Tiny House Blog

Jamie Mackay designed and built a mountain modern “Park Model RV” at his campground in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and would love to share the design and pictures with anyone interested in a high quality low cost design ”Park Model RV.”

***Update with pricing etc. below first picture.

I don’t know about you, but I am very impressed with his design and his ability to bring a rustic and modern look together. Jamie did not give me any pricing details at this time but he did stress that it is a high quality and a low cost design. If there is enough interest in this model I will ask him for more details and information.

Jamie says: It took me a while to come up with the finalized design, working with small spaces is a difficult process. The “Park Model” is built out of SIP panels and SIP roof system, 4″ walls and 6″ roof, keeping heating and cooling costs down. The exterior of the unit is a mixture of rusty metal and cedar siding that was stained to look like barn wood. One could use barn wood although it would be 4x the cost. I am currently working on building more of these units and will ship to quite a few this summer. For more details and materials used feel free to contact me at jamie@mackaydevelopments.com

This unit cost $95,000.

Continue Reading »

Last year Cavco introduced their first off-grid park model and I published a post on it. For 2010 Cavco is introducing a new park model called the Off-Grid Lodge and it was recently placed in the KOA campground in Herkimer, N.Y.

The 400-square foot unit has solar panels on its roof, which are capable of producing 2 kilowatts of power. The unit also has a prototype backup propane generator, bamboo flooring, LED lighting, recycled axels and tires, recycled lumber composite decking, rinnai on-demand water heating, energy efficient heating and air-conditioning.

The unit has also been equipped with a complete assortment of eco-friendly cleaning and bathroom products, including coreless toilet paper that leaves no cardboard core at the end of the roll. Even the unit’s Amish-style furniture has been manufactured from recycled milk jugs and recycled hickory wood. Continue Reading »

Yvonne discovered this Tiny House on Wheels for sale in Kemah, Texas on craigslist and says: “You don’t see many tiny houses for sale in the Houston area. I saw this on Craigslist and thought your readers might be interested.” http://houston.craigslist.org/rvs/1638746361.html

18′ RV Park Model cottage house – $4999 cash! The price blows me away and I even question it, so if anyone is in the area and can check this out please do and comment below. I did a screen capture of the ad as craigslist eventually removes them. Here is the video on YouTube.

Yvonne just sent me the link to the $3,899 green house, you can check it out here.

When I first saw these huts on wheels, they looked a bit like an alien vehicle from Star Wars. The more I looked at them though, the more I fell in love with these sleek little houses.

Designed as a modern alternative to camping by Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects in Seattle, the Rolling Huts are available for rent in the Methow Valley of Washington state. The huts are several steps above camping, while remaining low-tech and low-impact in their design.

The huts sit lightly on the site, a flood plain meadow in an alpine river valley. The owner purchased the site, formerly a RV campground, with the aim of allowing the landscape return to its natural state. The wheels lift the structures above the meadow, providing an unobstructed view into nature and the prospect of the surrounding mountains.

The huts are grouped as a herd: while each is sited towards a view of the mountains (and away from the other structures), their proximity unites them. They evoke Thoreau’s simple cabin in the woods; the structures take second place to nature.

Each hut comes equipped with a small refrigerator, microwave, fireplace and Wi-Fi. A sleeping platform is perfect for two, and the modular furniture in the living area can be reconfigured to sleep two more. Each hut has an adjacent portable toilet, and full bathrooms and showers are housed in the centrally located barn a short distance away. There is a water faucet outside of each hut and a picnic table in front of each hut that seats 12. You can stay in one of these huts for about $80-$100 a night.

By Christina Nellemann

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Friday afternoon my wife and I went to the Sonoma County Home and Garden Show located at the fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, California. Stephen Marshall from Little House on the Trailer was displaying three of his homes there and had sent me complimentary tickets. Thanks Stephen.

We took our time looking at many of the displays, which included solar and many other building material exhibits. They also had brought together the RV and Boat show, trying to save money with the down economy, as these are usually separate shows.

My wife had not seen Stephen’s work before so we toured his new little cottage, the art studio and his original tiny house on the trailer. My wife preferred the larger size of the little house on the trailer and thought it much more livable, but would like a separate bedroom. Anyway I have included a few pictures of our visit.

We stopped over in the RV section and looked at the one park model on display. Janelle thought that she could live in that just fine once we downsized a bit on the belongings. The loft design did not seem right but the rest of the floor plan was great. Anyway we had an enjoyable time at the Home and Garden Show and I would recommend you go to one in the future.

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I live in Sonoma County in Northern California and it has kind of become a mecca for tiny house builders. There are three all within a 20 mile radius and I think there will be more in the future.

Another area in the Northwest seems to be taking on this same idea and it is Port Townsend Washington. There are several small or tiny house builders in that community and I recently discovered another one.

Ann Raab and Suzanne DeVall have recently started a company called GreenPodTM Development LLC which designs and builds custom, modular homes, which emphasize style, sustainability, and health. All products offered are chosen with concern for indoor air quality, durability and environmental responsibility.

Well-designed smaller spaces utilizing multi-purpose furnishings are the signature of GreenPodTM homes. Every Pod features low air infiltration design, aluminum clad wood windows, energy saving appliances, and LED lighting. The passive solar design of the homes saves energy naturally, while the interior glass doors and high windows create comfortable, naturally-lit living areas.

Every Pod contains low flow plumbing. Options include greywater recycling, rain water storage, roof gardens or living roofs. Pods can also be placed on Diamond Pin foundations, further reducing their ecological footprint.

Our attention to detail and sustainability also extends to the GreenPod’s interiors. Our exclusive textiles include linens and furnishings in four color palettes. The certified 100 percent organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp used in the interiors are biodegradable and completely sustainable.>

What makes GreenPodTM an Intelligent Environment?

• Respectful use of resources
• Environmentally smart design
• Concern for health, safety, and the future.
• Practices ‘closed loop cycle’
• Encourages local sustainability
• Savings in construction costs, maintenance, and utilities use

Pictured here are several of their designs and a couple interior pictures as well. If you are looking for a quality small home and are on the west coast be sure and check these out. Visit the GreenPod website to view the floor plans, pricing and more.

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