Open House Today
February 13, 2010
It is the second Saturday of the month, and that means Jay is opening his small house to the public. Come see Jay’s home in Graton, CA.
To sign up and get directions, click here
Building the Fencl
January 26, 2010
Over the spring of 2009 we built our largest home on wheels, the Fencl. This small house is 130 square feet and features a kitchen, bathroom, sleeping loft, fireplace and much more.
How long did it take to build?
Jay Shafer, the designer, and a crew of 4 others built this house over 10 weeks.
We spent 825 hours to purchase materials and build this green design house.
How much did it cost to build?
When all was said and done we spent $19,148.
Jay shopped around and shaved almost $2,000 from the cost when he found a trailer 100 miles away at a much lower cost.
Build one myself?
Depending on your skill level and determination it is possible to build a mobile home for a fraction of the cost of buying on already built. We do recommend hiring licensed contractors for the plumbing and electric work. When we build a house we hire specialist for those tasks. Typically, the electrician and plumber are the highest paid people per hour, so we keep the amount of their work limited to just those two areas. We spent less than $2000 to have that work completed on the Fencl.
When we build a small house we usually hire a finish carpenter as the job foreman. We keep the number of workers at any given time to 2 or 3. Aside from the finish carpenter and electrician and plumber, the other crew doesn’t need as much experience.
Buy this house from Tumbleweed?
This green home can be purchased for $53,997 plus shipping and applicable tax.
Is the price negotiable?
We price our homes and home plans with a very low markup. We do not leave room in our pricing for a discount. Our expenses are subsidized by selling ad space on our website and by the sale of our books. We are proud of the fact that we pay our crew a fair US wage with insurance.
Year in Review: 2009
January 6, 2010
I thought it would be fun to have an annual journal of the tiny house business. I’ve chosen to write about the business side because that is my focus at Tumbleweed. Our little company has 2 employees: Jay the founder and designer, and myself, Steve, the business and tech guy. At the onset of 2009 my plan was to focus the majority of my attention on Tumbleweed. Ever since turning 30, I’ve been a serial entrepreneur. Before joining Tumbleweed, I was a restaurateur and real estate investor. [Read more]
Finish this tiny house yourself
June 15, 2009
Lusby for Sale
Last year I was inspired Jay’s beautiful Tumbleweed houses and wanted to follow in his footsteps. I attended his workshop and bought plans for the Lusby. Not being handy myself, I hired a professional builder of custom homes to build the exterior of my tiny house. Its home was to be on a perfectly picturesque New Hampshire lake. I put my traditional, 4 bedroom home on the market and waited… and waited…and waited. Not even one offer did I get, even after dropping with price by a third. With three kids in college, I couldn’t afford to keep holding on to both properties. I sold my lakeside lot and am now selling my tiny house.
It is completed on the exterior; the interior is partially done. Here are the specifications:
Dimensions
House width: 8’
House length: 19’
Trailer Size: 7’ x 18’
Road Height: 13’ 5″
Dry Weight: 8,000 to 10,000 lbs (estimated)
Porch: 7 ½’ x 3’
Main Room: 6 ½’ x 6 ½’
Kitchen: In main room
Bathroom: 3’ x 6’
Loft height: 3’ 8″
Ceiling height: 6’ 3″
(All measurements are approximate.)
The following features are currently a part of the tiny house:
1. shingled roof
2. cedar siding (painted)
3. exterior front door (African Mahogany with glass center panel)
4. pet door for cat or small dog
5. 3 windows and screens on each long side
6. loft windows (cannot open)
7. fiberglass shower
8. electric wiring
9. cable TV wiring
These items are included with the house but are not installed. Many are still in original shipping cartons.
1. 2 interior doors (African Mahogany)
2. antique style brass door knobs
3. stained glass inserts for loft windows plus extra piece that could be fastened to the front door
4. tiny toilet
5. bathroom pedestal sink with porcelain faucets
6. living room, bathroom and bedroom
7. handmade Cape Code lantern style porch lights
8. stainless kitchen sink (faucet not included)
9. kitchen sink cabinet
10. recycled jeans batt insulation (more is needed)
11. electric water heater, 10 gallon
12. wood stove, stainless steel enclosure and chimney pipe
What is not finished?
* the interior walls (drywall) and finish trim are not in
* interior doors are included but not installed
* finish flooring is not included
* lighting fixtures need to be installed after drywall is in
* porch lights need to be installed
* outlets and light switches are not included
* wood stove needs to be installed
* plumbing and kitchen fixtures need to be installed
* kitchen cabinet for sink needs to be installed (and more cabinets need to be purchased for rest of kitchen)
* kitchen appliances are not included
* stained glass inserts for loft windows need to be installed
* insulation is not complete
* ladder to loft is not included
* closets have not been built
The tiny house is currently in southern New Hampshire. You are welcome to come and pick it up or I’ll help you find a company to bring it to you.
SOLD
Happy Trails II
June 10, 2009
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I’ve met so many great folks in every city (and at every gas station) I visit. Some folks have driven more than 6 hours just to see the house. Thanks to everyone for the enthusiasm and support.
I look forward to Pittsburgh this evening and Philadelphia tomorrow. Then it is off to New York for the final workshop. It took me nearly an hour to back my way out of a narrow Iowa City driveway with low branches, but, other than that, the house has been pretty easy to tow.
Keep it tiny,
Jay [Read more]
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