Building a Tiny House on a MoCo lot - possible? implications?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's get real.

I want the largest house possible.

This past year we spent more time indoors than out due to the weather.

You basically have mosquitoes from may through fall (thanks to the eco live green people refusing to allow spraying).

Then it gets too cold from fall through may.

Screened in porch with a fan makes a nice summer option.

A small wood stove keeps a tiny house toasty.

How much time, even in winter, do we really spend in our homes? I am out of the house from 7 - 5 with work. After work we stagger dinner with running around to extracurriculars. We really only use our house to sleep, and to store all our crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get real.

I want the largest house possible.

This past year we spent more time indoors than out due to the weather.

You basically have mosquitoes from may through fall (thanks to the eco live green people refusing to allow spraying).

Then it gets too cold from fall through may.

Oh and the swampy high humidity from may through august.

Somehow humans survived hot, humid summers prior to the introduction of air conditioning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the realtor who knows how to Google, thanks. We actually did not know about impact fees (we are at the very beginning of this process) so we didn’t think to search for that. We thought permitting was going to be the biggest issue.
To the person that looked through the link and noted it might actually not be 50K, thanks as well. We will read more thoroughly and actually talk to the folks in Rockville.
To the individuals suggesting legislative action, seeking a green exception, etc…I really like that idea. It strikes me as maybe turning this into some sort of movement for better (read affordable, smaller footprint, commutable) housing. But with two FT jobs right now and two kids under 4, we feel stretched for time. Then again, anything that’s worth doing seems pretty unsurmountable at first. Thank so much for the info on the council members. We are really going to think hard about this aspect over the next few months.
The question about privacy is wonderful and I’ll tackle that with the posts from those who are craving more room in their current situations/have large children/etc. I think the issue is complex. First, I will say that our ideas of privacy and space are completely cultural. I am not from the United States and the concept of having a room or space for everyone in a family is at odds with my concept of family and well-being. I am used to multi-generational housing units where everyone thoroughly enjoys begin together much of the time. My partner has also spent significant time abroad and we have both travelled to places where families simply do not live in the same types of structures that we think of as housing. Nevertheless, both of us are quite aware of and cognizant of the fact that our children and their peers live here and now. So, to the poster that said their child is always comparing their home to other homes, I will say that I frankly would have to teach my children about the realities of the world and how unbelievably lucky they are to have food, security, a warm place to sleep, healthcare, and parents that care about them. Period. I care not whether their friends have “nicer” clothes, “better” cars, “bigger” rooms, or whatever. And, I will teach them (to the extent possible) to realize the premium that those kids’ parents are paying for those things and that space. While their parents are checking their iPhones for work mail on a Sat., we will be gardening with them or catching lightning bugs. We were not born into a class that allows us to buy much more without compromising time with each other significantly or quality of life, at least in the way we conceptualize quality of life. And, even if we did have all of the money in the world, we would still really, honestly, not want more than about 800sq. ft. of living space. It is just not us. However, we probably would just put that real estate on a cliff overlooking a nice, warm ocean ?. Perhaps our children will grow up to want a McMansion or perhaps they will grow up appreciating what we’ve done and the decisions we made to grow a family that looked inward and focused on not becoming isolated from each other, our neighbors, and the things that are actually “real” and important in the short span of time that we have on Earth. Who knows? In the meantime, my husband and I will try to do what we think is best for them and us. What else can any parent do?

The second piece of this, of course, is the logistical need for space as children grow and mature. We need space where we can have privacy as a couple (which I think I’ve addressed in terms of the soundproof enclosed space with a bed) and they need privacy as well. Again, I think design can take care of much of this. Privacy of this kind does not require a 300sq. foot room. It simply does not. In terms of having friends over, playing, being noisy, moving, etc…well, there are many variations that we can consider when the time comes. Or, that we can build in from the beginning. Many of these builders will actually work with you to design the home. In the example below, the master could be lofted above the living room and the conventional bedroom could be split in two with a false wall during the pre-teen/teenage years. They will be sharing a room for at least a decade longer, though.

http://www.nationwide-homes.com/ecocottages/main.cfm?pagename=ecoplandetail&planId=1235

In terms of other privacy (conversation/psychological), again design can help. A porch that has a way to be heated during the fall and spring, a living room that is set off from the “bedroom” areas and, of course, taking advantage of the fact that we live in an area with so many amenities. If you need to get away from your family, well there is so much indoor and outdoor space to choose from here.

