My name is Cody Gaylord and I am the current REED Manager (Renewable Energy and Ecological Design) at Green Mountain College. We are currently trying to sell the tiny house that the REED program designed and built in the Fall of 2010. The funds from the sale will be used to fund the REED programs next design/build project.
This tiny house was designed and built by Green Mountain College students in the Fall of 2010 as part of the REED (Renewable Energy and Ecological Design) program. The house boasts 96 square feet with a base footprint at 8 ft. by 12ft. plus an 8 ft. x 3 ft. 6 in. sleeping loft. Nearly all materials were repurposed and locally sourced including the rough cut siding and the slate threshold and countertop.
The window area is maximized on the south side for passive solar heating, and windows are placed for adequate summer ventilation. The off-grid 300 watt solar system shades the southern glazing in the summertime, and can easily power lights, laptops, peripherals, and devices. The sleeping loft is accessed via a ship ladder, and underneath is a custom corner window and storage bench. The angled rear wall creates a spacious feel, and the hyperbolic roof is designed to maximize rain water collection.
There is an exterior layer of 2 in. XPS insulation at the walls. The floor is insulated, and there is 2 in. of rigid insulation at the roof. The wall and roof insulation and interior paneling needs to be completed by the buyer. The house can be moved by GardenTime in Rutland. Buyer is responsible for moving costs. The asking price for this off-grid tiny house is $5,000. Funds received from this sale will be used to fund the REED program’s next design-build project.
Serious inquirers only please to: Tiny House Sold
Cody Gaylord
REED Manager
This would be more attractive if all the finish work was done. Since your in Vermont how did you expect to hear this? No stove ? Also curious what kind of grade the students got on this. I would be interested in buying this if the finish work was done and a stove put in. 5000usd will buy you a pretty nice camper.
$5k will by you a 15 year old full sized camper. Sure you get a bed, fridge and small stove, all 15yrs old. This unique house with a solar system is a great deal at $5k. If you have followed this site and the Tiny House movement you will have noticed that finished tiny houses go form about $15k to $35k. It doesn’t look like this goes with a trailer frame, but still to buy a shed with this much work in it, windows, door, exterior insulation etc. & built by a professional carpenter, would cost about $10k. sounds like a good deal IMO.
Very sweet house!
What a great starting point for someone to finish.
Finally agree with the asking price. Seems to be a good value.
Love the funky roof.
Love the ladder!
In the top two photos, the one on the right viewing the back… is that near roof line dipping down some, or is it the way it was photoed?
I like the various windows and their placement.
As I understand it from the description of a hyperbole roofing, the oddly angled roof is deliberately designed to channel rain for collection and use.
I like the ladder too!
Adorable design!! Love everything about it, especially the roof line. I just wish that I could afford to purchase it and move it to California. Congratulations to the students who built this home. You did a lovely job.
I am impressed with your choice of design and basic build. Your offer to sell is less than the important purchased materials, especially if trailer is included. (not stated)
Your solar system components & glass are top line equipment.This tiny home can be completed for far lower cost than average.
Good deal! sweet design. I rather not have it finshed.
Personally, I would expect a bit more than this from students in a college degree program.
The fact that it is the semi completed and the result of a group of supervised individuals paying for the privilege is less impressive.
You mean that the college or some local program near there has no use for this structure or tax break ?
Our high school industrial trades class built entire homes that were eagerly awaited and snapped up. We built multiple sheds bigger than this to auction for the program and school and had them sold before completion.
The task isn’t done until it is complete.
Tiny homes are a niche market and it is goofy to compare them to cookie cutter houses and sheds you can buy at Lowes! To dream up and build a livable space in only 96 sq. ft. is impressive–especially with these design elements included. Wish I had a mere 5 grand to plunk down. This is a steal.
To clarify, this tiny house is the result of a single four-credit semester-long course. Twenty students collaboratively designed the structure under tight time constraints, and then worked into the winter months as a unified team to complete construction. They thoughtfully applied a variety of innovative sustainable design solutions including a front stoop generates electricity and shades the passive solar wall during the summer months. The hyperbolic roof maximizes both rainwater collection potential and space for a sleeping loft, while still keeping the building within legal transportation limits. The materials are largely recycled, coming from ReNew Salvage out of Brattleborro, and many of the other materials were sourced from the local slate quarry and sawmill.
The project was intentionally left unfinished. The following semester, students installed the interior wiring and PV system as part of a hands-on PV design and installation skills intensive course. That spring, the house was exhibited on the College campus during graduation, and was mentioned in Governor Shumlin’s commencement speech.
Since this tiny house project, the program has gone on to build an urban farming shed, that is currently housing a native plant nursery, and an innovative grant-funded solar garage on the College farm. In all of these projects, the students thoughtfully integrated renewable energy and sustainability into the designs. More importantly, they learn how collaboration can produce excellent ideas, and how building relationships is, in many ways, more important than the structures they leave behind.
Congratulations on your successful industrial trades classes, D. Whit. I believe hands-on project based education programs are extremely valuable. It seems we should work together to strengthen the design-build culture, rather than harshly criticizing others based on uninformed opinions.
Lucas Brown
Director of Renewable Energy and Ecological Design
Green Mountain College
Lucas congratulations on the tiny house and the class. Any chance that the plans might be available. I love the solar array, I am wondering if there is battery backup for lights etc.
The house has sold already!!! Wow – I emailed them this morning and just got the message back that it was gone. Someone got a heck of a deal.
I’m looking for experienced tree-hugger types who build these great off the grid, tiny yet great spaces! Nice design here.
Coming out to Hawai’i?* One or more of these made w/bamboo…
Aloha,
Grace
*must love the rain!
I have built my first tiny house and is move in ready complete with loft full kitchen and bath, ample closet space and completely furnished, still only asking 20K. Hook ups same as RV with either 30 or 50 amp service, so trying to figure out why no more done. I was a GC in NC and built my tiny house on same specs as conventional home. Hard woods throughout custom cabinets with great appliances, not to mention 42 inch flat screen with cable and dish hook ups, ceiling fan in and out on porch with recessed lighting, AC and heat
do love the solar and roof. Hind site would have made mind more “off grid” so it has it’s short comings as well. Wish yours wasn’t a project more than a mind set, but nice job.
Are you sure you have this thing right side up?
I love love LOVE this house and if I had the money I would have purchased it weeks ago. Please, do not let a few negative people dampen your enthusiasm. It was a fantastic house!
this is amazing.
There is allot going on with this project, mixing practicality with whimsy…. breaking out of the restrictive boxes that typify the tiny house movement would make living here a truly joyful experience. I applaud the creativity and design-thinking that it took to reuse materials, build to code et al. You have made a “building” that is “architecture” and I second Ani Blair’s Comment above.
Thank you all for your comments and interest. Working on the project was a great experience that fostered greater knowledge in ecological design principles. With that all being said, the tiny house has sold. We received a great amount of interest in this project and look forward to see what type of interest we receive on our next endeavor that will be started this coming semester.
Thank you all.
Cody Gaylord
Renewable Energy and Ecological Design Manager
Green Mountain College
I once bought a house like this located on 5 acres on Ky Lake. I tore the house down, built a much nicer tiny home on it. I suppose it depends on the person and what they think is nice or practical.
Is this still for sale?