Cutting Holes and Other Stuff You Don’t Plan For

I have a plan to make a little less than two square feet addition to Tiny House Ontario. 22 x 8 inches plus a 22x 5 inch space where there is currently wall will become part of the footprint. It is an absurd amount of work to add such a very tiny 242 square inch additional space, but I think that the outcome will be totally worth the work. The great thing is that this will not actually add anything to the square footage of the house because the addition is a “dog box” that will stick out from the house on the West wall and this dog box will eventually become an enclosed stone chimney. I understand that just like outhouses, chimneys do not count in the square footage in my township, so the “dog box” is a short term coverable solution which will be worked on weather permitting after the dog box goes in.

The fact is that I have to make an addition. I had not included a wood stove in my original plan, but after having used a propane stove to heat, one thing I can say for certain that in a cold climate with a tiny well insulated space like THO, it is a terrible heat source. I really hate the dampness of it and it really is time to upgrade. Once the “dog box” is in place, it will be home to the Mini 12 Grey Stove that I purchased a year ago in December. Too, because the best plan is not always the easiest, the only way I can see to do this and still have a comfortable room is to locate the stove to go in the location of existing cupboards on the West wall in the Southern corner.

I also have another good reason for burning wood.  We live on ten acres of forest and my stove will give me viable repurpose for wood branch debris.

I have been at the house and I have already started the renovation. First, I had to remove all the stuff; I went through everything and purchased a few plastic containers and found that everything is essential, fits neatly in two thirds of the space that I had been using.  Second, I removed and relocated the cupboard doors so that the new plastic storage bins are neatly hidden away. Third, I cut out and removed all the build in shelves.  The nice thing is that the propane heater fits now neatly in the alcove and will stay here until I can do the rest of the job.

Relocated closed cupboard and new plastic tool bins

The truth is, there is still MUCH to be done. The wall boards have to be removed.  Then the framing has to be cut out and  reinforcements have to be put in place.   Then the wall needs to have a 22x 60 inch hole cut through, straight to the great outdoors. After this a tiny 27 x 11 inch cement pad has to be poured and cured and the teeny tiny dog box addition has to be built.  Then it will have to be roofed , then the entire thing will need to be sheathed, and steel has to be added to it in order to keep it dry.

After this is done there is insulation to add, and then a deck needs to be added for the stove to sit on. This tiny addition and the existing 9 inch deep alcove will then need to be covered in cement board and then this will need to be covered with something fireproof and attractive.  I am thinking 1.5 inch thick marble remnants might be the option I go with, because I can get these for free from a counter top maker’s dumpster that is close to my house.

Planned “dog box” addition to THO

I had hoped to start removing the wall boards and get the reinforcement boards up this week, but a trip to the doctor yesterday brings me some less than stellar news. I need another operation. I will be cut hipbone to hipbone and up to my belly button in a big upside-down capitol T, so they can rid me of tumors. Too the doctor biopsied me again yesterday even though so far it has been nothing malignant. Tomorrow I go for a barium swallow test too, yum yum. The end result is doc says no work for me now, and nothing for 6 to 8 weeks afterward either.  Sadly, despite the fact that I was feeling pretty good and getting things done again until my appointment yesterday, today I feel like I have been dragged through a grinder.

But, there is good news!   They will be chopping me opened on December 2^nd so it will be over with soon enough and Doc thinks I will sufficiently recovered by the end of January that I should be good to go.

The crummy news is that February in Canada is not a good time of year to cure cement, nor to cut a hole in a house, so still no stove.

You know folks, I am sick of being sick; however I am glad to have a plan and to have the space in the wall cleared for when I am ready to go.  Too, I have to say, despite the fact that the house is not moving forward much this year, it is holding up really well and looking great.

The dog box addition is to go in on the wall between the window and the door to the cloth porch.
This dog box will eventually become enclosed by a stone chimney.

UPDATE:  Please be aware that I am not happy with the stove and cannot endorse it.