The Walden Effect: Farming, simple living, permaculture, and invention.

First steps

Building steps

After a day spent climbing in and out of the trailer using a stack of cinderblocks, we decided it was time to install some steps. Given our relative lack of power tools (we only have a couple of charged batteries and no access to plug-in equipment until our electric is hooked up), we opted for an inside-the-box solution. Two risers and six precut boards inscribed with traction channels were pricey but fast and easy to install.

Of course, our contractor took a look the next morning and informed us we'd done it all wrong. In Ohio, nothing can be attached to the trailer itself if we want to pass inspection. Off to buy some four-by-four posts and support the back end properly!



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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.



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re: First steps
Anna and Mark, I am truly enjoying hearing about your new adventure! I love the pictures. I think you are going to love your new home!
Comment by Maggie Turner — Fri Oct 6 09:53:09 2017
Not in the country any more.

You're not in the country anymore. I hope you can adjust quickly to having people dictate to you how things must be done.

Freedom vs Convenience

Eagerly watching you rebuild and praying the transition goes as smoothly as possible for you.

Comment by Ned — Fri Oct 6 17:09:06 2017
Nifty
It's good your contractor spoke up. It would be disappointing to find out, at inspection. Here's hoping you get to keep your stairs. I imagine some support rails are in order. In Australia, if stairs are higher than a metre, you need support rails, by law. Someone decided, under a metre, was safe to fall from - but anything over that, could result in injury.
Comment by Chris in Oz — Fri Oct 6 22:18:11 2017
comment 2
As I recall, the old trailer had cinderblock steps for like 5 years. Interesting to see the different priorities this time around!
Comment by joeyh.name — Sat Oct 7 10:12:31 2017
the nanny state!
California is a bit of a nanny state apparently. Where I lived, the rise and run of the stairs are dictated, as is the width from left to right, the type of wood if it touches the ground, you must have a slab of cement under the bottom step, rails have a minimum height and maximum separation distance, rails are required once you have 3 stairs, you must have a grippable handrail (with lots of specification)... all of which I completely understand and accept as valuable. But it does make it a drag to know what's right or wrong, what will/won't pass inspection, unless someone is available to give you some info.
Comment by jennifer — Sun Oct 8 12:45:24 2017
Not in the country any more.

You're not in the country anymore. I hope you can adjust quickly to having people dictate to you how things must be done.

Freedom vs Convenience

Eagerly watching you rebuild and praying the transition goes as smoothly as possible for you.

Comment by Ned — Mon Oct 9 10:25:04 2017
Step thoughts

I love all the comments on this post! Very limited internet time still, though, so just a few quick replies.

Joey --- I know! I stacked up some cinderblocks at first, but Mark didn't let it fly this time around.... :-)

Jennifer --- Yeah, the rules seem more complicated the more we look into them. Looks like we need a landing on top and a handrail too. Here's hoping our next edition will pass the test. :-)

Comment by anna — Tue Oct 10 15:02:54 2017
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