Choose the Right Tiny House Builder for YOU

June 8, 2018

Choosing YOUR
Tiny House Builder

Selecting from the many Tiny House Builders that have suddenly popped up in the past few years can seem like a challenge. What makes people decide to choose one builder over another? What are the common questions that folks must ask themselves before entering into this relationship upon which your very tiny Future will be based? Some basic thoughts you will want to consider as you move forward that will help you decide if Seattle Tiny Homes is the right builder for you.

How long have they been building?

The tiny house movement is really still in its “baby” stage, so you might be tempted to go with a builder that has only been operating for a short amount of time, especially if they advise you about their many years in the construction business. Don’t be too hasty! There are other tiny house building companies that have been around for longer, and they have a wealth of knowledge about everything tiny, and how to get every square inch exactly right.

Those companies that have been building and selling tiny for years have learned, through trial and error, what works, and perhaps more importantly what doesn’t. Things such as: weight distribution, rodent/moisture barriers for the trailer, and air circulation to prevent too much moisture in the tiny space…are all factors that only experience can teach, and only a few of them.

The qualification of having been a “regular” house builder prior to jumping into the tiny business does not always mean the tiny houses will be built correctly. Seattle Tiny Homes has been building and selling tiny homes on wheels since 2010. And while Sharon Read, CEO and designer, was a “regular” home builder prior to this, the years since she began building tiny have highlighted the major differences between building small …and everything else. For example, in a traditional house, it might not matter if a stud is off by bit- it can be covered over and ignored. In a tiny house, every measurement must be precise, and exactly where it is supposed to go. Careless mistakes cannot be made and then covered up when every inch count.

What are they built on?

You should not build a THOW on anything less than a trailer made exactly for that purpose. THOW are meant to be mobile, and not all trailers are created equal. Since this is the literal foundation of your future home, it needs to be up to that task.
Don’t be afraid to ask your builder of choice about the trailers they use. Seattle tiny Homes actually builds our own trailers, since we were unable to find a manufacturer that could meet our exacting standards.
STH’s Tiny House trailers are equipped with:

pre-installed and insulated sub-floor
an integrated steel framework coupled with a special moisture/rodent barrier and marine grade plywood for additional protection
insulated floor with rigid foam board sealed with spray foam and caulking
extra space for building (building out over the wheel wells and the drop-down floor allows for 12-18” more width 6-8” more headspace)
three axle options: drop axles, straight axles, or off-road axles
industrial paint designed to inhibit rust
adjustable coupler and sidewinding jack
a two-year warranty on the structure and axles
…and more!

What materials do they use?

It is important to understand that not all housing materials are created equal. Although it may be tempting to purchase a cheaper tiny house, be sure that the cost is not coming out where it counts. Ask the builder what they are using to build the tiny houses they produce and understand what it means. Do your research! Some materials are inexpensive but they will not stand up to the test of time, the motion of travel, or the weather of winter! Cheaper is not always better.
Seattle Tiny Homes is environmentally conscious and use both closed cell spray foam and rigid foam that are zero ozone depleting, or natural products such as wool. We build with FSC plywood wherever available. We are happy to install solar panels for you, or a water catchment system. Our tiny homes have vents at either end of the home for better air circulation. With a chemically-sensitive owner, we understand how affecting materials can be. We do not use formaldehyde-based products. Each of our tiny homes are built only with high quality, environmentally responsible materials.

The Amethyst Fantasy

May 8, 2018

Seattle Tiny Jewels are a custom line of one-of a-kind houses built by Seattle Tiny Homes for people all over the United States. We believe that you are unique and your tiny home should be, too. We have never built two alike! You can contact us to find out more.

Email me at: tours@seattletinyhomes.com

The Amethyst Fantasy is a 28’ long Wallingford model with triple 7K axles on a tiny trailer built just for this house. True dormers run the full length of the house which has cedar shake on top and lap siding below. A 40 year metal roof will withstand the elements no matter where this tiny house travels. Two French doors (with keyless entry) and many (Milgard brand) windows allow the light to flood in!

8 foot sleeping loft with perky purple railings looks cozy enough to nap in right now! A seconday loft is intended for storage.

Ceiling- pine tongue and groove

Floor- cork main, bathroom- marmoleum

Countertops- walnut butcher block with a backsplash of green glass tile

Bathroom has a 54” clawfoot tub with bronze feet, and an Airhead composting toilet

Propane and electric, with an on-demand propane hot water heater

….And everything else you could fantasize about in a tiny home!

Tiny Toilets

April 24, 2018

Your (tiny) Information Highway:

What About the Poo?

Talking Tiny Toilets… with Total Transparency!

Of all the questions I am asked about going tiny, the ones I hear most often center on the topic of toilets. So today, I am going to break it down for you: What people do for a tiny house toilet, the prices, the ease of use, and the pros of each.

