Pre-fab - Part 4

Mini House ONE+

Described as a lego set for adults, the Mini House ONE+ was designed and built by the Swedish company Add a Room. The ONE+ houses are designed to start out as a basic 15 square meter (approximately 161 square feet) module which can be added on to as needed in many different configurations. Add a Room will design the ONE+ to an individual’s needs, build it within a controlled, covered environment and deliver it to your site.

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 E-den and the Hut

by Christina Nellemann

The E-den and the Hut are two new outdoor living/tiny house designs by the UK company Timber Tradesmen. Timber Tradesmen are selling these tiny buildings as alternative options to camping in a tent or trailer, or as a tiny office, but I think they would each make a great tiny house. Both of these buildings have a unique, organic design that fit comfortably in any surrounding, while providing an uncluttered, spacious interior – complete with a large bunk bed, full insulation and storage space. They also include an optional deck and and a canvas canopy for additional luxury and privacy.

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.

West Coast Green In-Law Pre-fab

by Kent Griswold

Friday I had the opportunity to visit West Coast Green for the first time in San Francisco. Jay Shafer and Steve Weisman from Tumbleweed Tiny House Company and I carpooled together and shared the experience.

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.

6a00d8341c67ce53ef0133f4c300e5970b-800wi — 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.

Seattle’s Timber Frame FabCab

by Kent Griswold

Logan, Tammy Strobel’s from the Rowdy Kittens blog husband brought this new company to my attention recently. I have been in touch with Maura a partner in the business to learn more about this unique timber frame pre-fab product.

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.”

The Chapman Ridge

by Kent Griswold

This house is designed and built lt by John Hilmer. It has a bell swoop at the bottom and finishes at the top with a beautiful cupola that is utilized to vent the building.

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.

Zook Cabins

by Christina Nellemann

Blending the benefits of a prefab, a log cabin and a mobile home, Zook Cabins, built by the Amish in Pennsylvania, offers several different types of fully assembled cabins in single or double-wide units that can be delivered directly to your property. Several different floorplans are also available, as well as customization and integration of your own design.

Zook Cabins are offered as fully assembled units for the simple reason in that it makes it easier on the owner. The Zook website says that most buyers of kit homes don’t have a lot of time or extra hands to construct a cabin from a kit or from scratch. Also, if your building site isn’t precisely level, the precut lumber doesn’t fit, or if you place one piece wrong you fight everything the rest of the way, and sometimes a piece will be cut wrong at the factory. Couple that with the fact that very few people have ever assembled a kit, and have yet to face the frustrations of doing it themselves or finding someone to do it for them.