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Couple’s $25k DIY “Smouse” Tiny House on Wheels


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Wondering how much you could build your tiny home for? Check out this couple’s $25,000 DIY “Smouse” house on wheels.

It took the couple eight months to build their dream home. Outside, you’ll notice it has a curved roof. It’s painted mint green with orange trim and has a colorful “wrap” of wood around the base.

When you go inside, you’ll find a bright space with a beautiful kitchen that has tile-inlaid cabinets and a 3/4 size oven and stove top. The bathroom includes a composting toilet and beautiful basin sink. The roof is paneled in pine and the bedroom space has plenty of room and a cool stained glass round window for a headboard. Best of all, the house includes all kinds of tile-work and unique touches that fit its owners’ tastes and personality.

Couple’s $25k DIY “Smouse” Tiny House on Wheels

Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 001

Images © Peter Chee via TinyHouseFor.Us

Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 002 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 003 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 004 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 005 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 006 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 007 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 008 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 009 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 0010 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 0011 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 0012 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 0013 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 0014 Couple's $25k DIY Smouse Tiny House on Wheels 0015

Images © Peter Chee via TinyHouseFor.Us

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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.

Latest posts by Natalie C. McKee (see all)

{ 56 comments… add one }
  • gale
    March 5, 2016, 11:56 am

    What amazing detail in this beautiful little home. Very cozy as well. Great job.

  • Joanna chanin
    March 5, 2016, 12:08 pm

    Beautiful. Such loving details and color. I’d live there any time.

  • Bigfoot
    March 5, 2016, 12:46 pm

    This is really nice !! It’s amazing how you can have 2 of the same sized THOW’s & one will look cookie cutter generic & then the other (this beauty) looks & feels like a home. I love the curved roof rather than the angular gables that so many use. It lends itself to helping with the headroom & the curved interior is a much better aesthetic to my eyes.

    The tile backsplash & behind the stove, the bathroom sink & textured wall behind it, the varied glass on the cabinets, the metal foot-rail for the bed/loft, the stained glass porthole, the contrast of wood with the wall colors, the shelf supports & hardware in the bathroom, a handrail on the stairs, lighting/window placement, the decorative roof fascia on the ends, the exterior paint/color scheme, — yeah, a lot of thought went into their project.

    This couple did a fantastic job ! Bravo.

    • Ruby and Ted
      March 14, 2016, 12:04 am

      This is our Smouse. A friend just shared it on Facebook! We had no idea that an article was being publishes. If we had been contacted, we would have provided more photos for those asking questions. We also would have been thrilled to give information! Our e-mail is [email protected]

      • Bigfoot
        March 14, 2016, 7:27 pm

        Nice to hear from you & congrats on your “Smouse”. Very tasty! I could probably come up with a pretty healthy list of questions and I’m sure others could as well. Not sure how to proceed with that. For now, enjoy your digs & maybe this site could/would/will contact you for a follow up somewhere down the road. Let us know how your creativity has meshed with functionality. Take care.

  • Porcsha
    March 5, 2016, 1:45 pm

    Wow, all that for $25k, AMAZING!!! I love your home, thanks for sharing!

    • varenikje
      March 6, 2016, 11:51 pm

      $25k. It did say that, didn’t it? Is it just me, or does this somehow, look like more than $25k.

      • March 7, 2016, 2:13 am

        Doesn’t include labor, so stated in the article. More photos at the link to their web site.

        • varenikje
          March 7, 2016, 4:46 pm

          Oh, yeah. It says that in the link and I just read the Tiny House Talk newsletter. Very nicely done!

  • Elizabeth Rubio
    March 5, 2016, 1:53 pm

    Bigfoot, you said it all for me!

    • Bigfoot
      March 5, 2016, 6:52 pm

      Elizabeth, glad I saved you some typing 🙂 Another thing I liked was the framing/trim around the windows/doors. Simple clean lines.

  • Timothy
    March 5, 2016, 2:27 pm

    Very nice work ,thanks for sharing.

  • Kathy
    March 5, 2016, 3:43 pm

    OK, I am at a loss for words, and believe me, that is not my normal state! Fortunately, as Elizabeth said, Bigfoot, you hit all the highlights! I will just add that there is a fantastic artistic vibe to this tiny house, and not just in the great tiles. Virtually everywhere you look, there is subtle color, whimsy without fantasy, and a real feel of this being a HOME. The owners have hit all of my hot buttons for sure. Congratulations, you lucky people!

  • Gabrielle Charest
    March 5, 2016, 4:22 pm

    What a beautiful, personalized home. Tiny doesn’t have to mean plain or generic.

