Monday, February 1, 2010

Perfection in a small home by Skyline




Click on any photo to enlarge.

These are photos of a smaller trailer I love, only 475 sq. ft. It's hard to find the specs on these but as far as I can tell it is what is called a HUD-code park model, that is, a park model larger than 400 sq. ft., that conforms to HUD standards instead of ANSI standards, which are lower. It has better insulation in the roof and floor than most park models, but 2 x 4" walls and R-11 insulation which is unacceptable.

Although this home is just a one bedroom, one bath model, it is the interior space and layout that is striking. These little homes can get very elaborate with dormers and cathedral ceilings, but this one maintains the simplicity but has that one peak in the living room that looks so good. Although I like the copper back-splash in the kitchen, the beauty of this home isn't in the details; it is in the interior form. It comes as close to perfection as I've ever seen in a home of this size.


It is made by Skyline of California.



The outside appearance is okay, although I don't like that it doesn't have eaves on the sides. The porch is cute though. It would look better on a foundation, and if had a metal roof and eaves more like this one with wood siding. (Also by Skyline.)



The kitchen might look better with stainless steel or black appliances, better counter tops, without the wood on the base cabinet having a repeating pattern, and the furniture like the dining table, the carpet, the tile could all be improved...but who cares when there are such beautiful shapes in the ceilings and walls. The layout is great and I like the built-ins in the bedroom, the corner sink in the bathroom.

If I lived in a home like this, I don’t think I’d ever get over appreciating all the nice wall shapes and the beautiful ceiling shape over one window (2nd photo) in the living room. It is much more interesting than a flat ceiling or rooms with square walls.

Being so small, it would also be very energy efficient if they could use better insulation and get it up to R20 or so. It has an area for a stack washer/dryer.

The problem is the price, in that this home would probably start edging toward the $52,500 for the 1178 sq. ft. Karsten SF-50 which is very well made, to modular standards, but with less visual excitement inside, but at over twice the size with three bedrooms and two baths. It would be hard to resist going for the larger home.

However, this one bedroom Skyline would be perfect for someone on a property where a larger model wouldn’t fit, cantilevered off a hillside, or for someone who wanted the lower expenses of a smaller home.

I got these photos a few months ago, from a dealer’s site. Some of the more web savvy dealers take photos of the homes on their lots that are for sale. A few even take videos.

All the interior photos are of the same home, the one without the wood siding.





2 comments:

Gina said...

Yes, small is the way to go! I've very happy in my little 925-sq-ft energy-efficient space. It's more than enough for one person. See it at http://www.my-green-home-project.com

Greenotter said...

What a great little house Gina! Look forward to seeing it completed.

I like to look at small, older homes on realtor.com in cities like Indianapolis and several other cities that are loaded with smaller homes at prices starting at $20,000 or even lower.

However, I do renovations in my mind only, because having done a house with my own two hands, I don't want to go through that again.