Nicole Bernard, Author at Seattle Tiny Homes

Check Out the “Mahogany Secret” – a New Seattle Tiny Jewel

July 10, 2017 Leave a Comment

Each Seattle Tiny Home is completely personalized . . . individually crafted . . . and built to the highest standards of quality. That’s why we call them Seattle Tiny Jewels. Check out one of our latest creations just recently delivered to its new owners. We nicknamed it the “Mahogany Secret” because of its color. Take the video tour below!

The new “Mahogany Secret” is a spacious, top of the line tiny home that merges a traditional, homey feel with today’s luxurious and modern conveniences. Upon entering the front door you will experience a warm feeling that resonates through the walls and ceiling which are all wrapped in pine.

Once inside and in the kitchen one can’t help but notice the stark contrast of the dark butcher block counters against the pine walls. This is where the rustic charm is at its best with a large farm sink, shaker style cabinet doors, and a funky retro microwave. There is also a large refrigerator, and ample storage underneath the stairs.

And, if the abundance of windows doesn’t bring in enough light during the winter, you won’t be left in the dark. There is plenty enough light with the overhead can lights and stylish chandelier that hangs in the main room.

Once upstairs, you’ll find a great space that is plenty large enough for a king-sized bed, extra storage, and has ample outlets for your electronics with, you guessed it, more windows. Heading back down to the main floor and into the bathroom you’ll notice the rustic sliding barn door that not only separates the two rooms but also acts as a ladder to the second loft.

When you’re inside the bathroom you may forget you’re even in a tiny home because it is so spacious and includes a large soaking tub with a subway tile surround, composting toilet and a washer and dryer.

The “Mahogany Secret” is a charming luxury Alki model that merges tiny with classic style. Each Seattle Tiny Home on wheels is a certified RV, capable of being pulled by a 3/4 or one ton truck, with no need for special permits or licenses. Contact us today to learn more about how we can design your own personalized Seattle Tiny Jewel!

The Importance of Proper Plumbing in a Tiny House

June 7, 2017 Leave a Comment

Have you ever felt an earthquake? Do you remember what that was like? Imagine what a house experiences during an earthquake: it has to bounce, bend, stretch, and sway, hopefully all without structural or superficial damage. Now think what a tiny house on wheels must endure in everyday travel down the road.

Each component of a house on wheels must be engineered to endure the jarring gauntlet of potholes, speed bumps, rumble strips, railroad crossings, and stop-and-go traffic, and come out unscathed on the other side. Though largely invisible, a tiny home’s plumbing is no exception to this rule, and is among the most important systems to preserve intact in a tiny home.

At Seattle Tiny Homes, we know how vital a sturdy plumbing system is, both for the comfort and quality of your living experience as well as the protection of your home. We commit to providing you with leading-edge technology that will keep the water flowing for many years to come.

Ben Klassen, our craftsman in charge of construction, wants to show you some of the secrets of our tiny homes’ plumbing, which he says can be one of the most complicated steps in the building process. With years of experience in remodeling and new construction, Ben calls Wirsbo plumbing hardware, which comes standard in all our new units, a “bullet-proof system.”

Produced by Uponor, Wirsbo AquaPEX crosslinked polyethylene tubing is both simple to install and highly reliable. The strength of the AquaPEX tubing and of the compatible ProPEX expansion fittings makes it an ideal fit for homes on wheels, whose water lines, among other unique stresses, can be susceptible to freezing. Not to worry, says Ben, as the Wirsbo system can withstand freezing. That said, each home comes with low-point drain valves for easy winterization, just like an RV.

Before our tiny homes are finished, you can see parallel half-inch red and blue (hot and cold) AquaPEX pipes threading their way around the house, connecting kitchen, bath, and laundry areas. The elbow and tee joints we use to route the plumbing through the house are attached to the tubing with the ProPEX expansion fitting system, using a tool designed specifically for that purpose. These expansion joints allow for more flow capacity than standard crimp or clamp connections, and the tight bends achieved with AquaPEX tubing help save space, which is always at a premium in a tiny home.

plumbing in tiny house — Red and blue (hot and cold) Wirsbo AquaPEX plumbing pictured in an Alki tiny home under construction

The finished product—which uses no glue or minimal threaded connections—only grows stronger with age, producing a plumbing system that will last a lifetime. That’s why you can rest easy in our tiny homes after a long and bumpy day on the road, knowing that, though you can’t see it, you are surrounded by premium plumbing that won’t let you down.

