Panelized Deconstructable (to move) Small House?

So I just can't stop thinking lately...

Thats probably good since i'm not perfectly happy with any of my other chosen solutions so far.  

I'll share in brief my thinking and needs so people know how I got here.

I plan to buy cheap land meaning uncleared and expect to be stuck living on a sliver of it near the road until I can save enough to clear a path back into it and a clearing for a longer term house construction.

I wanted a moveable house with the idea that once I have that path and driveway I can move that house back there, since it will be hard enough to save up for the driveway, well, septic install.  I've been looking at skiddable and rolling structures (on wheels or able to put onto wheels) lately.  Also the idea of wooden yurts since my understanding was that the sections were like pizza slices that were identically made (so easier to churn out) then assembled together into the final pizza, meaning individual pieces could be moved by normal pickup as theyre lighter.

Maybe I need to take the modularity further though since complete whole pizza wedges of house are still too heavy for 2-3 people to lift.  (and I dont mean 'modular housing' as in huge lego blocks)  Why not just make EVERYTHING from break down panels designed to be built offsite, stored like in a storage garage, all fittable in a 4x8 or so trailer/van/pickup bed, and then moved to the site for final assembly?  Which can also be DISassembled and moved, small segments at a time deeper inland (or even to a second site entirely if needed) then REassembled in the new place?

It could even have the advantage to be expandable later, maybe its 12x16 or 12x20 to start, and the next year I can extend it to 20x20 or 20x30 - I realize I can't really extend a yurt easily, the wedges are at fixed angles and it's rebuild from zero then the more I think about it.  But this I could.  If the panels are all standardized, and just tie to each other, I can reuse everything, build some more panels (for floor, walls, ceiling) and take it further.  That's even better if the third friend me and the lady have moves in with us later, because maybe we add a second bedroom then to avoid awkwardness without having to rebuild every darn thing or make a second entire structure immediately for him.  :^)

This would also be buildable with a minimum of hand power tools only, would greatly ease struggling to build at my final location (fearing theft of tools and timber if things simply left super-near the road easy to grab) because i'm assuming larger sections of sectional housing might be left alone better than just a stack of 4x8 sheet or 2x4's under tarps plus it should go up super fast.



Basically what i'm thinking is that every wall or roof panel would be 4x8 sheet size, most floor panels 4x8 size as well (plus one 4x4 to fit in the corner when the floor dimension doesnt divide by 8 ) - every panel insulated (either fiberglass bat or preferably styrofoam as it's better R-value and available used when they decommission walk in freezers but thats not available every week), and if there is either electrical conduit or water pipes in that particular wall panel it feeds from the top or the bottom.  (not sideways because I want the sections to more easily decommission)

The panels would tie to each other using 8 foot 2x4 studs top and bottom, i'm hoping that would be strong enough.  (if not please advise)  This is mostly for the simplicity of being able to just screw the studs into the panels to tie them together, and when i'm readying for decommission or expanding the house I can unscrew the studs, and the studs all move in the back of a pickup or van nicely same as the panels/no huge pieces to fight with.  I'd like the same 2x4's to tie together everything if possible - sections of wall, sections of floor, sections of ceiling.  The panels would have to be designed to allow a 2x4 in the right place to put things together of course.
   ** I'm not against using metal or something stronger if that is the best solution since it's not used everywhere, more important is deconstructability, reusability of parts, fitting in a normal pickup bed, fairly inexpensive cost, and decent insulation.  Not great just decent to start, a small house costs less to heat by size alone and rent savings will allow future upgrades.

I am aware this would use a little more wood than a normal house (less efficient use of material) but that's a minor tradeoff vs the flexibility, being able to "just get something up" this year and then expand next year, and the year after that.  If it happens even one month faster that could be $1000 saved to buy more materials, build more panels, etc.

The roof would just be the simplest flat insulated roof possible - styrofoam or foam batt again, planning to be either 16 feet or 24 feet of eventual size (two or three panels long)  Higher on one side to let rain run off one side is fine, and since asphalt shingles wont 'decommission' i'm considering using something like corrugated iron sheets (like in africa) where I could just unscrew things, pull it off as a sheet, and put it back on when the roof is reconstructed in a new location.  Those naturally overlap and should let rain and snow slide downhill, loud in a hailstorm i'm aware.

Specialized wall panels would provide doors and windows - 2 doors because for fire safety I want a second exit, and windows depending on how many secondhand usable windows I find.  A few other specialized panels as an interior wall providing a common wall for a kitchen area on one side and bathroom/laundry on the other.


I  have other ideas to add but i'll let people critique and comment.  I can't think of any reason it wouldn't work so i'm asking for advice to point out my flaws.  I would not expect this to pass normal housing code so we'll call it a utility camping land retreat - the option to place the floor segments atop a stripped mobile home frame, to forcibly change the housing code jurisdiction away from state to federal, or sticking it on the back of a schoolbus ladder frame if not too wide while calling it a travel trailer - even though it's unlikely to be driven again - is also there.

