The concept of a ‘tiny house’ has been around for a while. Perhaps you’ve even seen one or two pictured in your local newspaper. Most of these tiny structures are tidy and attractive little full-time abodes that fit the bill nicely for people who have a limited budget and a viable place to put them.
And for homeowners who long for an office at home, a place for visiting in-laws or a dedicated man cave or she-shed, there’s a new trend gaining momentum: skipping the cost of add-on construction in favor of installing a tiny house right in their own backyard.
For the most part, all you need are utility hook-ups, a plot of at least 10 x 38 feet of lawn space, and a budget ranging from $4,000 – $75,000 depending on how much luxury you want. You can even buy a tiny house on Amazon—a 360-square-foot, pre-fab model with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette with basic appliances for as little as $36,000 delivered right to your door.
You can find a selection of adorable tiny houses—including a rustic little cabin on wheels—at Jamaica Cottage Shop, priced at $4,000 and up depending on your specifications.
If you’re handy with a hammer, check out a variety of log cabins available in do-it-yourself kits from Southland Log Homes. Otherwise, you can find a ready-made 8 x 20-foot beauty from popular consumer shopping site eBay for under $30,000.
Or get online, type ‘tiny house’ into your browser and search away to your heart’s content. Whichever model you choose, as Country Living home editors point out, “the innovative designs of today’s tiny houses can solve your space problems by maximizing function and style at a very moderate cost.”
