Hybrid Seattle is still the design firm for my project, and they're working on the latest design concept.  Both of us want to go for a maximum cost-efficient design, and they have a way to do that in mind that can be re-used for other container buildings.  I'm hoping to have the estimate to do the one-story home soon, because things will move pretty quickly after that.  In the meantime, I'm going to visit the permit office to find out how and when to split the lot.

It looks like the first step of construction will need to be the porch for my parents' house, because it provides storage that the garage is serving as now.  I'm going to need to make some measurements and check into code, to see what kind of detail they need before I can get a permit.  Naturally, I'll ask about that too, when I go in to check on lot division.

 I have a dollar amount for my home.  It's higher than the $200k that I was sort-of expecting, but it includes everything except the washer/dryer, and contingency buffers for going over-budget.  Important decisions like how to cover the interior walls still are needed, but the big holes are figured out.  I talked to the contractor, and we'll be able to figure out how to bring cost down from the current number as we work to flesh out the plan.  But at least I can work on getting approved for this loan amount, and then start pulling permits while we flesh out the details.

Since the plan is to be able to sell or rent the two homes separately at some point, I'm going to have to divide the lot for the container house project.  The garage has to go, and that will leave the main house with less property, and more urgenty, less storage.

First, I had thought to build a small shed at the east end of the main house, for bikes and yard tools.  My mom made the excellent points, though, that we don't want the lot to look crowded, and putting a shed by the patio will block one of the few remaining planting beds.  Even my idea to have a storage container partially hidden behind the demolished garage won't do: still too much visual obstruction, and it's on the back lot so it won't belong to the main house.

It may seem like things have been stagnant with the container house project lately, but they haven't exactly.  My contractor, his subs, the design & engineering firm, and the suppliers have all been working on price quotes for their various pieces.  Since this isn't something that gets built every day, the costs aren't as predictable as your typical house.  We should be less than a week away from a rough construction budget, so I can give drawings and a number to my bank to see if they'll help me pay for it.  I'm more than a little anxious about that part, for obvious reasons, but I look pretty good on paper.

I've considered and rejected a bunch of college programs that I might get some use from, and don't seem worth the time and expense.  I can keep doing container work without one.  This one, though, is short and targeted enough that I could see it giving me useful knowledge and certification, and fitting into what I want to do: general contracting, basically the construction project manager.

PCC offers the 2-year degree.  I have about a year's worth of community college general studies under my belt, so I might be able to make this happen in a reasonable timeframe.

Not that you were using your analog-broadcast TV with rabbit ears right down to the wire, but chances are you or someone you know is getting rid of an old TV set about now.  Or maybe a big computer monitor. 

If you live in Oregon, you can do it for free.  The fishtank idea always seemed cool but I don't have any neat-looking console TVs.

From the beginning, I wanted to make my container home movable.  Besides the efficiencies of prefab and reuse, a livable railcar is totally my style.  Unfortunately, it isn't generally legal to live in anything with wheels inside the boundary of Portland.   Building code does have provisions for manufactured homes, though, including land that isn't a mobile home park.  The zone I'm building in qualifies.

So what are the rules specific to manufatured homes?  Pretty few, actually: