When my husband and I first moved to the country after 20 years of living in the big city, we talked a lot about the different possibilities for housing. We were both sick of apartments. We fantasized about the different natural building techniques like cob and straw bale, but worried about exorbitant land prices here in California.

About five or six years ago we stumbled upon Jay Shafer’s Tumbleweed website and were completely charmed. This was pre-Oprah, before he was so famous. We had a free private consultation with him within the first few weeks after he moved out to California. A couple years later we went to one of his open houses, and recently went to his first showing of his new Craftsman style cottage. We love his work, but his prices were too high for our budget. Building it ourselves seemed too difficult, though I’m sure it is possible for some people.

The tiny house bug had us. We now knew how we could own our own home without land or a mortgage, but we needed a place to put the house.

After a couple years of searching we found a lovely RV park that would take us as long as the house was an RV. We knew Bill Kastrinos at Tortoise Shell Homes usually builds his as RVs, with the DMV doing an inspection and giving a license plate. For a time we were also looking at Little House on a Trailer in Petaluma, and Molecule Homes in Santa Cruz. Both of those guys also do lovely work. But we finally decided on Bill.

I spent long months designing my floor plan. Bill was kind and built me a custom house. The build was exciting. We were close enough to him to be able to visit every weekend and watch the progress of the build. My husband got lucky on his commute home from work on delivery day, and ended up driving behind our house as Bill hauled it down the highway to our RV spot at the campground.

We have now lived 3 months in our new home and have loved every moment. It being a studio and only 150 sq. feet (8’ x 18’), we wouldn’t recommend this size for couples that don’t get along really well, or for those with complicated hobbies. For us it has been wonderful though. Our main hobbies are watching DVDs, reading, and hiking. We are using our computer as our TV to save space. We don’t feel claustrophobic, having a view out our great-room window of the rolling hills of a horse pasture. We can’t really see other dwellings or people for the trees. Our first utility bill was only $28.00. Our house is all-electric, we use a little space-heater to heat the house.

At night we like to look out our big window at the constellations. I’ve never had such a view of the sky at night before, it’s quite magical. Our loft we only use for storing all our stuff. We bought a very comfortable futon couch which we convert into a queen-size bed at night, and that seems to be working for us. For those that don’t want to negotiate ladders, we recommend futons. My husband does have a camping pad up in the loft and likes to take naps in the daytime once in awhile, he calls it his ‘man cave’.

Here are pics of the loft, and my hubby having a nap in his ‘man cave’. Also, the closet which covers the whole end-wall by the door. We were originally planning on having enclosed his and her closets on either side of the window. But changed our minds once we moved in. There’s still a window behind all those clothes, so if we decide someday to have enclosed closets we could still do that. It’s messy now, but very easy access which we like.

Here is a pic of our little kitchen which has granite counters that I absolutely love. The other pic is of our recessed shelving, which was one of my best ideas. It is built into the interior wall between the kitchen and bathroom, next to the bathroom door.

I have been a follower of the Tiny House Blog for a few years and was really intrigued by what it might be like to live in a small home. My wife and I searched for land for a few years, but could never find the right piece of ground. She was convinced that she wanted a place on the water and I was convinced that the only piece of land that we could afford near water would be the size of a postage stamp.

We finally found the perfect spot while exploring a part of our state that we had never seen before. While it is only 85 miles as the crow flies from our home in the city, and about 150 miles by road, it feels like we are in another country. It turns out we didn’t by land near water, but found 30 acres of heaven on earth of highland pasture.

I was at first determined that I wanted to build a tiny house like the Tumbleweed, but was convinced (coerced) by my wife and daughter that 100 square feet just wasn’t going to keep us all happy. I’m glad that I listened! We also bought property in a “development” which requires that homes be a minimum of 500 square feet. With some creative math we were just able to sneak over the 500 square foot threshold. The main part of the cabin is 320 square feet with a 100 square foot bedroom on the back of the cabin. We have two lofts which are connected by a “catwalk” which adds about another 100 square feet. We use a ladder to get up to the lofts and when not in use the ladder retracts into the bottom of the catwalk to give the main cabin more room.

We are totally off grid and use solar as our main source of electricity. In this part of the country we have about 300 days of sun a year so the solar keeps the batteries charged pretty well. We have a 2000W inverter which can run just about anything we need and use a 3500W generator to back up the batteries on those days which are either foggy or cloudy. We don’t have a well (yet) but have access to a well nearby.

We have two 550 gallon water tanks in the unfinished part of the basement, which serves as a mechanical/storage area. We refill the tanks by hauling water in a 210 gallon tank which fits on a small flatbed trailer we have. The cabin is mainly used on the weekends and an occasional long week and we find that the 1100 gallons of water gets us through our cold winters with no problems.

We currently heat the cabin using a free standing propane fireplace which is regulated by a thermostat. We also use propane for cooking, refrigeration and hot water. We have a 500 gallon propane tank on the property. In addition we also have a small bathroom with a shower with hot water and a flush toilet that is connected to a septic system.

