This YardPod was was designed and built for a Teacher in Berkeley, California.  She wanted an office that maximized wall space while still providing good natural light. We prefabricated this YardPod with five high-level Milgard aluminum awning windows and one glass-paneled steel door.

Foundations comprised six site-poured concrete foundations with a connecting treated wood beam system which took half a day to complete.

There are three floor panels each 4ft wide that were fabricated in our factory. They are filled with recycled denim insulation.

The wall panels are also 4ft wide and were prefabricated complete with windows and insulation. 

Roof panels are similar to the floor panels but are 2ft and 3ft wide to minimize weight for lifting.

All panels could be lifted by two people.

The interior has unfinished high-quality plywood which will be stained or painted by the owner.  Exterior wall finish is LP SmartSiding painted with the owners choice of color and the roof is our standard Duro-Last ‘Cool Roof” membrane with bronze metal fascia.

The floor panels were pre-wired (by our Licensed Electrical Contractor) with six double electrical outlets, optimized for workspace flexibility.  The Electrical Contractor also added exterior wall outlets on site.

If you would like to learn more about this YardPod, please call or email Malcolm Davies at 415-299-1924 md@yardpods.com.

Introducing YardPod CLASSIC

YardPod Classic is the latest generation of YardPod:

• Lower Prices
• Much Faster to assemble.  Contractors can install on a prepared foundation in one day.  Homeowners with building experience may take 2-3 days with friends.
• Ships as a flat-pack anywhere in the USA
• Walls, Floor and Roof Panels lock together
• 4ft wide modular walls can be mixed and matched
  • Solid Panel
  • Panel with Door pre-installed
  • Panel with high Window pre-installed
  • Panel with normal Window pre-installed
  • Panel with tall Window pre-installed
  • 4ft wide floor panels
  • 2ft wide roof panels (lighter for lifting)
• Recycled denim insulation in roof and floor (R-19) and in walls (R-13)
• Available in 8ft x 8ft, 8ft x 12ft (normally do not need permits), and 8ft x 16ft (may need permits).

email for more information to md@yardpods.com (please include name, email address, telephone number and nearest city)

First determine what the setbacks on your property are. These can be obtained from your local Planning Department, usually through a telephone call, or, if your Planning Department is up to date, on-line. Setbacks are the distances from your property line that you are not allowed to build. Although YardPods do not normally need building permits, they do have to comply with setbacks.

You may have an existing garage or shed that you want to replace and that structure may not comply with Planning setbacks. If so, talk to your Planning Department, they will often let you replace an existing structure even if it does not conform.

You may have a “Zero Lot Line” which means that your structure can be built right up to the fence line. While this will save space, consider how you will maintain the wall on the fence line; it may be impossible to reach for cleaning, painting or repair. An 18” to 24” space will provide maintenance access.

One other regulation that you should ask your Planning Department about is your “Lot Coverage” ratio. Often the square footage of building on a specific site is limited.

If your existing structure has a concrete slab in good condition, it should be possible to place a Home Studio or Office on top, even if the slab is larger than the YardPod, but you will need to build the YardPod at least 6” above the slab so that rainwater does not touch the structure. If you are demolishing an existing structure, please do so responsibly and consider a local recycling program. Many building materials can be re-used.

Within the area that is available, do you have a shady spot that would make your Home Studio cool in summer, or do you need maximum sun exposure for warmth in winter?

Consider the path of the sun in different seasons and be aware of shadows from existing buildings and trees.

Do you have any views that you want to take advantage of?

Do you have well-drained level area? Home Studios and Offices can be built on slopes, but the steeper the slope the more expensive the foundations. If you have anything greater than a gentle slope, it is recommended that you seek the advice of a local contractor, and if required, a structural engineer, in order to ensure the stability of your YardPod.

Access is another issue to be considered. Building materials can normally be carried through a side passage with a 3 feet wide door. If you plan to locate a YardPod where such access is not available, consider your alternatives. Likewise if you want to locate at the top of a hill, where materials cannot easily be hand carried, there may be a better location. Cranes are too expensive to hire for delivering materials. I have often been asked about helicopters, yes they have been used for modular homes, but they are not practical for a YardPod!

