LaMar and I have been in touch for the last few days and he’s organizing the 1st Simple Solar Homesteading Tiny Off-Grid House Design Contest for 2014.
And he’s got some really cool prizes that you can win if you decide to participate, too.
The grand prize is $500 in US cash, a 100W solar panel, and a free Tiny House Designs 2014 eBook.
There are 4 categories of houses you can design and submit to… Here they are:
- Homes 200 sq. ft. or less
- Homes 201-400 sq. ft.
- Tiny Houses on Wheels
- House boats, caravans, van conversions, and campers

Above is LaMar’s 8×8 tiny cabin that he submitted in our contested with Deek back in November 2012.
I encourage you to read/learn more below and watch the video where LaMar explains all below:
LaMar Explains More in the Video Below:
The best in each category has a chance to win $50 in US cash, free copy of the Tiny House Designs 2014 eBook.
All category winners (and the grand prize winner) will also receive my upcoming book, The Power of Simple Living (available soon!).
So- if you’re interested in participating click here to learn more and enter in your designs!

LaMar’s off grid tiny cabin, shown above.
Alex
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Way Cool!! Thanks Lamar!!
I believe we and many other fields would do well doing such contests to progress the state of the art. I believe they will create jobs too if people build or inspired by them to produce them.
I really like your designs and maybe in the contest each should have a materials, labor hrs cost to build so designs can be better compared to each other. Thus like your designs, keeps costs reasonable would be a good judging metric..
I have a couple that I think people will like. And will need to learn computer drawing. Need to anyway to keep up with the times.
Thanks Jerry and hope you will submit some designs!
I will include material costs if provided but because we will get a lot of unique materials (I hope) and it is hard to value some materials like recycled I will not make that a requisite but will ask submitters for an estimate. Builders, contractors, furniture designers and appliance makers are all starting to see the push towards smaller sustainable living and are producing products and smaller houses that people are asking for. We are going to have a fast growing population of single homeowners as people are putting off or just not choosing to marry or have kids and older retired people that no longer need a large house to raise kids and don’t want a 30 year mortgage. So I think the small house business will continue to grow and become more popular and hopefully seeing creative designs will inspire more people to think smaller, simpler and more sustainable.
Love this “Misty’s 400 Sq. Ft. 16×25 Solar Off Grid Small House” I received as part of the other models you have sent me via email. I will like to know if you can show more details of real one or way to print and/or buy the plans for it. Who can I contact too. Thanks.