The Little House in the Garden
The Segal construction method started with a temporary house Walter Segal constructed in the back yard while their main residence was under construction. The little house in the garden was built in a matter of weeks for under $1000. The method was based on easily customizable, simple floor plans that could be created using readily available materials and basic carpentry skills. Segal's book states, "it is an attitude of mind rather than a system of construction. The attitude is one of rigorous simplification of the whole building process from design to completion." Through this, Segal creates a home more accessible to the average person.
For the past year, my fiance and I have been searching for a home in the Greenville area for under $150,000. To say the least, it has been an impossible task. The thought of being able to build my own house customized to fit my needs with my own hammer and saw sounds like a dream. So why don't we? Why aren't hundreds of people all over the country? Could the DIY movement be the answer to America's affordable housing crisis? What happened to the DIY Sears Kit houses from the 1920s? Check back with me in a year to see if I can make the little house in the garden for myself.
Lydia, I can't wait to see your little house in the garden!
ReplyDeleteYour proposition is actually a really exciting one! Why couldn't you just use the exact same construction methods Walter Segal used and build a home that way? Obviously, it will cost more than $1000 dollars but everything else seems sound. Your biggest investment would be your time and the inconvenience of doing it. I've known some people who renovated their homes themselves and aside from the constant learning new skills while doing it one must always be living in the construction zone. This can make a joyful task become an inconvenient nuisance.
It truly would be an excellent experiment though, to give someone a newly constructed home that only consists of the framing, the exterior cladding, roof, plumbing, and hvac. No drywall, counters, floor finish or anything else and see how long it would take a couple with a full-time job to complete it.