Ya know, Kent – This article is pretty much antithetical to the Tiny House movement.

Bad enough someone brags about using all the ideas other folks worked hard on to make “big money”, but then derides us because we’re not providing him with enough good ideas to steal.

And then the article devolves into a sales pitch. You should label this one as advertising – although I could think of a few more adjectives.

I have a great idea. How about a little humility. This post really tuned me off. I love the camaraderie other tiny house community. This company doesn’t seem the fit that niche.

*of the

I see no original ideas here…

Anyone notice how SIP’s prevent internal wiring? Nice wood, ugly external wire conduits!

I think this guy is excited about what he is doing, and has some good points about financing and industry. I like both examples from the outside, but they don’t appear to have chosen the best ideas for internal lay out. To me they look a bit sterile and bunk house like. It could be that the conduit plays a part.
I recommend that the author live in them for a while to see how the space both works and feels.
And by the way, I have seen many posts on here that would fall under advertising.

To chime in on the critical side, I agree with what’s been said above about the chutzpah in this post. However, there’s a bigger issue underlying this particular house builder…

Their stated business is building “to withstand the extreme rigors that are associated with the exploration and extraction of domestic energy […] in ND and AK”. In other words, TAR SANDS AND FRACKING!

Any claims about energy efficiency and other environmental benefits of a small house, go straight out the window when you use it to facilitate the mining of what is possibly the dirtiest fossil fuel on the planet! If you really care about the environment, stop making houses to that people can dig dirty oil out of tar sands and pollute groundwater with hydraulic fracturing.

I have to agree that this poster seems a tad arrogant and dismissive of the many quality DYI builders whose projects have been featured at this site. Perhaps this builder needs a remedial course in humility as well as a rethink in the extensive use of metal conduit for power delivery in his homes. Maybe there is a better ‘idea’ for that item as well.

I check this website religiously every morning because I absolutely love the ideas and concepts people have here and what they freely share to better the Tiny House movement, but this post just struck a cord with me. The resounding message from the VAST majority of posts is the concept of community and the open sharing of ideas related to the idea of living a richer life in a smaller footprint. This post smacks of blatant commercialism and self-righteous egotism. Several paragraphs promoting other folk’s “Great Ideas” as something the author is uniquely able to rescue and coalesce into a grand vision, all the while not attributing a single iota of credit to any of the actual pioneers of this movement, just rubs me the wrong way. I don’t see a single “Great Idea” anywhere within your thinly veiled sales pitch, only a remix of the brilliance of others without issuing them credit.

I don’t care if something is an ad or promotional for their business. Doesn’t bother me a bit. I was happy to learn of Tumbleweed, for instance. If it’s a business and not some individual, I do feel free to say what I think of it, though, if I don’t like it.

I’m not crazy about these. They’re a bit sterile. It’s partly the materials, I think. Partly not enough windows for me. I guess they’re not quite quirky enough. I love the quirk. 🙂

I wonder if it would be possible to start some sort of tiny house investment pool,club or fund? You could fundraise to get together the initial capital and contract with a credit union to administer.
Conduit…Being able to get to the wiring without tearing up the walls is so smart. I’ve seen channels and ports in walls covered with baseboard or other moulding designed to be removable. No ugly conduit.

Read this post first thing every morning and was disappointed by the lack of charm and quaintness that I am used to seeing in the buildings. I felt the tone arrogant and the CEO liked the sound of his own voice a little too much. Could you shorten it in the future and let us read the sales pitch on the company’s website?

I actually quite like this guy…

I don’t care that they are used in oil fields, I certainly wouldn’t tell him to stop because they are, I trust no one drives a ford/chevy/dodge/toyota etc? all companies that produce vehicles used in mining…

And it does’t bother me that he wants to make money, are we to assume that all these small independent companies are doing it out of the good of their heart? I’m sure they want to make enough to live on, to have a nice time with family and the likes that come from having a disposable income.

I agree that the exposed conduit might not suit some, perhaps re-route it, I don’t like the yellow color either but I don’t love every house posted here.

But he is right in the fact that financing for homes like these is hard if not impossible, he has secured lines of credit which is more than others.

For tiny houses to become a valid option, they need to be affordable to all, not just the people who can put them as a guest room in the yard of their house. I am changing my lifestyle because I want to own a small piece of land with a tiny house on it, I understand that I may need a huge deposit to buy land, then save and build the house as I can afford it, or be very lucky and find a bank willing to give me a construction loan. a financed option may solve the renting while building issue.

