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The Ptarmigan: 12 ft. Wide Single Floor THOW


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This is The Ptarmigan, a single-level tiny home custom-built by Rewild Homes in British Columbia.

What’s unique about this THOW is that it’s just over 12 ft. wide, meaning you’d need a permit to transport it, but that you get a lot of width missing from “standard” size tiny homes. It was built for a retired senior who is moving her new home onto her daughter’s property, so having everything on one level was top priority. The extra width allows for an en-suite ground floor bedroom and bathroom and spacious living/dining “great room.” All the cabinetry and woodwork was custom-made for the house, which really ups the “character” factor. Get more details below and be sure to take the video tour with Exploring Alternatives at the end. Enjoy!

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The Ptarmigan: 12 ft. Wide Single Floor Tiny House on Wheels with a REAL Bedroom

Images via Rewild Homes

Beautiful kitchen with space for a washer/dryer combo and fridge.

Her TV will go up near that metal bar.

The living room has plenty of space for a sofa and coffee table.

Here’s a full look at the main living room/kitchen.

The color palette inside this home is particularly soothing.

Door allows you to fully close off the bedroom and bathroom.

Here’s the master bedroom with a nice large picture window.

Taking a look out at the living room from the bedroom doorway.

There’s space for a queen bed, and some hanging storage.

The second doorway leads to the ensuite bathroom.

Because she doesn’t need to bake, she’ll just have an induction cook top.

Cute tiny vanity with the sink. I like the light fixture.

Notice the extra handrails they installed to help the owner get around.

Nice, solid shower stall with a removable shower head.

Regular residential toilet since she’ll be hooked up to the sewage.

Nice frosted glass allows light in and some ventilation.

Could this be your retirement tiny home? I love it!

Images via Rewild Homes

Related: The 24′ Fox Sparrow Tiny Home by Rewild Homes

Video: Special 12 ft. Wide Tiny House Feels Like a Real Home

Want a home like this one? Get in touch with Rewild Homes on their website here!

From Rewild Homes: 

This home is built on a custom 14,000lb GVW trailer to a width of just over 12′. Custom birch cabinetry throughout the home and luxurious fir trim combine with the modern black fixtures and clean lines to make a contemporary and self-contained suite, perfect as a retirement home or as a secondary source of income.

The kitchen has space for a combo washer/dryer and a bar fridge under the counter, along with plenty of counterspace for an electric cooktop. Soft-closing drawers and cupboards throughout. A custom fir pocket door separates the living space from the bedroom (as well as the bedroom from the bathroom).

The bedroom features a custom wardrobe and end table sized to accommodate a queen sized bed, and the ensuite bathroom is equipped with safety handles placed beside the shower and toilet facilities. The toilet is a standard flush toilet and the water heat in this home is a small electric tank, held in a custom storage box above the toilet.

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Natalie C. McKee

Natalie C. McKee is a contributor for Tiny House Talk and the Tiny House Newsletter. She's a wife, and mama of three little kids. She and her family are homesteaders with sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and quail on their happy little acre.
{ 24 comments… add one }
  • Shirley Severin
    June 23, 2017, 4:19 pm

    Excellent, very informative, Thanks.

    • Amanda
      February 16, 2020, 12:16 am

      Overall, I like it. Pretty much appreciate all I see from ReWild-except the distance to the central Oregon coast. Phooey!
      Would rework two features on this model.One would be an extra 2′ in length, to give some room to the bedroom, and make an alcove so the bathroom could be accessed from both kitchen and bedroom.
      I grew up in a house where the bathroom was between my folks’ bedroom and mine. My parents sent all toilet-seeking guests through my room, and it was miserable.
      Can there be a drop entry cover/awning over the front door? That narrow ledge above the door can’t protect the entry.
      Beautiful work, as usual!

  • Cm
    June 23, 2017, 4:49 pm

    This is great. My questions are: Is it any more challenging on the jacks to hold a 12′ wide upright? How long is this one? Noting that the door is on the hitch side of the trailer… will the hitch just be covered w a porch or something? Thanks for sharing this one!