In theory, it sounds great! It is the execution that will be the thing.

I don't have a whole lot of construction knowledge, but I did make a half decent chicken coop and run if I may say so myself.

How is humidity and seasons where you are at? I really like metal roofing panels and they can be put up around the cost if not cheaper than asphalt in my area. I however have to deal with snow load here so it has to be a bit more robust than slapping some tin on a few sticks.

The hand tools assembling I would believe to be fine, but the removal might lend itself to be a challenge. I however am a lazy person and hate deconstructing thing that I have made.

BRAVO ON THE TWO DOORS! That is something a lot of people would skip but you have the right idea there.

How are your heating/cooling considerations? A small space even with one person can get warm.

It may be that you are vastly over thinking this project. At least in the short run, there is no particular need to park your car next to your house. Just cut a path through whatever is in the way, then build what you want where you want it. Any farmer has a daily walk from his house to barn to pasture to field. Do the same, park near the road till you get a driveway in, then walk to the house. Trying to transport a building from one place to another is far harder than just building where you want it. It makes a bit more work carrying the wood instead of driving the wood, but in the end, you'll only have to dig one foundation, and you'll use less materials, and you'll be done. And done much faster than trying to engineer in the ability to take apart and move. Plus, you won't have materials sitting in plain sight on the road.

One of the things about starting a homestead or farm from scratch is that you have to learn to do two or three things at the same time. There just isn't enough time in a day to do just one thing, then do another. You say you have to clear a house site and driveway. But that isn't just clearing, it's also cutting Winter's wood. Get the best chainsaw you can afford, and it should only take days to clear a large enough area. Try to deliver materials when the ground is dry or frozen, so you have less to carry a distance. We're in mid-winter, clear now. Then, as soon as you can, put in whatever foundation you decide, while the ground is softer to dig. Then get your walls up and roof on. I don't know where you are, but if you have significant snow or rain, flat roofs are not such a good idea. Then you have all next winter to wire, insulate, and finish the interior. You might also want to consider the most expensive part of the house is the roof, so to my way of thinking you should go up as much as you can, at least a sleeping loft. Up is cheaper than out. If you do build smaller, with plans to enlarge, use shorter nails or screws to attach the exterior siding where the expansion will be. It'll make it easier to remove the siding when the time comes to make an exterior wall into an interior wall.

If you do decide you just have to build then move, a couple tricks include: Always keep a look out for discarded wooden broom or tool handles on trash pickup day. Those hard wood handles have a very high crush resistance, and they make rolling things very easy. Also, you don't need wheels. For thousands of years, we have just cut trees to use as rollers. If you are going with a yurt design, you could consider building a full on yurt shaped building for the first floor, then put your canvas yurt on top as a second floor. Two stories and room for summer, ground floor that is easier to heat in winter.

   What you are describing is called Structural Insulated Panels "SIP".  I've  never worked with them.  They seemed to be very expensive when I've priced them and then the wall has all those joints.  They are also very heavy.  Anyway, Its been done, you just need to find a good way to build and join them that can be taken back apart.  Tom
 

https://www.nohara.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/structural_insulated_panels2-768x576.jpg

https://www.nohara.in/structural-insulated-panels-for-weather-protection/

I think this idea of what you want seems a lot like a wigwam—a kind of house used for thousands of years by a wide variety of native North American cultures.

The essential design of a wigwam is long, thin poles bent together for structure, with tree bark (sewn together perhaps?) or cattail mats acting as the roofing and walls, and some sort of inner insulating mat as well, for instance, made of rushes, that served as artwork/decoration as well. (The western equivalent is tapestry. Maybe you can find a bunch of those to use as insulation?…) It isn’t insulated extensively since the design depends on radiant rather than convective heat, but settlers said they were far warmer and more wind tight than their own houses.

You already have trees you are going to clear—maybe the bark could aid you. But a major virtue appreciated in their heyday was that the inhabitants would carry the coverings and wall hangings with them on their backs whenever they wished to move, and make a new frame from poles found at the destination.

I wrote a little about it here too:  https://permies.com/t/235957/Rediscovering-Wigwam

Also maybe consider humanure composting rather than a septic system, a way of saving  and respecting a necessary element of human life that is often wasted.

There is my contribution—I hope you figure out a good solution that suits you and your situation well, whatever it is.

I live in an area where most of the houses cannot be seen from the road.

My neighbor has told me that it would be simple to take his house apart to move it.  Since I have never seen his house it is hard to imagine doing that.

So based on the title of this thread, it sounds like it is very doable to make panelized deconstructable small houses.

Here is an article that I found that says they've created a house that can go wherever you go:

Best of all, it requires little to no effort to assemble. "Erection on a chosen site takes no more than seven hours sparing the neighbors and surrounding area the noise, dust and other inconvenience of ongoing construction work," the company writes on their website.

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/this-house-can-be-dismantled-and-rebuilt-in-hours-so-it-can-go-anywhere-with-you