As far as the stuff, I love the poster who mentioned treasures, books, and art projects as, indeed, we struggle with the art project one right now. They are little hoarders, aren’t they?! ? Our oldest is quite prolific at 3.8yo. But, honestly, we just do a bi-weekly clean out of treasures and art. Right now, we toss the art without her noticing (we keep a few pieces we want to collect) and the toys operate on a one-toy-in-one-toy-donated principle so we are pretty set on that. All of their toys could probably fit in small containers under high beds or a set of shelves. They seem non-the-sadder for it. In terms of treasures, our eldest is quite keen on picking up every acorn and flower she sees. But, we can easily keep a container on the covered porch for these sorts of things. All in moderation and I think teaching them the value of space and lessening the value that our society places on stuff is important whether or not we can make this work. As far as clothes, they have 12 outfits that match/are interchangeable each per season (two seasons plus layers), plus snow, rain, and swimming gear. It all fits in one dresser. They will get bigger, of course, but we will also be holding on to far less hand-me-downs at that point so I think it will balance out. We just need to be smart about storage solutions. Two to three pairs of shoes that get worn out before being replaced is also our norm. As far as studying, many a families all over the world have their kids study on the kitchen table. We can also fashion a small desk that flips up or down with a folding chair.
For those suggesting VA, we’d love to be able to consider it but we are a queer family and we simply must have legal protections in place for ourselves and our kids. We are not willing to gamble putting together a hodgepodge of legal documents to override the default legal scheme. Virginia is gorgeous and there are definitely communities we like there but it is a non-starter for that reason alone.

As far as the “green” element in tearing down, or improving, or building new, I suppose it depends on the details. We have yet to see a house in our target price range (under 300K for turn-key readiness) that would work. The poster in Arlington brings up some great points in terms of what you can fit in a small space. Modular is definitely an option but we like the hobbitat aesthetic. There are modular options that might work. We have no desire for a second bathroom EVER, having had 2.5 and 2 before. Literally, we absolutely do not understand why there have to be so many bathrooms in today’s houses. We also do not want a finished basement. I cannot imagine a tougher winter than the past one with a 3.5yo and a 4mo that could not be outside in the sub-zero wind chill for very long. If we made that work, we can make it work from here on out, particularly if they can hop outside and play until they can stand the cold no more.

As for sleepovers, we’re not interested in hosting or attending. Yep, we are THOSE people. But, should this be some kind of VERY IMPORTANT thing for our kids, we are happy to host a camp-out in our garden with smores, tents, outside movies, etc. Both of our kids have summer b-days so we’re set in that regard as well.
And, lastly, the commute question and work question. This is actually big. We both work right now though have done all kinds of schedules since we had kids trying to maximize the time that we spend together including staggered 4-day weeks (M-TH for one and T-F for the other), PT/FT splits, etc. We do not really see how we could be financially stable in older age and help our kids with college unless we are both working. We are pretty middle-class for this area (which is, of course, super rich in most places) but have grad school loans. Right now one of us works in MoCo and the other in DC. Both are red line accessible. We are your typical DC cube/shared office/think-tank/NGO scenario. We also do some consulting and teaching. So, we would accommodate the whole thing holistically so that we can be at home to care for the garden as needed. We have a lot of education, thus some flexibility, and are willing to work very hard to make things work. Of course, we are very lucky to even have that option.

Two things, as a parent:

1) You have very strong ideas about how you envision your family dynamic playing out, but I know several families who chose non-traditional housing/living options and it was…hard for the kids. (One lived in a yurt, another lived on a sailboat and traveled the world, a third in a farmhouse "off the grid" but just outside of town.) There is a non-insignificant chunk of your kids' lives -- including, basically, all of the school years -- where it is going to be important to them to fit in, to be like their friends, to develop their own identities away from the family. It is fine to have strong family values, but if you're going to live in a way that is so out-of-sync with everyone around, communicating those values isn't going to magically make your kids embrace them. You may not care about the neighbors, but your kids will, and will be making comparisons. It's part of growing up. While you and your partner are planning your dream home over the next few years, you would be wise to give more consideration to the impacts your choices may have on your kids, who have no say in the matter, and take the long view of your relationship with them.

2) While you're at it, you can come down a little off your high horse. Do you really believe that people who live in regular-sized homes are isolated from "each other, neighbors, and the things that are actually “real” and important"? Not to mention, you say "We were not born into a class that allows us to buy much more without compromising time with each other significantly or quality of life," but go on to describe yourselves as "We are pretty middle-class for this area (which is, of course, super rich in most places) … we are your typical DC cube/shared office/think-tank/NGO scenario." It sounds like you're saying that you make better decisions than your socioeconomic peers, who are willing to compromise their families in order to have more living space. Most middle-class people have to weigh many factors in deciding where to live and how to balance work and home and struggle with where to draw the lines, but ultimately may draw them differently from you. Your (apparently theoretical) plan is one approach, but not the only one that works for families.

OK, one more thing--do you really not see the difference between having a SECOND bathroom and having five or six bathrooms?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get real.

I want the largest house possible.

This past year we spent more time indoors than out due to the weather.

You basically have mosquitoes from may through fall (thanks to the eco live green people refusing to allow spraying).

Then it gets too cold from fall through may.

Oh and the swampy high humidity from may through august.

Somehow humans survived hot, humid summers prior to the introduction of air conditioning.

what about electricity we don't need that either. Why don't we just crap in our vegetable gardens instead of using a toilet and buying fertilizers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the realtor who knows how to Google, thanks. We actually did not know about impact fees (we are at the very beginning of this process) so we didn’t think to search for that. We thought permitting was going to be the biggest issue.
To the person that looked through the link and noted it might actually not be 50K, thanks as well. We will read more thoroughly and actually talk to the folks in Rockville.
To the individuals suggesting legislative action, seeking a green exception, etc…I really like that idea. It strikes me as maybe turning this into some sort of movement for better (read affordable, smaller footprint, commutable) housing. But with two FT jobs right now and two kids under 4, we feel stretched for time. Then again, anything that’s worth doing seems pretty unsurmountable at first. Thank so much for the info on the council members. We are really going to think hard about this aspect over the next few months.
The question about privacy is wonderful and I’ll tackle that with the posts from those who are craving more room in their current situations/have large children/etc. I think the issue is complex. First, I will say that our ideas of privacy and space are completely cultural. I am not from the United States and the concept of having a room or space for everyone in a family is at odds with my concept of family and well-being. I am used to multi-generational housing units where everyone thoroughly enjoys begin together much of the time. My partner has also spent significant time abroad and we have both travelled to places where families simply do not live in the same types of structures that we think of as housing. Nevertheless, both of us are quite aware of and cognizant of the fact that our children and their peers live here and now. So, to the poster that said their child is always comparing their home to other homes, I will say that I frankly would have to teach my children about the realities of the world and how unbelievably lucky they are to have food, security, a warm place to sleep, healthcare, and parents that care about them. Period. I care not whether their friends have “nicer” clothes, “better” cars, “bigger” rooms, or whatever. And, I will teach them (to the extent possible) to realize the premium that those kids’ parents are paying for those things and that space. While their parents are checking their iPhones for work mail on a Sat., we will be gardening with them or catching lightning bugs. We were not born into a class that allows us to buy much more without compromising time with each other significantly or quality of life, at least in the way we conceptualize quality of life. And, even if we did have all of the money in the world, we would still really, honestly, not want more than about 800sq. ft. of living space. It is just not us. However, we probably would just put that real estate on a cliff overlooking a nice, warm ocean ?. Perhaps our children will grow up to want a McMansion or perhaps they will grow up appreciating what we’ve done and the decisions we made to grow a family that looked inward and focused on not becoming isolated from each other, our neighbors, and the things that are actually “real” and important in the short span of time that we have on Earth. Who knows? In the meantime, my husband and I will try to do what we think is best for them and us. What else can any parent do?

