From what I have learnt over the last 26+years is that ducks are cute and fluffy, they fly in a V pattern, and they really have nothing to do with anything.. So why do I hear this phrase all to often? Why does it seem to always be a negative or a saying used to slow progress? If I had enough ducks to form a row I'd be pretty happy, so I don't understand the point to this statement.
I have a lot on my plate. It's how I like it. I like to be always thinking and planning, and if it doesn't go the way I want it to I like to be able to switch over to another project. This is how I operate, I have accepted it and I manage accordingly. So when I was getting stuck on the Container Project, I brought another house.
It's a 'renovator'. It's needs my tender loving arms wrapped around it. It's needs some love, I need another project to distract me, it's a match made in heaven! So full steam ahead! I have been painting, sanding, putting, nailing, scraping, and anything else I can do without spending money. For progress please see my other blog, The Cottage.
Back to the container, so with this other project underway I needed to reassess. What did I want or need out of the container any more? What was it's purpose? Was it just another project that I had started on a whim and would never end up completing?? No, this was something that I was passionate about, something that I wanted to create with my own hands. I wanted to complete this project.
Because of the new cottage and my restoration plans, I'm hoping to rent it out as short stay/weekend accommodation. This will allow me to not only make more money, but also give me a place to call home when it's not rented out while claiming the necessary tax benefits to make it worthwhile. the container will be my home while it's being let.
The new plan.
I wanted to create something that I can reside in part time that wont take up too much of my time, money or energy. It still needs to be energy efficient, eco friendly, recycle friendly and of course mine. It still needs to be expandable so that it can form part of my overall container house once I'm back on track. I'm thinking Master Bedroom with large ensuite. So I'm picturing an open lounge space with a sleeping quarter, think studio apartment. The bathroom will remain the same, but the laundry I have already built will be more like a cupboard with and over styled kitchenette. It needs to be a place I can escape the main(mad) house, relax and be me.
The finer details.
The wall that hides the bathroom will be a built in bookcase. Yes, the entire wall. I love books and have a huge amount of them. The walls will be a combination of the V groove boards that I was originally going to use, and naturally stained EcoPly. EcoPly has a beautiful wood grain that looks amazing with a clear stain/oil, and I want to bring this natural element into the space, as well as excellent insulation properties. As I don't want to put too many holes in the container, there will be a glass panel door as well as a single linear window only. The 'lounge' area will have my beautiful corduroy couch and a couple of eclectic furniture pieces. The 'bed' area will be at the far end of the container, blocking off the container doors. It will house my bed (obviously) and a custom bedhead as a feature. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in some more storage!
So this is where I'm at as of today, I'll let you know if there's any other radicle changes, I'm sure there will be, plenty!
Thursday 21 June 2012
Friday 3 February 2012
Reality bites
I have hit a wall. It is a little higher than I stand and made of a solid material. Let me share with you a couple if issues I am facing. These aren't new issues but they are mounting and starting to play on my mind and reducing my capacity to dream, imagine and of course progress.
Issue One: The final resting place.
No, no one has died. I'm talking about where my 'home' will reside. My plan does not include it staying next to my father's shed with a couple of hoses and power leads coming through the front door. I need to find land and move the containers there and form a house. I want to do as much work as possible near the shed, but I also do not want to do everything, be really proud of my hard work and then move it and it all crack and break and just end up looking like a dogs breakfast.. Capiche?
Issue within an issue? I want this land to be on the Geelong side of Ballarat; Warrenheip, Yendon, Navigators, Lal Lal, Scotsburn, etc. I want trees, a damn, room, privacy, the Great Australian Dream. Land out here is not all that pricey, not even that unavailable, but, big but, you can not get permits on most of the parcels of land that are for sale. These areas are in a Water catchment area. This means that the water that town folk enjoy on a daily basis comes from this area and can not be contaminated by human waste, aka poo. You can not have a toilet on the property. No sewerage because it's too far away from the city and no septic tanks because it could contaminate the land/water. There are ways around this, but as of yet I have not discovered these gems of knowledge.
