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Nicole and her family lost their 2,000 sq. ft. home in California in a fire. When they found out they were $500K underinsured, they decided to pivot and purchase three tiny homes instead of rebuilding. They get to stay on their land and have adjusted well to tiny living.
Her two older sons use the 250 sq. ft. homes when they are around, and otherwise, the homes are used as a big living room and an office. Enjoy the photo tour and make sure to read our Q&A with Nicole!
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They Rebuilt With Three ESCAPE Tiny Homes
They have a nice large kitchen in their big tiny.
An awesome dishwasher in there.
There’s a nice futon in one of the smaller tinies.
There’s a sunshade on the bigger tiny house.
Another ground floor bedroom.
This one doubles as their office.
I love this electric fireplace.
I love the big window in the ESCAPE.
There’s laundry in one of the smaller ones.
Here’s the lovely living room area.
The loft bedroom.
A smaller bathroom in one of the little THOWs.
Here’s one of the 250 sq. ft. tinies.
You can see their three tiny homes.
Interview with Nicole:
What got you into tiny living?
Our home in Northern California burned in the CZU Lightning Complex in August of 2020. Everything was gone, including acres of what was once a lush forest. At first, we wanted to rebuild exactly what we’d lost–a 2000 sf home and detached garage. But after getting two quotes that showed we were $500,000 underinsured, we knew that if we wanted to return to California, and specifically home to our land, we’d need another solution.
I began researching tiny home living and after much thought, we decided to go that route. We have a 325 sf “Big House” witih full kitchen, a 250 sf second house for son #1 that also is our TV room when he’s not living there, and a 250 sf third house for son #2 that also serves as our guest house and office when he’s not there. This was not only affordable, but also a better solution for living in a fire zone. A foundationed home filled with treasures that you must defend to keep is a rough choice in a world that’s getting hotter every day.
Did you build your home or buy it? How long did the process take?
We bought all three from Escape Homes in Wisconsin. The first one took nine months and was delayed by nearly three months due to all sorts of supply chain issues related to covid. The second two took 6 months to build and deliver.
How has tiny living changed your life (for better or worse)?
I love living this way. It has a glamping feel, if I’m honest, but the smallness is calming. I feel held in the space. We also lost all of our belongings in the fire, so we fit into the small spaces easily. They’re cheaper to heat and cool as well and cleaning takes 20 minutes tops for all three!
What’s the hardest part of tiny living?
There aren’t big closets for things you don’t use very often and even though we don’t have a lot, for example, I don’t have a closet to store an upright vaccuum in two of the units. So we have a roomba. It’s okay, but I miss my Kirby. Room for exercise is also tough, I can barely fit the yoga mat but had to ditch my Peloton bike for jogging because there’s no room for the bike in any of the units. There’s definitely an adjustment.
What’s the most rewarding part?
Knowing that I’m living in a way that’s in balance with the land, especially land that is under the threat of wildfire. We can also move them elsewhere, should the climate not suit us anymore. I also love the clean lines and quality interior, I’ve never had such beautiful cabinetry before.
Any advice for people looking to go tiny?
Do your research and consider how you use the space. Is it okay to climb a ladder to your bed, or are you older? How many children do you have? If they’re older, perhaps they’d like their own unit. How will they look on the land? What are your zoning laws? Most places don’t allow tiny homes on wheels for fulltime living, so be clear before you go for it. Overall, I LOVE this life.
Learn more
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Natalie C. McKee
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