My Plans
- General Information
- Material List
- Floor/Ceiling Plans
- Roof/Undercarriage Plans
- Framing Plans
- Exterior Elevations
- Plumbing Plan
- Electrical Plan
- Interior Elevations
- Sections
- Millwork Information
- Construction Details
- Sketchup Model
Basic Plans
$125
$125
Full Plans
$250
$250
Everything
$350
$350
There are just a few differences between the plans and my actual house, I made all of the changes for the better, they are as follows:
- The kitchen window is shorter to allow for a sill above counter height
- The stairs are relocated for ease of use
- Tile floor are not suggested and radiant floors are not required (would require a heavy duty trailer)
- Cabinets don’t require welding, they are more typical construction
- Walls are 24″ on center
- Electrical panels may vary
- Trailer will vary (there are general connection details)
I wish you all the very best and I hope to follow along with your journey to minimize! Please do not hesitate to contact me. If I can help you get there I certainly will!
Plan Samples:
So you say you moved the stairs for ease of access… What did you exactly mean by that? I am concerned that it will no longer fit a king sized bed in the loft. The way you have it in your home it wouldn’t interfere with that. Just curious what you meant. Again THANKS FOR THE PLANS 😀
I just swapped them with the cabinet next to them so they were more central, it will still fit a king sized bed but they are very easily swapped back to the right hand side like I have them if you wanted that instead. I have just found that with the stairs being right against the wall I have a natural tendency to lean away from the wall. They absolutely work, I just thought they may function a little better more central, as you look at the plans you’ll be able to see that bank of storage is basically 4 parts which can be interchanged with each other as they suit your needs easily, the details will all be the same.
Hi, Mary!
I love the house! But I’m wondering…you built it yourself, as you’re an architect, right? And it cost you $11,000. Well, I don’t know nothin’ ’bout buildin’ no houses :D, so how much, do you think, it would cost me to have someone else build one for me? Thanks!
Hi Judy-
I did build it myself as a designer (I’m not really an architect, just studied it), it was my first construction project ever, I was pretty novice myself but knew a little about the systems to start. If i didn’t reclaim materials I believe my cost would have been about 20-22k without labor, a good rule of thumb is to double material costs for labor so I would guess someone could build you this for about 40-44k (This labor cost is really why tiny houses have been a DIY movement I believe). There are a ton of great builders out there though, let me know if you’d like me to point you in a direction for a builder (there are some questionable ones too…)
I really like your home. I like the way your kitchen is , it looks really nice☺
Thank you Shirley, I’m glad you like it!
Is there a way to make a 2-3 loft area?
Hi Deanna, I’m not sure what you mean? a 2-3 loft area?
If you wanted to move your house around, would you be able to? It looks like it would be pretty heavy.
Hi there, yes, I have moved it and it is pretty heavy. I actually made mine a triple axle trailer to handle the extra weight as it was an experiment with radiant floors. In the plans I recommend not doing a tile floor which cuts off about 6000 pounds and would make it about 9,000-10,000 pounds complete (plenty for the right dual axle trailer to handle). Great question!
Hi, I have been looking for option to build a mortgage free house for a single person. This is the best option I have seen so far in moth of searching. $ 11,000 is very affordable for me. I’ll will have to build it all by myself and I have a basic to none knowledge of construction, but I’m good with my hands. Would it be realistic, in my situation, to get in something like this?. Also,what did you use for the out side siding?. Do your plans include full construction and details ( from inside and outside), and all I have to do is get furniture in once I’m done?. Well, thanks so much. I really like your place
God bless
Igor
Hi Igor-
The full set of plans includes all construction details inside and out. I truly believe that anyone can build their own house with enough funds and determination and a little know how on Google ;-). The full set include details which show how each wall assembly is put together and all of the millwork/framing etc. is put together but it does not go into ‘how-to ‘ of each step,drywall for example. It just shows you where the drywall goes in relation to the framing, moisture barrier etc. but the act of how to install drywall will need to be googled if it is not known already (Youtube is a great resource that will give tutorials on HOW to do each step). There are links in the plans that show the specific materials and fixtures I used,I leftmost of the finishes unspecified because that is a personal choice and will most likely vary.
