budget, you could buy a used trailer.

Trailers are lame but practical:
- stove, fridge, plumbing, etc. all included.
- no building permit required.
- you can easily move it if/when you are asked to leave the lot.
- when you are done with it, you can turn around and sell it to recover some of your money.

>>258526
I have to say, the trailer idea I think would be best, if you are looking for semi permanent. I would even look into maybe two or three of them if you got them real small. A real small one for a bathroom, and another for a kitchen, and another for a bedroom/living room. Not much folks could say about that. the problem I always have with that type of structure is the inherent insecurity. If you wanted to "build" a permanent structure, I would start with digging one. I know seems stupid but its not "unsightly" if there isnt anything there.

>>262421
Maybe, but you could always be slapped with building code violations. City contractors can make your life a beaurocratic hell, so I suggest making a few phone calls ahead of time to make sure you're not pissing in anyone's Cheerios.

>>262653
could also do something like this guy www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxGr9uloL9k
lol he said he was going to build a two car garage along with his house when all he wanted was the building for the garage. After he finished building it he just said he was done haha,

>>263101
That's pretty sweet.

I'd dig in. A 2 foot deep, 4 foot wide, 8 foot long trench. use 4x8 boards of marine ply to line it, then line that with a tarpaulin. tapered roof on top covered with tarpaulin so it looks like a tent, and you a happy man!

>>264219
Condensation is going to be a bitch inside of that.

>>262653
Did somebody say...bureaucracy?

>>264887

Read it in his voice.

>>261718
So you've actually known all mentally ill homeless from the very beginning, or how can you judge that "most" of them didn't become mentally ill from their living conditions?

urban homesteading bump

>>258526
I think you have a good idea for how to set up your stealth homestead. If you need to hide a bit more than a hexayurt will allow, make a plywood box 4'x4'x8' and stay in that, it is lower and will not be seen as easily.

For that matter, start out with a small backpacking tent until you get an idea on what the neighborhood is like.

Another thing you could do would be to make a tarp tipi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EG7IzT5yVs

>>268000
Any recommendations on such tents?

>>268007
Inexpensive, easy to build and disassemble, and able to be heated with fire: sounds pretty ideal.

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

Moar tiny houses for OP

Stopped at "I've been offered the use of an empty lot".

Something OP needs to be aware of, if there's ANY neighbors then be prepared to be run out of the neighborhood at some point. And between that moment and the moment said neighbors discover what you're doing expect to be harassed by every person within a 200 yard radius for every tiny thing you do.

Trust me, a neighbor is letting squatters live in his back yard and everyone around is making his life hell.

Anyways have fun driving down the property value around you you worthless mooch.

Eureka Spitfire is an example of a lightweight backpacking tent, it costs about 100. However it is very small and best for someone who is carrying it every day. For someone who is staying in the same place every day, just go to WalMart and get a Coleman type tent, the dome style are good. They are too heavy to carry on a backpack but they give you a lot of living space. What ever you buy make sure it has good ventilation.

>>269677

>>269678

4K budget?

Small caravan (trailer), cheap car to move it with. Use empty lot until you're kicked out, then go nomadic.

Or, hell, buy a cheap used SUV, sleep in the back.

For 'permanent' stuff, get a nice big tent, and some pallets. Lay pallets on ground, pitch tent over top, enjoy your nice softwood floor. Put a groundsheet or some old carpet over the top to avoid splinters.

Modified van with ultra kitchenette, bed, blackout windows, and swiveling front seats and fold down rack for computing/gaming. Tows very small cargo trailer modified to house a tiny bathroom, shower, laundry, dishwashing and battery box for your energy needs.

I don't know what the hurf durfing over tiny houses is all about. It's overthinking it in the extreme. Plus it's not stealthy at all. The government knows it's a house with one look at it, as does anywhere you park. A white unmarked van with a ladder rack on top and a trailer does not look like a home.

>>269677
>>269678
>>269680

What is this made out of? It seems pretty nifty, although I imagine it overheats and would definitely be a magnet for trouble making cops and busybodies calling it an eyesore in America.

If you have a 4K budget, why not look for an old VW Syncro or some type of camper van. That way, home would be where you park it. A lot of people live out of vans. Just search around for #vanlife.

>>269799
"bamboo frame, covered with various insulating materials, and topped with a layer of stitched bag. The bags themselves are filled with sawdust and grass seeds, which he sprays with water regularly, to help the grass grow faster."

http://www.odditycentral.com/news/chinese-student-builds-sustainable-egg-house.html

>>269817
this link is more indepth
http://www.chinahush.com/2010/12/01/young-man-builds-egg-shaped-dwelling-in-beijing-as-his-home/

I think he might have been eventually evicted.

>>269817
this link is more indepth
http://www.chinahush.com/2010/12/01/young-man-builds-egg-shaped-dwelling-in-beijing-as-his-home/

>>269821
>>269817
That's pretty sweet. Once could grow edibles on their garden-mound house.

tiny house thread: >>266044