much easier to park an rv in your backyard

I think for a pre-fab it's nice, it takes up a little more space than a shed on a piece of land.

For the price I can probably build something better that takes better use of the space.

I think these things are mainly meant for home/land owners who have space in their backyard, don't want to spend the money to build a laneway or don't have the space to build one. So that they can make rental income. Am I correct? For a single person who only uses their homes to sleep and shower, and not really lounge around in it's probably a good temporary place to lease. But I can't see it being a long term solution for anyone.

the city has requirements as to when a laneway can be installed on the property. question is, does the city have requirements for having one of these things in the back yard?

I'm pretty sure it would need permits and the land would have to meet certain criteria/requirements, it needs its own 120/220 electrical, it also requires its own plumbing and possibly even gas.

looks cool,, however pretty sad that people living in a country as big as canada have to resort to these type of places.. I have seen them in japan and korea and works because of they are land locked.
population distribution /development to blame.

how about infrastructure to go with it, if everybody starts putting them in thr backyards..

A snail is just a slug with a home, after all...

Where's your creativity?? Think of all the angles of those stairs....

Sure there's lots of land, but nobody wants to fucking pay for the infrastructure to service all of it.

Looks like you've got to step on your cutting/prep board in the kitchen to get upstairs... :suspicious:

I am not sure I would call it sad.

I think a lot of people will purchase and live in these units out of choice rather necessity. I'd like to predict this trend in space efficient living catching on...gone are the days where a family of 3-4 would seek a 5000 sq ft house. I sit an watch shows like House Hunters and I see a young couples looking at these 5-6 bedroom houses on massive lots and complaining they are not "big enough".

I think conservative living is really catching on and people are seeing that there is no need for a dinning room to sit 20 people, a craft room, home movie theatre, etc.

These mega houses are really a trend of North America and I know several have mentioned Asian countries having small housing, but it also a very European thing as well. People rarely socialize IN HOME and opt for evenings out as housing size does not afford such ability. What is the upside? Well, you can now afford socializing outside the home as you are no longer house-poor :fullofwin:

Why should housing be out biggest expense?


IMO, I don't think these specific homes utilize that space all that well....I really prefer the Tumbleweed designs for space efficiency.

QFT. The total cost of this thing is less than the down payment for a downtown condo... if you have that money and buy you "house" outright, all that money you'd dump into a mortgage is now gravy. Maybe allow a couple hundred bucks a month for a storage unit... but you make up that difference for the reduced electric and heating costs.

^^ exactly...having housing such as this can mean more travel and/or longer periods of travelling, more socializing outside the home, more hobbies, more "outside" time, etc. Although our winter climate may not be ideal for more outdoor living, it would certainly encourage one to be outside more during times of nice weather. Why read a book on a small couch inside, when you could lie in a hammock outside...b/c now you can afford to have grass instead of a small condo balcony overlooking the city dump!

Don't you love wide angle lenses?

r u sndn a txt msg m8?

Its a forum type a word or ten enjoy the language.

I'll agree tho its a great concept

I can't believe some of the expectations home buyers have when I watch shows on them. Young, first time buyers expecting things like a walk-closet, his and her bathroom sinks, modern kitchen, jacuzzi tub, etc.

"Ewww...laminate countertops!? No. I can't move here!"

"You know, Laura...we are really looking for a home with a 3 car garage"

"What do you mean we would need to build our own tennis court?"

"I don't like the colour of these hardwood floors...we would really need to rip the up and put new ones in"

"Even those these appliances are new, they are white. That just isn't acceptable"

I would choose an extremely efficient 150sq/ft space over a typical 750sq/ft space.

In reality, I'm one person. I spent minimal time at home. I don't accumulate 'stuff.'

The other 600sq/ft of space therefore goes unused.

My only caveat is a proper shower.

I definitely disagree.

I'm counting on city planners to increase population density radically.

A higher population density increases the efficiency of infrastructure and transit and staves off the encroachment of housing developments into natural spaces and farmland. Communities should be walkable and communal, not strictly driveable and individualistic.

It's TV

They're supposed to put D-bags on it

That makes me want to look at plots of land for vacation property...

It would be perfect as a little cottage.

hm. it would be as fashionable though... how about a mobile home? what do those go for these days? live it up like an episode of trailer park boys.

I don't see a bathroom, I'm assuming there's a wet bathroom (shower/toilet combo) near the kitchen.

Looks cozy though.

oh yeah^^^ im guessin its behind the couch that or they plan on you using the kitchen sink ;)

Atleast try looking at the link before you post...

Anyways, to the people saying density is bad enough, get used to it. Vancouver is going to have to become a lot denser in order to sustain its growth.

The city currently has very tight limitations on what types of lots can have laneway houses, but these are going to be removed in the near future. This means we can densify urban locations much more efficiently. This is a good thing, it brings communities much closer together...

The only downside is that parking is going to be a nightmare, the flip side to this is, bringing everything closer together might mean you don't need a car anymore... Its certainly not a lifestyle for the people here on RS, but for some people its great...

I'd be totally down for something like this at this point in my life.... Not for living with someone else though, but right now I'm never home most of the day. Really would just need a simple place to sleep, somewhere to prepare a meal every once in a while, and maybe a desk to do homework at. The couch and TV probably wouldn't even be used. Would need to be an okay location with parking though...

You know what... even where I live in Pitt Meadows, I could ALMOST get away without a car (other than work as a service technician, which requires me to haul tools and parts all over town). Within four blocks, I have an IGA, Langley Market, Starbucks, a theater, Shopper's Drug Mart, Subway, McD's, Pet Planet, two vets, two liquor stores, a pub, a Pantry, a nightclub, two sushi places, a thai place, a Chinese place, two gas stations, two dentists, a pet supply store, Lordco, pizza place, fitness place, a couple mani/pedi places, walk-in clinic, chiropractor, fish'n'chips, discount store (we call it a dollar store, it's kinda like a dollar store, but nothing in it is anywhere near a dollar), and recycling center (including full electronics recycling).

Within 7-8 blocks, there's another pub, donair place, two more pizza places, 7-Eleven, a couple dog groomers, physiotherapist, credit union, another sushi place, Waves, and of course, the Westcoast Express station.

There's almost nothing you would NEED that isn't a short walk from here. Superstore, Timmy's, Cineplex, Michaels, Staples, Canadian Tire, and various other shopping is barely a 20-30 minute walk. There are even three schools and two off-leash parks within a 20 minute walk. Sure there are things that you COULD drive to, like Safeway, Save-On, Wal-Mart, Costco... but those are all optional, all choices.

meanwhile in Japan.. some people with 2 or 3 cars actually build one of these at their home because they don't have enough space

http://www.geocities.jp/gsirhato/P1010001.JPG
http://www.showa-crane.co.jp/images/...inicaparkr.jpg
http://gonihongo.com/wordpress/wp-co.../03/060318.jpg