The second piece of this, of course, is the logistical need for space as children grow and mature. We need space where we can have privacy as a couple (which I think I’ve addressed in terms of the soundproof enclosed space with a bed) and they need privacy as well. Again, I think design can take care of much of this. Privacy of this kind does not require a 300sq. foot room. It simply does not. In terms of having friends over, playing, being noisy, moving, etc…well, there are many variations that we can consider when the time comes. Or, that we can build in from the beginning. Many of these builders will actually work with you to design the home. In the example below, the master could be lofted above the living room and the conventional bedroom could be split in two with a false wall during the pre-teen/teenage years. They will be sharing a room for at least a decade longer, though.

http://www.nationwide-homes.com/ecocottages/main.cfm?pagename=ecoplandetail&planId=1235

In terms of other privacy (conversation/psychological), again design can help. A porch that has a way to be heated during the fall and spring, a living room that is set off from the “bedroom” areas and, of course, taking advantage of the fact that we live in an area with so many amenities. If you need to get away from your family, well there is so much indoor and outdoor space to choose from here.

As far as the stuff, I love the poster who mentioned treasures, books, and art projects as, indeed, we struggle with the art project one right now. They are little hoarders, aren’t they?! ? Our oldest is quite prolific at 3.8yo. But, honestly, we just do a bi-weekly clean out of treasures and art. Right now, we toss the art without her noticing (we keep a few pieces we want to collect) and the toys operate on a one-toy-in-one-toy-donated principle so we are pretty set on that. All of their toys could probably fit in small containers under high beds or a set of shelves. They seem non-the-sadder for it. In terms of treasures, our eldest is quite keen on picking up every acorn and flower she sees. But, we can easily keep a container on the covered porch for these sorts of things. All in moderation and I think teaching them the value of space and lessening the value that our society places on stuff is important whether or not we can make this work. As far as clothes, they have 12 outfits that match/are interchangeable each per season (two seasons plus layers), plus snow, rain, and swimming gear. It all fits in one dresser. They will get bigger, of course, but we will also be holding on to far less hand-me-downs at that point so I think it will balance out. We just need to be smart about storage solutions. Two to three pairs of shoes that get worn out before being replaced is also our norm. As far as studying, many a families all over the world have their kids study on the kitchen table. We can also fashion a small desk that flips up or down with a folding chair.
For those suggesting VA, we’d love to be able to consider it but we are a queer family and we simply must have legal protections in place for ourselves and our kids. We are not willing to gamble putting together a hodgepodge of legal documents to override the default legal scheme. Virginia is gorgeous and there are definitely communities we like there but it is a non-starter for that reason alone.

As far as the “green” element in tearing down, or improving, or building new, I suppose it depends on the details. We have yet to see a house in our target price range (under 300K for turn-key readiness) that would work. The poster in Arlington brings up some great points in terms of what you can fit in a small space. Modular is definitely an option but we like the hobbitat aesthetic. There are modular options that might work. We have no desire for a second bathroom EVER, having had 2.5 and 2 before. Literally, we absolutely do not understand why there have to be so many bathrooms in today’s houses. We also do not want a finished basement. I cannot imagine a tougher winter than the past one with a 3.5yo and a 4mo that could not be outside in the sub-zero wind chill for very long. If we made that work, we can make it work from here on out, particularly if they can hop outside and play until they can stand the cold no more.