The biggest determinant of if it is realistic for you would be for me to ask how determined are you? It is a big project and will require your attention even when sometimes you won’t want to give it to it.
All the dimensions and details are outlined though and I am always around for questions as they arise but with no previous experience you will have to get acquainted with DIY books and/or Youtube as well to bridge gaps,if that seems simple enough though and you are determined then I think it is absolutely in your realm. 🙂 (sorry for the long answer, hopefully that clears it up)
Thanks Macy, appreciate it.
I think this is a very nice home. A couple questions though :
Washer and dryer?
Where are you parking your home? What to do if the situation changes?
I’m not sure what you’re asking for with the w/d question, I’ll just put this right here, http://minimotives.com/2014/04/29/washerdryer-review/ and hope that it answers your question.
I park on a friends lot downtown, there are a lot of paths I can take if I ever have to unwillingly move, mostly involving moving it, the wheels are handy for that. If the situation has to change I will change with it. I hope that’s the info you are looking for>
I’m wondering where you found the bathroom sink and what kind of toilet is that?
I went to the plumbing supplier in town for the sink and the composting toilet is a Sun-Mar, more info can be found here, http://minimotives.com/2014/02/13/how-my-composting-toilet-actually-works/ (you can easily modify things to use nearly any toilet you perfer)
How are you coping with adding a baby, a boyfriend and a Great Dane to your tiny space? Are you planning on building something bigger now?
Oh man, I am so grateful to have my house, it is perfect for us right now! Hazel fits right in, she’s pretty much attached to me anyway… We incorporated her stuff in perfectly. Dener got evicted from the bed once she came around, no co-sleeping for him, he now takes over the couch at night, apparently it’s much better than his dog bed… I try not to take that personally since I built his dog bed… :). James has his shop where he is most of the day working away. It would be hard if we both worked from home but since we can keep the house just for living and not working we don’t step all over each other and clutter it up with papers! No immediate plans to move on but we are both into alternative building methods and have been talking about doing a container house and a straw bale house, it wavers on which one will be next! I have a pretty nifty design going for a container house! 🙂
can you make 2 bedroom? one for me and one for my son?
It would be easy enough to do, I designed it so that the patio could be enclosed and be a room for a kiddo. I am not personally going to make that change for a while if I ever do but it is doable!
I love your blog! My husband and I living in central Ohio (although I’m a California girl, born and raised) lately we have been considering building a tiny house in a year or so. However we have issues to consider, one being that we have a 3 month old son and the other being our 185 lbs Great Dane Sir Walter. I came across your blog g and discovered that it is duable. I love it! How did you make room for a toddler and a dane?
no way! Thats too funny! Denver is not a very active dog to put it lightly, he sleeps on the couch all day long. Hazels got her little creature comforts that all tuck away while not in use. There is nothing too complex about it, the most important part is to make sure everyone has their own sleeping quarters, we handle Hazels with a co-sleeper, denver gets the whole downstairs and we get the bed, the rest just works out 🙂
Nicely done TH. I am a single man now looking into this lifestyle. I wanted to ask why you used so much space for a porch? I see many designs incorporate this feature even if on 18-24″ deep. Moving into a TH I envision it making me go outside more and doing things there like cooking etc when the weather is suitable. As such I think a pull out awning and a outside tent top area would be ideal. I realize it is all in your personal preference. Was there anything about the dovetail trailer that made it more difficult to build over that section?
no real reason, I didn’t need any more house and I had the extra space. It was just chance that that is the trailer I got… It came down to cutting off the dovetail (my original plan) or building the patio over it and leaving myself with some room to expand in the future. It is all preference :). I LOVE my patio, it is awesome to sit out there in the rain and be covered, its also nice to shade my door so i can leave the back door open in the spring/fall and not have a huge heat gain.
Great house. I’ve been pricing materials and it seems the trailer is a high priced item. You mentioned the toilet being 2k, just curious as to what the trailer costs?
