Tiny House Blog

This weeks Tiny House in a Landscape was submitted by Jeffrey Lindsay. The photograph was taken in Polebridge, Montana.

Jeff says, “It’s not tiny by some definitions, but it is pretty small.” Polebridge is located in northwestern Montana, on the northwestern edge of Glacier National Park. Named for the log bridge that connected the North Fork Road in Glacier National Park to Highway 486, over the Flathead river. This is a resort community that consists mainly of the Polebridge Mercantile and Northern Lights Saloon.

I’ve featured Paul McMullin’s work here a couple of times in the past. You can view the posts Little House on the Prairie, Paul’s Montana Cabin, and Paul’s Guesthouse. Paul has been busy again this winter and just shared his latest project with me. The quality of his work is something else. I’ll turn it over to Paul and let him tell you about his tiny log cabin.

Well, here in Montana, another winter is almost past. This one seemed to go on like the ever ready bunny. Around the middle of January I decided over a cup of coffer to build a small log home next to our office I share with my wife. Most of the things that I have built in my career have been stick built (dimensional lumber) so this was something new and stimulating for me.

Finished cabin

A friend in the next valley over did the log work and what a craftsman he is with his trade. We stacked the logs on a deck, lagging the first log into the six by six pressure treated plates We pinned all corners with sixty penny spikes, three quarter inch pipe through the logs in the field and used long log screws for the rafters. We insulated the roof, handmade the front door, installed double pane windows, chinked and trimmed it out. Continue Reading »

A New York Times article tells about the Leeps, builders of luxury homes in Montana who when the economy turned bad began rethinking their business and are now building portable homes for disaster related areas.

For the Leeps and their partners, HabiHut is a strange new world. Money is the major difference — “We used to build houses that would buy a village for 20,000 people,” Mr. Weas said with a laugh —

Photo Credits: New York Times

Moreover, HabiHut has two dimensions. “It’s a project about providing shelter, but hopefully we can make money and create jobs,” said Mr. Weas, whose son Sean, a recent master’s graduate in architecture, is also involved in the venture. “The best of both worlds. There’s a moral aspect to it that wasn’t there at the Yellowstone Club.”

At a weight of around 400 pounds and before being assembled it will fit into a 4? by 8? crate for shipping. The tools needed are a screwdriver to put it together and it is rated to last about 15 years.

The first few dozen HabiHuts have been manufactured, with several in use in Kenya, two in Haiti and another 20 en route to Haiti for sale.

Read the complete article at the New York Times website and visit the HabiHuts website to learn how you can help get these to those in need.

Montana Mobile Cabins is keeping me updated on their current construction and letting me share pictures with you here on the Tiny House Blog. You can view a couple of the other cabins here and here.

The recently completed this 16×22 designed by the client and built to his specification. The cabin was set on full daylight or “wall-out” basement. Here are the cabinspecification: Full loft (or second story), bath, kitchen, great room. Basement houses utility room, 1/2 bath, master suite.

Located in the historic town of Virginia City, Montana.

Cabin with Virginia City in the Background

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I introduced you to Paul McMullin from Ennis, Montana in a previous post and told you I would be sharing more of his work. Here is another little cabin he built and I will let him describe it to you.

I call this one the “Little House on the Prairie.” I built this because my mental health was deteriorating as I was sitting behind my desk late winter doing my usual business stuff for that time of year. I had to get outside and produce something regardless of the weather.

This is what I built. A 14 X 16 inside with a 4 x 14 foot deck. Not knowing how it might be used I left the inside as if you were in the belly of the whale, studs, rafters, and sheeting. I live in a small town of about 1000 so I know most people and most stopped by to see what Paul’s up to. The place was completed, a for sale sign was attached and my mind was back in order.

If you would like to contact Paul you can email him at paulmcmullin@hotmail.com.
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I’ve done a previous post of Paul McMullin from Ennis, Montana cabin and told you I would be sharing more of his small houses. Here is a guest house he recently remodeled that I thought would be great inspiration to our readers. I’ll turn over the description to Paul.

This is a small house I built and lived in back in 1980. It measures 18 X 24. Small bath, kitchen, loft for sleeping. In 1986 the owners wanted me to add a small bedroom, which I did. The bedroom was larger than I thought it should be for the size of the existing house; but I wasn’t footing the bill.

Then, last fall they asked me to do a complete remodel. The photo’s are after the remodel. I took out some built- ins to make the bathroom a little larger; took out a built- in corner seat; and built a daybed, new windows, siding and kitchen. Before, the kitchen was on one wall only.

If you would like to contact Paul you can email him at paulmcmullin@hotmail.com.
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