Various and Sundry Items of Interest, and ... The Shower Pan!!!

It has become obvious to me that I have entered a new era in the housebuilding process.  With the exterior construction more or less nearing completion, and various next steps awaiting attention, a lot of juggling and some serious prioritizing has become the norm.  All of a sudden there seem to be a million details all at the top of the list: wiring and electrical fixtures and devices, both 120V and 12V, heating system decisions, wall coverings, fastener types, vent fans (solar, 120V and 12V!), trailer lighting fixture replacement, shed design and hardware decisions, loft ladder construction, floor sealing, et cetera, et cetera.

Additionally I have of course been getting antsy to install interior cupboards, the windowseat/bed unit, and re-purpose and up-cycle many of my collected possessions into useful parts of my tiny house.  Most of these re-construction projects first involve heavy lifting somehow, so I am stymied immediately on initiating these thrilling projects.  But, lo and behold, thankfully a friend actually expressed interest in the futon mattress that had been on this frame for years, as my couch.  So I rolled it up and tied it into a big slug-like floppy roll. And she and her son came over a few days later and took it away!!  The next step is to disassemble the frame and get it moved to the tiny house so I can start modifying it into the folding windowseat bed. 

Another topic which naturally deserves top priority attention too is the acquisition (or not?) of a tow vehicle.  B's Suburban turns out to have a tow bar mounted on the frame and not the bumper (who knew?) and thereby is capable of towing more than was mentioned in the specs I glanced at after I first saw it. It could easily tow my house!  That certainly caught my attention.  A Suburban would probably be a great choice as it is like a station wagon version of a truck.  My budget cannot handle the purchase (or probably insuring) a new vehicle, so I am keeping one eye open for likely prospects, keeping in mind that what I want is an old (i.e. inexpensive) but faithful (i.e. reliable for a few years) truck/vehicle capable of towing 10,000 lbs.  I have learned in the course of my ingenuous conversation with a number of folks, with whom I probably would otherwise not have had anything to talk about, that I want a 3/4 ton pickup, with a heavy towing package.  This includes a special radiator. Also a trailer brake set-up, so as to have the trailer brakes do their duty of slowing the trailer at the same time as, or just a little ahead of, the truck.  Do I want diesel?  Or do I not want diesel?  Or do I just want to hire people who own such trucks to tow the house anytime I move it? Research is ongoing behind the scenes.  But as with every aspect of this process, there is a lot of advice available, in person and online, some of it conflicting, but no way to know exactly when I have done enough research and can make a choice.  That is the bad news, and the good news -- there is so much to learn!

For a temporary entry door, I bought an inexpensive interior hollow core door, coated one side of it with three coats of exterior latex paint. Then I got the brilliant idea of making it a Dutch door! I marked it, had it cut in two, and pulled out the cardboard supports, replacing them with XPS rigid foam insulation and a reflective layer of bubblewrap insulation. It is going to be a good test to see if a Dutch door is right for me, before we start messing with the circa 1782 door from the house I grew up in.  I clearly remember loving the Dutch door on my childhood playhouse, but am willing to entertain the possibility that my tastes have changed in the last 50 years. I will find out!   However if this door gets me through the winter and a trip to my dear friend in B-----, MA., that will suffice. I have my doubts about it lasting through too many wet rainy days, but will report. 

A view of the house at night, as construction lights on two long extension cords from Big D's studio give it a homey feeling when seen from the outside.

Okay, here is the news you've been waiting for!  M, having completed the hammered copper shower pan, spreads some M-1 adhesive (from the steel company where we got the copper and the roofing material), preparatory to inserting the pan into the sturdy wooden frame.

And...it is in!!  M has piled various anvils and bags of concrete into the pan to make an excellent seal, and clamped everything that could be clamped.  Then she waited, a day, two days, perhaps even three -- and... 

Oops!  This is actually a photo of the shower pan before it was adhered to the frame!  Drat!  Well it looked just like this from this angle after it was attached.

The scene shifts to evening in the tiny house, as Kyle and M install the shower pan.  Kyle drilled a 3" hole, through the floor, the insulation layer, and the steel trailer bottom for a drain pipe that will gather grey water into a holding tank and discharge system.

They test the drain, and decide that gasket under the brass fitting is too stiff and too thick, and therefore interferes with the seal, allowing water to sneak between the gasket and the copper.  Replacement with a squishier, thinner gasket is pending. 

The shower pan is, however, installed!  And insulation in the empty bays (with XPS, not polyiso) and walling the shower stall with Wedi material can proceed.  Under the curb of the entry corner of the shower may be seen a gap.  This is to allow access to the washer/nut which must be loosened if ever the shower pan would be removed.  It will also be a bit of storage space under the shower stall, perhaps for the wrench that would be needed to loosen the washer/nut!

This photograph has a warmer tone to it, and the copper looks more as it really does.  It is a beautiful piece of art work, a sculpture really.  And it will be a joy to have in my line of sight. It will surely assist me in tasks of everyday living, such as washing clothes and dishes, and rinsing paintbrushes and clay tools out, in addition to being a simple shower.  Thank you!