The trailer needed a lot of work but I got it on Craigslist for $500
Hi Macy – been lusting after a TH for several years now – (health/funds/situation) permitting and yours is the closest to the ideas I have for my own. I couldn’t believe my eyes – finally – someone using under floor heating!!!!! You chose tile and electric wiring which as you have said, creates added weight – until now, I hadn’t really thought of that – duh, slap! Anywho – I have seen pex tubing containing hot water under a wooden floor – any thoughts on installing that under bamboo flooring (now paying a lot of attention to weight, thank you) powered by a roof mounted solar panel (or two) – hoping to afford LED lighting – and as many other energy saving devices as possible. Hadn’t thought of building on a gooseneck – but was planning on the bed above a bank of storage – with pull out mini garment racks and drawers on wheels so seasonal storage could be behind – Love that you have a REAL comfy chair and lots of light – like I said – I really am cosseting your home – how was the roof for towing? did it cause lopsided weight?
I have NO idea how I missed this comment! I’m so sorry! Fortunately though I have done a relevant post in the meantime… http://minimotives.com/2014/12/21/radiant-floor-heat-review/. In short, I’m not so sure radiant heat is the best fit for tiny houses, there is so little heat needed that it’s almost overkill, system wise, but also not as efficient because of the perimeter to interior ratios… I did do electric, not hydro so it may be very different but I was worried about cracking a pipe with any vibrations/movements and then you’re just outta luck. Your solar seems doable, the other big loads are the stove (easy to do as) and the fridge, just for some ideas. Fridges can be done in propane too but they are expensive. I haven’t towed extensively but there were no issues with it being lopsided, one side is just about 2 feet taller than the other, in the grand scheme that isn’t a tone of weight, you can counter it though with where you put the heavy components in your home. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for sharing your journey and your plans! I am wondering on the moving front – is this a size that requires a special permit for moving – and is it possible to move it by freeway (as in, could it make a two hour journey from one landing spot to another) or only side streets for moderate distances?
Thanks!
-Megan
Hi Megan, yes, my house meets most state (I think all) requirements, you can find your areas specific requirements here, http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm
This house is Awesome! Great job. I’m curious about your water and power hook-up requirements? I’m developing a vision of living in a tiny house somewhere out in the boonies and I keep getting stuck on the water and power problem that would keep me in grid or mid grid.
Thanks so much for sharing this with us!
Hi Jon! I wasn’t ignoring you on purpose, we had this episode coming out soon when you posted your comment, this will hopefully answer your questions better than I could type it out here! Hopefully that’s helpful! http://www.tinyhousechat.com/episode12/
Hi Macy. I think your house looks great and I love that you DIDN’T do a loft. I wondered why 2 doors? To meet some kind of code or just because? Thanks! Laura
Hi Laura! Thanks! I did two doors just cause I wanted to! There are no codes that regulate that decision but I wanted a front door and a back door, and it seemed safer to have one on either side of the kitchen.
Hey, Macy, I’m trying to take advantage of your November sale but it keeps telling me that coupon is unavailable. Any ideas? I love your design!
It was a time-zone issue in the coupon code, it JUST expired but I’ve got it back online for ya, let me know if you have any issues!
It was a time-zone issue in the coupon code, it JUST expired but I’ve got it back online for ya, let me know if you have any issues!
Thank you Macy for getting back to me – not exactly sure what you mean by perimeter to interior ratios – if properly insulated, why does that effect the heat?
What inspired my wanting of this style of underfloor heating was a midwinter visit to a VT log home that had it installed running from a hot water source – tho’ it was just tacked on the underside of the 1st floor with no insulation yet – the whole room (and it was big!) was toasty warm, and the floor was so cozy!
I talked with the owner about the possibility of leaks – he wasn’t worried at all with the type of tubing he had used – as long as no nail penetrates it while laying the floor…. if you use pex tubing or the tubing used for plumbing in mobile homes – there should be no problems. I guess you’d drill holes through the floor studs to lay the tubing – and chalk line the stud grid onto the sub floor as you laid that to avoid any screw ups while screwing it down. (I love wordplay) After over a decade of forced hot air (2 apts and my house) I’m stuck with sinus problems all winter every winter – I dare not risk fumes from a Dickinson and already know that a wood stove is out of the question.