I designed the cabin and spent much of one winter finalizing the drawings and making scaled models to make sure that the space would be adequate and that the placement of the windows and roof lines seemed appropriate. Because the space was relatively small I decided to make the sidewalls 10′ tall instead of the traditional 8′. This gives the cabin an added sense of dimension and gives more than adequate headroom in the loft area. In addition, the loft does not cover the entire second floor and the space over the living room is open to the 12/12 pitched roof about 18′ above the floor. Once we were happy with the design we had IB Panels out of Jerome, Idaho manufacture the cabin using SIP’s. Eric Lott and his crew did a great job and were extremely helpful through the entire process. The cabin arrived in pieces on one flat bed truck and it took a crew of about six people and about six days to erect the cabin. At the end of those six days we had the roof on and the windows in and were ready to move in. While the cabin was far from done at that point we decided that we would camp in it and finish it as we had time.

Today the cabin is about 90% complete with almost all of the exterior completed and a good part of the interior finished. We sided the exterior of the cabin with a product made in Colville, WA by a company called Weathertite Log Siding. It is made to resemble hand hewn log siding and was very easy to install and I think added a lot to the cabin. There are a couple things I would do differently, but they are minor and I think that all of the pre-planning really ensured that the finished product was something that we would be happy with.

The couple also plan to move around the country, staying in campgrounds that offer year-round rates. They then want to purchase some land where tiny house living is more acceptable.

Their 117 square foot Tarleton, built on a car hauler trailer, will have a great room, a sleeping loft above the bathroom and kitchen, another storage loft above the door and a bathroom with a custom shower and composting toilet that vents to the outdoors. The kitchen has four feet of stainless steel countertop, a two-burner stove, a bar sink, a toaster oven, a small fridge and – rare for a tiny house – a combination washer and dryer that they got from a family member for free.

The great room boasts plenty of storage space with two closets and built-in “cubbbies”, as well as a combination window seat/storage trunk topped with an organic mattress. A small table/desk is held up by a wall brace where Evan and Gabby can do work or eat. The room also has space for a training board for rock climbing, which hangs just above the entryway to the kitchen. The great room floor is made of cork and the entire home will be cooled by a 5,000 BTU portable air conditioner and heated with a propane marine stove.

The couple have even built an ingenious little cubby for their cats’ litter box that includes a cat-sized entry door.

The sleeping loft will contain two small closets whose doors will swing open to create privacy for sleeping. The couple plans to make a custom mattress for the area and Gabby is proud to be able to winnow down her clothes to fit the tiny space.

Gabby was also committed from the start of the project to build the house with very little synthetic materials. The insulation for the house is made of sheep wool and the house will contain very little plastic. Even the cats’ litter box is metal. Both Evan and Gabby love the outdoors and are avid backpackers. Evan said that he finds nothing in his daily life to be as rewarding as carrying only the things you need for your basic needs and immediate comfort. He adds that the Tumbleweed Tiny Houses merge the two worlds of home and backcountry living: backpacks for everyday life.

Their website, named “Built by Friends”, shows the step-by-step process of their build with excellent documentation and photos. It also has a page dedicated solely to the friends and family who have each lent their skills to different aspects of the house.

“We’ve found folks to be very interested in getting involved with this unique project, particularly one with such a positive impact in terms of living consciously, simply and intentionally,” Evan says on their website. “As we progress, we’re slowly chunking away at the many details and still finding offers of help. It has really brought people (including Gabby and I!) together.”

Photos courtesy of Built by Friends

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

This video shows some nice interior views of the Popomo’s “great room”, bedroom and kitchen (with or without the antics of the reporters). Fox Business News focused on the Popomo being an alternative living option during the housing crisis.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Most of the designs we see out there resort to the loft for a bed. This saves precious floor space for living. However, this is not ideal for everyone. Unfortunately, at this time I only know of a few designs that take an alternative route to the loft – so I thought I would do a post to highlight these houses. My goal is to inspire others to design more homes with alternative sleeping quarters other than a loft.

The oldest version of a tiny home on wheels that I am aware of is the vardo or gypsy wagon. These homes were designed with a bed that sits up high and has storage below. You still need to crawl up a little to get in, but it is nothing like climbing a ladder. There are not many plans out there for this type of home. The only one I know that is available the “Don Vardo” by Portland Alternative Dwellings. While it is not a complete house I think the plans could be extended to make it into one with a kitchen and bathroom. Dee Williams from Portland Alternative Dwellings and I once talked about this revision and she may have even completed the plans by now. You can get an idea by looking at the picture of the Don Vardo here and a vardo picture I have included above in this post.

(Dee just sent word that she has the 12 foot vardo available which features a bathroom and kitchen. The plans are now available here for only $30. They are in the process of having one built out in Florida and I will share photos, etc. as soon as it is completed.)