Composting toilet

Above are two examples of a composting toilet. They are the most popular option ( at this time) for tiny house customers. Composting toilets use the natural processes of decomposition and evaporation to recycle human waste, or “Humanure” in the words of those living the tiny life.

So how does it work?
The composting toilets that we install at Seattle Tiny Homes are almost always a multi-chambered, or “dry” composting toilet. The urine is diverted into a separate chamber (for evaporation or removal.) This is a significant improvement over older composting toilet designs as it greatly reduces the amount of solid waste that needs to be broken down. There is a small handle on the side that you turn after each use, that feels familiar, like flushing a standard toilet.
A ventilation hose with a small fan speeds the drying of the waste and helps it along in the desiccation process. If you think of a banana skin and what happens to it as it dries out, you’ll have a good idea!
In some designs, carbon additives must be placed into the toilet to help with the composting process. These are easy to obtain materials such as peat moss or coconut ﬁber blocks.
These modern composting toilets typically hold approximately 60 to 80 uses, although the liquid may need to be emptied more often. Be aware that human urine is sterile and does not pose any health risks, so it is perfectly fine to run a simple line to divert urine into the gray water line (where the water from your bathroom sink / shower goes). Another option is to dig what is called a “French drain” outside or underneath the tiny house. This is a small pit, about 2 feet wide and deep, filled with small rocks. You may cover the rocks with landscape fabric and place soil and/or grass seed on the top. A tube can be run directly from the toilet to the drain.
Want to find out more?
These are the two composting toilet brands we install most often in tiny houses:
Airhead toilets– approximately $1000 installed
Nature’s Head toilets– approximately $900 installed

Incinerating toilet

At Seattle Tiny Homes, we think the Incinolet is a great choice for tiny life. Instead of breaking down waste biologically, these toilets literally burn it. They send the waste to an incinerator, where it’s turned into ash that can be disposed of in the garbage.

So how does it work?
Prior to use, a paper liner is placed inside the bowl of the Incinerating toilet, to catch all waste materials. After use, a foot pedal releases the waste into the incinerating chamber. A button is then pushed to begin the burning process, which takes about 10-15 minutes. The extremely high heat of the incinerating chamber evaporates liquids and burns solids to a sterile ash that can be safely handled and disposed of like any other garbage. When the button is pushed, the exhaust fan also comes on, venting any unpleasant odors outside.
As far as cleanliness and convenience go, it is hard to top, but it is by no means the least expensive option and does require electricity.
Want to find out more?
Incinolet with installation is about $2500.
Read more about it at Incinolet website.

Dry-Flush toilet

The Dry Flush toilet, by Laveo, has a patented process that doesn’t use chemicals or water, and doesn’t require electricity.
So how does it work?
We love to be on the cutting edge of everything new, exciting, and usable in tiny houses. That’s why we are excited about the dry flush toilet. Instead of composting or burning, with this toilet the waste is simply packaged away…parents of young children, think of a diaper genie! A cartridge of shiny, space-age looking liners must be installed prior to use. This provides a smell-proof, leak-proof liner that ” self-seals” human waste away when the toilet is “flushed” at the touch of a button. All waste, solid and liquid, is automatically encapsulated by the battery powered flush into a neat, disposable package that can be dumped with other garbage (yes it is legal to dump humanure in landfills.) It does make some noise when flushing, but results are very clean and sanitary, and can be used literally anywhere. The dry-flush has a full sized standard toilet seat and the advantages of no chemicals, but the cartridges must be purchased regularly.
Want to find out more?
The Laveo Dry Flush – installed about $800

Flush toilet

Of course you can have a good old flushing RV style toilet, too! At your request, we will plumb your tiny house just like a traditional RV- to run to tanks (or outside if you will be hooking up to sewer.) For a RV toilet, there is not that much difference between it, and a traditional “in-house” toilet. There is water and it flushes, although the RV toilet is lighter and some flush from a pedal on the floor. Waste collects in a separate holding tank underneath the tiny house and is emptied from outside the travel trailer.
Prices vary! There’s a lot to choose from.

The Tiny Family Home

March 28, 2018

What we have discovered in the custom tiny home business….

So Many opportunities

We are seeing more diversity in the business of tiny house building, and we feel exceptionally blessed to be part of creating a home for so many wonderful people from so many walks of life. We see purchases made for many reasons:

The “Retirement” tiny house meant for traveling
The mother-in-law cottage than keeps loved ones close by while retaining their own independence
A home of their own for younger people without the means to purchase a traditional house at today’s prices
The Downsizing Home for folks who want to minimize their possessions and their impact
An opportunity to make some income by renting out a tiny house as an Airbnb

No matter the reason for purchasing, or who is buying, everyone has a tiny dream. We build tiny offices on wheels that are 12 feet long, to “massive” tiny moving homes that are 40 feet long with a deck. We build every size in between, using every idea imaginable, with every type of materials you can think of, and it is so much fun. We love every one of our customers and we love our business!