I had thought to run the floor totally on it’s own system – not sure if solar would be enough or if it would have to run through the hot water heater – hoping for solar tho’ even if it’s dedicated to that. I plan on using mainly propane for cooking, and have a halogen counter top oven that stores away when not in use (fantastic by the way) I do want to be able to combine on/off grid and have the best of both worlds – prep for both.
I won’t have to worry about a lopsided slant for towing tho’ – after much thought – I’ve decided that a platform bed that is supported over a closet and partially cantilevered out would work well enough to allow a roomy A frame to give the illusion of a Cathedral ceiling with – complete with exposed beams. I prefer tall cupboards/closets and lots of light to a loft.
Since I still have no idea where I want to settle – and I’m not tied to anywhere – I do want to be able to move it – hence the tubing rather than electric mesh and tile. I’d originally thought of bamboo for flooring – but am considering cork now to keep the weight down. I have time to plan those details – since, like i say – I’m stuck in a holding pattern for a little while yet. That’s what makes your site and facebook page such a valuable resource – Thank you!
Yeah, that wasn’t the best way to say it… I have two doors, they are hard to insulate, the threshold lets a LOT of cold seep in. I would probably do a different detail there but in reality a different material wouldn’t bridge the cold so badly. I did tile/concrete for thermal mass, wood would be different but then its not nearly as thermally massive either. It’s all tradeoffs. It takes about 10 bucks of propane a month to heat in a propane heater, I think in the long run that is way cheaper than a whole radiant set up. I think the only reason to go with radiant is if you just really want that sort of heat. Which is totally valid because it is a nice type of heat!
Ah – now I get it about the perimeters – thanks for clarifying that – and yes I’m researching the radant because I like it – but also ‘cos of health issues -extremely sensitive to some fumes and can’t handle the dust of forced hot air or wood stove. Plus -who doesn’t love warm feet? I’m sure Ms. Hazel loves it!
Macy, Loved your video and your house. You really did an excellent job. Ive been living in a 24′ travel trailer and converted the whole area into a small house. Not as nice as yours, but getting more comfortable by the day. Im in South Carolina and have 2inches of insulation hard board in the floor, ceiling, and walls, however January and February still tend to be cold. What state/ climate are you in ? Are you having any heating problems in your winter months or is that the reason for your heated floor? My floors are cold in winter and wonder if you have any easy solutions or advice for me. Thanks for all your work and effort in showing a tiny beautiful house. Yours is the nicest and smartest I have seen. Sincerely, Jack
Hi Jake-
I am in Boise, Idaho, we have hot summers and cold winter, we get below 0. 2 inches of the best hardboard insulation only amounts to about an R-10 insulation value, the minimum in housing codes is about double that, that is your issue. That is the hard thing about travel trailers and the main difference between them and tiny homes. I have R-23 in my walls, R-45 in my floor and R-36 in my ceilings, my heat isn’t much of an issue, those amounts seem to work pretty well. Most of the heat is lost through your roof but you will feel the cold the fasted on the floor since you’re in contact with it (like you’ve noticed!) My suggestion would be to beef those up with insulation first if you can. I am not sure how to best do that in your specific space but hopefully that helps target a solution! Thank you very much for your very kind words!
Hi Macy. I love your home. As part of my senior thesis, I’m looking to build a tiny house. My question though is how long do you think it could realistically be built? I’m planning on spending 3 month in the summer working on it full time.
I think that is a tight schedule, there is a lot of learning that goes right along side the building, if you knew exactly what you are doing in all steps from day 1 I think 3 months is doable, if there is learning along the way I’d stretch it a little. Sarah Meyers may have a better insight on this, she did the same exact thing, her website is http://smallhousebigadventure.com/
I used to work with the American red cross now retired I still have the drive to help….I would like to help primarily the homeless people.And as of January 2015 the census gathered so far is that there are more 2000 individual homeless persons in the Great Silicon Valley.
Will it be OK if we make use of your Tiny House Plan for these people? Let me know your response so that I may inform the City Leaders of this great Valley……God Bless.
