Crazy house idea?

[Perry]

Sometimes I think my mind has too much free time. House prices where we live are plumb crazy. Stuff in my neighbourhood is going for $100K over asking!!! We could sell our home for 3 times what we paid for it 10 years ago. We also own 2 acres just outside of town where my honey house is located, and it's nice there. Awful tempting to sell in town and build out there. The main problem with that is the cost of building. 2 x 4 x8' is almost $10, and sheet of plywood 1/2" is well over $60!

Enter my dangerous mind: Our honey house is an office trailer in great condition, 12 x 60, with a half bath. It has heating and cooling with a Bard heat pump. Well, I just found the twin to it not 12 miles down the road at an old textile mill that was torn down. The trailer is almost exactly the same, but has been abandoned for almost 15 years. A squatter set up shop for a short while a couple years ago and kids have taken care of the rest, vandalizing pretty good. A lot of the interior panelling is gone, most windows busted, etc. Someone stole the wheels and tires and even the hubs!
I finally traced the new owner of the property and he would sell me the trailer for $500 and 1 gallon of honey. My hubs and wheels will mount right on for the trip. I cleaned it up to get a better idea of what it might need. Some rot around the busted windows (expected), and the tin on the outside is loose in spots. With the missing interior panelling I can see most of the studs and walls and they are ok.

Call me crazy but I am thinking about buying it, moving it next to my honey house, joining the two side by side, putting a peaked roof over the two, gutting the interiors, double walling the entire exterior walls, and then removing the center walls. A 24 x 60 house on the cheap. All this would be on a concrete foundation verses the pad the honey house is now on.
Previous pics:




free image hosting
Cleaned up:






Set it beside this:



End up with something like this:



I know it takes some imagination, but with some work and effort, I think it could be done a lot cheaper than a complete new build.
Your honest thoughts and opinions?

[Zweefer]

A couple of questions...

First and foremost, what does your wife think of this idea?

Secondly, would you move you honey house then since you are planning on converting it's current space?  If so, how much will that cost to complete?

3rd - I assume you would do all the work by yourself, in spare time, and sell your current place when complete?

[Jen]

Wow Perry! I love creative ambition like this, will enjoy watching this process.

[Perry]

Jane is ok with the idea, we're not hung up on the "mobile home" thing as this would not end up like that at all. Lumber costs are through the roof here, is it the same there?
I see all sorts of inovative ideas, container homes, etc. I dismissed that, as a container is only 8'6" wide to begin with and then you need to insulate and would end up with pretty small rooms. I also like the idea of reduce, reuse and recycle, so converting a couple of older office trailers into something appeals to me verses all new. That is also why I keep my old 91 GMC on the road (20 years now) verses something new. Truck still chugs along, just have to be more careful now that gas is so high.

[Bakersdozen]

Curious, what's the cost to move the trailer and pouring a foundation?  We built a honey house during the lockdown.  Concrete really went up in price from the time we planned until we actually poured.

[LazyBkpr]

Dang Perry, the same thoughts have been running through our heads....   We could almost double what we paid for this place now.

[Bakersdozen]

I have seen two trailers married together with good results.  It was down in the Ozarks though, not Nova Scotia.  I am sure they heated with wood too, but don't remember.

[tedh]

Lumber has gone through the roof here to Perry.  My son, Josh, went to our local small town lumber yard to get 8@2x4x8.  Close to $120.00! I think he said the price was like $14.00 each. You can get it cheaper at Lowes or menards and it is a small town yard, but sheesh!  On a seperate note:  really good to hear from you Perry.  Ted

[Zweefer]

So what did you decide to do?!?!?