The Challenge

What is really exciting for us? Challenges! And the idea of fitting an entire family into a tiny house on wheels might be considered a challenge. This is one we are happily rising to. More and more, families are looking at the tiny life.

With the cost of a 2 bedroom home skyrocketing in some parts of the country, it just makes sense to get a RV loan instead of a mortgage, and plan a tiny house that will suit you and your family now, but still be small enough to manage after the kids have grown up. A 32 foot RV can fit more people comfortably than you might realize!

Enter… The Tiny Family Home

This one-of a kind featured model was built for just that, a family with 2 young daughters who will share a bedroom on the main floor while parents sleep in the main loft.

The Wallingford Luxury …a 32 foot creation of beauty, design and craftsmanship!

This handsome wood and metal-sided tiny house with a 5^th wheel is a Wallingford Luxury model, totally customized for the family who will be living in it. It includes:

2 large lofts with built in storage
Stairs with storage drawers under each step
On demand propane hot water heater
Main level bedroom with built in bunk bed and stairs

Check out the video to drool over this amazing tiny house.

Remember, you can order yours for summer delivery! Just contact us at 1-888-804-TINY or email us at info@seattletinyhomes.com

Reclaimed BARN WOOD

February 20, 2018

Reclaiming in a BIG way for a tiny house!

When we build you a home on wheels at Seattle Tiny Homes, we take our relationship with you as a customer very seriously. While other builders may have forgotten what it means to craft beautiful, fully personalized homes that are meant to last a lifetime, you are who we’re thinking of every morning when we turn on the lights in our shop.

It only makes sense that our customers should get a custom product tailored to fulfill their unique goals. Our commitment to personalizing has made for some interesting stories at Seattle Tiny Homes and our journey. One of these recent customization stories began over a hundred years ago in a hardwood forest in Mississippi.

The Old Barn…

Many years ago, a young family moved to rural Mississippi for a fresh start, raising cattle and tilling the soil. Needing a barn, they sawed out planks from the surrounding hardwood glades and built a cozy home for their livestock and machinery. A couple generations later, the family moved away and the farm, with the barn, was sold.

Farming techniques and land use changed with time, and the old barn fell into disuse. The sweet smell of fresh hay, the swish of a contented cow’s tail, and the laughter of playing children only survived in childhood memories… as the lonely barn began to lean with the wind, stalls vacant and its corrugated roofing swinging askew.

But a new day, and a new life for those old boards was soon to dawn.

Bringing memories into the present….

A relative of a recent client of ours, who cherished those memories of carefree days at play in the hayloft, decided to do something with the barn before it completely collapsed and rotted away. She spent the better part of September 2016 reclaiming the weathered white oak and other mixed hardwoods from it. With permission of the barn’s current owner, she and her family and friends painstakingly dismantled it board by board. Those planks were then trucked out to the West Coast for use as flooring in a new home.

Material left over from that project was kindly gifted to our client, thus keeping it in the extended family. It’s the memories and family connection with those wizened planks that makes them so special, after all. That, and they’re gorgeous—functional art at its finest!

Living and working in urban Western Washington, our client needed a place to unwind, to rest and refresh her soul. That’s when she came to us with ideas for a tiny home to park on the shores of Lake Chelan. This would be her retreat.

The custom retreat…

Built on a 34’ fifth-wheel trailer and based on our most popular plan—the Alki—our client’s tiny home is exactly the way she wants it. A kitchen to fit her cooking style, built-in desk space for work and meals, and a layout with room for a full sofa… these were just a few of the personalized details that we made a reality. Lots of windows line the walls, opening the space up to the great outdoors and the stunning views surrounding Lake Chelan.

We were even able to fit a bedroom over the trailer hitch, with room for a queen-sized bed and the headspace to stand up and walk around. A custom butler door crafted from remnants of the family barn beautifully privatizes this sleeping space at the top of the steps from the rest of the house. Windows and doors are framed with the barnwood throughout, and the paneled ceiling tops it all off.

While everything about this house meets our exacting standards of durability, livability, and beauty, this home’s crowning feature is its original, reclaimed barnwood trim.

Like the unique lines creasing the palm of your hand, these old boards tell a story, one all the more special because it’s a story of peaceful play, of the fruits of agrarian toil, and the longevity of family ties. Like the knot holes in the door casing, the beetle tunnel running through the sill on the kitchen window, and the nail holes peppered about, none of us is perfect, but we’re all beautiful, and we all have a story to tell.

You may not have an old barn in the family, but there are a thousand other ways to write your story with a custom tiny home of your dreams.

Get in touch and let’s get started planning today!