As for sleepovers, we’re not interested in hosting or attending. Yep, we are THOSE people. But, should this be some kind of VERY IMPORTANT thing for our kids, we are happy to host a camp-out in our garden with smores, tents, outside movies, etc. Both of our kids have summer b-days so we’re set in that regard as well.
And, lastly, the commute question and work question. This is actually big. We both work right now though have done all kinds of schedules since we had kids trying to maximize the time that we spend together including staggered 4-day weeks (M-TH for one and T-F for the other), PT/FT splits, etc. We do not really see how we could be financially stable in older age and help our kids with college unless we are both working. We are pretty middle-class for this area (which is, of course, super rich in most places) but have grad school loans. Right now one of us works in MoCo and the other in DC. Both are red line accessible. We are your typical DC cube/shared office/think-tank/NGO scenario. We also do some consulting and teaching. So, we would accommodate the whole thing holistically so that we can be at home to care for the garden as needed. We have a lot of education, thus some flexibility, and are willing to work very hard to make things work. Of course, we are very lucky to even have that option.

TLDR

But that house you linked to sucks ass, it looks like a trailer. Have you thought about using a trailer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get real.

I want the largest house possible.

This past year we spent more time indoors than out due to the weather.

You basically have mosquitoes from may through fall (thanks to the eco live green people refusing to allow spraying).

Then it gets too cold from fall through may.

Oh and the swampy high humidity from may through august.

Somehow humans survived hot, humid summers prior to the introduction of air conditioning.

Many families managed by moving out of the city in the summer so they kids could go outside and play. My grandmother is from Takoma Park and they always spent their summers with relatives in upstate NY….and that was in the 20's and 30's, before all the pollution we have now on top of the heat and humidity.

[Anonymous]

Do you have two girls or two boys?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the realtor who knows how to Google, thanks. We actually did not know about impact fees (we are at the very beginning of this process) so we didn’t think to search for that. We thought permitting was going to be the biggest issue.
To the person that looked through the link and noted it might actually not be 50K, thanks as well. We will read more thoroughly and actually talk to the folks in Rockville.
To the individuals suggesting legislative action, seeking a green exception, etc…I really like that idea. It strikes me as maybe turning this into some sort of movement for better (read affordable, smaller footprint, commutable) housing. But with two FT jobs right now and two kids under 4, we feel stretched for time. Then again, anything that’s worth doing seems pretty unsurmountable at first. Thank so much for the info on the council members. We are really going to think hard about this aspect over the next few months.
The question about privacy is wonderful and I’ll tackle that with the posts from those who are craving more room in their current situations/have large children/etc. I think the issue is complex. First, I will say that our ideas of privacy and space are completely cultural. I am not from the United States and the concept of having a room or space for everyone in a family is at odds with my concept of family and well-being. I am used to multi-generational housing units where everyone thoroughly enjoys begin together much of the time. My partner has also spent significant time abroad and we have both travelled to places where families simply do not live in the same types of structures that we think of as housing. Nevertheless, both of us are quite aware of and cognizant of the fact that our children and their peers live here and now. So, to the poster that said their child is always comparing their home to other homes, I will say that I frankly would have to teach my children about the realities of the world and how unbelievably lucky they are to have food, security, a warm place to sleep, healthcare, and parents that care about them. Period. I care not whether their friends have “nicer” clothes, “better” cars, “bigger” rooms, or whatever. And, I will teach them (to the extent possible) to realize the premium that those kids’ parents are paying for those things and that space. While their parents are checking their iPhones for work mail on a Sat., we will be gardening with them or catching lightning bugs. We were not born into a class that allows us to buy much more without compromising time with each other significantly or quality of life, at least in the way we conceptualize quality of life. And, even if we did have all of the money in the world, we would still really, honestly, not want more than about 800sq. ft. of living space. It is just not us. However, we probably would just put that real estate on a cliff overlooking a nice, warm ocean ?. Perhaps our children will grow up to want a McMansion or perhaps they will grow up appreciating what we’ve done and the decisions we made to grow a family that looked inward and focused on not becoming isolated from each other, our neighbors, and the things that are actually “real” and important in the short span of time that we have on Earth. Who knows? In the meantime, my husband and I will try to do what we think is best for them and us. What else can any parent do?