  • kristina nadreau
    March 5, 2016, 5:24 pm

    very pretty visually. so much space is not used. cabinets that do not go to the ceiling? what is the design behind a stove in front of a window with an exhaust hood to pull the wet, greasy smoke up over the window??? I guess people are ok with the litter box toilet. congratulations to them for building their dream. I wonder how they will modify it over the next few years.

    • Bigfoot
      March 5, 2016, 8:10 pm

      Kristina,
      Perhaps they designed in exactly the amount of storage they needed. Did you notice the staircase storage? At a casual glance, the ceiling appears to be around 10′ tall so I would say good luck with running a cabinet to that height & trying to access the upper end. The size, scale & placement of the cabinets as well as the high ceiling throughout is part of the pleasure reaching my eyes. The cabinets seem of standard height & in combination with the extended wall/ceiling height allow the placement of decorations on top, again making it feel like a home to me.

      I think it’s fabulous that there are opposing windows in the kitchen. How wonderful to not have to stare at a wall while cooking, doing your food prep, or your dishes !! Natural light as well as cross ventilation when the wind & weather is right. I for one have stared at way to many walls while working in the kitchen. As far as cleaning due to cooking goes, does it really matter whether you are cleaning glass or another type of surface ?

      Regarding the ‘litter box’, all of our ‘litter’ has to go somewhere. You can pipe it into a municipal system, private septic system, or break it down into a positive/neutral/non toxic end product on your own. To each his own right, but please be aware of all the benefits to our world that composting provides. There was a time in the 80’s when I didn’t do any of the above but scattered my ‘litter’ all over the backwoods I roamed in.

      There are things I would change in nearly every one of the tiny homes I have viewed. One example with this one is the lights. They don’t do a thing for me & I’d use something different. I’m getting older & although I have good dexterity & I’m quite mobile, I do not like lofts!!!! and would never design one for myself. – Seeing that this home is a couples vision, born from their tastes, needs, & creativity, & not a generic build for sale to the public, I choose not to focus on those things.

      Please understand I am NOT trying to pick an argument with you. I’m just giving you an alternate viewpoint & opinion. The world would really be a boring place if we all thought the same & I truly enjoy hearing others thoughts & opinions on whatever subject is at hand 😉
      Cheers

      • Kristina H Nadreau
        March 6, 2016, 7:00 am

        Most of the previous posters have already made the positive remarks you are now making for the second time. Since others have already said what you are saying in your second post, your only point could be to discount my observations. Among the commentors, I alone am pointing out some functionality issues.

        All commentors agree that the house is visually attractive.

        Please allow me to be more precise and state my reasons for my comments about functionality. A house built for full time living as opposed to an air b&b hotel or a vacation cottage must be greatly functional, taking advantage of every inch of space, much more so than conventional housing, (both owner occupied or rentals). There must be reliable accessible systems for utilities,…. water, electricity, gas, ….heat and cooling, clean air handling, food preparation, sleeping, laundry, storage, bathroom functions. A few items out of place can create distracting clutter in a tiny house. A mattress laid on a floor with no air circulation space beneath it will develop mold. Where are the vacuum and wet mop stored? Greasy dirt from cooking can create a mess when ignored after a single use and as it is not confined to a single room or small area. Lack of fresh air circulation can create problems with mold and unpleasant odors. The limited space exacerbates what would be minor annoyances in a larger space into significant & costly problems. Here, I do not see comments from people who have actually been living long term in their own tiny houses. I have not heard people tell us what issues they have encountered and how they have resolved them. Are there any stories from people who have renovated their Tiny house? I am not impressed with composting toilets & can find no reason to be impressed. A bucket is the far less expensive alternative for a tiny house being used like an rv without a black water tank.. A tiny house permanently placed can use a septic or a sewer connection for a flush toilet or build an outhouse. Wells and Cisterns work fine as a water supply for all but drinking.

        People are building these houses with no experience of home ownership or home purchase or home building. Experienced builders of larger stationary homes are not addressing the unique issues of Tiny Houses. When I see stories about people who have built their own Tiny house without any prior building experience and are first time house purchasers, I wonder what they omitted because they did not know what they needed to live comfortably long term.

        I am observing People purchase or build their tiny house, live in it just long enough to become uncomfortable, a year or 2 and then sell out at a loss of around 50%.

        Cheers

        • Bigfoot
          March 6, 2016, 10:01 am

          Hi Kristina,

          Please go back & reread the previous posts. My response to you was in fact, to you. I don’t believe I reposted anything. I’m not discounting your opinion, it’ your opinion. Again, please reread the last paragraph of my post.