Issue Two: Cash Flow.
Money is great, we spend our whole lives trying to make it, whole lives trying to spend it and a large chunk of our lives trying to prove to others we have more of it than we actually do. My reality is that I'm running out of money. I'm asset rich. I have an investment portfolio that is pretty much sustaining it's self which is great, when I'm old or when it's a seller market, but that's not current reality. I have money coming in and I must say I'm pretty comfortable, but, that all important but, building is not easy and it's not free. I refuse to get a loan to fund the building as it's not really an investment and I do not have permits anyways. Happy to loan for land, land is sellable and land increases in value over time. But if I do borrow to buy land will I be able to afford the repayments as well as paying for materials? What happens if one of my tenants falls behind on their rent? What if I need to replace their heater? Hot water system? Fence? Roof? I'm usually fine with taking risks and over extending myself finacially, but is it really worth it in this case? If I play hare will I even make it to the finish line? Or do I play the tortoise and slowly plod along and win in the end?
A couple of large costs are currently staring me in the eyes and they don't look happy. I need: wall tile ($300), internal wall cladding ($1000), steel for framing out windows and doors ($500), flooring ($900), Kitchen cabinets and benchtops ($2400), electrical ($800). These are just the ones Im loosing sleep over for container one and I'm sure there's heaps more I haven't even thought of yet! The only thing I really could reduce is the kitchen and I'm not willing to. What is the point of going to all this effort to have a crappy ugly kitchen? I'm not flexible in this. Not sure if I've mentioned yet, but I'm stubborn.
Issue Three: Final Plans.
Which each day I change my ideas. The concept stays the same, the rooms stay the same, but the placement of the containers changes. With each piece of land I find it changes. Do I go up? Do I make a square with a courtyard in the middle? Do I make an L and go up? If I go up, where do the stairs go? Do I need a separate container for a stair case or do I cut into the lounge space? Can I just use 40ft containers? Or will I need to get 20ft containers even though they are more expensive per square meter? Do I build guest suites? Kids rooms? What if I need to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Do I really need a roof top garden? Where could I put a "green wall"? Should I put an ensuite in my room pod or have that huge wardrobe that I need and of course deserve? Could I have a second door into the bathroom form my room? How would I join them together?
Anyways, thats enough complaining and stressing out for one night, don't think I'll be able to sleep now that I have got them all out the in the air now! Where's that valium? :p
Issue One: The final resting place.
No, no one has died. I'm talking about where my 'home' will reside. My plan does not include it staying next to my father's shed with a couple of hoses and power leads coming through the front door. I need to find land and move the containers there and form a house. I want to do as much work as possible near the shed, but I also do not want to do everything, be really proud of my hard work and then move it and it all crack and break and just end up looking like a dogs breakfast.. Capiche?
Issue within an issue? I want this land to be on the Geelong side of Ballarat; Warrenheip, Yendon, Navigators, Lal Lal, Scotsburn, etc. I want trees, a damn, room, privacy, the Great Australian Dream. Land out here is not all that pricey, not even that unavailable, but, big but, you can not get permits on most of the parcels of land that are for sale. These areas are in a Water catchment area. This means that the water that town folk enjoy on a daily basis comes from this area and can not be contaminated by human waste, aka poo. You can not have a toilet on the property. No sewerage because it's too far away from the city and no septic tanks because it could contaminate the land/water. There are ways around this, but as of yet I have not discovered these gems of knowledge.
Issue Two: Cash Flow.
