houseboat foundation

[husbåt]

Hehehe I was a bit too happy when I wrote this post and made the calculation

But I expect that the foundation will cost a maximum of 100k and I thought that the walls will cost 100-150k.

I thought of building the walls with this http://www.euromac.ie/downloads/pdf/List of elements.pdf so the only thing I need is plasterboards inside the house and something outside (can you use plasterboards outside??).

Then I'll skip the engines and someone with a boat can help me transport it =D (meaning I'll buy engines when I have money).

And for plumbing and electricity, I thought it would cost 50-100k, which includes a simple bathroom. Then I'll fix the kitchen and windows later on when I get money.

So just foundation+walls+electricity, plumbing, bathroom = 300,000 SEK

 

[joflopp]

There must be a reason why not everyone lives on houseboats; if it cost as little as 300,000 to build a livable boat, our harbors would probably be overcrowded...

Moreover, it's not as simple to get a mooring for a houseboat as it is for a regular boat.

The following seems to apply in Stockholm
To get a mooring in Stockholm's inner city, the boat must have a ship-like silhouette. There are also regulations stating that the boats must be insured and registered in the Ship Register. This means, in plain terms, that both Stockholm's harbor, the City Planning Office, and the Council for the Protection of Aesthetics prefer trawlers or tall ships at the moorings. Converted barges, red cottages on pontoons, and other individual solutions are not favored. It should look like a harbor; that is how you preserve maritime culture. The harbor master has the final say; he decides whether the boat is ship-like enough, in good condition, and whether the person seems capable of renovating the boat.

 

[yens]

Okay, we're talking about 30 square meters, which is quite small, even for a houseboat. Many houseboats have one level that is essentially below water, followed by one or two more levels above. Isn't the risk with such a small houseboat of 28 sqm that it becomes very sensitive to wind, with the slightest waves causing seasickness at home?

I have no experience with houseboats and admire your commitment, but I'm asking some silly questions to help you move forward, not because I don't believe in your idea

 

[cem77]

Buy a steel boat and furnish it. They are available from 150,000 and up on Blocket in decent condition. Then you have a real boat, and an engine is usually included so you can get out to the archipelago in the summer. Additionally, the resale value will be much better than for a homemade houseboat of questionable size and quality. One day your plans in life may change, and then it's good to be able to sell and change residence without losing everything you’ve invested in time and money.

 

[husbåt]

have made a small model of the house.

http://www.ladda-upp.com/bilder/27402/husb-C3-A5t

the foundation will consist of two aluminum forms. the first will be the upper one which will be filled with frigalit to not lose buoyancy if there should be a hole in the aluminum form. the second one under it will be completely empty and will act like an anchor. when the boat is to be stationary, it is emptied of air, and the entire boat sinks one meter, which I foresee will increase stability as there will be a greater mass to float for the boat to be affected. then when it is supposed to go, air is pumped in, which lifts the boat and reduces water resistance when it moves forward.

I drew this later, but the wings that protrude from the boat should have the same shapes to provide stability so the boat doesn’t tip over. and that plate sticking out at the back of the boat should be able to be lifted to reduce the length of the boat when needed.

the house will be built with EPS blocks I know three companies that build this EPS they are: http://www.isorast.se/ http://www.sundolitt.se/default.asp?menu=189 http://www.dorocell.se/eway/default...,1975&Content_6075=6048:17608::0:6076:1:::0:0

isorast currently seems to be the best choice because their walls have a U-value of 0.10 my goal is to make an active house, and I will make it possible by building my own solar panels because it costs 10% of the price than buying them from the factory.

do you have any opinions or suggestions?? (I will be finished with the floor plan shortly)

 

[fredl]

Fun idea!
Unfortunately, most things that are supposed to float and go on water are expensive, but with a lot of your own work and clever solutions, you'll surely manage.

In 25 underbara hem there was an issue about a family who built a 32 sq m vacation home on a catamaran hull. The person in question seems to have started a company to sell to others. I can try to find the magazine and check the name.

Here's another link:
http://www.bobat.se/SVD-20050604.pdf

 

[husbåt]

Fun idea! Unfortunately, most things that are meant to float and go on water are expensive, but with a lot of your own work and clever solutions, you'll surely manage to fix it. In "25 underbara hem," there was a family in a past issue that built a 32 sqm vacation home on a catamaran hull. The person in question seems to have started a company and is planning to sell to others. I can try to find the magazine and check the name. Here is another link: [link]

thanks for the link, really exciting =D And regarding the notion that building on water is expensive, I don't think it is so... In a house, it's not the roads and windows that cost money, it's the plot and the foundation, and if you remove those two things, it becomes quite cheap =D

 

[John J]

thanks for the link, really exciting =D

and about it being expensive to build on water, I don't think it is..
in a house, it's not the walls and windows that cost money, it's the land and foundation, and if you remove those two things, it becomes quite cheap =D

It will become rank if you build it "round" under the surface.

Maybe you can add a slingerköl to fix this.

