Answers to some of our questions

A few friends have already mentioned they want a wee too, which we are very excited about. I like being a vanguard!

The wee People are great. Not only did they check in on the blog, but they got right back to me with answers to the questions I sent them. Not all of the questions were sent because some of the questions were not appropriate for them.

Here are the answers, somewhat altered:
1. What is the definition of a “house” for tax and zoning purposes? Have any of your other customers had problems calling a weeHouse a house?

When a weeHouse is placed on its foundation, it legally becomes a piece of real estate, and for all intents and purposes is viewed as a site-built house.

2. What kind of foundations do wees have?

You can choose either a perimeter foundation, or a pier foundation for your weeHouse. The pier foundation tends to be the more economical option, but with a perimeter foundation you have the option to dig out a storage space, or even a full basement.

3. How do composting toilets work? What are the implications of using one?

Composting toilets are not standard in weeHouses. We would be happy to design one into your weeHouse, but the majority of the work happens as site preparation, not as something factory-installed. You can find a lot of information on composting toilets on the web, but the basic idea is that it uses little to no water and produces compost that can be used on a garden, etc. It's the route you'd want to take if you were looking into an "off-the-grid" weeHouse, or if you wanted to be especially environmentally sensitive.

4. How much electricity can the solar panels provide for the wee?

That depends on how many you have, and how much sun can reach them. You could potentially power your entire weeHouse this way.

5. Have other wee owners been able to convince homeowners associations that these are not manufactured/trailer homes? A lot of land we saw said no "manufactured homes." We assume this means no trailers.

You'd have to speak to the associations directly to get more information on this. You would want to be sure to have clarified this before you purchased the lot.

6. How much does transporting the wee to the location cost? Are there difficulties getting it to a remote location?

Delivery costs $7/mile. A weeHouse in the DC area would be shipped from our factory in central PA. Remoteness, in terms of distance, is not a big issue. What you need to watch out for are lots that aren't accessible for a crane and large truck, or heavily-wooded lots that would require significant clearing, which can be expensive.

7. How long does it take to build a wee?
We estimate 6-9 months from the time you sign the initial contract until the time when your module is delivered.