Wirsbo plumbing benefits include:

Glueless, threadless connections that strengthen with time
Freeze tolerance
Space-saving joints and tight bends
Full-bore joints and fittings that don’t restrict flow

As you can see, proper plumbing in a tiny house is critical. If you would like to learn more or want to get started on your tiny house dream, contact us today!

5 Steps to Make Your Tiny House Dream Come True

May 25, 2017 1 Comment

You’ve been tossing around the idea of tiny house living for a while…and now you’re ready. It’s finally time to make your tiny house dream come true. But where do you start? We’ve compiled five steps to get you going in the right direction and turn your dream into a reality!

Create a Plan

In the beginning, start jotting down everything you can think of that pertains to your new tiny house. How much money are you going to need? Are you going to DIY or have someone build it for you? What kind of lifestyle do you want to enjoy in your tiny home? Where will you park your home once it’s built? How much do you need to downsize? These are only a few of the questions you’ll need to ask yourself.

Then, start to create a plan of action. Similar to a business plan (but nowhere near as formal), start mapping out your strategy to achieve your goals.

Decide on your Design

There are so many unique tiny house designs out there – what kind do you see yourself in? Contemporary or traditional styling? Bedroom on the main floor or in a loft? Ladder or stairs? Extra storage space? Full kitchen or just the bare essentials?

Begin researching online – there are tons of places to get inspiration. Pinterest and Houzz are two great places to start. Create a vision board or collage of pictures that you like and inspire you – these could be certain fixtures, paint colors, other tiny houses that you love, cool storage ideas, etc.

Save Money

Most likely, you will need to save a little bit of money to achieve your tiny house dream. Whether you’re DIYing it or having someone build it, you’ll need some cash to get the process started. Start thinking of areas in your life where you can save money. Maybe cut out that daily latte or start cooking from home more. These little expenses can save a lot of money over time.

Start Gathering Items

If you are going the DIY route, you’ll want to start gathering items since it can take awhile to find all your materials. If you’re trying to save some money, start visiting recycling centers and research Craigslist and other resources to find inexpensive and oftentimes, free materials. You’ll also want to check out our free 8 week long DIY tiny house crash course.

Talk With Other Tiny House Owners

This suggestion is great for many reasons, but two of the biggest are to get advice and encouragement. Talking with tiny home owners gives you a chance to learn from their mistakes, glean tips on making it easier and get encouragement when things don’t go as planned. This will help keep your spirits up, motivation high and hopefully, the process shorter 🙂

To connect with other tiny house owners, we suggest you look for an online tiny house meet-up group in your area.

Use these steps as a guide to start your exciting tiny home adventure and turn your dream into a reality! We’d love to help any way that we can, contact us today to get started!

Introducing our new DIY initivative- Small for All!

May 18, 2017 2 Comments

Are you ready to start your tiny house adventure but aren’t sure where to start? Well, you’ve come to the right place! We recently launched a new initiative called Small for All, because we believe everyone can live tiny! It’s a new DIY hub for planning, building and living your tiny home dream.

Do you have questions on plumbing, electrical or designing your tiny house? We’ve developed new resources to help answer those questions and more. Our goal is to help you avoid the pitfalls, answer the biggest questions, and give you the best possible opportunity to succeed.

Over the past seven years, we have found that many people love the idea of going tiny and want to experience the joy and sense of accomplishment that comes with building their own home. Not to mention the savings of doing it yourself! So we decided to pull together our resources in one, easy to access place.

What you’ll find:

DIY tiny house plans
How to choose the right trailer for your tiny house
Free resources to guide you along the way

DIY Tiny House Plans

If you’re ready to get serious about building a tiny house, the building plans for our popular Alki model will give you everything you need. Take the guesswork out of installing your home’s most complicated systems (like electrical, plumbing, propane, and HVAC) and watch your tiny house dream become reality as you follow intricately detailed documents put together by our pro team. Check out our launch special now!