 

[Sailorman]

then I'll skip the engines and someone with a boat will have to help me transport it =D (I will buy engines when I have money)

and plumbing and electricity I thought would cost 50-100k, which includes a simple bathroom. Then I'll fix the kitchen and windows afterward when I have the money.

so just base+walls+electricity,plumbing,bathroom= 300 000kr

Hi.

Cool project. However, I think, as some have pointed out, that your costs will increase.

You say you will skip the engine/s initially to cut costs. What kind of engine/s are you planning to use later on? If you intend to use one or more inboards (one in each hull), like a converted Volvo B20, make sure you've prepared for this beforehand. Otherwise, I think you'll be unpleasantly surprised when you try to install this afterward.
I would make sure to install engines and the drivetrain first, and if money is tight, wait with something else. You will tire of being dependent on others to come and help.

Regarding plumbing (kitchen and bathroom), make sure to check the requirements for this type of boat/vessel regarding a "holding tank." It's mandatory for all newly-produced boats over a certain size to have a tank where waste is collected to be pumped out at a designated station.

Regarding your idea of lowering the houseboat to have a more stable craft, your reasoning is correct. Just make sure you still have enough height for the deck, doors, etc. Otherwise, it can easily get wet on the floor from the wake of other boats or nature.

Good luck,

Henrik

 

[Sailorman]

It will become rank if you build it "round" below the surface.

Maybe you can add a slinger keel to fix this.

Having it rounded between the hulls will not significantly affect stability. However, he will need more displacement (weight) at the bottom to stabilize such a tall boat.

Henrik

 

[husbåt]

Hi.

Cool project. However, as some have pointed out, you will end up with a considerable cost.

You say you are skipping the engine(s) initially to reduce costs. What type of engine(s) are you planning to have later on? If you intend to use one or several (one in each hull) inboards, like a converted Volvo B20, make sure you have prepared for this in advance. Otherwise, I think you'll get an unpleasant surprise when you try to install them later on. I would make sure to install engines and drivetrain first, and if the money runs out, wait with something else. You'll get tired of being dependent on others to help you.

Regarding plumbing (kitchen and bathroom), make sure to check what applies to this type of boat/vessel concerning the "holding tank." There is a requirement for all newly produced boats over a certain size to have a tank where the "waste" is collected to be pumped ashore at a designated station.

Regarding your idea of lowering the houseboat to get a more stable vessel, your reasoning is correct. Just make sure you still have enough height for a porch, door, etc. Otherwise, the floor can easily get wet from the wake of other boats or nature.

Good luck

Henrik

Thanks for the tips. I thought about using an outboard motor instead of building it in, as it's something I can't manage by myself. Is it a bad idea? (disregarding the risk of theft)

Of course, I'm aware you need a septic tank, trying to find one with a capacity of 500-1000 liters so you can "do your business" comfortably :blushing:

Then I'm thinking of having two tanks for hot and cold water, does anyone know how big they need to be, I mean, how much do one to two people use per day?

 

[Immobil]

In this case, I agree with cem77, see post #19.

 

[husbåt]

In this case, I agree with cem77, see post # 19.

but I think that with a real hull it will wobble too much, it's like a motorcycle and a car, a motorcycle needs speed to become stable because the center of gravity is in the middle, but in a car, it's on the sides which makes it less flexible but very stable, and stability is what I'm after. I might be wrong, but that's how I think, and converting a steel boat is expensive, and the result is not so good.

then I came up with a little smart cooling system in the summer. when the boat is "anchored," it's about 2 meters under the water, which means you can run pipes down there and up into the boat again, and at the beginning, you have a pump that pumps air down, and by having valves in the house, you can decide how much of the cold air you want to let in =D

the reason for this is because the water is colder two meters below the water's surface than the air above the water.

 

[cem77]

My suggestion of a steel boat to live in was not meant for you to build your house on top of a boat but rather to live in the boat. It can be quite cozy, and if it has a small wood-burning stove, you can keep moisture and cold away reasonably well.
If you are to build what you propose in your vision, there is only one way to manage the foundation, which is to create a cast pontoon with built-in buoyancy elements and waterproof concrete of the same quality used for building bridges. The alternative is a welded steel barge, but you will soon run into corrosion issues. Check here on AquaVilla. Their house base weighs 110 tons!!!!

For example, your water tanks must be housed in the pontoon. A perhaps smarter approach is to invest in some kind of composting toilet. There are, for example, those that incinerate the waste with heating elements or similar. That way, you avoid a large tank needing emptying occasionally. This vessel will always be docked against land or a pier, so electricity will be available.

As for the center of gravity, it's fine under optimal conditions (calm), but there will always be waves, sea motion, and wind load. Your center of gravity will shift. Combine that with your friends visiting and everyone rushing to the same side to check out the cool boat passing by, and you have a pretty quick and dramatic shift in center of gravity.
Go out on a pier and observe large sailboats docked on a day when it's blowing 15+ m/s. The boats tip quite significantly in the wind despite only the mast being wind exposed. Now imagine your house with high walls and little weight below.