          I get that you believe that cabinets that don’t stretch to 10′ high are a functionality issue. Your opinion, that’s fine. I believe that a cabinet reaching to that level would look really ugly & be impractical. My opinion, is that OK?

          ” Greasy dirt from cooking can create a mess when ignored after a single use and as it is not confined to a single room or area.” Sounds like a housekeeping problem to my ears, not a functionality issue – solution- clean up after yourself ! Again, just my opinion.

          You seem to have a complete lack of understanding regarding composting toilets & solutions to human waste problems. You mention using a bucket as an alternative. Really?? Please explain in detail what you do with the contents of the bucket after using it. You mention building an outhouse. If you are rural you might get away with it. Show me a city or county where this is legal. I’d be happy to supply you with some links on this issue if you would like to increase your knowledge a bit.

          You also display a huge lack of knowledge regarding well systems . You assert that wells are not fit for drinking water? Where does your drinking water come from?? Do you have a clue? I have lived nearly my entire life off of a private well & many millions of others have & do as well. Thousands of towns use wells as their municipal water source. Many towns use lakes & rivers. Are some of them polluted, containing poisonous chemicals. Yes, way too many! (Flint Michigan?) Humans are indeed destroying this beautiful planet we inhabit. Some of the poisoned groundwater also stems from municipal as well as private septic/waste systems. Wells, a deep subject 🙂

          It is advisable for anyone seeking property to live on (not connected to municipal systems) that they ascertain the areas water quality. (commonsense?-uncommon sense? I dunno) People that have faith in their .gov run municipal systems may want to have their water tested as well. There are also many good water filtration systems out there that should probably be in use by everyone as corporate America continues to destroy our environment.

          You do raise some extremely good & valid points that people should consider regarding transitioning to a smaller living arrangement, particularly in your response to Barb below. Because she asked me some direct questions, I’ll respond to her & give my detailed opinions, hopefully later today. Now I’m off to do some chores & water my garden seedlings with my well water.

        • Marsha Cowan
          March 6, 2016, 7:41 pm

          Hi Kristina, I appreciate your concerns over what is usually ongoing problems in any home, and can see where you would think they would be exacerbated in a tiny home. I have lived full time in either a tiny house or a tiny bus (7×10) living area now for over 3 1/2 years total, liking my tiny bus situation the best. The former homes were 60 and 36 square feet respectively, so the bus gives me 10 extra square feet, and that does not include any driving area, just living area. In all the homes there was a composting toilet, and though I have. Composting toilet in this bus, I choose to use of the public port-a-John for a toilet. In all the homes I bathed in a sink with water heated on my alcohol, propane, or butane stove (used something different in each one), but had no shower (except an outdoor one briefly last spring, but I have not set it back up since I got back here 6 months ago, just using the sink again), all my water has been/ still is hauled in and stored in 2 or 3 gallon porcelain coffee pots and dipped out with a porcelain dipper. All my dried foods were/ still are stored in mason jars on a shelf–butter, milk, eggs, and cheese are kept in a cooler under a counter, but without ice. It gets used up in a couple of days, and all of the above will keep well for a few days unrefrigerated, so I have no need for a frig. I pick up meat to cook and eat for a couple of days, or buy a roast chicken which is also eaten in a couple of days, so I eat plenty of meat.

          My electricity is always Goal Zero solar which has been sooooo good! I watch T.V at night on my iPad or scriptwriter, and keep them and my phone charged with the lithium battery charged by the sun. I also run my lights every night with the same battery. Here in AZ sun is not a problem.

          My mattresses laid on the loft floor for 8 months in each tiny house, and has lain on a plywood base in this tiny bus now for 1 1/2 years, but never have I cleaned out from under them, yet when I moved out of the tiny houses, there was not mold, dust, or critters under either mattress, only clean dry floor, so don’t think that is a problem.

          You can live full time without most of the amenities you mentioned above, yet most choose to include them in their homes. If I have not health or sanitary issues with the electric, water, and sewer setups that I have used for 4 years now, I don’t think that anyone with better amenities than I will have any problems. I think all of America needs a little more grit in their teeth, and dirt on their feet.

    • sgmaps
      March 6, 2016, 2:08 am

      I have looked over the pics of the kitchen again & you don’t appear to have noticed that it only showed one side of the kitchen, so we have no idea the number or style of the upper cabinets on the opposite kitchen wall. As to your remark about the litter box toilet, it seems obvious that you are not a fan of composting toilets, so why not just say that instead of being so obnoxious about it. I would not be a fan of a composting toilet either, but that is a personal preference. It’s a beautiful home , at an unbelievable construction cost, why not leave it at that?