I suspect the author finished typing this, proclaimed “Boom! Nailed it,” swatted his secretary on the bottom, and headed out to knock back some brewskis with his frat brothers.

I’ll come back later and look at the pictures alone when the bad taste in my mouth has subsided.

Wowza! I too am an avid reader of all the current tiny house movements. I am seeing more and more hate within a group of like minded people and it makes me sad. This posting is certainly wordy, but there are some good points. And not all housing is meant to be like the others. I know while in Afghanistan I would have loved on of these. LOL I also don’t mind the electrical conduit being visible. I actually kind of like it… As for who the customer base is, that really isn’t our business. Our issues are with the companies doing the drilling. So maybe can we find some peace here? We can avoid buying from businesses we don’t support right? (Me, I want cheap and simple not fancy and costly for my 160 sq feet….) 🙂

I am not impressed, with either the design, the implementation, or the craftsmanship. Nothing much to be proud of here.

To me, it looks like someone with little craftsmanship or common sense was handed a pile of money and told to build it.

From a purely practical point of view nice wood interiors are not going to stand up well to the intense wear and tear of camp life if these units are company owned and house a constant rotation. People will be clomping in and out with dirty clothes, heavy boots, clanking tools and whatnot even if they have another place to clean up and change first. If owned by an individual who will take care of it that’s a different story. Some workers will appreciate having a nicer place to stay, some won’t.

Financing will always be an issue and if some of the ideas referred to help somebody that’s great. Best to research all options. Just make sure you read the fine print!

Disclaimer:

Felix Wright works for Stew MacInnes.

SO what is the price of one, did any body find out????

As others have weighed in on this post, I too feel compelled to respond. The tone of CEO MacInnes was brash and unpolished. This cavalier pitch may go over well with men desperate for shelter in the oil fields but probably not with your average tinyhouseblog reader. When Tammy and Logan or Dee respond they come from a place of sincerity… they talk the talk then walk the walk. MacInnes’ means to an end undercurrent belies a true lack of credibility. He sounds one step away from a Hummer and 2800 square feet.

I’m going to guess that the purpose of the exposed conduit is to allow the walls to be completely insulated. If you bury the conduit in the walls, the insulation in those places must be correspondingly thinner.
Plus the exposed conduit allows for more flexibility in layout after the walls go up.

Wow, Some hateful people out there. It seems to me Stew is saying that usually any product starts with one idea, its when you take the idea and expand it and make it work, is when it becomes a great idea. Who cares, hes like anyone else building something for someone. Trying to make some money and provide a service. I don’t like everything he did, but he has many good features. I like the red house and think they look really well built. I don’t see how someone could say from looking at these pics that it does not look sound. Im more of an optimist though, I guess I see the glass half full. Personally I would really like to try one of these and see how they operate.

Surface wiring detracts and shows a lack of prior planning in the design. Otherwise same old thing – caboose on wheels.

Ew.

Ya,I constantly see cabooses crusing down the road. Just coming back from lunch today I almost got ran over by a caboose. Their like Hummers, There everywhere. 🙂

i’m not troubled by his tone-he didn’t tailor his pitch to this audience, but whatever…

Couple of thoughts! One, neither of these designs look like a house – they feel more like a caboose on wheels – which will definitely appeal to some people – but not to anyone who wants a house that looks like a house, just smaller and on wheels.

And two, a huge percentage of people are drawn to these houses because they like the idea of building their own.

So while i agree that a company that can provide financing is a brilliant big idea, if this company really wants to find big time success in this market, I think they need to consider hiring an artist to cleanup their current designs – aesthetics are important! And they should consider branching out into design that look like real houses.

Seriously Stew? I’d suggest you go hire someone like Jay Shafer. You said you were mezmorized by his designs – there’s a reason for that! If you could offer a tiny house that was brilliantly designed, with financing? THAT would be a big idea.

I am a bit late weighing in…..I like it. I like the galvanized metal, and the conduit. If it were mine, I would go all the way with the industrial feel with lighting, and steel shelving. Love the shower.

Hang in there. There is interest in this type product, a lot of your success will be all in the price point.

I have to admit, I spent more time reading the comments then the article. I didn’t really read the article, after the first couple of paragraphs I simply lost interest in what he had to say.

That said – I did closely look at the pictures. I’m all about the pictures. I liked the exteriors and really liked the bunk beds. Hated the exposed wiring.

On an aside – what is the attraction to the wood clad interior?! It almost seems like a given in the tiny home community. I don’t mind it as a detail – ceiling, feature wall, etc – but everywhere? How do people find it that live with it? Personally, I like to paint my walls.