    • DB
      December 31, 2019, 9:55 pm

      A porch or deck covering the tongue would be my choice. I can’t see leveling jacks being a concern, you could always just use more 🙂 (or block it up for a more semi-permanent stay)

  • Dee
    June 23, 2017, 5:25 pm

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Iwas Just going to write to You Today. To PLEASE! Show More Homes WITHOUT Ladder’s and Lofts. I Drew so, so floor plan on a Napkin 15 Years Ago. This Home Is What I DREAMED Of! EXACTLY! Everything from A light bulb to A plug Socket ARE All In the Right Places XO I Guess its My Time To Find Land OR A Community. AMEN O-;-)

  • jerry
    June 23, 2017, 9:09 pm

    Very nice!! Almost like what I have and simple to build shed roof that is so easy, low cost to build.
    I’d add a PV solar porch roof off the south facing 3 window side
    Going 10-12′ wide gives so many more options and you can have many more functions with each side not interfering with each other and can use regular furniture.
    I also like the open design so one can put in what they need, unlike 8′ wide with a loft and the stairs taking up so much space and very limited what you can do.
    And just what is the deal with lofts?
    Almost no one likes them especially after a couple weeks experience even supporters don’t care for them anymore.

    • jerry
      June 26, 2017, 5:59 pm

      You’d think that but the materials from making it shorter in height can be used to make it a little longer.
      And you don’t waste space in stairs. which is 50% of a bed
      right there.
      Though in my 10’x16′ I can fit a full bed on one side and a couch bed on the other and still have lots of room left.
      I do have 2 6′ high x 16′ long above the floor full length lofts but only 2′ wide for storage.
      That leaves me with 12′ of wall space after the kitchen, bath at one end, for whatever one wants.
      10×16′ seems to me to be the prefect size TH for 1 or 2 in love. And as they say, enough room to swing a cat ! ;^)
      I don’t believe in permanent trailers. If I want to move I’ll hire a flat bed tow truck or buy, rent, barrow a trailer.
      Knowing me I’ll just put an axle to the wood frame/skids and hitch on the front and tow it myself.

    • DB
      December 31, 2019, 9:49 pm

      Agree on the whole loft madness. Maybe for a young person or short stay guest. Never liked them. And ditto on the “stairs”… usually more like ship’s ladders or trip / fall hazards and so rarely with anything resembling a railing. And don’t even start on emergency egress from a loft. Much better to kill the whole wasteful (imo) idea of lofts just to make it fit the unpermitted road limits. Especially with everything else single level and wider gets you, and permits being cheap and easy to get for up to 12 feet wide.

  • Patty
    June 23, 2017, 10:26 pm

    Very nice colors, space, amenities and ground floor!

  • AVD
    June 24, 2017, 12:52 am

    Since storage space is a prime commodity in tiny houses, it seems that the location of the entry door could shift and a tall storage closet could be created by extending the kitchen cabinet line all the way to the exterior wall.

    Aside from that observation, the plan seems fairly decent.

  • Joe
    June 24, 2017, 3:09 am

    Wow! Super design for an older person. 12 wide makes a real difference in the feeling of space.

    Thanks for posting more tiny homes with the bedroom on the ground level.

  • Betty
    July 20, 2017, 8:48 pm

    Now this is what I would love to live in. Perfect size just for me.😊😍

  • Gille
    December 31, 2019, 12:33 pm

    I think the limit for towing a trailer is 8′ or max 9′ wide, to be legal on the road, any thing bigger then that you need an eccort

    • e.a.f.
      December 31, 2019, 3:27 pm

      I think rules for transporting large items change from Province to Province and from State to State. I live on Vancouver Island and what goes up and down the Island Highway, would amaze you especially around midnight or 1:00 a.m. there has been amazing heavy equipment. when dams are built in B.C. some of the generators which need to be transported are huge.

      Of course its best to be on the safe side when transporting ones new home! Always check the rules in your area and the height of over passes. there has been more than one large truck which has hit the over pass or leaving their dumper up on the dump truck.

      In this case the house most likely won’t be moved often. its the retirement home on the property of a family member. Having it `12 ft. wide will make a huge difference in how you live. “A 12 ft. wide living room is pretty standard in condos. In B.C. urban areas 400 sq. ft. condos are normal and they rent for approx. $1500 a month/ This little home is cost effective and meets the needs of the owner. As an aging baby boomer I really like those grab bars. Having them installed as part of a build allows the owner to have them placed where THEY actually need them. The builder can secure them so much more easily during the build than latter. I would love that size of home if I get older with of course the 1000 sq. ft. garage for the rest of my stuff, but even in my large home, I don’t live in much more of the house than this small home.