Money is great, we spend our whole lives trying to make it, whole lives trying to spend it and a large chunk of our lives trying to prove to others we have more of it than we actually do. My reality is that I'm running out of money. I'm asset rich. I have an investment portfolio that is pretty much sustaining it's self which is great, when I'm old or when it's a seller market, but that's not current reality. I have money coming in and I must say I'm pretty comfortable, but, that all important but, building is not easy and it's not free. I refuse to get a loan to fund the building as it's not really an investment and I do not have permits anyways. Happy to loan for land, land is sellable and land increases in value over time. But if I do borrow to buy land will I be able to afford the repayments as well as paying for materials? What happens if one of my tenants falls behind on their rent? What if I need to replace their heater? Hot water system? Fence? Roof? I'm usually fine with taking risks and over extending myself finacially, but is it really worth it in this case? If I play hare will I even make it to the finish line? Or do I play the tortoise and slowly plod along and win in the end?
A couple of large costs are currently staring me in the eyes and they don't look happy. I need: wall tile ($300), internal wall cladding ($1000), steel for framing out windows and doors ($500), flooring ($900), Kitchen cabinets and benchtops ($2400), electrical ($800). These are just the ones Im loosing sleep over for container one and I'm sure there's heaps more I haven't even thought of yet! The only thing I really could reduce is the kitchen and I'm not willing to. What is the point of going to all this effort to have a crappy ugly kitchen? I'm not flexible in this. Not sure if I've mentioned yet, but I'm stubborn.
Issue Three: Final Plans.
Which each day I change my ideas. The concept stays the same, the rooms stay the same, but the placement of the containers changes. With each piece of land I find it changes. Do I go up? Do I make a square with a courtyard in the middle? Do I make an L and go up? If I go up, where do the stairs go? Do I need a separate container for a stair case or do I cut into the lounge space? Can I just use 40ft containers? Or will I need to get 20ft containers even though they are more expensive per square meter? Do I build guest suites? Kids rooms? What if I need to run to the bathroom in the middle of the night? Do I really need a roof top garden? Where could I put a "green wall"? Should I put an ensuite in my room pod or have that huge wardrobe that I need and of course deserve? Could I have a second door into the bathroom form my room? How would I join them together?
Anyways, thats enough complaining and stressing out for one night, don't think I'll be able to sleep now that I have got them all out the in the air now! Where's that valium? :p
Friday 27 January 2012
Who doesn't love the smell of clean linens?!?!
What female doesn't want al lovely clean, fresh, sparkling laundry to wash all of her beautiful items in?!?! Well this is something that I need, which is why I purchased a new laundry for my parents for xmas and why it is currently the only recognisable 'room' in the container so far.
My week had been planned. I was to purchase everything during the week and on Thursday's day off (Australia Day, a day reserved for drinking and being an Aussie) I was going to pass on the fun and water proof the bathroom ready for tiling on the weekend... Enter dad, plans out the window. I'm not to tile, I'm even not to nail the tile underlay on the walls or floor.. Exit dad, with boat in tow for 2 days.
Thursday: The every rebellious daughter that I am, as soon as he has driven out the driveway I'm on the drop saw. Today I'm going to build that cupboard we have been disagreeing on. I will do something and continue progress.... The idea is a large space hidden by sliding doors that will house the laundry and of course provide much needed storage. Nothing overly romantic or high tech. It needs to be functional and clean. A frame is created off the sliding door that we installed a couple weeks a go. Can't be that hard, just need to measure and cut. Gees it's hot! After some mucking around and deciding what I want where and changing this a couple of time's, the frame is up and it's time for a Bunnings trip and lunch!
Malamine purchased and loaded, time to build the rest of the cupboard walls and get tiling! I really needed to tile something after the amount I had spent on tiling products and of course to prove to dad that I actually know what I'm doing. Need to get everything finished before he gets home! Whats the point of 'score and snap' if it doesn't snap?? Little bit short, thats ok, I'll cover it up, hopefully! Now just need to wait until the glue dries before I start tiling the 'backsplash'... Better go do the friend thing, off to a bbq.