The second piece of this, of course, is the logistical need for space as children grow and mature. We need space where we can have privacy as a couple (which I think I’ve addressed in terms of the soundproof enclosed space with a bed) and they need privacy as well. Again, I think design can take care of much of this. Privacy of this kind does not require a 300sq. foot room. It simply does not. In terms of having friends over, playing, being noisy, moving, etc…well, there are many variations that we can consider when the time comes. Or, that we can build in from the beginning. Many of these builders will actually work with you to design the home. In the example below, the master could be lofted above the living room and the conventional bedroom could be split in two with a false wall during the pre-teen/teenage years. They will be sharing a room for at least a decade longer, though.

http://www.nationwide-homes.com/ecocottages/main.cfm?pagename=ecoplandetail&planId=1235

In terms of other privacy (conversation/psychological), again design can help. A porch that has a way to be heated during the fall and spring, a living room that is set off from the “bedroom” areas and, of course, taking advantage of the fact that we live in an area with so many amenities. If you need to get away from your family, well there is so much indoor and outdoor space to choose from here.

As far as the stuff, I love the poster who mentioned treasures, books, and art projects as, indeed, we struggle with the art project one right now. They are little hoarders, aren’t they?! ? Our oldest is quite prolific at 3.8yo. But, honestly, we just do a bi-weekly clean out of treasures and art. Right now, we toss the art without her noticing (we keep a few pieces we want to collect) and the toys operate on a one-toy-in-one-toy-donated principle so we are pretty set on that. All of their toys could probably fit in small containers under high beds or a set of shelves. They seem non-the-sadder for it. In terms of treasures, our eldest is quite keen on picking up every acorn and flower she sees. But, we can easily keep a container on the covered porch for these sorts of things. All in moderation and I think teaching them the value of space and lessening the value that our society places on stuff is important whether or not we can make this work. As far as clothes, they have 12 outfits that match/are interchangeable each per season (two seasons plus layers), plus snow, rain, and swimming gear. It all fits in one dresser. They will get bigger, of course, but we will also be holding on to far less hand-me-downs at that point so I think it will balance out. We just need to be smart about storage solutions. Two to three pairs of shoes that get worn out before being replaced is also our norm. As far as studying, many a families all over the world have their kids study on the kitchen table. We can also fashion a small desk that flips up or down with a folding chair.
For those suggesting VA, we’d love to be able to consider it but we are a queer family and we simply must have legal protections in place for ourselves and our kids. We are not willing to gamble putting together a hodgepodge of legal documents to override the default legal scheme. Virginia is gorgeous and there are definitely communities we like there but it is a non-starter for that reason alone.

As far as the “green” element in tearing down, or improving, or building new, I suppose it depends on the details. We have yet to see a house in our target price range (under 300K for turn-key readiness) that would work. The poster in Arlington brings up some great points in terms of what you can fit in a small space. Modular is definitely an option but we like the hobbitat aesthetic. There are modular options that might work. We have no desire for a second bathroom EVER, having had 2.5 and 2 before. Literally, we absolutely do not understand why there have to be so many bathrooms in today’s houses. We also do not want a finished basement. I cannot imagine a tougher winter than the past one with a 3.5yo and a 4mo that could not be outside in the sub-zero wind chill for very long. If we made that work, we can make it work from here on out, particularly if they can hop outside and play until they can stand the cold no more.

As for sleepovers, we’re not interested in hosting or attending. Yep, we are THOSE people. But, should this be some kind of VERY IMPORTANT thing for our kids, we are happy to host a camp-out in our garden with smores, tents, outside movies, etc. Both of our kids have summer b-days so we’re set in that regard as well.
And, lastly, the commute question and work question. This is actually big. We both work right now though have done all kinds of schedules since we had kids trying to maximize the time that we spend together including staggered 4-day weeks (M-TH for one and T-F for the other), PT/FT splits, etc. We do not really see how we could be financially stable in older age and help our kids with college unless we are both working. We are pretty middle-class for this area (which is, of course, super rich in most places) but have grad school loans. Right now one of us works in MoCo and the other in DC. Both are red line accessible. We are your typical DC cube/shared office/think-tank/NGO scenario. We also do some consulting and teaching. So, we would accommodate the whole thing holistically so that we can be at home to care for the garden as needed. We have a lot of education, thus some flexibility, and are willing to work very hard to make things work. Of course, we are very lucky to even have that option.