Malcolm – The YardPod Guy.
Comments and other feedback welcome!

YardPods are custom-designed to meet the needs of each owner. One of the factors considered is the microclimate in which it is to be placed and how it is to be used. We prefer to design each YardPod specifically for its location and orientation rather than having standard designs which may or may not work in different microclimates. YardPods has a staff architect who puts his ten years of architectural education and many more years of practical experience to good use for every customer!

YardPods can be designed to be off the grid, using solar and wind power as available with battery back-up. This will be discussed in a future article. But for most owners adding a YardPod to their existing homes, connecting to the house electrical system is the easiest and lowest initial cost. However, intelligent design can minimize energy use and provide comfortable conditions without a lot of heating and cooling.

Because YardPods are prefabricated for speed of assembly, they are lightweight and do not have a lot of thermal mass. Therefore, we have to adapt the design for optimum comfort using the following tools:

Orientation & Position: The location of a YardPod within a site usually is the largest factor in determining thermal performance. Sunlight exposure and shade from existing buildings or trees can enhance or detract depending on climate.

Roof Finish: We recommend using a cool roof membrane, which reflects the sun.

Roof Shape: The standard (almost) flat roof is our favorite, but where natural ventilation is to be used, a single slope with operable high-level windows is often better. In areas of snow, a sloping roof is recommended.

Roof Overhang: The overhang can be optimized to shade doors and windows from the hottest summer sun, while allowing warming sun in winter to penetrate into the YardPod.

Construction: When using a light gauge steel frame, we can add a layer of foam insulation to the outside surface to eliminate thermal bridging. SIPs panels do not have this problem. Wall and roof thickness can be increased to increase insulation.

Floor: Using a concrete slab as a floor makes a huge difference to thermal mass and creates a lag in temperature fluctuation. The floor can be designed to keep the YardPod warm on summer evenings.

Windows and Doors: Sized and positioned for best performance, windows can be used to heat a concrete slab. Where differences in internal and external temperature is a problem. We can position windows to provide cross-ventilation. And, we can specify windows without thermal bridging, such as wood or vinyl, or aluminum with a thermal break. Different glass is available to reflect sunlight and to increase thermal performance. We only recommend dual-pane windows, but triple-panes are available for extreme climates.

Our Showcase YardPod is designed to only receive sunlight through the large French Doors in the winter, the doors are in shade in the summer, so minimizing solar gain.

In a mild climate such as Marin, California, most people need a moderate amount of heat in the winter which can easily be provided through a stand-alone electric space heater which heats the air quickly and which can be switched off when not needed. A thermostat-controlled fan model is preferable so that it does not run all of the time.

Many areas can be comfortable without air conditioning in the summer; other areas may require air conditioning. The decision about whether or not to install air conditioning is best made at the design stage. There are three types of air conditioner:

1. Stand-alone which is like a space heater, but requires an external vent through a window. This is the lowest cost and fastest to install, but requires a window which can be left open a few inches, then a plastic plate is installed to fill the gap and support the vent.

2. A Window-mounted version that is ugly and takes away from the light.

3. A wall-mounted version that fits into a rectangular hole in the wall. YardPods can be manufactured to include such an opening.
The capacity of the air conditioner will depend on the location, but because a YardPod is well insulated and has a small internal volume, the smallest sizes are usually sufficient. For example, an air conditioner for a YardPod in San Rafael would need to be just 5,200 BTU.

Wall-mounted air conditioners are available at most hardware stores such as Home depot and many electronics stores such as Best Buy. Note that the electrical circuit must be appropriate for the air conditioning load.

Whatever your microclimate and location, we can design a YardPod to minimize energy use and maximize your comfort.

This is the sixth and latest book in the series featuring sustainable design and construction of homes by Sheri Koones. Aimed at giving inspirational guidance to homeowners and potential homeowners who will build homes “that they will thoroughly enjoy living in – that are healthy, sustainable, energy efficient and beautiful.” (Sheri Koones). I recommend all of Sheri’s books to everyone involved in home design and construction.

