If you’re looking to build a simple tiny A-frame cabin, I thought you might like these plans by LaMar Alexander of Simple Solar Homesteading.
These plans include a detailed 30 page ebook full of step-by-step directions plus the modifiable Sketchup models of both the finished A Frame and the framing model to help guide your construction.1
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© Simple Solar Homesteading
Many of you know the story of this guy already. And how he built his own debt-free tiny solar cabin in only two weeks for only $2k in cash. It’s certainly in inspiring story.
It was after a divorce and sudden illness that he found himself homeless. But he had inherited a small piece of land from a family member’s old homestead.
So eventually he set up camp on the lot with an older camper and his truck. Then, while working part-time, he started clearing the land, saving up the cash, and designing his 14′ by 14′ cabin of almost 400 sq. ft. including the loft space.
Image © LaMar Alexander
This 185 sq. ft. off-grid solar tiny house design was submitted as part of LaMar’s off grid tiny house design contest where you can win up to $500 if you submit a design before 6/30/14.
Jonathan Marcoux’s squared eco house is 12’3″ x 12’3″. It has a water harvesting system, solar heating, solar panels, aquaponics farming system, and more.
Construction will be primarily 2″x4″. Heating will be provided mainly by firewood but a propane system can be integrated as a back up. Water heating in the summer is taken care of by a solar roof water heater. In the winter the wood stove can be used to heat water. And a propane instant hot water heater can also be installed.
In this video based post you’re going to learn how to design tiny houses in SketchUp with LaMar Alexander of Simple Solar Homesteading.
So hopefully if you’re here you’ve already downloaded SketchUp and you’re ready to follow along. If not, you can do so right now. Then come back here to watch the video so you can watch, learn, pause and rewind when you have to, and most importantly do.
It’s important when you watch instructional videos like this to take the time to pause the video for a few minutes so you can practice and play around with the tasks you just learned. Otherwise, you’ll completely forget!
So don’t expect to go through the entire video all at once. For best results, bookmark this page. Take your time with each lesson inside. Mark off where you left off and come back to it later in between practice.
I encourage you to enjoy, follow along and learn using the full 1-hour long video lesson with LaMar for FREE below:
This 192 sq. ft. off-grid tiny cabin design was submitted as part of Lamar’s off grid tiny house design contest where you can win up to $500.
But this 12′ x 16′ tiny house is designed to be built using 2×6 construction to add extra insulation because the home will be heated with solar power.
There will be a ‘soda can’ type solar heater as well as using natural window solar heating by design. It is also set up to receive wind power and collect rainwater.
A propane tank can be used just in case solar water heated water is not available and it can also be used for cooking if needed.
Photo: Dennis Ringler
A while back I told you about a tiny house community dedicated to homeless people in Olympia, WA called Quixote Village.
As a part of LaMar Alexander’s Off Grid Tiny House Design Contest for 2014 a contestant submitted a design inspired by the affordable tiny homes at Quixote Village.
The village consists of 30 tiny cottages. And it all started out as a tent camp for the homeless.
Today there’s a vegetable garden and community building with showers, laundry facilities, communal kitchen, dining space, and more.
I encourage you to enjoy the rest of the tour of this simple DIY 10′ x 20′ tiny cottage below:
This 280 sq. ft. solar tiny cabin design is part of LaMar’s tiny house design contest.
It’s designed by Adam who has plans of building his own 14’x14′ cabin to live in.
It will use solar panels to power the lighting inside.
And propane for cooking, heat and heating water.
Go ahead and enjoy the full 3D tour below:
I have been emailing back and forth with LaMar, of Simple Solar Homesteading, for more than a year.
Today he’s going to tell you a little more about himself. You have probably seen his small off grid solar cabin around the web before.
Here are some questions I had for him and I think you’ll enjoy his answers below. Thank you so much for sharing your life with us, LaMar.
What got you to start the construction of your solar cabin?
How has it changed your life, what do you love most about it compared to before?
How long have you been in your current design?
What’s in store for the future for you, your cabin, or are there completely different plans for you?
What has been your biggest challenge during the process?
Tell us about your solar power ebook/plans.
I’ll hand it off to LaMar now. By the way I own a copy of his solar building plans and they are a great value if you are wanting to learn all of this stuff. A link to where you can order them is provided for you below at his website.