Sure Jose.
Hi, Macy… one of the best layouts I’ve seen. I don’t like lofts at all. So this bed on the same floor is great, plus all the storage underneath is really smart. Love it and love that it’s on wheels also.
thank you so much for your kind words Amy!
Macy, there may be sunny skies ahead!
A few questions. I know your plans are for sale, but wouldn’t they be plans from before remodeling? The thing I loved about your TH was that the bed only had a few stairs and NOT a ladder as my disability wouldn’t allow a loft except for storage.
What was the original square footage? What is it now?
While I definitely want to downsize, I would be happier with 400 to 500 sq feet.
I found a piece of land, but want to put it on a slab with city water/sewer.
Do you have any knowledge about any combined system out there that would include electric heat for winter and AC for summer?
I sent you an email, but if you didn’t receive it, let me know and I can resend it.
Thanks so much for being such a great cheerleader!
Hugs to you all,
Jane
Hi Jane, yes, they are for the original layout, the addition is only two small walls so easy enough to apply the same details to.
Original sf is 196, after reno is 232. Split systems work really efficiently for oth heating and cooling, Dykin makes a great one but there are many brands now that are great. I don’t believe I ever received an email from you, I just answered all of my emails so if you haven’t got one back I didn;t get it!
Please, I’m just wanting to know your trailer length.
I have been in love with your design since i saw it last year!!
Thanks so much for the kind words, the flat bed is 24′, there is an additional 5′ dovetail. Hope that helps!
Hi Macy, I purchased your basic plans and it’s been super helpful. Now I’m trying to make modifications to accommodate my needs. I started re-drawing the plans on 11×17 graph paper but now I’m just wanting to buy your sketch up plans. Is that an option?
I love the bunks you added where the porch was, could I get plan with that change?
I haven’t made any new plans but it’s a very simple addition of two walls from the original. I did document the entire renovation in the eBook.
I didn’t read all the comments/questions so if I’m asking you to repeat I apologize. What length trailer was this built on? And would it be easy to make adjustments if I wanted it on something longer?
Anamarie
Sorry to be so slow here! It is a 24′ trailer but you can easily make any adjustments (and you SHOULD!) you need to to suit you. the details will all be the same.
Is this including the gooseneck length? Or independent of the gooseneck?
This does NOT include the gooseneck. The overhang is an additional 7 feet and I built out over 42″ of that. Does that make sense?
Hi Macy! I’m really looking into purchasing your plans- I get very excited thinking about beginning to build my own home for my 6 yearly and I. Ijustwantd tossed you a shout out for being bold and accomplishing this beauty. Now, my question jeje. Your trailer, you said y ou purchased it on craigslist? DO you feel confident that it was a great purchase with the price? curious because in TX all of the trailers this size, are priced similar to the news,at 6-8k. it’s a big investment, and I just want a little bit of insight. Would you travel a waist pick up a trailer at a very low price or go with a new one?
Brand new trailers are quite a bit more costly. I found a great deal and have no regrets! Wether or not to travel is up to you, I didn’t have a vehicle that would pull the trailer so I worked out a deal that the man who sold it would deliver it to us. He drove it 30 miles to get it to me which was awfully nice. It has been many years since then and the tiny house movement has certainly effected the cost of a trailer in my opinion, they seemed to have gotten more costly both new and surprisingly used. Im sure thats largely based on steel costs and whatnot but they have become more expensive. I’d guess my used trailer would be at least $2,000 in todays market. Still and extreme savings.
I’m trying to build an affordable housing community. I really like your design and was just kind of wondering what the cost of the materials would be in today’s terms generally, if you know. We’d work to provide all the labor in-house but just have to get the base materials. Any information you have a big greatly appreciated.
Hi Josh!
I think you could build the house for $25,000-30,000 fairly straightforward but, like any tiny house, there are reclamation options that can drastically reduce your costs. They tend to take more labor but less money, so if that is the balance you’re working within there’s good options! Siding for instance could run about $3,500-4,000 but I used reclaimed shipping pallets which were free, but a lot of work! Here are some other ideas I’ve shared about decreasing costs, if they are applicable.