My first experience with rubber based tile adhesive. It dries quick in this heat and it's not as firm as the regular stuff. How do you use this damn tile cutter?? They just keep snapping! Stuff it I'm doing them upright and straight.. Anyway a long day comes to an end and I have the first tile large in place and the start to the feature tile (same colour as the floor tiles).
Friday, back to work. But due to the wrong milk in my coffee I end up unwell and I'm home in bed by 1pm. After a couple hours I'm feeling ok, so I brave the heat to try and get the rest of the tiles in place before dad gets home! Wow that didn't take all that long, ha, I'm pretty good at this, bring on the rest of the bathroom! Umm I may have forgotten to mention that I gave up on cutting any tiles so the second row of tiling is incomplete, that's another days job! It doesn't look like a laundry yet, I think it needs a sink! Stroke of genius! Lucky I buy random things when I see them on sale and I have a round sink and mixer that I was going to use in the kitchen, meh, I'll buy another... Let's give this a go, hope there's instructions! My $29 jigsaw works a treat and it's a laundry!
Dad's home and the first thing he does is head into container to see what type of defiance I have been up to this time. Not a bad word, he's proud, and my job here is done. I'm stuffed, time of some feet up and food.
My week had been planned. I was to purchase everything during the week and on Thursday's day off (Australia Day, a day reserved for drinking and being an Aussie) I was going to pass on the fun and water proof the bathroom ready for tiling on the weekend... Enter dad, plans out the window. I'm not to tile, I'm even not to nail the tile underlay on the walls or floor.. Exit dad, with boat in tow for 2 days.
Thursday: The every rebellious daughter that I am, as soon as he has driven out the driveway I'm on the drop saw. Today I'm going to build that cupboard we have been disagreeing on. I will do something and continue progress.... The idea is a large space hidden by sliding doors that will house the laundry and of course provide much needed storage. Nothing overly romantic or high tech. It needs to be functional and clean. A frame is created off the sliding door that we installed a couple weeks a go. Can't be that hard, just need to measure and cut. Gees it's hot! After some mucking around and deciding what I want where and changing this a couple of time's, the frame is up and it's time for a Bunnings trip and lunch!
Malamine purchased and loaded, time to build the rest of the cupboard walls and get tiling! I really needed to tile something after the amount I had spent on tiling products and of course to prove to dad that I actually know what I'm doing. Need to get everything finished before he gets home! Whats the point of 'score and snap' if it doesn't snap?? Little bit short, thats ok, I'll cover it up, hopefully! Now just need to wait until the glue dries before I start tiling the 'backsplash'... Better go do the friend thing, off to a bbq.
My first experience with rubber based tile adhesive. It dries quick in this heat and it's not as firm as the regular stuff. How do you use this damn tile cutter?? They just keep snapping! Stuff it I'm doing them upright and straight.. Anyway a long day comes to an end and I have the first tile large in place and the start to the feature tile (same colour as the floor tiles).
Friday, back to work. But due to the wrong milk in my coffee I end up unwell and I'm home in bed by 1pm. After a couple hours I'm feeling ok, so I brave the heat to try and get the rest of the tiles in place before dad gets home! Wow that didn't take all that long, ha, I'm pretty good at this, bring on the rest of the bathroom! Umm I may have forgotten to mention that I gave up on cutting any tiles so the second row of tiling is incomplete, that's another days job! It doesn't look like a laundry yet, I think it needs a sink! Stroke of genius! Lucky I buy random things when I see them on sale and I have a round sink and mixer that I was going to use in the kitchen, meh, I'll buy another... Let's give this a go, hope there's instructions! My $29 jigsaw works a treat and it's a laundry!
Dad's home and the first thing he does is head into container to see what type of defiance I have been up to this time. Not a bad word, he's proud, and my job here is done. I'm stuffed, time of some feet up and food.
