Tiny Tour of Tremendous Tiny Houses
Eric Hoffman takes charge of MUM students
It began so warm and pleasant, the dampness just checking in. Getting a dozen or so into a tiny house at one time is almost impossible, and with shoes off, slower and messier. So when the cold rains came, we found ourselves huddling together waiting turns, but is was all worth it.
Five stops proved to be worthwhile; seeing 6 or 7 tiny houses on one tour and getting to see different scale, approaches and story by the owners really helped me to get a better sense of what I would want personally in a Tiny Home. So to Recap, we saw:
Eric Hoffman and his Vastuable design, ready willing and able to be placed on foundation for a permanent and prominent position on his son's in-town lot with home and garage-apartment for company. His 10x20 plan with custom finishes and details is available for rental in the future after having gone unsold at "cost of building." The problem more than anything here is financing, at $30k, most people who want this level of quality in a small package also would like bank financing to go with it, no such luck at this time. An it seems that Tiny House owners are mostly cash buyers.
Tim Freeburg's home is a not so tiny house, but still falls in that under 500 SQFT threshold that the industry has accepted. What it lacks in small, it makes up for in big time charm and comfort. The Freeburgs built their 12x40 home
on a mobile home carrier that delivered it nicely to the site and still sits under the home. They have modified it with a sweet bump-out sunroom to the south. They also have figured out how to add every detail of convenience, efficiency and panache as evidenced by the sneaky ventilated steamer trunk litter box, organized 10x8x2 office/library, and the completely recycled flooring, walls, framing, insulation, and the amazingly tiny claw foot bathtub. Kudos go to these guys.
Eric Randall hosted us at his country compound complete with iron gates and "tiny-guardhouse" on the hill. Upon entering the grounds winding our way up the dirt drive, we spotted the gentleman farmer complete with Kubota tractor, solar shower, wind and solar power, all the luxuries, sans water and septic, ha. I knew something was up when I saw the jugs near the door and the sawdust bucket ready for refilling the potty. It was cool though, a 10x16 shed conversion to home and a 10x10 sunroom addition. This has been his home for about 6 years and with no plans for moving soon or adding water and septic, I think he plans on building a bigger Tiny House out of alternative paper block materials, maybe reaching 300 SQFT, or more, maybe a second floor.
Alexis and Zoe's trailered homes were next. We ended the day at Prairie Song Farms north of Fairfield where many Hippies live, a commune of sorts, anything goes... hmmm. We began by seeing Alexis's unfinished, and for sale, home she made as a class project while in the throws of having a baby, so naturally, it was a labor of love. In time she found it more than she could handle, finishing a home while beginning a family, not so compatible. In any event a 20x8 home is ready for finishing by the next TH'ser in line.
We then took in the almost finished Zoe's home that is a little smaller, but is well built and looks beautiful from the outside and is equally cute inside with her lower boudoir bedroom and ladder up to her sleeping loft. I asked which she preferred and she responded with a firm, "both, just not at the same time," leaving me cornfused again. We parted with an invitation to return, I think she is looking for help finishing the wonderful home, can't blame her for asking... And that my friends, is all she wrote.
Reposted from Tiny Tom Tools Tiny Houses
