We spent about a day and a half getting the rest of the boards off the trailer base and nicely stacked. This required the input and hard work of 3 generations. But we got it done! I plan on using these boards later for the decking. Now I've got a clean slate on which to start the sub-floor/trailer base.
Updated: Apr 12, 2020
My amazing brother has cleared the back of their property, made a level spot for my home, made a driveway of my own and two visitor parking spots (which I'm hoping will be frequently filled). It's a beautiful spot to call home!
A lot of work is required just to get the trailer base ready to be built upon. So now the real manual labor begins. First step is to remove the existing floor boards from the base to alleviate some weight and gain 2" in height, which can be substantial within a tiny house. This was actually more difficult than expected. The numerous screws attaching the 2" boards to the metal base were so stuck that very few could simply be removed with a drill. We tried WD40, a chisel, mallet, pry bar, etc. As a last resort, my brother and I climbed underneath the trailer and hammered the ends off of every screw. So... after a few hours, more hammering, drilling and prying, breaking one of Dad's screwdrivers and overheating his corded drill (it was smoking and may have been a family heirloom, as well) and draining several rechargeable drill batteries, we were able to remove the first board. Whew! We then removed two more boards and called it a day. It was so great working along my family. I returned home in the evening dirty, bloodied, bruised, sore and tired...but happy!
Purchasing the trailer base was just the beginning. Now to design my home. What will fit within a 28 foot trailer base? What are my must-haves? In which areas can I simplify or live with less? Can I still have things I love and reflect my style and personality? How much does a person really need to live comfortably? And how do I stick with my budget? This may require quite a few cups of coffee!
