Katrina cottages

[kalama boy]

Aloha all,
Does anyone have any experience with Katrina cottages? They are the small kit homes that can be purchased through Lowes hardware stores. Has anyone purchased and built on or know of someone that has?
Mahalo.

[Kelena]

I did communicate with the architect once (she is lovely, and a genius). These adorable homes never quite caught on, and received no government support (either monetary or moral) but there are some down there. Hawaii is a special environment that somehow manages to be even harsher than Louisiana, so some adaptation might be required, but the lanais are Louisiana deep and that's good. The spaces are extremely small and my primary concern would be ventilation and the lack of overhang on the sides.

[Ryan.]

For those unfamiliar, http://www.cusatocottages.com/

[csgray]

Actually there are multiple architects who designed "Katrina Cottages" modeled after the old school shotgun shacks. I thought building one with higher side walls and full wrap around lanais (both screened and open) would be good a way to have a larger living space while keeping the interior space fairly small.

http://www.moserdesigngroup.com/katrina.htm
http://www.katrinacottages.com/home.asp
http://www.katrinacottagehousing.org/
http://www.lowes.com/cd_The+Katrina+Cottage_634317861_


Carol

[kalama boy]

I really like the look and size of these, not sure if they would last in our climate. They do have metal roofs and large overhangs though. csgray I like the idea of the additional lanai. What is the advantage of the higher sidewalls?
How much do you think construction cost would be to assemble one of these after the materials package is purchased from Lowes? Just the cost of the house not including all of the site and foundation work.
Mahalo for the replies.

[csgray]

If you don't raise the side walls the slope of the roof over the lanais would bring the roof edge too low, it would block light and views.

Smaller houses always cost more per square foot, because certain building costs are fairly fixed regardless of the size of the house, the kitchen and 1st bathroom for example. Because those costs are distributed over fewer total square feet the price per square foot will be higher, but the overall cost will still be lower. Costs can be kept lower by paying attention at the design stage to things like standard board lengths when deciding on things like room dimensions, so you aren't doing things like paying your builder to cut 18" off a 12 foot board.

As far as climate goes, I think these are more suitable than most of the houses we saw built here over the last 5-7 years that look like they were taken straight from an Arizona or Southern Cal suburb. The climate of the deep south is hot, humid, and prone to torrential rains with high winds. As long as you built with good deep eaves and line up doors and windows for cross ventilation I think they would work out just fine here.

Vernacular architecture like the shotgun shack are architectural styles developed over time by people living and building in a specific place, as a result it is architecture designed to work with the climate, not against it.

Carol

[Kapohocat]

quote:

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Originally posted by csgray...
As far as climate goes, I think these are more suitable than most of the houses we saw built here over the last 5-7 years that look like they were taken straight from an Arizona or Southern Cal suburb. The climate of the deep south is hot, humid, and prone to torrential rains with high winds. As long as you built with good deep eaves and line up doors and windows for cross ventilation I think they would work out just fine here.

Vernacular architecture like the shotgun shack are architectural styles developed over time by people living and building in a specific place, as a result it is architecture designed to work with the climate, not against it.

Carol

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I totally agree with you!!

And the layout on the KC308 with the deck is just perfect to get under the 500 SF Guest house with deck issue if you leave the kitchen out, or instead of the studio designs that many of the lumber yards have (usually 16 x 20) this one actually in almost same SF gives you a bedroom.

Those are so adaptable to planation design!

[pslamont]

Awesome cottages!

I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says

"Oh Crap, She's up!"

[oink]

quote:

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And the layout on the KC308 with the deck is just perfect to get under the 500 SF Guest house with deck issue

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I thought the 500SF didn't include the uninclosed deck. Thats too bad if it does.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[kalama boy]

Has anyone actually purchased one of these kits from Lowes and built it?
I think that these types of houses may be popular in the future. Small and inexpensive, more for the masses. Pople are looking for the same things in transportation, smaller and more affordable. I agree with you Kapohocat and pslamont, these cottages are very nice looking for a kit home and seem to be well designed.