I also really disliked the picture quality – I would have loved to see these houses actually outside and photographed with natural light. At night, in a warehouse – really doesn’t bring any justice to those windows or the other details.

As someone who has long enjoyed the movement of the ‘tiny house’, but is a fairly new reader of this blog, I’ve never been so turned off by a comment section. I’ve thought of the tiny house movement as one that embraces simpler, smaller, more efficient living. This article discussed that – if not in a way you may have liked.

I found the product offered to fit the stated purpose according to the author. Just because it may not fit your aestetics of what you think a tiny house could be, it’s a tiny house for someone who likely would be quite happy with it.

Personally I found the information about the struggles to get financing and the high rate of business failure among the entrepreneurs of this movement interesting and informative – maybe you knew that information, but don’t assume all of us do.

I always assumed due to the nature of seeing things from a different perspective, the followers of the TH movement would be more openminded and while you may not agree – or even like this article, I never expected the ignorance and vitrolic nature of some of the comments posted above. Perhaps I just need to move along to another blog.

I enjoy all tiny house articles. I just found the author used “Great Ideas” way too much.

I agree with Miranda- I’m surprised at the hatred lacing some of these comments. I’ve been a fairly consistent follower of the Tiny House blog, and am actually ashamed of some of the people’s comments in a community that I am typically proud to be a part of. The article is written from a marketing plan perspective, as though he is trying to sell his idea to businessmen or women; maybe not perfectly tailored to “against-convention” folks, but definitely caters to a significant section of society. I found his article very informative, and think it’s wonderful that he is putting together ideas from several areas of the tiny house community- something which we typically pride ourselves on- community and sharing ideas. He never claimed that they were his idea, only that he had pulled from the ideas of the greater community to cater to a different section. And different isn’t bad…it’s just different. It’s too bad that some commenters are so “open-minded” that their brains are leaking out.

Lots of hot air in this article,but I do like these tiny homes. First time I’ve seen SIPs used in towable tiny homes. Great idea. Electrical chases can be routed out of the foam inner core, at the SIPs factory, before the top layer of OSB is glued in place.Also,as seen on a This Old House episode, a steel ball is heated with a torch and dropped down the foam core of the panel and it comes out the bottom;melting a perfect chase to run wiring. Very cool!

bottom line this guy was arrogant and turned me off. he has a handle on many of the issues in our community, but he isn’t really bringing anything new to the discussion. yes very commercial and that is ok, but he didn’t present it very well. marketing is about connecting with your target audience, if you piss half or more of them off, it doesn’t matter how good your recycled ideas are you will lose.

Hatred is way too strong a word.

Spirited discussion is a good thing. Nothing wrong with dissenting opinions. just the fact that the topic is generating so much discussion means there is interest, and that’s a good thing for any business. Maybe some good will come of it!

Wow. Just wow. This is an incredible site and incredible movement and to have people saying things like, I’m not impressed, and I can do better and he said this that way and I don’t like how he did this, and he’s trying to advertise and make money, oh no! It is all kind of silly. I love the tiny house movement and good on this company and all other companies for advertising, thinking, building, trying, making a stand and saying we can live smaller and simpler. I don’t care how he markets. This company will change lives like it or not for some of you “elite tiny housers” or whatever is going on here. Tiny houses are awesome and necessary. And people are people.
I can’t wait to build and own my own tiny home. Anyone capable of this is a good person. Lay off.

You may be giving him too much credit for arrogance. His post was odd and almost sounded like mentally challenged person’s rant with some marketing thrown in. This idea does have it’s place and I do believe with the right mix of people, financing can and should happen, but I’m not so sure I really believe he has secured it.

I like the yellow caboose configuration – with those 3 center windows and the ladder on the side. Of course, you’d have to be quirky to like a home that bright – works for me.

The way to get tiny house financing and insurance is to build it to RVIA specifications, get a RVIA inspection and display the RVIA sticker.Provide a DOT approved vehicle and certificate of origin and serial number.

I watched the red home being built from the frailer up. This is a prototype and we had a hard time channeling out for the wiring thus the conduit, not perfect for sure but when building something for the first time with new materials there is a lot of give and take.
Many people are not in the position to buy plans and build their own tiny home. Many people don’t have the tools, know how, or a place to build their own. Many people don’t have the upfront cash to buy a trailer and all the materials to build their own. Stew is trying to fill a gap in this movement and most of the posters here are burning him down for a few design decision and because he is not an eloquent writer.
Be nice – Scott

Great Looking, But the conduit kills it .

