# Building a cottage



## tmfinley (Feb 25, 2008)

My husband, 2 boys and I have been living on our 8 acres in a mobile home trailer for 13 years. We have finally decided it is time to build "real" houses for ourselves. One of the reasons is that my goat milk soap business is out growing its small space in the house and instead of building something for it we are going to give the trailer to the business. 

We will all be building our own houses. My older son(16) is interested in Earth Ships and using tires. My younger son (13) has called dibs on the cedar cordwood we have to build a small cord wood house. My husband and I are going with a somewhat traditional stick built house. This is the house I want to concentrate on in this post. I am doing most of the planning as my husband works away from home and I have a type A personality! We do have an engineer friend that is helping me as well. We will be doing all of the work ourselves with friends and maybe a day worker here and there when needed. We are not including any electric or plumbing in the house. We use or will be using alternatives. Codes and permits are also of no concern. 

It is going to be 16x32 with a sleeping loft. We have built a similar building here already (a dojo for my husband's martial arts training) without the loft part. It will have 8 ft walls with a 8/12 pitch roof. I think I have decided on using footings instead of a concrete foundation. The building will have 15 footings. I'm stuck on what to do with the exterior walls. What I'm considering for options are:
*1/2 inch plywood* - I would eventually finish it with something else - maybe stucko?
or
*T1-11* - I wouldn't use the osb type but the plywood type and just stain or paint it and be finished. I don't know much about it though. 

I'm also not sure about insulation. I think the easy way to go would be cellulose. My husband thinks ash would make good insulation - if we could find an abundance of ash somewhere. 

Does anyone have any thoughts on what we are doing or any suggestions?


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## KMA1 (Dec 9, 2006)

Everyone has their own ideas about what is an adequate house, and materials to make it from. Me, I like things that I know are tried and true. T-111 will work and will be quick on going up. But my experience in Alabama is that it will not last a long time, maybe 10 - 12 years before it starts breaking down in damp areas. I would go for a concrete based siding like hardy-board. Several manufacturers, comes either in 4x8 sheets or in 16 foot boards of various widths. Goes up fast, put on a coat of paint and forget it. Will last a lifetime unless you really try to break holes in it. Ash will be dusty in your house, and will pack down over time, killing what insulating value it might have had. I would go with fiberglass or possibly expanding foam, but foam is more expensive.

I would also suggest reconsidering your house demensions as well. If you want to go with 32 foot length, I would suggest 24 or 28 foot width. A lot more usable space, can still have an open floor plan with trusses, , easy to heat and cool, and upper 1/2 story. But has the option to put is bedroom downstairs and enough room to move about when you are older and may need assistance.


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

Buy one of those storage sheds already built, finish off the inside, much quicker.our hunting camp is 16x32 and we sleep 6 or 7 in there, seems like plenty of room, need a little more storage for hunting equip.....


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## tmfinley (Feb 25, 2008)

We are really not interested in buying a building.


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## jhambley (Nov 21, 2004)

Ours is 16 x 28. Framed with 2x6s and wet-blown cellulose insulation. Exterior siding is SmartSide lap siding guaranteed for 25 years. Full second floor with 9' ceiling accessed by ladder stairs.


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