Here are some photos of the house as it is now. I had to take a small break from building mid-April to help my ailing grandfather in Oklahoma. This wasn't too bad because I was planning on taking my house to Oklahoma at the beginning of May anyway so this gave me an excuse to drive my car there solo and fly back one way, which allowed me to ride with Breanna and my dog Tater in the car as we followed our house home. More on the moving of the house later.
You can see in the pictures that the main thing I had to finish was the roof. The roofing I used is called Decra Villa Tile. It works much like standing seam, with hidden fastener points and such but it's stamped steel with epoxied rock grains that give it a better look. It doesn't look like metal roofing.
It was easy enough to work with, I was building along side Meg Stephens and she used standing seem. Mine took a bit more effort but my roof was also intrinsically harder to do compared to her Linden design which has a shallower roof pitch and less angled cuts, which were the hardest parts.
I was a bit intimidated by the whole roofing process at first but once I got into it I realized it was pretty simple, and as long as you follow the rules and sometimes put a bit of elbow grease on it things fall into place pretty easily.
The trim is a bit tricky but measuring twice or three times and cutting once (sometimes cutting a bit long and seeing how it fits and where to trim) helps. It's not 100% done as you might see from the pictures there are a few little places left but I'm saving them for something special and taking my time to see what inspiration I have for those spots.
It will always take longer than you think but remember it's not a race and when it's done it's done so enjoy the extra time you have building.
TIP: If you're hot while on the roof, do not take your shirt off.
I did this and it ranks up there in the top five stupidest things I've done. I got sunburned, bad. I know how the sun works, I know that I didn't have sunscreen on, I know that it's hard to find shade on the roof, I know I'm an idiot. Here's an embarrassing photo of me as my own self punishment. Remember, I had to drive two 12 hour days in the car with this burn.
I agree. When it comes to house construction, it’s always better to take your time building it. It might end up taking longer, but at least you’re assured that it’s done properly. Anyway, it’s good to see that it’s already in good shape. And I hope it will progress smoothly until it's finished. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAmber Moore @ America’s Choice Roofing
Hi. This tiny house reminded me so much of childhood Irish TV show - Wanderley Wanderley Wagon. You can see at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDueS1d8QwM. Hope it makes you smile....
ReplyDeleteThat's an adorable little wagon! And proof that tiny living on wheels is nothing new.
ReplyDeleteHey Joe,
ReplyDeleteHow did you come upon Decra? I am stoked to hear that they are stationed in CA, where I will be building. I first heard about Onduvilla tiles from Guillame's build and liked the look/feel of those more than the standard metal roof. I received a sample and all, and they seem ok, but I'm not thrilled with the fastening setup of all those top punched & mounted fasteners. It looks like Decra has a nice hidden fastening system, plus the added benefits of a metal based shingle, rather than the asphalt construction of the Ondura. Do you have a rep you would recommend contacting? Do they send out samples, or have somewhere in CA to check them in person? I wasn't able to locate any sort of potential cost for roofing a tiny house with them. Thanks!
I pretty much went through their website and talked to a rep. His name was Tony Tiapon so if you call you can ask for him. I really liked the Decra tile. I get a lot of compliments on it. I did get some samples to pick my colors but I was working with a large company. Not sure if they send them out to individuals but probably. I think my roof ended up around 1800 give or take?
DeleteThanks for the update, I really appreciate it. At the moment I'm really digging the Linden design, and I'm curious if the plans call for the standard 3:12 roof pitch that is a minimum for the Decra tile?
DeleteIf memory serves that should work just fine for Decra. The Linden Roof isn't that much flatter than the top of my dormers.
ReplyDeleteThat’s true. Roofing has an intimidating and quite complicated process. One wrong move can set you back, since you have to take it apart to do it properly again. But once you've done it right, it is very rewarding. And I’m glad that did not have such problems with your roof. How is your house, btw? I hope there were no recent major fixes that needed to be done.
ReplyDeletePleasance Faast @ Shelton Roofing
I'm very happy with the roof, it was perfect on the road from California to Oklahoma and I haven't needed any repairs to date. I think I have a winner. Taking my time and learning how to do it right pays off. It's not too hard, but you have to take it serious. It's what protects your whole house.
ReplyDelete