I’m a bit late on this discussion but the tenor of the article was a huge turn off. I would support any Small Business with the right focus and fundamentals. I’m very skeptical about this one.

Every business has a pitch or marketing angle. Clearly, the owner of this shop had the time to reflect on what he wanted his message to convey. Substance and quality matters but people generally do business with people they life. This person just doesn’t come across as very likable. It’s important for many reasons: flexibility, communications, contract, deadlines, etc.

My recommendation: approach at your own risk. This is tip of the iceberg stuff.

There’s an interview with this guy over on Tiny House Talk, sounds a lot better and makes more sense. http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/

[…] via tinyhouseblog, tinyhouseblog, tinyhouseblog, […]

It seems to me that some people here are missing the real point of tiny homes – to get away from debt and having mega-mortgages that stretch on for decades. Tiny houses are a great solution to affordable housing, and not having to pay 30 to 40% of your income for living (mortgage, rent, utilites, taxes, etc.). The people who are commenting on how this article/company is not what the Small House Movement is about seem to be “playing house” to me. I am glad the Small House Movement is getting attention from building companies and even financiers, because only then will it become more accessible to those of us who can’t build our own due to age, lack of help and/or skills. And for those who think these small houses are their idea, pleasssse… Most people on the planet live in very small houses, it’s just us glutenous Americans who live in McMansions.

I have to admit that I’m among many who may find those exposed conduits as pure eyesores, but there is always a way around it: First, the design is more flexible and you don’t have to compromise insulation and wall integrity. The second issue is doing internal design your own work: A carefully placed furniture item may hide the conduits. You may also integrate them in the design, providing there are not too curvy (or else over-simplifying may give the look of a ship’s engine room or even a hospital, God forbid…)

I would not place the double-decker bed in a passageway so close to the sink and would definitely paint the house with a color other than yellow!!!

The only thing that offends me is his overuse of the word “idea” What I think has most people upset here is the common interest they have with a true capitalist. While for completely different reasons, two equally different sub-cultures collide and find themselves on common ground. It’s like that awkward moment when you run into that old girlfriend you never told your wife about. You really don’t know what to say until after and then you get all ticked off. If we’ve only learned one thing from the tabloids or Jersey Shore, press is press people. Keep the subject on our minds and we promote whatever in the ad-space in between. I have to admit, SIP’s is wonderful, the metal roof perfect, the option of compost or incinerating toilet over the top. Sure the conduit’s exposed, but have you ever seen the inside of a college students apartment? Their tough on sh!t this guys fits the need. Breath, take a moment, and enjoy pictures of a few tiny houses. That’s how I spend my time drinking coffee on the weekends. Good Day People!

Hi,

I own a lot on Mt. washington, LA County, and want
to build a small place on it.
I would appreciated if your company could get the job done, or give some other tip on how
to proceed.
I need a “Turn Key” type of project.
Thanks

Sami

A HOUSE WITH WHEELS IS A TRAILER AND LOTS OF COMPANIES MAKE THEM. THEY ARE NOT TINY HOUSES NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK.

I’ve been enjoying Tiny House Blog for some time. I live on a boat and do some freelance writing for a hobby, sometimes re. the “simplicity movement”.

I was a little surprised to see the author ‘jumped on a bit heavily’. I started reading this piece and it kept my interest to the end. I was aware quickly that it had some “commercial promotion” aspect to it but that didn’t seem “in your face”. The author is a good writer, using great turns of phrases, quotes, etc. and worked to craft his article around his personal philosophy. I enjoyed reading the piece for the writing. I learned some things re. the state of financing (not an aspect of this topic usually of interest to me, not many articles on finance use phrases like… using your “inner Sherlock Holmes”). I “got” pretty quickly that his designs originated from use in some pretty tough environments and were probably appreciated more for durability than design. They were more thoughtful, though, than the ‘acres of trailers’ I remember being moved into the Rawlins, WY area in the mid 1970’s for the coal gasification workers and families. I passed the article on to a friend who is refitting, with a composting toilet, the Tugboat on which she lives. His reference to composting toilets reminded me of her and that she’d probably like this blog.

I don’t know this guy and guess I was spurred to comment for the first times here to make a statement that I appreciated that this person put some thought into the article, put his fingers to keyboard and then ‘sent the sucker’ to the blog enabling, at least me, to enjoy some writing and learn some things. I am new here but I’d like to hear even more about personal philosophies that spur you all toward your interest here.

About this company: I don’t care one way or the other, I’m not heading for any oilfield. About the protective comments regarding Tumbleweed Tiny Houses: I like their houses, but there is absolutely NOTHING original or new about THEIR idea. Look at the first days of the automobile (1920’s) and you will find the original “Tumbleweed” houses. I would think most people already know that anyway.

