Another Box - Check!

We have good news! (Seriously!). We met with our contractor last week and signed our contract with him - the last step before we go for financing. In the end, the team ended up exactly as it was originally.

The rooftop deck is back in the plan. We still have a lot to get through between now and move in date, but we are definitely not too far from "on track" in terms of the original time line.

Hopefully by next week we'll have all the documents we need for financing, then we can sign our lives away to the construction loan, and then we can apply for permits. Once we do that, maybe this will start to feel real.

It's a lot. And each step feels like we've done so much, and yet we've barely taken any steps. But the best things in life don't come easy, which we all know. This blog is a reminder to me of all that we've accomplished so far, and I know that at the end of this road, our tiny house dreams will have come true.

I apologize for the negativity in the last few posts. Those last few hurdles were tough. I'll do better - I promise! Thanks for being on this journey with us.

Back on Track

I apologize for the delay in updating. Things have been... overwhelming to say the very least.

The good news is we are almost back on track. (insert very loud screams of excitement here!)

After our last post we pushed the pause button. We talked to some outsiders, got some other opinions, which was both really reassuring and a lot to take in all at the same time. Josh from Tikun Collective and his partner Hans both gave us a lot to think about, and we so appreciate them taking the time to do so.

Brent continued to meet with our team and made some headway. We got the costs closer to where we wanted them to be and were able to add the roof deck back in, which was sort of the whole point of the design we chose.

Hopefully in the next couple weeks we'll have everything we need to move forward with financing, which means we can then start applying for process. I know there will be more hurdles. We both do, but I feel like everyone remembers now what we're trying to accomplish here and why they wanted to work on this project in the first place.

If we can all keep that in mind, I know we really can build the tiny house we've been dreaming of.

Thank you for being on this journey with us and for sending us your positive energy and wishful thoughts. Really. Thank you.

Tiny Dream Woes

The good news is we got the tax assessment on our property from last year and it was valued at double what we paid for it.

The bad news is our “team” doesn’t seem to understand our vision. My fears are coming true and the builder is trying to squish a regular house into our 500 square feet of livable space. The bid came in almost double our ideal budget and doesn’t include the temperature controlled garage, the finishing, the labor of the students… the list goes on.

It is like all the ideas and vision boards we have brought to the table were 100% forgotten or ignored. I cannot even explain my frustration.

I see countless stories of people building 300 square foot tiny houses for under $40k – you’re telling me you can’t build a house that isn’t even double the square footage for more than double the budget?! When you have student labor involved?

I’m sorry. I don’t buy it.

The problem is, I’m not a builder. I don’t have the knowledge to be able to push them. I don’t know the questions to ask. I don’t know where we should cut corners and where we should not. I don’t know what “cutting corners” looks like while still having a presentable house that we like, that is energy efficient and can be comfortable in all the extreme seasons that Minnesota offers us.

Mostly I just feel sad. Like the odds of us getting the house that we actually want are slim to none. And then it’s like, well, what’s the point? 

Here's to the next update being a positive one...