      • Kristina H Nadreau
        March 6, 2016, 7:13 am

        plz read my response to Big Foot. all agree the home is visually attractive. there are issues of functionality , which plague many tiny houses. Ultimately the issues of functionality cause owners to leave their tiny houses and suffer a financial loss. I would hope that by raising the issues, future owners can learn more about how to ensure their comfort and financial investment.

        Do you have a composting toilet that you have used for years and intend to continue using? I am already aware of the marketing copy that favors composting toilets. I find reality useful, rather than obnoxious. Litter box is descriptive.

        • Sgmaps
          March 6, 2016, 11:52 am

          No I don’t have a composting toilet that I have used for years & if you had read my comment above it stated that I would not be a fan of a composting toilet either. To refer to the composting toilet as a litter box is not being realistic, it is a nasty comment. Suffice to say that you do not like composting toilets & leave it at that. You could have expressed your concerns (as you did above in your reply to me) in your first comment but you didn’t. You also could have commented about the things that you would change if you were considering a tiny house for yourself. By all means express your concerns or your opinions, but in a polite manner. Your reply to Bigfoot before your reply to me illustrated very constructive comments which would have been better stated in your first comment instead of leaving it to a rebuttal to our reactions to your first comment. Have a good day.

      • Marsha Cowan
        March 6, 2016, 7:56 pm

        Hello Bigfoot, just wanted to say that I agree with you on the composting issue. I have often used a composting toilet with either Pete moss (my favorite), straw, or pine shavings. All were quite successfully operated, and I was happy that I did into have to empty my composting bucket (5 gallon food grade bucket) but about once every three or four months into a larger composting bin in the yard. Nevertheless, if someone has no yard in which to empty a composting bucket, or does not want to use the compost in any way, there are alternatives.

        It is legal to put diapers with feces in the trash and then into the local garbage, indeed, to flush feces and urine into pipes which take it to become our drinking water, so one could empty the contents of their toilet into a garbage bag and put it into the garbage every day rather trying to compost it. It will end up on the landfill (rather than the water supply) and maybe help compost other materials there. One can use the public facilities, a choice I made because my job and other responsibilities make my schedule too hectic to accommodate the composting process. There are options and/or alterations one can make to the composting process to make it more feasible for their situation.

        • Bigfoot
          March 6, 2016, 10:22 pm

          Hi Marsha,
          Thanks for your input regarding waste disposal. I’m aware of the things you speak about, I was waiting for the response from ‘others’. Also, I’ve read a number of your prior posts at other locations. Your insights are great, I & many others appreciate you taking time to post. I’m on a septic system where I live currently. I’m rural enough I could probably get away with an outhouse if I had to. There’s a good population of scorpions & black widow spiders in my parts so that’s something for people to take into consideration if they went that route.
          I’ve had to deal with/repair a broke down sewer lift station a few times in my life. That was ‘fun’. I’ve lived in FL all my life & have seen a good number of lengthy power outages. When it goes down for a substantial time, the sewage does not flow to it’s intended destination in municipal systems. I’ve known people that had it backflow into their house. If I was connected to a municipal system I would install a gate valve just outside the house on the main to isolate the home. Those backups are rare but once is too many times for me.

          Regarding water, I am so fortunate to have the well water I have now. Superb taste & you can just barely see some mineral content. I’ve had it analyzed for contaminants, so far so good, so I do not use any filtration at this time. I do think people relying on wells for potable water should have it tested by an independent lab periodically. I have a 4″ well with a submersible pump. I also have an auxiliary 4″ well that’s capped. I’ve a 12/24vdc pump that will run off of 150watts PV. Also have the old style deep well hand pump & storage tanks (currently unused) as well as a pvc dipper bucket for when all else fails. I’ve always been a bit ‘water paranoid’ having lived off of wells that are dependent on the grid most of my life. Things get ugly in a hurry when there is no water.

          My hat’s off to you for being able to pull of your lifestyle. I’m not in a position to live that minimalistic. I am prepared to in case I have no choice. You never know what life is going to hand you. It seems to me that few people have examined the vast amount of interdependencies built into our society today. Things could change relatively quickly.

          “I think all of America needs a little more grit in their teeth, and dirt on their feet.” – Amen to that!

          My Dad was born in 1920, grew up on a sharecropper farm, went through the depression era obviously. He never had electricity or running water the entire time he was growing up. Water from a hand dug well, lanterns/candles, my grandma made all their clothes, washed laundry by hand, cooked all meals on a woodstove. They raised cattle, pigs, chickens, varied crops, canned food, had a smokehouse to process their meat – He taught me a lot & we often discussed the old ways versus the new ways. He was a pilot in WWII. Even growing up the way he did, after seeing some of the abject poverty in the Pacific theatre during the war, he was content the rest of his life & never understood all the ‘complainers’ we have in the US. As a nation, we’ve grown soft. Oh yeah, farmers used to (some still do) taste their soil to detect acidity or alkalinity levels.

