Mariah and Ryan Lingard fell in love with the woods and lakes of Joseph, Oregon and purchased some partially burned, partially logged land after seeing an ad in the local paper. The 100×150 foot parcel of land cost them $47,000 and is located smack dab in the middle of hiking, skiing and snowshoe territory. The couple has a full-time home in Portland, but they make the 6-hour trip to the Signal Shed about four times a year.

After two years of planning and extended weekend camping trips to their land, the couple built the 130 square foot cabin over a two week period with friends and family. The materials cost about $10,000 and the cabin features several recycled windows, IKEA cabinets and laminate flooring. They found the barn door hardware and the woodstove on Craigslist. The cabin rests on a floating pier to minimize impact on the land and cedar screens used to lock it up when Mariah and Ryan are not around. The Signal Shed has no running water, no electricity and the couple uses the woodstove for heat and some cooking.

Mariah grew up in an off-grid home in rural Oregon and is not bothered by the lack of running water or the portable toilet. The couple heat up water on the stove or in a solar water heater, and read at night by candlelight or oil lamp.

The structure was awarded a 2011 Residential Architect Magazine design award. As an architect, Ryan is now offering the Signal Shed plans for sale in limited quantities. It is being sold for $18,000 for a prefab modular structure and detailed plans are being sold for $1,000.

Photos courtesy of Sunset and Ryan Lingard

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Hybrid coined the term cargotecture to describe any structure built partially or entirely from recycled cargo containers. The c-series consists of five models ranging in price from $29,500 to $189,500. The home featured at the Sunset show was the c192 nomad which costs $59,500.

The prices of the c-series include:

• Recycled ISO cargo container with new paint
• Soy based spray foam insulation
• Aluminum clad wood windows and doors (one 10 feet long opening and one side door)
• Bamboo finish floor
• 5/8 inch drywall ceiling and walls
• Panelized wet room bath with redwood decking.
• Duravit bath fixtures
• IKEA cabinets and kitchen fixtures and lighting
• Summit appliances
• 30 gallon electric water heater (gas if available on site)
• Convectair Apero heat
• Factory plans, State L&I permits and inspections

Green and off-grid options are offered including solar panels, composting toilets and “green machine” sewage treatment and roofwater harvesting.

All the models are insulated about 15 percent above IBC and UBC building codes in the floors, walls and roofs. The building can be placed in cold climates as well as moderate to hot climates. The recycled plastic and soy sprayed-in insulation creates R24 walls, R44 ceilings, and R32 floors. The roofs can handle 60psf snow loads.

The HyBrid homes are shipped complete. A local contractor will need to be arranged for electrical and sewage hook-ups as well as foundation work. In many jurisdictions, if your project is less than 200sf there is no permitting process required. HyBrid has completed residential and commercial cargotecture projects in California, Oregon and Washington and has designed over 20 projects on 5 continents. They will ship their cargotecture homes worldwide.

Photos courtesy of Hybrid Architecture

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

The company combines the creative and constructive expertise of an architect with the experience of a landscape designer, a tree expert, and other craftsmen. They transform individual ideas and wishes into ingenious and inspiring dwellings that combine versatility with craftsmanship of the highest quality and maximum safety standards. These tree houses are also installed without harming the tree. They are not anchored with bolts or nails into the tree, but rather with textile belts and adjustable steel cables. This protects the bark, trunk and branches and allows the tree flexibility and growth.

The dimensions and the height of the tree houses depends on the stability and health of the tree. Sometimes it might be better to anchor the tree house to two or more trees rather than a single one. The tree houses can have a horizontal or upright design, with two or more levels, or even consist of several interconnected constructions at different heights. Most of the tree houses are units about the size of a small trailer or caravan.

The structure can be insulated, wired and fitted with built-in furniture according to the dimensions of the treehouse. The company also offers a wide range of different interior fittings such as seating and reclining areas, storage space, a mini-kitchen, heating, lighting, stereos or a flatscreen TV, a mini bar and windows facing in all directions. The installation of plumbing depends on the height of the tree house and availability of water supply and sewage disposal features on the property.

The tiny houses are built out of larchwood, oak, Oregon pine or FSC-certified tropical wood. Light metal, textiles and synthetic materials are also used. The tree house can be insulated using natural materials such as wood fiberboard, sheep’s wool or coconut fiber. The tree houses shown on baumraum’s website cost between $25,000 and $200,000 depending on the design, materials, assembly and interior furnishing.

baumraum has recently published a book called, Treehouses – Construction and Design Manual, which is available in both German and English and profiles 25 tree house projects around the world and several fictional designs from the company.