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| The night before |
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| The fram is complete and the tile underlay is in place, lunch time! |
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| End of Thursday - First tiles are up! |
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| Bottom row of tiles are in! |
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| Looking a lot like a laundry! |
Tuesday 17 January 2012
Stick to what you know..
So after weeks of waiting for plumbing to be installed or decided on or even remotely considered I have moved on. Very touchy subject...
Container One, Wall Two: Kitchen/Laundry.
With the back bathroom wall frame installed and a hold on any form of progress I figured I'd just build the second wall to keep me moving and avoid a blow out of emotions (I'm not pleasant when grumpy). This wall is the back of the cupboard that is to house the laundry and plenty of storage. It opens out into the bathroom and will also hide my sliding door cavity. Simple wall with a door cavity tacked in right? So turns out I'm wrong, but I guess I hadn't quite explained my self well and this wasn't realised until we're at Gay's (hardware store) and dad's trying to read my diagram. An hour or so later Gay's man and dad have sorted it all out and I swipe the credit card. Lunch time!
Did I mentioned we borrowed a nail gun? I wasn't doing this hand nailing thing EVER again, I could hardly use my hand/wrist section after the last wall. Back to the wall..
The wall from the kitchen will be an antique sliding door flush up to the wall which will be finished in either a wall of glass tiles or the regular cladding that will line the rest of the kitchen/dining area. Internal decorative finishes change as often as my eating habits! Once opened the door will lead into the modern bathroom complete with rustic bespoke vanity unit, toilet, free standing shower, and huge sliding cupboard doors. The large floor to ceiling cupboard will have a built in bench, room for the washing machine, hanging space and some shelving. This will also be my closet until my WIR is built (container two).
With dad on the drop saw, nail gun, measuring and planning, the "apprentice" was free to start restoring the antique door. The frame went up in no time and I'm feeling positive and motivated again! The cupboard frame is still yet to be built, but we have the supporting wall and the sliding door in and they are the hard parts! I'll work on the cupboard framing tomorrow and hopefully have it completed by the end of the week.
Still waiting on the plumbing before I can start tiling and finishing off these spaces, but I feel that now the bones are in that once the plumbing is completed then it's all pretty easy from there!
Container One, Wall Two: Kitchen/Laundry.
With the back bathroom wall frame installed and a hold on any form of progress I figured I'd just build the second wall to keep me moving and avoid a blow out of emotions (I'm not pleasant when grumpy). This wall is the back of the cupboard that is to house the laundry and plenty of storage. It opens out into the bathroom and will also hide my sliding door cavity. Simple wall with a door cavity tacked in right? So turns out I'm wrong, but I guess I hadn't quite explained my self well and this wasn't realised until we're at Gay's (hardware store) and dad's trying to read my diagram. An hour or so later Gay's man and dad have sorted it all out and I swipe the credit card. Lunch time!
Did I mentioned we borrowed a nail gun? I wasn't doing this hand nailing thing EVER again, I could hardly use my hand/wrist section after the last wall. Back to the wall..
The wall from the kitchen will be an antique sliding door flush up to the wall which will be finished in either a wall of glass tiles or the regular cladding that will line the rest of the kitchen/dining area. Internal decorative finishes change as often as my eating habits! Once opened the door will lead into the modern bathroom complete with rustic bespoke vanity unit, toilet, free standing shower, and huge sliding cupboard doors. The large floor to ceiling cupboard will have a built in bench, room for the washing machine, hanging space and some shelving. This will also be my closet until my WIR is built (container two).
With dad on the drop saw, nail gun, measuring and planning, the "apprentice" was free to start restoring the antique door. The frame went up in no time and I'm feeling positive and motivated again! The cupboard frame is still yet to be built, but we have the supporting wall and the sliding door in and they are the hard parts! I'll work on the cupboard framing tomorrow and hopefully have it completed by the end of the week.