          In the early 80’s I spent a lot of days/nights in the woods. Got into primitive living & spent time honing those skills whenever I could. I ran around barefoot in the woods even as a little kid. I believe the more ‘dirt’ one is subjected to, the better the immune system becomes. I believe that modern man is too far separated from the earth & far too many have lost that vital connection. Sad.

          Best wishes on your journey!

  • Barb
    March 5, 2016, 5:29 pm

    This is a really nice example. It is clearly personalized but I am not sure someone is living in it yet. Did not see the shower if there is one inside. Can anyone tell me how much this cost to create? I am looking for a solution to retiring on very small income. Thanks, Barb

    • Bigfoot
      March 5, 2016, 8:29 pm

      Barb, According to the title $25,000 for cost. Realize they said they built it themselves so no labor included in that price.

      I don’t know why a shower is not in the pics. If you look at the interior shot of the bathroom from outside the bathroom, it looks like it takes up the entire width of the unit & the shower would be placed to the left of the sink in that picture. Note the amount of wall space to the left. Also, the pic featuring the sink & toilet appear to have possibly been taken from a shower ?? I guess we have to use our imagination on that one.

      • Barb
        March 5, 2016, 9:46 pm

        I see what you mean… as far as the shower curtain on the left side of the picture and taking a photo from the inside of the shower.

        Do you think another cabinet could be created right next to the one they made at the bottom of the stairs. I might want to create a loft for a meditation spot and maybe storage but going up and down all of the time at my age won’t be a great idea.

        Another thought I was considering. If I was to find a more permanent location for my home on wheels, what creative solutions have you possibly seen for connecting another small room or second small or tiny house for an office or meditation or art studio. Have you seen anything like that?

        Just considering the potential of making it work on many levels for myself.

        I am thinking about building one for myself with some help. What is the length of the home. It looks like 20 or more feet in length. What is it actually?

        I also do not see a refrigerator or maybe it is a very small one. I need a full kitchen because I am an active cook.

        Thanks, Barb

        • Kristina H Nadreau
          March 6, 2016, 7:24 am

          I suggest that you attend in- person and on-line Tiny house construction seminars. some are free. I also suggest you listen carefully to the hype and dig for the reality. Check out people who have lived in and plan to continue to live in their Tiny House for more than 2 years. Talk to other older Tiny house owners about what they like and dislike. I have seen several really workable and attractive plans with sleeping space on the first floor. There is much useful information available, as well as the opposite. I have seen several plans where owners added onto a permanently placed building or placed another structure adjacent. For myself, this blog and several others have shown me that I will never be comfortable in a tiny house, but I can be very comfortable in a small house that is properly planned for superb functionality. The best tiny houses are planned for ultimate function, thus the ideas can be included in any size home. Best luck on your journey

        • Bigfoot
          March 6, 2016, 1:35 pm

          Hi Barb,
          I’m not understanding your question regarding placing another cabinet at the foot of the stairwell. It looks like there is some sort of appliance(s) under the counter top on the sink side of the kitchen. I can’t tell but I would guess that it is a small fridge.

          Kristina brought up a lot of great & extremely pertinent points regarding the transition to small space living & has some good advice for sure. I’ll chime in & try not to rehash what she has already stated. As far as joining multiple units together, there are many ways this can be accomplished but they need to be addressed at the initial construction stage.

          Having built houses, sheds, decks, carports, retention walls, equipment trailers, & many other things as well servicing & repairing plumbing, electrical, HVAC systems, well systems, & appliances – plus being involved in numerous remodeling projects for a living, I believe I can help you out a bit. I’m not an expert on anything but I do have a broad knowledge base & I’m staring at 60 :}

          You mentioned you are considering building a tiny home yourself with some help. Building any home large or small is a huge undertaking & there are a lot of places you can get yourself into trouble (many underestimate the time/capital requirements) so please make sure your help is knowledgeable. I had my share of self induced mishaps early on, all due to an initial lack of knowledge. I have collected a lot of books related to all aspects of construction over the years. While you can’t learn solely from a book, you can get a good grasp of various systems & have a fundamental understanding of what should be (and shouldn’t be) done. I can recommend some good ones if you need.

          1. Know yourself. Can you really live in a tiny space? Maybe go rent one for a short duration & at least get a feel for it.

          2. You absolutely must know 100% where you will or can set up your home BEFORE you start construction. I believe many get caught up in the hype that Kristina alluded to, build something & then end up being unable to find a permanent spot for it.

