Image courtesy Abodu
Granny flats, backyard cottages, guest houses, ADUs…
The prefab tiny home movement is expanding!.
There’s no question that the tiny home movement has turned into something not so tiny. The trend of rejecting a typical sized house and downsizing to a few hundred square feet has become much more than a fad. And it’s not too much of a surprise because a tiny home, accessory dwelling unit (ADU), or backyard guest house can simplify sustainable living and expand your freedom!
Some choose to build their own tiny home. But if you aren’t the DIY type, we’ve got you covered with ready-to-go and custom, incredible tiny home options. Read on to find 20 tiny home manufacturers to match any budget or style. (And when you’re done, check out these inexpensive, sustainable homes almost anyone can afford!)
We’ve included the full price range. Keep in mind that these are all base models and will get pricier as you add extras.
Plús Hús Los Angeles, CA
As Icelandic natives and custom home designers, Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir and Tryggvi Thorsteinsson create spaces that are sustainable, high functioning, and flexible. As Los Angeles residents, they are deeply concerned with the city’s housing crisis, as well as the enormous waste associated with traditional construction. Plús Hús (pronounced like “couscous”) tiny homes and ADUs can help you make a difference from your own backyard. It’s a simple, efficient, multi-purpose structure designed to let anyone add an affordable, environmentally responsible home, guesthouse, or work/creative space to their property. Plús Hús is built with “revolutionary sustainable building material, mnmMOD, and manufactured in Los Angeles.
Designed with simplicity of form and function in mind, the minimalist architecture lends itself to making the most out of the available space, while tasteful color schemes of white, black, and finished wood provide a clean and stylish overall product suitable for as many purposes as you can imagine. To cap it off, a fully sized French door heaps light onto the space inside.
BOXABL LAS VEGAS, NV
Unfolded and delivered right before your eyes, Boxabl will transform your idea of what a truly livable space is. These ADUs are fully ADA compliant with room for wheelchair operation and other mobility assistance. Boxabl’s Casita model comes equipped with all the appliances for you, so you can save time and money not having to move in appliances on your own.
Living with less money doesn’t mean living with less quality. 9.5-ft ceiling, 8-ft windows, fully furnished with all the appliances—full-size everything… We think we have the only technology that can lower the cost of building construction substantially, and that includes lower-income, affordable housing.
CUSTOM CONTAINER LIVING ARCHIE, MO
These shipping container cabins use specific 20 ft and 40 ft floor plans but can be designed to your specifications. Having previous experience in traditional home building, founder Robert Wagoner strives to create a floor plan and design that is unique to your personal needs with transparency in customization along the way from conception to final product.
Custom Container Living’s website shares this surprising benefit of shipping container homes:
Strength and Durability. Containers are much stronger than normal wood construction methods. They are made with steel uni-body construction, the strongest construction method possible. The walls are made from 14 gauge, 0.075 inch corrugated sheet steel panels that are welded to the main structure. The top and bottom side rails and end frames are 7 gauge tubular steel. The steel used to build modern shipping/cargo container is a corrosive resistant high-strength low-alloy steel. The roof of the containers is constructed with die-stamp corrugated steel sheets with a certain chamber at the center. The roof’s main purpose is to keep out the elements. The bottom of the container has 3-4 mm thick cross members that have recesses along the bottom side rails, which allows them to be lifted with special straddle carriers. The floor of the shipping/cargo container is 28 mm thick with 19 ply treated plywood screwed into the structural cross members. Shipping containers can resist snow, wind, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.
ABODU REDWOOD CITY, CA
Headquartered in California’s center of innovation and pushing boundaries, Abodu transforms backyards and small lots into radically forward-thinking homes to enhance living and create joy. Combining two recent waves of legalization of additional dwelling units (ADUs) and tiny homes, Abodu is blazing a trail into the frontier of backyard living, using timeless, modern design. Because of their small square footage, Abodu homes use less materials and produce far fewer emissions than constructing traditional single-family homes. And less space means less energy to heat the home.
Make a difference in your community. Abodu ADUs are helping to solve the housing crisis one yard at a time. Talk to us about how you can help house those who need it most. Whether you need to provide housing for your college grad or a place to live that’s closer to work, we’ll help you get there—and without worry about dreaded shared walls.
OREGON COTTAGE COMPANY EUGENE, OR
Oregon Cottage Company believes in simplicity within all aspects of their company. From design to contract and building, Oregon Cottage handles the rest! These cute and cozy cottages are all 20 ft long but vary in price due to extras like skylights or an enlarged loft.
Oregon Cottage Company is committed to protecting the environment:
Our principles of simplifying our clients’ lives is directly linked to our material selections and building convictions. Just starting out “Tiny” is 90 percent of the solution. 24-40 percent of the solid waste stream in the U.S. is construction and demolition waste. By simply living in a smaller more efficient home we are greatly limiting this waste and energy consumption. Being on wheels also is a huge help since there is more flexibility relocating with your home. The average U.S. family moves every 10 years. Homes often undergo many renovations over their lifetimes, or complete building removal is carried out.
