I have learned that to design and build something as apparently simple as a small gypsy wagon requires you to wear several hats including researcher, artist, designer, engineer, draftsman, estimator, general contractor, and builder. And each of these can compete and conflict with the other. For example, the artist searches for an aesthetic result that may be difficult to engineer. High wagon wheels look great but may not carry the large loads that result from building a wagon that includes a full kitchen and bathroom. Hence you need to bounce back and forth between roles, the engineer bringing the artist down to earth and the artist scolding the engineer for a design that is pragmatic but ugly. Similarly, the estimator discovers that lumber of the specified size is difficult or impossible to obtain and goes back to the engineer and draftsmen to negotiate a change.
Even the role of builder is really made of a dozen sub-specializations. If you make your own frame from metal you are a welder. When you install a rubber membrane roof, you become a roofing specialist (some membrane makers will not allow an uncertified person to install their products!). You are at the very least a framer and finish carpenter, window and door installer, flooring installer, and painter.
I come from a software development background so I am quite comfortable running projects and doing estimates. I also have some construction experience - mainly through renovating houses. Not being formally trained in any of these areas, I have had to read an enormous amount of material. Fortunately the internet is a great source of advice including How-To e-books, blogs, and videos. However if you are planning to take on a project this size, do not underestimate how much time all this learning will take. And you need to do much of it up front before you finalize your design and begin construction if you care about what the result will look like and how long it will last.
I spent at least a full day understanding how to install a window properly in a wall that was sided with only plywood siding (i.e., the plywood is both part of the structure as well as the exposed siding). Most houses are now built with a wood frame over which a sheet product such as OSB is installed. This is then house-wrapped and windows installed before siding is applied, often over furring strips. The problem with not having two outer layers is that flashing and sealing a window to avoid water getting into the structure becomes much more problematic. I consulted several How-To videos and a half dozen articles and discussion groups finding at least half a dozen proposed solutions from various professionals. I did narrow this down to what I think is the best solution, but this was very difficult to do. First I had to learn current best practices for standard window installation in new construction (and even here opinions and techniques vary). Then I had to understand how these can be adapted for the special case of a single layer of structure/siding. Finally I had to choose between conflicting opinions and distill the most appropriate solution.
All in all, though, the learning process to design and prepare to build a tiny home has been fascinating. It really does require you to learn most aspects of constructing a full size home and adds to these the challenges of size and weight constraints inherent in building an extremely small home that must sit on its own two (or four) wheels. I will visit design goals and constraints in the next post.
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