          3. Search for alternatives. There are manufacturers out there that have been building small park model mobile homes for a long time & many are at a price point at or below some of the THOW’s. They are 100% legal structures & comply with current building codes. You would just need to find a properly zoned parcel to put it on & set up utilities. Labor is a huge cost of any build & your sweat equity has to be considered. Is it more practical for you to expend the labor needed for the build on a paying job, giving you extra funds for the build? Just a thought.

          4. Go to someplace that sells sheds & check out the various sizes. Step inside a few. Now imagine yourself turning one into a home. Realize that the majority of sheds are nearly 12′ wide & 8.5′ wide is all you can go without requiring a wide load permit. IF you have a permanent spot & you are bent on a trailer build, consider going the wide option & popping for a wide load permit. They are not that expensive & there is a HUGE difference in comfort levels between an 8.5′ wide & a 12′ wide TH. If you do your own trailer setup, make sure there is a means of properly securing it to the ground. It seems that most of what is being built out there doesn’t factor in something that is mandatory from a code level standpoint & totally necessary. Do you want to be in a freestanding box when you have severe storms coming at ya ? If you have some space outside where you could lay out (stakes, string, tape, whatever works) an actual floor-plan, this might give you some valuable insight as well. Measure all the spaces in your current area. What works? Keep a record. Knowing the real space you need will be key to your success.

          5. Help someone build a home! I’ll be donating a few weekends this year to a Habitat for Humanity home construction project. The lack of affordable housing is a huge problem everywhere. HFH can use people of all skill levels. You will meet people with wide ranging skillsets, be helping someone attain living quarters, & will be afforded an opportunity to learn about the various construction process’ firsthand. Might even make some new friends. Plus, it’s always a good feeling taking time out to help others, good karma! Check for them in your area.

          6. This reverts back to point one. I have a wife & 2 dogs. I’m a musician & artist. I have a lot of instruments & music gear, I turn wood on a lathe, have a welding setup, engrave/carve wood/glass/metal/eggshells with a pneumatic setup, garden/small plot farm, & build/repair all kinds of things. Counting the utility room, I live in about 700 sq ft. There is also an entry deck with a 12′ x 24′ covering. In this home space is also a small bedroom set aside for my granddaughter when she visits. In addition to this, I have another 800+ sq ft of storage/shop area & I need more. THOW for me= NO WAY. I can’t go any smaller with all the things I do that bring me satisfaction. If I was single, yeah, I could make a 12′ x 24′ THOW work for eating/sleeping/lounging, but I would still need another 1000 sq ft of shop/storage space for my lifestyle/tools/gear/etc. Again, know thyself.

          Hope this helps a bit!

  • Valerie
    March 5, 2016, 8:58 pm

    that is a beautiful tiny home. I like to have the plan for this home.

  • jake
    March 5, 2016, 9:00 pm

    Shower is probably to the left of the water closet in the second picture. That’s where it makes sense to put it.

    Also, regarding the house… wow! Mega kudos. Ingenious. Elegant. Beautiful.

  • Mark
    March 5, 2016, 9:30 pm

    Of all the tiny homes I have seen, and lately, I have become obsessed with them, this is one of the more efficient and homie that I have seen. All the nuance is present in this design, yes; there are things most everyone would change however when it comes to quaintness and charm this hits the mark. Job well done and for the money, this represents perhaps the best attempt at keeping true to the intent of minimal living.

  • Lisa E.
    March 5, 2016, 9:41 pm

    Well, this is an absolute delight. I LOVE the spice rack on the side of the dish cabinet; how clever and kewl is that? The arched ceiling in the bedloft totally gets rid of that stuffed-in-a-closet feeling and opens that area up into a cozy but comfortable and pleasant space.

    It’s amazing to me how some people can take a basic box and turn it into a gem like this, while other boxes just look like boxes! For the money, this is a top winner hands down. I could move in instantly and feel right at home! Well done; great job!

  • March 6, 2016, 1:08 pm

    Since it takes a while to load the photos, I decided to read the comments first. I’m thinking the folks that built this home themselves knew exactly what they were doing. It is apparent they were looking for safety without sacrificing quality and visual pleasantries.