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| Looks small, but this is just under 2.5 meters wide. |
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| The door - before I mess with it. Couldn't walk past the lead lighting, so beautiful! |
Still waiting on the plumbing before I can start tiling and finishing off these spaces, but I feel that now the bones are in that once the plumbing is completed then it's all pretty easy from there!
Construction begins! Finally!
Container One: Bathroom/Kitchen/Dining
With the container being the frame of the building the only walls that need to be constructed are non-structual and purely for dividing the rooms. Two walls need to be constructed within this 'pod'.
The first wall is the back of the bathroom, it will be purely something to install the plumbing into and to allow a beautiful tiled finish. I still needed it to be strong as the weight of the plumbing fixtures, tile underlay and tiles is nothing to laugh at.
With my parents away and dad not being around to be head builder I set to work (on a Sunday & hungover). I draw for fun and to get things out of my head, not for planning purposes. Construction began in the drive way...
The local salvage yard provided approx 20mts of framing pine, the rest was a trip to Bunnings while dressed in a floral dress. Being a female, driving into the timber yard of Bunnings in my cute little black Barina (with roof racks) and getting out in floral and impractical heals I wasn't really expecting to be taken all that seriously as a home builder! However this same trip was the introduction to my favourite Bunnings employee, "Bunnings man" an ex builder who was able to provide many insights and suggestions!
With the drop saw pulled out from the depths of the forgotten corner of the shed I feel confident this will be a big success and I can't wait for dad to get home so I can show him how much I did without his direction or him actually doing it. Where the hell is the hammer? I'm pretty sure dad has a nail gun somewhere, I'm not calling him to ask, he'll tell me not to cut anything until he gets there. Stuff it I'm nailing it by hand. I measure a couple times, write down some figures, try and remember all those useless things they talked about in maths class and away we go. My God My Arm Hurts! Anyways, I'm finished, feeling pretty good about it all and now its just time to wait until someone gets home to help with the install!
Installation. An exhausted female, no longer in floral, a tired and supportive mother keen to show off her daughters "talents" to her husband, a metal box and a frame that wont fit. After some hammering, smashing, grating of corners we retire with the wall half in. That's it for me today!
Luckily dad is a crafty man and by the time I get home from work the following day I have my first wall. Love you daddy! I did measure twice and cut once by the way!
With the container being the frame of the building the only walls that need to be constructed are non-structual and purely for dividing the rooms. Two walls need to be constructed within this 'pod'.
The first wall is the back of the bathroom, it will be purely something to install the plumbing into and to allow a beautiful tiled finish. I still needed it to be strong as the weight of the plumbing fixtures, tile underlay and tiles is nothing to laugh at.
With my parents away and dad not being around to be head builder I set to work (on a Sunday & hungover). I draw for fun and to get things out of my head, not for planning purposes. Construction began in the drive way...
The local salvage yard provided approx 20mts of framing pine, the rest was a trip to Bunnings while dressed in a floral dress. Being a female, driving into the timber yard of Bunnings in my cute little black Barina (with roof racks) and getting out in floral and impractical heals I wasn't really expecting to be taken all that seriously as a home builder! However this same trip was the introduction to my favourite Bunnings employee, "Bunnings man" an ex builder who was able to provide many insights and suggestions!
With the drop saw pulled out from the depths of the forgotten corner of the shed I feel confident this will be a big success and I can't wait for dad to get home so I can show him how much I did without his direction or him actually doing it. Where the hell is the hammer? I'm pretty sure dad has a nail gun somewhere, I'm not calling him to ask, he'll tell me not to cut anything until he gets there. Stuff it I'm nailing it by hand. I measure a couple times, write down some figures, try and remember all those useless things they talked about in maths class and away we go. My God My Arm Hurts! Anyways, I'm finished, feeling pretty good about it all and now its just time to wait until someone gets home to help with the install!
Installation. An exhausted female, no longer in floral, a tired and supportive mother keen to show off her daughters "talents" to her husband, a metal box and a frame that wont fit. After some hammering, smashing, grating of corners we retire with the wall half in. That's it for me today!
