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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

Don’t miss other cabins and plans like this, join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more!

Tiny A-frame Cabin Plans

© Simple Solar Homesteading

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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.

DIY Off Grid Solar Tiny House for Only $10K?

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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.

Designing Tiny Houses in SketchUp Lessons 1-5 (FREE)

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I encourage you to enjoy, follow along and learn using the full 1-hour long video lesson with LaMar for FREE below:

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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.

192 Sq. Ft. Off-Grid Solar Tiny Cabin

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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
LaMar's 8x8 Tiny House Design

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:

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