The progress today is less visible, but we managed to accomplish quite a bit despite the rain. A roofing framer, came out this morning to figure out the plan for the tiny house roof. The tiny house is taking shape and it’s not so tiny anymore. Now it’s starting to look like a miniature barn!

Jane has wanted to maximize the usable space in the lofts because she feels like my sleeping loft is too claustrophobic. We considered creating dormers flush with the exterior wall by extending the walls higher on the half of the house with the sleeping loft. That would create two pitches to the roof, one steeper and one shallower. We decided to put the decision off until later but once we had sheathed the exterior we realized we would have a hinge point if we built a pony wall above the existing wall. One of the builders came up with the best idea yet when she suggested a gambrel roof. I’d considered one on another tiny house I’d dreamed up but for some reason it never occurred to me that Jane’s tiny house would have a gambrel roof. Turns out, it does. The roofer mocked up the first set of rakes late this morning and Jane was delighted.

While the roofer figured out his measurements we built the sleeping loft so that we can stand on it while working on the roof. Just when we stopped for a quick lunch break we encountered the rainiest part of the day, so after lunch we set up our saws under the carport. Half of us spent the afternoon prepping gussets with jigsaws while the rest of us cut rakes on the miter saw so that we can get the roof framing up tomorrow. Meanwhile the doorman came to drill holes in the new door. Another friend will be picking it up tomorrow to finish the door. It’s going to be really lovely! In the evening we stapled tar paper on the lower portion of the house to protect the OSB from the rain and put tarps over the whole house to protect it from the rain tonight.

Jane decided to celebrate a great fifth day by taking her builders to dinner at a German restaurant down the street. I asked what the most German thing on the menu was. They recommended the roulade which was beef and pork wrapped in a cabbage leaf, covered in a tomato sauce, and served with mashed potatoes. It was decidedly German and quite tasty! We toasted the tiny house and had a great time unwinding from a drizzly day.

It will be an early start tomorrow and I’m glad a couple more friends have agreed to come on out to help!