Tiny Tumbleweed

images  from Telstar Logistics

 

This week I'm going to talk about Jay Shafer's company Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

I am all about simple cheap alternatives, but they must look nice.  I know, I'm a snob!  But come on, if I am going to live in a little 89 foot square house, it should look nice, shouldn't it?The design aesthetic is the biggest reason why I'm a fan of his.

I know this whole alternative housing thing isn't for everyone.  Come on- everyone is talking about how bad the economy is, therefore thinking creatively is a good thing.  If you don't want this as a primary house, think of getting one as a vacation getaway spot or maybe an art studio or workshop.  

In order for a tiny living space to work, ideally I think it would be located in a cool place in nature.  When the mountains are all around, or a lake nearby, living in a tiny space is ideal because you will want to spend most of your time outside anyway.  Another way this would work would be to crash in someone's backyard.  It would be a cool trade off.  You could help your neighbor out with projects, and they could help you out by giving you a little piece of the backyard to camp on.  One of these little houses is a great way to be able to spend time in the community, the living expenses would be pretty low.

The Deets:

If space is going to be sacrificed, the design must be fabulous.

Jay designs these tiny houses that range from 60-900 square feet.  You can buy the house plans for about $1000.  

  

He is touring and teaching workshops all over the country.  You can learn how to build one for $250-$500 for a one or two day workshop.  It will probably cost about $20,000 to make.

You could also buy the house outright already built for $50,000.

Another draw to this idea is that you don't need to buy land.  The idea is to move the house around.

Some of his houses can be put on a trailer, so you can haul your house with you.  I did a post earlier about Dee Williams.  You might want to check it out again.  She does a nice little video tour and tells a little bit about why she decided to choose to live in a tiny trailer.