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This is how Nancy Park built her tiny house on nights and weekends over the course of four years while working full time.
You may remember our original post about her titled, “69 Year Old Single Woman Builds Tiny Home in 4 Years on Nights and Weekends While Working Full Time,” where you can see her completed ‘High Desert Tiny House‘ and even book it for your next vacation!
In this post, she’s going to tell the story of how she built it (starting with the trailer!).
How Nancy Built Her Tiny House on Nights/Weekends!
Also, here are photos from the stages of the build. I built the walls and cabinets in my garage … which was probably the most scary part… would it all fit. Sometimes Yes…. sometimes NO. I also opted for the under-kitchen bed because I couldn’t see myself or my friends climbing down a ladder in the night to go pee!
I worked alone a lot of the time so got very handy at figuring out how to lever and move things around. Could not have done it without my little yellow wagon. My most upsetting problem was hitting my pex line with a nail when I was nailing the walls up…. didn’t know until a LONG time later when we finally fired up the water. Seeing a water-fall running down my beautiful walls and know know WHERE it was coming from…. BUT, of course, it all turned out. Just a couple of un-happy days.
Since it’s been sitting in the desert sun for so long now – I’m seeing that I should have chosen a heavier grade cedar siding. It has warped on me and I’m going to have to pull the wood off the south side and re-do (maybe…. at some point!).
Anyway – sorry to go on and on but I am very proud of this and would like to encourage others. I spend my days just dealing with numbers and the fun of working with wood and problem solving physical things is like a vacation to me.
Resources
- https://tinyhousetalk.com/69-year-old-single-woman-builds-tiny-home/
- https://tinyhousetalk.com/high-desert-tiny-house/
- https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19875882
Our big thanks to Nancy for sharing!
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Alex
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Great job! You said it very nicely…working and problem solving on a physical project is very satisfying and can be ‘vacation’ for those of us stuck behind a desk!
So true, it’s a great escape! Getting lost into working, building, creating is very satisfying! Thanks Meg!
What a great job – this house is done to perfection, inside and out. Well lit, warm interior, smartly laid out and perfect to age with when old bones have a harder time navigating harder to get places like a loft. The finish work is done so beautifully, I lingered on these pictures – you GO GIRL!
It’s absolutely beautiful! I admire anyone who can tackle something this size with all the hook ups and ammenities and do it all themselves, but to only have weekends to do it and to be so persistent is quite admirable. The house is lovely!
I would love for Nancy Park to contact me. Her bed placement is exactly what I want. I really want to see how it is done.
I am a professional woodworker (furniture designer and builder) and I know what a task this is Nancy !!!! Next spring my wife and I will be building our own “Not so tiny” house, about 600 sq. ft. on a 40’+ gooseneck fifth wheel trailer. and have done most of the design and planning so we know how much that alone entails, You’ve done an awesome job pulling this all together and building this wonderful well thought out Tiny House Kudo’s to you for a job well done especially alone at this stage in your life!
Fantastic !!!!!
Dear Ed: I’m just seeing your comment from December 16, 2017, 11:09 pm
“I am a professional woodworker (furniture designer and builder) and I know what a task this is Nancy !!!! Next spring my wife and I will be building our own “Not so tiny” house, about 600 sq. ft. on a 40’+ gooseneck fifth wheel trailer………………………………………………….. for a job well done especially alone at this stage in your life! Fantastic !!!!!”
My Question: Can I see your build somewhere? It sounds very interesting, being built on a gooseneck and being quite large. I hope to hear from you and see your home. Many thanks!
Martha at [email protected]
absolutely LOVE it, I have to ask about the couch/bed. I have been trying to figure a way for a bed and sitting area in my tiny house,(though its not on wheels) that wont take up space unnecessarily and I really like the way yours looks, I would love to know how it was built
Thanks for the kind remarks. ~Cind: I built the elevated kitchen floor using 4×4 beams which provided enough support so I could have the open space under the floor for the queen-sized bed to slide into. I just built a frame to hold the mattress and put wheels on it. (patterns on Pinterest for trundle beds). the only mistake I made was not in getting a good measurement on the height of my mattress. Don’t tell anyone but I had to give my memory foam mattress a haircut in order for it to fit under the floor with bedding on it. Funny NOW…. not so funny THEN.
could you sell me the plans for your little home ? your home is exactly what a I want to build I am 82 years old and looking to build this myself
Thanks Bob Turner [email protected]