Earlier this year, mid winter 2017, Gary mentioned that his family might be coming out to visit in 2018, and a quick conversation about sleeping arrangements, the size of our house, we came to the conclusion that putting family in a tent on the lawn wouldn't do. So we needed to do something about guest accommodation for family, friends and visitors.
We started researching about adding an extension onto the house, and to add another bedroom, ensuite, around 30sqm, we were getting quotes of around $100,000. Which was crazy for an extension which is much more straightforward than a new build! We built our entire house, 90sqm for less than $200,000. I think part of the NZ housing/building crisis is how expensive materials and labour has become with the housing boom.
So we had to rethink our plan.
Back in January 2017, while at the Mangawhai Domain Summer Gala Day, a local market day with stall holders selling their wares, we came across the Harthouse Cabins display. So I got in touch with Cliff, the creator of the Harthouse Cabins. You can find him on facebook: Harthouse Cabins
Cliff has been excellent to deal with, and is quite the craftsman.
When building a dwelling/sleepout/cabin to avoid building consents etc, the interior floor space must be less than 10sqm. Now what I love about the Harthouse is that the interior floor space is maximised to the 10sqm, and as the walls curve outwards, and the widest part being about eye level, this design feature creates an amazingly spacious feeling in such a small space. The Harthouse does not feel like a small tiny box at all, but it did tick all our boxes ☺.
Front View
Rear View
Geoff & I Installing Foundation Posts
Cliff Delivering Cabin
Interior View From Front Door
With our cabin, in time, we are planning to connect services for an ensuite, so we have a small room at the back of the cabin for the ensuite, which will require consents etc. However for now its a storage space, but we're still within our 10sqm internal floorplan. Amazing!
Interior View Curve Of Wall
Max Inspecting Workmanship... It Passed!
View Inside-Out
So we still have a few things to do:
> Install steps up to the cabin,
> We plan to decorate the exterior white walls with mural style paintings,
> Furnish the cabin,
> Connect solar power,
> A lot of planting around the cabin,
> Then finally work on the ensuite... down the track.
So still a work in progress, but we're in no rush, as Gary's family decided they will now not be coming in 2018.
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