If you’re thinking of building a tiny home, you’re probably researching the countless options available and deciding just what features you’d like to have. While you’ll face many decisions in the process of creating your home, one of the largest decisions you’ll have to make is whether to build the home yourself or hire a tiny home construction company to do the work for you. There are pros and cons of using a construction company, and the choice of whether to hire a company or build the home yourself will depend on many factors. Here are just a few things to consider when making that important decision.
Advantages of Using a Tiny Home Construction Company
Hiring a tiny home construction company does have its advantages. A company that specializes in tiny homes should be aware of the unique challenges these homes pose, and should have creative ways to incorporate storage and other important elements. A company should also be familiar with tiny house building codes, taking much of the research responsibility off of your plate.
Using a construction company can save you time, too. If you’re working full-time, caring for your family, or simply don’t have the time to devote to construction, hiring a construction company can mean that you’re able to move into your new home sooner.
It may also be ideal to hire a company if you have limited construction experience or if you lack the space to build a home. Construction companies with access to large garages or other indoor space can continue to build in inclement weather as well, meaning your home will be finished faster, no matter the outdoor conditions. If you don’t regularly build tiny homes, you may also find that you need to hire professionals, like electricians and plumbers, to complete certain components of the home. Plus, purchasing the construction tools you’ll need can be expensive, and unless you’ll repeatedly use those tools for future projects, you could be investing a lot of money into tools that will see relatively little use.
Advantages of the DIY Approach
Building your own tiny home is also an option, and with many high-quality tiny house plans available online, it’s not as difficult as you might think it could be. In fact, building your own tiny home can be a sort of adventure, and when you’re doing everything yourself, you can design the space exactly as you want it. Since you’re in charge of the whole project, you can also make sure that the home is built with the quality and attention to detail that you desire. Plus, you can incorporate personal touches into its design, like reusing wood from a previous house or including accents that appeal to your sense of design.
You can potentially save on the cost of your tiny home when you build it yourself, as well. Looking for deals or closeout specials on materials can help to keep costs down, and you can potentially reuse some materials like roof panels, appliances, and even flooring supplies. Be careful when reusing materials, though, since some older household products like insulation and roofing tiles can contain asbestos. If you’re putting these materials into your home, you could unknowingly be putting yourself at risk of mesothelioma. Instead, it’s best to source materials that are excess from recent construction jobs.
If you decide to build your home yourself, you’ll be in for a longer-term project, but the rewards can be great, too. You’ll have the satisfaction of building your own home, as well as the knowledge that the whole project was done well. If you plan on living in your home for years or even passing it down to your children one day, then building it yourself can add to the sentiment behind its construction.
Choosing a Construction Company
The decision of whether to hire a construction company or build your tiny home is up to you, and it will depend on factors like your budget, the amount of time that you have, and your experience in construction. If you decide that hiring a company is the best option, start by carefully reading reviews of that company to get a sense of the experience that other homeowners have had. If possible, try to contact people who have worked with the company directly and have a conversation with them about their experience, what they liked about the company, and what they wish they could have changed.
It’s also important to make sure that any company you hire focuses on worker safety, since construction accidents are common, no matter the size of the project. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) creates standards that help to reduce injuries in the workplace, and companies must adhere to these standards or face steep fines. Construction accidents can be life-changing and even lead to death, and if accidents occur because of employer negligence, it’s likely that the employee or their health insurance company could sue. Make sure that any company you’re considering hiring has passed its OSHA inspection and that the company is fully insured.
Building a tiny home, whether you decide to do it yourself or hire a construction company, is the first step to changing your life and creating a new, safe space for you and your family to enjoy. While the process of building your home can take some time, the more effort you put into planning and creating your home, the more pleased you’ll be with the end result. Good luck!
Photography by Kent Griswold
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