Luckily dad is a crafty man and by the time I get home from work the following day I have my first wall. Love you daddy! I did measure twice and cut once by the way!
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| It all starts with a frame! |
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| I had some left over and decided a shower nook was in need! |
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| Installation complete! |
As pictured the frame is not flush to the back of the container to allow room to get behind the wall to install/fix/change plumbing. This means that all the plumbing can come in and go out together meaning less damage to the integrity of the structure.
Very happy with my wall! Time for plumbing, better get saving!
Tuesday 29 November 2011
A Salvage Queen's Dream
I love to shop and lets be honest, I'm good at it. I can spot a bargain from 100kms and I very rarely pay full price for anything. I love visiting demolition yards, I love hard rubbish on the side of the road when I'm driving through Melbourne, I love scrounging through "Op Shops" and I love a weekend that involves a garage sale or two... I even love visiting the tip!
** My addiction also includes shopping centres, malls, affordable boutiques, ebay and other online stores **
I love the feeling I get when I have found a bargain, I love looking at something and thinking of a way in which I can use this bargain to create something new and often beautiful. I love old junk mixed with modern conveniences. I love the feeling I get when I unpack my car and marvel at what I have brought and how wonderful it looks in its new position! Love, Love, Love!
Whoops got a little carried away there! So anyways, when embarking on a new project I like to have a motive, something that will keep me focused and more often than not make it that much more exciting/challenging! So I am determined to use as many recycled products as possible, salvage anything I can and of course take advantage of my super shopping skills! My home will still be sleek and modern with everything ever needed, but there will be my usual touch of quirkiness thrown in there, some rustic elements and a crap load of personality!
My vision: A house created out of "Pods" which incorporates eco friendly living in a rural setting. The pods will be constructed one at a time to allow my ever changing design to evolve with me and limit any restrictions.
Themes: Modern, contemporary, rustic, natural, warm, different.
Container One: The main pod, built out of a 40ft high top container. The bathroom in the far end will contain a custom bespoke vanity unit, a composting toilet and a shower. The main walls and floor will be tiled for a modern look. A European laundry opposite will have a large amount of storage including hanging space. A sliding door will lead to the kitchen area which will have full amenities, plenty of storage under the counters as well as open shelving overhead. Smooth L shaped bench top with Breakfast bar and further open shelving. This will overlook the small living/dinning area which will house my bed until the next pod is complete. The walls will be clad in V groove timber product that will be painted a stark white to add a sense of space and dimension. The timber walls will also add a texture to the room which will distract from the living in a metal box feeling.
Container Two: The Master Suit. This will be also constructed from another 40ft Hightop container which will be perched on top of container one with an 1 meter overhang to the front. To get up to the second level a spiral staircase will climb from the lower section and it will contain a large space for a bed, plenty of storage with a walk in robe and a beautiful outlook from large windows. Again clad in the V groove panels painted in crisp white.
Container three: Children's wing. Built out of a 20ft container, I would love to create a children's retreat which would have loft style sleeping, built in desk and of course, plenty of storage! This is a more down the track dream and it not something that I will be focusing on just yet!
Additional: I would like to include a glassed in area somewhere, somehow, but we'll cross that bridge later in the project!
Salvage: Even before I had my first container delivered I have been stockpiling items that could be used. I had a great day Melbourne cup day in which I purchase a sliding door cavity for $30 (RRP $250) A huge 1mtx1mt sky light for $40 (RRP Expensive) some old silver dome shaped things which I figured would be cute as overhead lighting for $5 each, and an aluminium door frame, never used for $70 (RRP $100). Since them I have also scored a couple of other items, an antique hall table which i will use for my vanity in the bathroom for $50, just needs a sand and a bit of love to get it to the look I want, a glass vessel to accompany my vanity unit, made from recycled car windscreen, $40. A never been used, still in the box shower screen, $50 (RRP $300), a benchtops from the seconds area at Ikea, 2x $5, slight crack in the underside, Kitchen sink $20 & taps $15, again new, clearance section ikea. Framing wood, $20 for approx 21mts. And these are just the building materials in the last 3 weeks! I'll be buying some things new, you cant get around that, and I have a lot of things that I have stockpiled for future uses that will come in handy. I have all my tiles for the bathroom/showeroom area which I got for free from a family friend a couple of years a go that I have held on to, so theres another cost saved!