    • DB
      December 31, 2019, 9:40 pm

      As noted the allowances vary but in Canada (and to a degree the US) the towable limits are (off the top of my head) 8.5 feet wide and about 13.5 feet high without a special permit. Lengths vary in total and so depend on length of the tow vehicle as well. Then there are weight limits. And of course all that may depend on bridge and overpass limits, and lower road weight ratings in some cases off the highways.

      At 12 feet wide, yes you need a permit, but (again, in Canada and generally, your experience may vary) they are not expensive or hard to get. Under $100 and inside of a week to get a one time permit for a wide load. If you hire a pro to move it they probably have an annual permit and it’ll be part of the cost. The 12 feet (3.7m actually) is the limit for 2 lane highways. On multilane that goes up to about 12.5 feet (3.85m actually). So, 12 feet wide is the sweet spot.

      That permit will also allow a generous overweight, which in my opinion most THOW seem over the allowable unpermitted limit anyway.

      All in all, going wider is smart, imo. You get much more and better room for the buck. And in most of Canada anyway, more room for wall insulation. How often are you going to be moving it anyway ? If it’s often and far you’d be better off buying an RV and chasing 70 degrees (F that is), again imo.

  • Katy Spencer
    December 31, 2019, 1:14 pm

    For the added width/square footage, closet/storage space is sparse. Feels a little too minimalist in looks and practicality.

  • DB
    December 31, 2019, 9:59 pm

    Let me add my thanks and love for showing a wide model. Been away for a while, hit bing for “12 foot wide thow” and voila, THT with a nice example ! Good to be back and find you’re still here.

  • Sam
    February 8, 2020, 8:42 pm

    Not for me. I would have to have a kitchen with a stove, upright fridge/freezer and much more kitchen storage than under the sink, 3 drawers and a small wall cabinet. Looks like a microwave and 2 burner hot plate would take up most of your counter space. I would also need more storage space for clothes and stuff.
    That said, the extra width is super nice.
    Was there a mention of the length of the home?

  • Michael
    February 9, 2020, 2:39 am

    Seriously? It’s a rectangular box! No style, No theme, just a box.
    And guess what, my first house was a 12ft wide by 60ft long “mobile home” and had two bedrooms, both with closets, an en suite bath, a great room, a raised dining room with a bay window and a kitchen with full cabinets and a separate utility room for the washer and dryer. And this was in 1971.

  • stephen
    February 9, 2020, 11:05 am

    No mention of :
    power… whether there are shore plugs outside, inside electrical box or solar capabilities built in
    fresh water, holding tanks, black or grey water or even an outside connector for water…..
    “it’s the little things that kill…”
    Do provide info tho these matters, reality can be a …..
    slc

    • Alex
      February 9, 2020, 5:12 pm

      You could probably choose any of the options you listed from the builder. They are lots of different options out there so you can usually order or build your tiny house with whatever options you’d like, whatever fits the bill for you. Usually 12ft wide, 10ft wide tiny homes like this do not have any grey water tanks etc because they are not traveled with frequently. They are usually parked in one spot for quite a bit.

    • e.a.f.
      February 10, 2020, 12:17 am

      this house was going to be placed on the daughter’s property. that would most likely mean, the property has electricity and it just hooks into the electrical system, like any other house or garage, green house, etc. If the property has a septic tank system, then it will simply be connected to the septic system and if its on sewer, it will simply be joined to the pipe going into that. Water, just connects to the system coming onto the property or the well, if it has that.

      It might well be that this method of building via Re Wild was the easiest way to go to have a house built. It can be very difficult to find a good contractor to build your smaller home in some areas in B.C. . Going to a company such as Re wild, gets you a quality build in record time, then you just move it.

      Some people don’t want a lot of “stuff” around them, so this type of house suites them.

      Sometimes buildings on wheels are acceptable in an area, where permanent, on foundation houses aren’t.

  • Bre Price
    February 13, 2020, 10:39 am

    Looking for property on the eastern/southern side of UA. Any suggestions. Please!!!

  • Liz
    November 1, 2022, 3:25 pm

    The sink in the bathroom will get you more water on the floor than in the sink. These sinks can easily fit into small spaces but isn’t nearly big enough to wash your face without making a mess.

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