12 foot Don Vardo Floor Plan

Another home not using a loft is Dan Louche’s house plans. He designed his home for his mother and she did not want a loft. She uses a futon in the living area as a bed and it is working great for her. You can view Dan’s plans here and check out his blog of the construction of the home here.

Jay Shafer is popular for his loft based tiny homes on wheels the Tumbleweed Tiny Houses. Jay has pretty much stuck with this type of plan except for his most affordable plan – the Popomo. You receive this plan free if you purchase his book or you can buy it alone for $16.95. This is a very modern home, in fact they have just completed building the first one and I had a chance to see it a couple of weeks ago. If modern is not your style, don’t worry, the exterior can be customized to suit your tastes. Here is a picture of the Popomo that Tumbleweed Tiny House Company recently completed. You can see more pictures at their website. Click here to see them.

Tumbleweed Popomo

If you are aware of any other homes on wheels that have not used the loft bedroom please share them with me and the other readers below. Let’s get some new ideas and plans out there for those who need or want this option.

Popomo Interior via Tumbleweed Tiny House Company

Tumbleweed Vardo Plans – $15.95

The Vardo is not officially a tiny house but more of a sleeping camper, great for getaways to the mountains or the beach or as a guest room for your tiny home. There is no bathroom or kitchen, just a sleeping area and storage.

If you are unsure of your building skills this little project would be a great way to learn the basic carpentry skills and come out with a wonderful little project you could show off to your friends and family. Tumbleweed estimates the cost to build the Vardo to be around $2,500 (minus the optional heater).

The vardo can be placed on a small trailer and towed or put on the back of a pickup such as the Ford F-150.

The plans include 14 pages:

Get the details about the Tumbleweed Vardo Plans – $15.95

The Popomo is our sleekest model to date, yet it’s one of the easiest tiny houses to build. It features hot-rolled corrosion-resistant steel siding, making it unlike anything else available on the market today. The Popomo takes full advantage of the maximum legal towing limits without requiring any special permits, affording you the luxury of a larger, more inviting living environment without the extra paperwork hassle and expense.

You can buy the Popomo plans for just $9.99! But you have to hurry because this sale ends November 30th.

This set of plans contains 38 pages jam-packed with all the information you need to build your tiny house like a professional, including step-by-step instructions, orthographic illustrations, and suggested resources and suppliers.

Click here to view more details and to purchase.

Day one focuses on the construction process where you learn about topics like the tools you’ll need and the special needs of a house that can be pulled down a highway. Day two is focused on tiny house design where Jay goes into detail on how he makes tiny homes comfortable and functional.

You can learn a lot about what it takes to build your own tiny house online, but taking a workshop from someone like Jay can really help fill in the gaps and I found it really worthwhile. Visit the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company website to learn more and register. Here are the dates and locations:

• Sebastopol, CA Nov 6-7, 2010 (last 2010 workshop)
• Orlando, FL Jan 22-23, 2011
• Santa Fe, NM Feb 5-6 2011
• Nashville, TN Mar 5-6 2011
• Honolulu, HI Mar 26-27, 2011
• Jackson, NH May 21-22, 2011
• Olympia, WA June 25-26, 2011
• Washington DC July 16-17, 2011
• Chicago, IL August 6-7, 2011
• Los Angeles, CA Aug 27-28, 2011
• Portland, OR Sep 17-18, 2011
• New York, NY Oct 15-16, 2011
• Santa Rosa, CA Nov 5-6, 2011

I’ve moved into my tiny house. I love the house. It’s very well constructed. The wind here in the Delta is so strong that at first I was afraid that even though it had survived being towed from the east to west coast, it might come unhinged by the wind. It hasn’t. It’s solid, quiet and a tranquil shelter from the strong gusts.

The cats venture out when the air is calm, but stay in when it’s blustery. We negotiate seating. I have two cats and two dogs and all five of us prefer sitting on a chair or soft spot up off the hardwood floor. Misty, my elegant female cat, claims the cushiest chair when she’s home, and I sit on a small triangular wooden stool that I brought back from India.

Smokey, my big, brave, athletic hunter, leaps from the kitchen to the loft and sleeps on my bed. The dogs, Becky and Jenny, sleep on pet beds or the toddler sofa from Toys ‘R Us. There is just enough room for all of us, but we have to think before we move – there is apt to be someone or something else in the spot we’re moving toward. We have all the comforts of a traditional house: electricity, heat, hot water, air conditioning, toilet, microwave, refrigerator/freezer, satellite TV and internet. Things I don’t need for day-to-day living are in a storage unit in town. I’m renting the land I’m living on. It’s farm land – open, flat, spacious, so much better than an apartment.

Regards,
Elaine

Graton resident Jay Shafer appears on the cover of Parade magazine Sunday. Shafer, 44, who designed and built the tiny house, is to appear on the cover of the magazine’s annual How America Lives issue, pictured standing in front of the gable-roofed cottage.  Read the Press Democrat article here.

Visit Jay Shafer’s Tumbleweed Tiny House Company website.