Two things, as a parent:

1) You have very strong ideas about how you envision your family dynamic playing out, but I know several families who chose non-traditional housing/living options and it was…hard for the kids. (One lived in a yurt, another lived on a sailboat and traveled the world, a third in a farmhouse "off the grid" but just outside of town.) There is a non-insignificant chunk of your kids' lives -- including, basically, all of the school years -- where it is going to be important to them to fit in, to be like their friends, to develop their own identities away from the family. It is fine to have strong family values, but if you're going to live in a way that is so out-of-sync with everyone around, communicating those values isn't going to magically make your kids embrace them. You may not care about the neighbors, but your kids will, and will be making comparisons. It's part of growing up. While you and your partner are planning your dream home over the next few years, you would be wise to give more consideration to the impacts your choices may have on your kids, who have no say in the matter, and take the long view of your relationship with them.

2) While you're at it, you can come down a little off your high horse. Do you really believe that people who live in regular-sized homes are isolated from "each other, neighbors, and the things that are actually “real” and important"? Not to mention, you say "We were not born into a class that allows us to buy much more without compromising time with each other significantly or quality of life," but go on to describe yourselves as "We are pretty middle-class for this area (which is, of course, super rich in most places) … we are your typical DC cube/shared office/think-tank/NGO scenario." It sounds like you're saying that you make better decisions than your socioeconomic peers, who are willing to compromise their families in order to have more living space. Most middle-class people have to weigh many factors in deciding where to live and how to balance work and home and struggle with where to draw the lines, but ultimately may draw them differently from you. Your (apparently theoretical) plan is one approach, but not the only one that works for families.

OK, one more thing--do you really not see the difference between having a SECOND bathroom and having five or six bathrooms?

Wow, you said everything I wanted to say, but were much nicer about it!

[Anonymous]

I have seven bathrooms and my family is 4 persons. Love it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get real.

I want the largest house possible.

This past year we spent more time indoors than out due to the weather.

You basically have mosquitoes from may through fall (thanks to the eco live green people refusing to allow spraying).

Then it gets too cold from fall through may.

Oh and the swampy high humidity from may through august.

Somehow humans survived hot, humid summers prior to the introduction of air conditioning.

what about electricity we don't need that either. Why don't we just crap in our vegetable gardens instead of using a toilet and buying fertilizers.

Actually many tiny homes do use composting toilets. Oh the horror!!!

[Anonymous]

OP it won't work with your current work locations, but Purcellville has a more farm-like atmosphere, is cheaper (was cheaper last time I looked anyway), large tracts of land, people raising chickens and having horses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get real.

I want the largest house possible.

This past year we spent more time indoors than out due to the weather.

You basically have mosquitoes from may through fall (thanks to the eco live green people refusing to allow spraying).

Then it gets too cold from fall through may.

Oh and the swampy high humidity from may through august.

Somehow humans survived hot, humid summers prior to the introduction of air conditioning.

what about electricity we don't need that either. Why don't we just crap in our vegetable gardens instead of using a toilet and buying fertilizers.

Actually many tiny homes do use composting toilets. Oh the horror!!!

They have to because they are often on trailer beds and because there is no room in many of these designs for any mechanicals.

[Anonymous]

There are many toilet options nowadays. http://clotheslinetinyhomes.com/2012/10/03/everyone-poops-tiny-house-toilet-options/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are many toilet options nowadays. http://clotheslinetinyhomes.com/2012/10/03/everyone-poops-tiny-house-toilet-options/

All of which involve disposing of blackwater, putting poop compost somewhere in your yard, or using a lot of electricity (so, I'd consider that an alternative if you can't access sewer/septic, but not otherwise green).

To OP's original question, will the neighbors mind….um, yeah, if you starting composting human waste in the yard.

[Anonymous]

How about this:

http://www.redfin.com/MD/Takoma-Park/6426-5th-Ave-20912/home/11146110