Setting out Foundations

Congratulations to: Gail Sims (CPA Green Technology Grant Advisor), Chris Auld, Brady Mitchell, Heather Jackson, John Rutherford and Jen Kohl, all teachers at Vintage High School in Napa, California, who applied for, and were awarded a “California Partnership Academy (CPA) Green Technology Grant.”

Green Technology pathway courses are designed for students in grades ten through twelve. Developed in partnership with the State of California Department of Education, the local Napa Valley School District, and business/community partners to promote an educational pathway for high school students specifically in the field of green technology. Grant funds are designed to launch the program over a three-year period and at the end of the initial funding period the CPA Green Technology pathway is self sustainable based on curriculum, partnerships, and products produced.

The project is multi-disciplinary, involving the following classes:
• Engineering
• Sustainable Construction
• Alternative Energy/Physics
• Business Marketing/Management

The design of the initial school YardPod is not conventional. The roof is sloped more than usual in order to give the construction class experience in laying roof tiles. Also, the wall construction has been selected to provide experience with different materials and assemblies. Two walls are SIPs, one is Light Gauge Steel framing, and one is wood framing.

Starting the Floor Joists

Once complete, the Alternative Energy/Physics class will measure the thermal performance of the YardPod and will install solar panels with a battery back-up system.

Meanwhile, the Business Marketing/Management class has been developing a marketing strategy and a public relations campaign with the tag line “Think Inside the Pod.” Their goal is to sell one YardPod before the end of the current school year (all proceeds will go back to the school of course).

The grant funds the program for more than one year, so the students will build another YardPod next year to sell. They aim to achieve sustainability in the program for future years by applying the YardPod sale proceeds to purchase the following years materials.

I am delighted to participate with the students and teachers in this creative project and will post photographs as work progresses.

Malcolm Davies (YardPod Guy)

Setting Floor Joists.

How Much Does a YardPod Cost?

This is the single most asked question we get. Our website lists a finished YardPod in the greater San Francisco Bay Area at a starting price of $11,500 for an 8ft x 8ft unit and a starting price of $14,500 for a 10ft x 12ft YardPod, again in the Bay Area. Because most buyers upgrade their finishes, a typical 10ft x 12ft YardPod costs between $20,000 and $25,000 installed. This is approximately half the cost of a custom building constructed on site by a general contractor. YardPods are not only higher in quality and lower in cost, but also much faster to construct, taking days rather than weeks. And, unlike many competitors, a high level of insulation is standard in the floor, walls and roof. For people outside the Bay Area, for those who wish to build themselves, or have a friend or a contractor to help them, we also offer a “Do-It-Yourself” YardPod starting at $3,700 for an 8ft x 8ft unit and $5,430 for a 10ft x 12ft unit.
For more on pricing, visit: YardPods.com/pricing/

Exterior Finishes – Cedar
Our Showcase YardPod in San Rafael California has 3″ vertical cedar cladding on four sides. This is still my favorite exterior, but it is more expensive than many finishes in both material cost and labor, and requires regular maintenance to keep it looking bright and fresh. Cedar naturally weathers to a grey finish that can fit in well to a landscaped yard. However, weathering can be prevented by annual cleaning and re-coating with a (water-based,non-VOC please!) clear stain. When using a more expensive finish like cedar, costs can be saved by using it only on the sides that can be seen. For example, if the YardPod backs to a neighbors fence, it is probably best to finish that side with a material like Hardy Board which will need no maintenance other than painting every 3-5 years.
For more on exterior finishes, visit: yardpods.com/options/exterior-walls/

Tiny Homes
We are frequently asked if we offer larger YardPods with Kitchens and Bathrooms. The answer is “Yes,” we can do anything as a custom project. We are, however, also considering launching a standard range of “BackYard Cottages.” These would be designed for young people wanting a place at their parents house (without actually being in the house), for retired parents moving in with their children, and as studio rental units. We are considering two delivery methods; 1. Flat-packed panels which could be assembled in a couple of weeks, and 2. Delivering complete, finished units as modules which can be craned or rolled into place in a day. If this interests you, please contact me directly at md@yardpods.com. If you like reading about living in small spaces, I recommend a new book; “Tiny Homes Simple Shelter” by Lloyd Kahn which provides an entertaining and somewhat “quirky” look at small buildings, including YardPods (p89).
For more, visit: http://www.yardpods.com/tiny-homes-simple-shelters-by-lloyd-kahn-shelter-publications-inc-2012/