Photos courtesy of baumraum

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Sami Rintala and Dagur Eggertsson’s work has been featured all over the world and they pride themselves on designing with a balance between man and nature. Many of their designs incorporate nature as a major element, but also have a modern, industrial feel to them. Their tiny homes in Norway, Italy and Thailand use nature as part of the design.

Boxhome

The Boxhome in Norway (first photo, above) is a 19 square meter (205 square feet) dwelling with four rooms covering the basic living functions: kitchen with dining, bathroom, living room and bedroom. This house was built to show fellow Scandinavians (who are starting to prefer larger homes) that a small pre-fabricated home can be more energy and material efficient.

Cabinet Home

The Cabinet Home in Italy is a 28.5 square meter home with a 10 square meter garden (306 square feet and 107 square feet). It is constructed of wood and formed as a set of large steps from the ground towards the sky. It was created to receive rain and sunshine from above and to use these elements to create atmosphere and energy. On the ground level are the social spaces with a kitchen and dining room that open to a garden that collects rain water. The first floor is a living room or library and the top floor bedroom has a view to the sky. The exterior is white to reflect the sunshine while the interior is dark so the owner can escape from the brightness and heat of the outdoors. The entire house can be detached into three container-sized units and transported to its final location.

Library in Thailand

I thought this beautiful, natural design would make a wonderful home for a warm climate. This orphanage library in Thailand was built by Norwegian architecture students over the course of two weeks. The task was to use local materials and building techniques to create a building that would solve the problems of education in the orphanage the best possible way. At the same time, natural ventilation systems and sunshades were studied and introduced into the building. The library is made of natural lava stone, concrete bricks, wood and bamboo.

Other Projects

The Luoto is a family of space elements. The initial container becomes a mobile table and evolves into a multifunctional, two-level structure that is able to host different activities like studying, introspection and relaxation. The Luoto is mobile and can be opened or closed.

These floating saunas in Russia are conceptual houses for use as emergency shelters during a flood or other natural disaster. They can be used as a shelter for 3 to 6 people and can be built within several days.

This floating sauna in Norway is anchored in the middle of a fjord with the winter sun coming in through transparent walls. Access to the sauna is by boat and users can descend into the fjord water for an icy dip through a hole in the floor.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Smallworks takes an active role in the entire process of building a small home including site inspection, custom design, permit applications, in house millwork, pre-fab and flat pack material delivery and on site construction management. The company uses LEED accredited designers and will walk a customer through various sustainability and green building options. Premium upgrades for each project include lifetime warranty metal roofing, upgraded siding, millwork and furniture packages and bamboo flooring.

Their designs range from Arts & Crafts to West Coast to Modern and all the designs, finishes and fixtures can be customized. The base price of the 100 square foot Studio/Bunkie is $10,000 plus extra for site work.

230 sq ft Vacation Cabin

100 sq ft Studio/Bunkie

200 sq ft Studio/Bunkie

220 sq ft Twin Studios

230 sq ft Vacation Home Interior

624 sq ft Laneway Loft House

Photos courtesy of Smallworks

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

This concept is based on a cooperation between Denmark and Sweden and choosing high quality materials from both countries. The system includes decks and deck covers as well as an indoor or outdoor kitchen, a mini bathroom, beds, wardrobes, full insulation, plumbing and electrical fittings.

The ONE+ is built with sustainable Scandinavian materials that require minimal maintenance. The thin outer panel is made from Superwood, which is a Danish invention where Swedish wood is impregnated into the kernel while being environmentally friendly. The modules are fully insulated with energy efficient windows and sliding doors from Velfac for low heating costs.

The cost for the basic unit with a deck and deck cover is about 250,000 Swedish kroner or $36,500. The basic unit with a deck, deck cover and kitchen costs about 350,000 Swedish kroner or about $51,000. Additions and transportation cost extra. The idea behind the ONE+ is to not consume more than you need at the moment, but to grow your home slowly.

UPDATE

At this time, the ONE+ is not being exported to the U.S. However, Susanne Aarup of Add a Room said that they will soon have a version that can be broken down, ordered from Sweden and exported to the U.S. The house will be built to Scandinavian standards so it is up to the buyer to make sure their ONE+ meets building standards in their area.