    Because there are links to other pages, I’m thinking that most everyone’s questions and negative commentary are answered in the resources link. I’m always curious as to whether people review the links before posting their comments. Me thinking many do not including a few whom have posted messages here. Chances are that I’m 100% correct because the opening paragraph on the first link (under Resources) reads: “The couple formerly owned an art gallery, and through close relationships with 22 artists they commissioned special works, all of which have been carefully placed as accents throughout the home.” Ref: http://tinyhousefor.us/tiny-house-spotlight/smouse/

    About the “Litter Box Toilet” – one reader commented that it should just be a pail of some sort without explaining how she would dispose of the stuff she would be putting into it while traveling hither to yawn. That’s too bad because there are many many laws which govern how people dispose of their waste whether they be in a campground, out in the middle of nowhere, and/or pulling over on the road of travel to do their thing. While there are rules governing how humans dispose of their waste, the same only applies to pets rather than wild bear and other animals of the forest and farms.

    With that in mind, it would seem that if one cannot and will not use a composting mechanism, that person should consider not even thinking about living in a house on wheels, unless it is a mobile home you can park in a mobile home residential area. Then, that person can purchase either a single or double wide trailer on wheels, put a skirt on it, take the wheels and axles off of it, and set up permanent housekeeping with a real toilet. The litter box, therefore, can be for the cat, if she has one. By the way, no manufacturer makes liter for human waste, so a pail would definitely be out of the question.

    I saw a staircase leading to the loft bedroom. There are two doors on on the framework that latch. I’m assuming there is a lot of space behind those doors. Plus, having a window above the stove is a wonderful idea because it can be opened. If the vent is operational, very little of the cooking “grease, smoke, etc” will actually land on the window. And if it does, well then, it’s clean up time just as one would to clean up the back splash of a traditional setting. If anyone has a problem with that, they might want to discuss their issues with a medical professional. Just my professional opinion.

    Even though I’m 72 and have difficulty with stairs of any kind, I would tackle these because it would be worth it. There’s ample room to install one of those electric chair lifts as well. And, instead of placing the mattress on the floor, I’d put my hospital bed up there in the loft. There should be sufficient headroom since it has a round ceiling. Just a thought.

    Although, I believe, I’m too old to be building all this by myself, I would hire someone to do it for me, especially with all the codes for electric etc needing to be followed. For the couple which built this home, I’m suspecting they had to have a building permit as well as periodic inspections to insure they did everything according to Hoyle.

  • Marsha Cowan
    March 6, 2016, 8:09 pm

    About water…as I have kidney stones from time to time, I have spent a lot of time researching water and water sources and have found out that the best water is mineral water which comes from springs, wells, or any other underground source, not tainted by surface water. Filtered water takes way much of the minerals that we need to be healthy, and sewer water turned drinking water is only as good as the honesty of the employees at the plant from which it is processed, and we all know that finding good, honest, and hard working employees in America to day is in itself one of the hardest jobs out there for an employer. Long story short, it has been estimated that 40% of bottled water is simply tap water with a spring water label on it. There are no government regulations on bottled water, so they can do whatever they want. Purified water is simply tap water to which 15% sodium solution is added, so don’t drink it if you are on a sodium restricted diet. Real spring water is the best water for you, but call the chamber of commerce in the town from which it is bottled and ask questions to make sure they are really using that well and not tap water. Distilled or ionized water, what you get with a lot of under the counter filters, is void of toxins and germs, but also void of minerals which you have to have to live, much less be healthy, so wash your car with them, but don’t drink them. You will eventually become very sick, and some have died.

    • March 7, 2016, 2:29 am

      Marsha, you mention Kidney Stones. My Renal Specialist has me on a special diet that restricts my intake of oxalates to minimal levels. Oxalates, in high quantities, foster the growth of kidney stones. Liquids such as certain kinds of tea, soft drinks, and a whole bunch of foods. One link on WebMD.com will provide you with a list of those foods and liquids to stay away from to manage the growth of kidney stones. It’s not just the water you drink, it’s a host of many other products. Ref: http://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/tc/foods-high-in-oxylate-topic-overview

      • Marsha Cowan
        July 9, 2018, 11:09 am

        Thank you, Robert. That site was very helpful!

  • Kristina H Nadreau
    March 6, 2016, 8:12 pm

    marsha cowen… thank you for sharing your real life experience living tiny. Valuable as part of an ongoing discussion of feasability, more experience and less hype is always welcome, especially when the experiences vary among people.

  • Kristina H Nadreau
    March 6, 2016, 8:22 pm

    bigfoot.. I lived with a well & a cistern in the Midwestern USA for many, many years. I now live in Central America & am again living with a cistern in addition to the city water which comes from wells. I use reverse osmosis water for drinking because I do not want parasites. I boil the cistern water to use for dishwashing. I use the calcium laden city water for our toilets and showers and laundry. When I can increase the size of our cisterns I will use more cistern water for tasks. Also, I participate in an ongoing program evaluating the feasibility of composting toilets as an alternative here in our undeveloped country. So, yes, I actually do have experience and knowledge about these matters. The leaping and bounding to conclusions not based on factual data and first hand experience is all yours.