I can not wait to see what else I find with a couple of days off coming up soon and of course pay day tomorrow! :)
Monday 28 November 2011
Surprises are the best form of convincing..
My poor parents. What is that girl up to this time? Yesterday she was going to spend Christmas in Canada, today she's raving on about building a house out of shipping containers??
"Dad, I just bid on a container on ebay! I'm the current high bidder!"
"You did what? We haven't even talked about this yet? Wheres it going to go? How much? Can you get out of it? This is a bigger thing than you think it will be"
"I'm up to $4,000 but it comes with heaps of stuff in it, we just need to fix it all up. I figured i'd put it out the back or something, I don't know, buy a block of land somewhere.. Dad I'm doing it, just help me"
"Stop bidding"
Luckily I lost that one, although it didn't seem all that lucky at the time. Either way I had Dad on side now, he figured I was for real and was just going to do it anyway. The next day I contacted everyone I could find on the internet to find out costs, sizes and availability. Dial-a-Box, Mick & Maureen, lovely! So sweet and encouraging that I didn't really care how much, and on suggestion I purchased a 40 foot high top container. 40ft x 8ft x 10ft. Just had to make sure dad was home for delivery, hope next weeks ok!
Mom, the supporter, the yes woman, the follow your dreams-er, thinks out side the box, very passionate & full of drive. The saving grace in this story! She would get home from work and I would make her walk the property trying to decide on a location. We would agree and suggest to dad, too hard to get too, too low, too visible, too messy, too far from the house, etc.
Enter the vacant block next door. Boarders dad's shed, has plenty of room and is currently use for storage. The issue, its not flat, its overgrown and practically unusable. Dad has a friend, long story short and I have a large flat area in which I can place my first container. Its delivered the following week and the journey begins..
"Dad, I just bid on a container on ebay! I'm the current high bidder!"
"You did what? We haven't even talked about this yet? Wheres it going to go? How much? Can you get out of it? This is a bigger thing than you think it will be"
"I'm up to $4,000 but it comes with heaps of stuff in it, we just need to fix it all up. I figured i'd put it out the back or something, I don't know, buy a block of land somewhere.. Dad I'm doing it, just help me"
"Stop bidding"
Luckily I lost that one, although it didn't seem all that lucky at the time. Either way I had Dad on side now, he figured I was for real and was just going to do it anyway. The next day I contacted everyone I could find on the internet to find out costs, sizes and availability. Dial-a-Box, Mick & Maureen, lovely! So sweet and encouraging that I didn't really care how much, and on suggestion I purchased a 40 foot high top container. 40ft x 8ft x 10ft. Just had to make sure dad was home for delivery, hope next weeks ok!
Mom, the supporter, the yes woman, the follow your dreams-er, thinks out side the box, very passionate & full of drive. The saving grace in this story! She would get home from work and I would make her walk the property trying to decide on a location. We would agree and suggest to dad, too hard to get too, too low, too visible, too messy, too far from the house, etc.
Enter the vacant block next door. Boarders dad's shed, has plenty of room and is currently use for storage. The issue, its not flat, its overgrown and practically unusable. Dad has a friend, long story short and I have a large flat area in which I can place my first container. Its delivered the following week and the journey begins..
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Pedro on the bobcat |
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Flatter than perfection |
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The first container arrives |
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Vast open spaces? |
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