This is the latest YardPod, our first in Berkeley, constructed by our General Contractor partner Paul Melish Builder. Constructed as a 10 ft x 12ft YardPod with a flat roof, a 12” overhang on three sides and an 18” overhang at the front.  The new deck provides an easy transition into the YardPod and the outward-opening French doors allow the interior and exterior spaces to merge.

Framing is YardPods ST, that is light gauge steel framing which Paul and his crew are experts at constructing. The unit is designed as a Backyard Home Office.

This YardPod is built on “OZ Posts” which are galvanized steel spike foundations which are easy to install and which provide good support to the YardPod. The floor is also light gauge steel with Plywood and finished with bamboo. Walls and ceiling are finished with drywall (level 4) inside.

Outside on the walls, we used a “Rainscreen” system finished with Hardy Board cement panels.  The Rainscreen system is widely used in the Pacific Northwest but is not seen very frequently in the Bay Area.  It provides a complete watertight membrane around the walls, and features an air gap between the membrane and the exterior cladding. If any moisture should penetrate the cladding, it will run down and out through the gap without causing any problems to the building fabric. The aluminum vertical corner strips provide a clean edge and a sharp contrast.

The roof used our standard single sheet membrane that comes with a fifteen year warranty and is available as a “Cool Roof” (reflecting), in white, or in various shades of grey or brown.

YardPods is fortunate to be featured (p89) in this new book, along with some 150 other small buildings.

Building types are gathered into chapters:

“Tiny Homes on Foundations”

“Tiny Homes on Wheels”

“Tiny Homes by Architects”

“Prefab Kits”

“Earthy Materials”

“Treehouses”

“On the Road”

“On the Water”

The book has 213 pages packed with fascinating and thought-provoking pictures of actual buildings and the people who have designed and built them.  It is a must-read for anyone who wants to down-scale or simply enjoys reading about human creativity.

Lloyd published Shelter “an oversized offspring of the Whole Earth Catalog” in 1973, the first in his series of major building books. He promises to publish “Tiny Homes 2” and invites submissions to tinyhomes2@shelterpub.com.

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I am frequently asked if a YardPod can be have a green roof, the answer is “Definitely.”

Green roofs can help with rainwater management, cooling and energy conservation, increasing biodiversity and can insulate from noise.  Some people use the extra space to grow food.  Green roofs are often used to provide a wildlife habitat, but this should be managed carefully in order to avoid rodent problems.  We pay special attention to the underside of YardPods to ensure that critters cannot eat their way inside to the warm insulation, or even to the inside of the YardPod.

A green roof adds weight to the YardPod roof, so it is important to know in advance what is to be placed on the roof.  Just one inch of topsoil adds about 10 pounds per square foot in weight and that increases when it gets wet.

We recommend and can supply a single ply membrane roof which comes in a single sheet and can be an excellent foundation for a green roof.  We use an upgraded version of our standard membrane, so that owners can walk on their roof.

There are a lot of articles written about creating green roofs on large buildings, but I have just completed reading one that is directly applicable to a YardPod, an excellent book “Small Green Roofs – Low-Tech Options for Greener Living” by Nigel Dunnett, Dusty Gedge, John Little & Edmund C. Snodgrass, Timber Press 2011. ($16.47)

The book is described as “….complementary to but very different from other green roof books.  Like many Landscape, DIY, or garden books, green roof books tend to be authoritative- information is given by an expert to the uninitiated.  They speak with a single clear confident voice. This book is different.   We give some general and introductory material on construction, planting, and biodiversity, but the main bulk of the book is made up of the real experiences of people and their small-scale green roof projects…..Along the way things have gone wrong, turned out differently, or simply exceeded all expectations.” (from Small Green Roofs).

The book profiles some forty projects including advice on design, construction and how to look after the roof.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in building a YardPod (or any other garden building) with a green roof.