    • Bigfoot
      March 6, 2016, 8:43 pm

      kristina
      Quote from your post:

      “Wells & Cisterns work fine for a water supply for ALL BUT DRINKING WATER.
      Have a wonderful evening.

    • Marsha Cowan
      March 7, 2016, 11:19 am

      Reverse osmosis water also takes all the essential trace minerals out of the water that you need to be healthy. I do not recommend drinking it.

      • Kristina H Nadreau
        March 7, 2016, 6:16 pm

        Parasites or reverse osmosis water? every one makes their choices. I do not want the parasites that are endemic in my part of the world. Well water varies hugely in mineral and biologic composition from site to site. There is no one size fits all. Minerals can be supplemented. When perfect well water is not available, I am certain one of the many experts who post here will have the correct answer for everyone. BTW, The composition of “kidney stones” is usually some form of calcium plus other minerals.

        • Bigfoot
          March 7, 2016, 9:36 pm

          I’d personally side with the RO over parasites any day. Kristina, have you ever explored colloidal silver? I’ve been using it for over 20 years as has my wife & animals. I’ve never been to a doc for a cold, flu, or infection. CS has reliably resolved all those issues for me & mine. My wife works in a retail setting & unfortunately is exposed to a lot of sick people on a regular basis. As soon as she starts to feel a bit under the weather, we blast her with CS. Her co- workers get sick & they are consistently amazed that she doesn’t. It kills hundreds of virus’ & bacteria. I believe it kills some parasites as well although I think the jury is still out on the particulars. Silver has pretty extreme antibacterial/antiviral properties. That’s why they use silver laced bandages in hospital burn units. Also, the space shuttle used a silver impregnated filter in their potable water system. Food for thought.

        • Marsha Cowan
          March 8, 2016, 3:56 pm

          There are actually about 5 types of kidney stones, and mine it seems are formed from an injury to my kidneys sustained years ago. There is “plaque” on which minerals of different types can cluster, although minerals themselves, and especially calcium, have been found not to be the culprits associated with stones as a rule. There is a post above with lots of good information, for which I am grateful, and it would probably behoove us both to read it and learn.

  • Marsha Cowan
    March 7, 2016, 11:25 am

    Now, to get to the house itself! It is absolutely lovely in style and form, and is beautifully decorated. I love the curved roof line and the added loft height. There is so much to love about this house…the beautiful stained glass accents throughout, the elegant trim, the touches of stained wood, the beautiful tongue and groove ceiling, the lovely railing at the end of the bed, the gorgeous and functional bathroom…so much!
    Great job!

  • Diana
    June 8, 2016, 12:10 pm

    Very creative and pragmatic with the zen of simplistic beauty that echos nature. Congratulations to your new living experience! Blessings…

  • Lisa E.
    June 9, 2016, 3:33 pm

    The barrel ceiling in the master bedroom with the leafy ornamental “foot board’ really changes the dynamics of the loft. It goes from a psychologically repelling (body) storage space to an inviting, cozy nook for two. I’m really impressed. This is a really nice build. The creators can be totally proud of this very excellent THOW. Good job, y’all.

  • grace
    October 12, 2016, 6:07 pm

    Video tour pls!

    • Natalie
      October 13, 2016, 6:47 am

      I wish there was one! — Tiny House Talk Team

      • Ruby
        October 13, 2016, 10:53 pm

        Thank you ever so much. We’ve been living in our tiny for about 16 months now and all is just honestly perfect.

        We live deep in the Suiislaw Forest by Pacific City on the Oregon coast.

        We are not online very much.

        A video is probably not going to happen.

        Best to ALL. Ruby

  • keepyourpower
    July 5, 2017, 2:34 am

    Is there a shower, or tub in this THOW?

    • Ruby Campbell
      July 5, 2017, 9:01 pm

      Yes, the shower is 36 inches by 36 inches and is the same metal as our roofing except in a different color. Our tiny , however, has been resided on the top half with drop-side cedar. The window frames on the outside are now all painted red instead of orange.

  • Nanny M
    July 8, 2018, 1:48 pm

    Wow! This is so lovely! It’s a magnet, drawing me in.

  • Annette
    July 8, 2018, 4:23 pm

    Wow! Loaded with charm and beauty.

  • Maria
    July 9, 2018, 8:14 am

    There are only two things I would change in this beautiful home. RV low flush toilet and hand rail on out side of stairs.

  • Bruce Gallagher
    October 21, 2018, 5:23 am

    Thank you for sharing your very personal home!

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