Photos courtesy of Add a Room.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

The E-den is hand built by skilled craftsmen in Somerset using a combination of timber and steel framework, locally sourced materials and incorporating modern timber frame construction techniques. They each include a wide door for people with mobility problems, a large roof window for natural light, and electricity can be added into each E-den. They are each constructed in a workshop and delivered as a complete unit on a trailer. To launch the project the company has decided to sell the first 10 E-dens at cost to establish them in the marketplace, therefore the prices below are a genuine special offer and will be offered on a first come first served basis.

The E-den’s exterior is 14 feet long by 9 feet high and 11.6 feet long by 6.9 feet high on the interior. The bunk is 5.6 feet deep and 6.9 feet wide with 16 inches of storage underneath. A standard unit costs £6,875 or $10,700.

The Hut is also constructed off site, can be built to your specifications and can be delivered and installed in one day. It’s fully insulated, wired and constructed from reclaimed and sustainable sourced materials. A green roof can be installed and opportunities for solar panels are available.

The Hut’s exterior is 14 feet long by 7.6 feet wide by 9.4 feet high and 12.6 feet long, 6 feet wide and 7.2 feet high on the interior. The cost of the Hut is £6,500 or $10,200.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

The first thing we spotted as we walked onto the grounds was this cute little pre-fab and we all headed straight for it first thing. Based off of plans by Houseplans.com and designed by Larson Shores Architects, the little pre-fab is an accessory dwelling unit designed to help folks age in place and was built by Eco Offsite in eight days and, after some finish up work, completed one day later.

Photo Credit Houseplans.com

This little backyard cottage has all the space you could ask for in a home with a living area, kitchenette, bedroom, and bathroom. It is also designed and built to be low-impact.

538 square foot floor plan

Pictured is a modern style roof version, but the cottage is available in a ranch- or pitch-style roof.

The Cottage is available through Houseplans and is listed for sale from about $61,500, which includes manufacturing, state approvals, and factory inspections, but excludes tax, delivery, installation, local permits, site specific plans and approvals, utility connections, and local fees. At 538 square feet this little pre-fab is not tiny but I would consider it small and very livable for two people.

Kitchen Nook: Photo by Houseplans

Living Room: Photo by Houseplans

Bathroom: Photo by Kent Griswold

Bedroom with Jay Shafer: Photo by Kent Griswold

Bedroom Steve Weisman talking with builder: Photo by Kent Griswold

FabCab designs and sells pre-fabricated and kit-built environmentally-friendly homes and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Maura says: “We launched our company in March and we have had an outpouring of support and interest in our products. We are passionate about designing environments that marry “green” design, design that supports people with a range of ages and abilities and prefab design. Therefore, our environments are designed to be flexible, open and easy to use and live in.”

There are many uses for FabCab cabins including a home, guest house, home office, writer’s or artist’s studio, caregiver’s residence, in-law apartment, rental unit or a cabin on a vacation property.

FabCab utilizes a machine milled and pre-cut timber-frame structure which can be sent as a kit of parts (including the frame, wall panels, doors, windows, siding, as well as finishes and fixtures) to a customer’s building site, and erected / built by a licensed contractor. The noticeable quality of timber-frame construction sets these cabins apart from other kits and pre-fabricated structures on the market.

Ranging in size from 300-1800 square feet. My favorite is the 550 square foot model featured in the photos of this post. FabCab just placed their first home in Brewster, Washington and Maura shared a few of the photos of the completed home with us. To learn more visit the FabCab website and if you live in the area stop by and visit them and share your thoughts with me. Although not listed on the website,  I found a price on the Press Kit brochure they sent me for the 1 Bedroom 550 s.f.: Exterior Package $48,500 and Interior Package $33,000.

The house is made of hemlock and pine from the woods of Maine and sawn by a local sawyer in Athens, Maine.

Since it is almost only wood and nails the building releases minimal off gases. No harmful glues and plastics are used. The building is built using mostly hand tools so as to lower the carbon footprint of the builders and customer. The walls are sheathed with boards the old-fasioned way so no ply wood is used that contains harmful glue.

A boot is installed in the roof to accept a stove pipe and a wood stove can be installed immediately after it is built. The inside can be lived in immediately or it can be insulated and finished by either the home-owner or the builder. The board siding/sheathing is beautiful on the inside to look at if left natural if the customer decides not to insulate it.

It is a beautiful and well built building that can be erected anywhere in the U.S. for $20,000 plus $4.00/mile outside of Maine. After a order is made the building can usually be erected on your site within a month. You can contact the builder through their website hilmerbuildinganddesign.com or by calling 508-332-9721.