I see nothing new here.

It reads to me as a investment glossy for funds.

Actually it would have been a fine posting and showing of someones work and project EXCEPT that it seemed to be more of an explanation of the trials and tribulations of someone’s financial dreams that should be featured in Entrepreneur Magazine.

The thrust here should be to downsize the financial impact of the users rather than elevate the check books of the marketer.

I should just refrain and start a site dedicated to “Anything Slapped On A Lightweight Trailer Frame.”

I read again.

Stew is big on Stew, Founder & CEO

Stew would be a hoot to have around on the job site though. Nothing better than framing and running siding with some high French commentary and quotes.

Take off the powdered wig and grab your tools and get in the truck Stew !

Looks to me Stew is a man of vision and accomplishment. He knows his market, and he knows they will pay for his finely-finished product.

Interesting little home.

I like the way it resembles a train caboose.

I always wonder how they are in relation to the inertial thrust of turning corners, braking and accelerating while being towed.

Are the frames built with screws or common nails?

I have heard standard homes use nails rather than screws so there can be the slight movement of expanding and contracting with heating and cooling as well as slight movement when the wind blows.
If they use screws, the heads could pop off and weaken the structure when it moves.

Also, I don’t see much difference (functionally that is) between these tiny homes and the travel trailer type of trailer home or a standard mobile home with the wheels left on them.

If they can be financed, why can’t these?

Hi! I looked all over your MEL site and found only 1 model featured (#4). Maybe it’s just me, but, I like to know the price of an item offered for sale. Couldn’t find it. Got the annoying feeling this is one of those deals where a sales rep “pre-qualifies” you before you can even find out if there’s anything worth looking at! Much less what it’s going to cost! I don’t think I’m alone in finding that off-putting! Next, no floorplans, and not a helluva lot of discussion about the houses. Where are models 1-3??? But lots of information about financing. Looks like an opportunity for some high interest rates and an over-inflated price tag from the getgo!

Definitely Manly. I think it is kinda ugly. Not warm at all. I prefer the wires be in the wall. I do like the bunks though.

I really enjoy the one that looks like a caboose. That’s probably because I worked for a railroad for 5 years about 30 years ago. It has a good feel to it. Nice job!

Im planning to buy a lot and to buy 2 tiny houses
Can u help me to choose a small and nice house?

Okay, this was all good and well. But the minute I saw all the conduit run on the walls I was immediately turned off. That doesn’t look professional. It looks like white trash and or an afterthought. My brother has built houses with stress panels which are similar but thicker than the product being used here for walls and you simply cut into them, run the wiring or conduit and plaster or sheet rock over that portion. Or you can run wood over the wall on the interior if you want.

A tiny house bolted to a trailer isn’t much different than a mobile home bolted to a trailer, so I’m surprised to hear folks can’t get financing if they want it. It’s just that moveable housing costs more to finance as it’s harder to “track down” should you default on the loan and they want to foreclose aka reposess your home.

I really like the exterior design of the yellow caboose house, and I have actually toyed with the idea of possibly (someday) living in a converted caboose. A real caboose is tremendously heavy, though, so Stew’s design could offer a practical alternative.

Regarding the exposed electrical conduit shown in some of the interior photographs, the interiors shown probably are of the industrial type (for oil field workers, etc.), that Stew mentioned in his verbiage. If a company chose to purchase such small homes for its workers (notice the bunk beds), then such a company probably could lower its purchase costs, by economizing on interior wall finishing. Such lowered cost might explain the presence of the exposed electrical conduit.

I, for one, prefer the conduit.. I prefer the wiring to be contained in a metal pipe rather than through my walls… seems safer (less of a fire hazard, safe from possible rodent damage) … I’ve been through a house fire, so I’m a exceedingly concerned about said subject… I also figure it would make any future repairs/trouble-shooting easier and you wouldn’t have to tear up the wall.. doesn’t hurt that I like seeing “the structure” of a building.. just a personal preference, but thought I’d throw out another spin on it… 😉 me

I love love these homes. They seem so open without all the built ins. I think it was a great idea to leave the wiring outside. In a simple home it is easy to fix a hole an issue. Not a tiny house! Great JOB

I am very interested in your designs I am in the process of selling my micro building A.K.A. 200 year old half building in Hudson N.Y. and I am waiting funds keep in touch . 2129352539 419 1/2 warren street hudson n.y. 12534. T.J.Bertanzel