Trailers

If you’re building a tiny house, you need a trailer designed just for that purpose. Our customized trailers can be personalized with just the right length and axle placement for your tiny house design. This ensures the ideal weight distribution for your tiny house which makes towing safer and easier. Not to mention, you also get a consultation with our founder, Sharon Read. In this consultation you will discuss your goals, design and specifications and together come up with a plan of action to make your tiny house dream a reality.

Do you need a Tiny House Crashcourse?

If you’re not sure where to start or overwhelmed by the thought of it all, then you may want to enroll in our free online course. For eight weeks, you will get weekly installments of pro tips, tricks and troubleshooting. (Sign up now and get our Tiny House Plumbing Secrets e-book sent to you instantly!)

Here’s what you’ll learn in this 8 week pro course:

Choosing the right tiny house trailer
Floor planning checklist
Tiny house framing guide, where to start
Electrical secrets from tiny house pros
Tiny house storage hacks and ideas
Tiny house appliance guide, what to buy and what to avoid

Building your own tiny house does take a lot of work and dedication, but it is certainly do-able and the rewards are priceless. We want to help you as much as we can along the way so be sure to check out Small for All and get started living your tiny house dream!

Why You Should Have a Tiny House on Wheels

April 19, 2017 2 Comments

For many, the choice to live in a tiny house built on a mobile trailer is the beginning of an exciting adventure. Many choose to live this way to enjoy more freedom, have less “stuff” and experience life in a more mindful way.

Why Live in a Mobile House?

There are many advantages to living in a tiny house on wheels (THOW), but the biggest one is probably the ability to travel with your home. If you have a truck or SUV, you can tow your tiny home around the country sightseeing, visiting family and friends or living in different places for extended periods of time. When your job moves you, you can take your home with you.

Just think how great it would be to be able to sleep in your own bed with your own belongings after a long day of travel! No hotels, no setting up a campsite, just crawling into bed after a day on the road exploring.

There are many tiny home communities around the country where you can park and stay, check them out here.

Is it an RV or a house?

Did you know that Seattle Tiny Homes is one of a few tiny house manufacturers that are RV certified? This means our tiny houses on wheels are built to exacting standards, and they are designed to be 100% road legal.

But if you are the do-it-yourself type, how do you build a tiny house on wheels? You start with the trailer, and it’s important to choose the right foundation for your tiny house. After you decide what design you want, you’ll need to get a customized trailer that will fit your tiny house needs. With a Seattle Tiny Homes trailer, your trailer will be personalized with just the right length and axle placement – giving you the ideal weight distribution for your tiny house (which makes towing safer and easier).

Additional Benefits of a Seattle Tiny Homes Trailer

A Foundation for Safety and Stability

Our heavy-duty trailers are engineered for one thing – tiny homes. Due to our special design, your home will sit low inside the framework, giving you optimum safety and stability. High-grade steel maximizes strength while minimizing weight.

Pre-Installed Floor Makes Your Job Easier

Your trailer comes with a pre-installed and insulated sub-floor that takes full advantage our unique design and is topped with high-grade plywood. This allows you to maximize your trailer’s extra space- and it’s a great head start on your build.

Resist Moisture

A solid metal floor can attract moisture, leading to mold and rust. That’s why we use an integrated steel framework coupled with a special moisture/rodent barrier and marine grade plywood for additional protection.

More Space

Because of its special engineering, you can build over the wheel wells of your trailer. This gives you 12-18 inches of extra width. Because the floor is dropped inside the trailer frame, you gain up to six inches of headroom. You will definitely notice the extra space!

Much More!

Your trailer comes with a warranty, an adjustable coupler, sidewinding jack and much more! Learn more about our custom trailers here.

Combining precision, extra space, and a two-year warranty, we believe a Seattle Tiny Homes trailer is truly the best foundation for a DIY tiny home of your dreams. Of course, if you want us to build your entire tiny house, we can do that too.

It’s time to make your tiny home dream a reality! Contact us today to get started!