NEW FRONTIER DESIGN NASHVILLE, TN
Offering five different turnkey tiny homes on wheels, New Frontier Design focuses on striking modern designs with large expanses of glass. The budget-conscious Luna is clad in matte-black corrugated steel and the innovative lighting package shows off the sloped roofline. Whereas the top-of-the-line Escher “family home” sleeps up to six and features a striking combination of charred cedar, Red Western Cedar, and metal siding. The leadership team prides itself on unique interiors:
The Alpha Tiny House. Our original, innovative, versatile house that proves a tiny house doesn’t mean compromising the amenities and functionalities of a full-size home. Its multifunctional furniture, clever storage, and utilization of natural light combine with a rustic, industrial, chic aesthetic to create a home unlike any other.
Photographs by Studiobuell Photography
HAUS.ME SEATTLE, WA
Haus.me manufactured and modular homes are intended to be 100% solar electric, requiring no connection to the grid, gas, propane, or other fuel—though a grid-connected package is available. The innovative 3D-printed wall material and an efficient heat pump with heat recovery ventilation combine for supertight, energy-efficient construction. Both off-grid models come equipped with smart home tech and 100% furnished. Estimated ship dates: 2023.
New, the on-grid 120 sqft Microhaus is intended as an income-producing ADU or guest house that will remain portable:
These homes are energy-efficient with low operating costs. They are durable and made from eco-friendly materials that are safe for you and the environment. Back-up power, a large water tank, and our Cloud Self-Diagnosis system make each one perfectly sustainable.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN TINY HOMES DURANGO, CO
This quirky company—Colorado’s “most established tiny home builder”—will build you a custom tiny house while taking your style and budget into consideration. Rocky Mountain Tiny Homes makes tiny homes that are specifically suited for mountain living, an homage to the state that they call home and to their mission of simple living. Despite their ability to add all sorts of fancy details, they really do emphasize the simplistic, minimalist philosophy of having a tiny home.
Our philosophy is built on the notion that shelter should be a place of pride and comfort, yet one of simplicity and affordability,” says the Rocky Mountain Tiny Homes website. “A person of modest means should be able to own a home outright and be able to go play and explore the mountains as they see fit, not be weighed down by a mortgage and maintenance.
MINI MANSIONS TINY HOME BUILDERS ST. PETERS, MO
With more than 10 models of tiny houses to choose from, Mini Mansions Tiny Home Builders have options that suit every buyer’s need. Featured on HGTV’s Tiny House Hunters, the “Chic Shack” and “Relax Shack,” are perfect for those who want to finish the interiors themselves (hence the lower price tag). The exterior is all set to go, though, with adorable pops of color that will turn heads.
Mini Mansions believes that tiny house living will give you a happier, more relaxed life.
We will never put ourselves in a position again to LIVE TO WORK. Our Tiny House and our idea of simpler living will ensure a simple life. We hope we can inspire others to live simpler as we have been inspired by other tiny homeowners. We can help you achieve that goal by building you a tiny home. Every aspect of the construction that goes into a tiny house is truly built with love, we know first-hand what this tiny home means to someone. Simply said, it means FREEDOM. Financial freedom, geographical freedom, government freedom, mental freedom, and many more freedoms that haven’t been thought of yet.
AMERICAN TINY HOUSE LONGVIEW TX
These tiny houses are virtually maintenance-free and can be purchased completely done or with the interior left for you to DIY. They’re also shipped anywhere in the continental US for free! One of their special offerings is “Extreme Insulation” that provides a tight seal, resulting in increased energy efficiency up to 50%. That translates into a short and long-term savings. Pair that with solar energy and you have a perfect equation for an off-the-grid living experience.
Benefits of ATH’s Spray Foam:
- High “R” value
- Makes structure up to 30% stronger
- Improves indoor air quality
- Healthy, completely nontoxic (no HFC, HCFC’s, formaldehyde or asbestos)
- Safe for chemically sensitive persons
- Spray foam’s bonding agent adds increased strength to structure
- Detours insects and rodents
- Prevents mold and mildew
- Reduces noise pollution
- Allows for downsized HVAC equipment
FOREVER TINY HOMES ANDERSON, CA
Liberty Cabins is now Forever Tiny Homes. They are proud to state that its “standard” is their competitor’s “upgrades.” Their tiny homes and ADUs carry RVIA certification, which can help with financing. Forever’s 24-foot Tiny Home has both a downstairs bedroom plus an upstairs loft, a deep double-sided kitchen sink, large countertops, an instant water heater, and hard Maple cabinets. All homes are sold on wheels, providing ease of transportation for those who like to go on adventures wherever the wind, or their vehicle, may take them!
We love all the high-quality materials that come standard in every one of their tiny homes.
We work directly with other product manufacturers in order to help lower cost for our clients. As of now, we specialize in one model in order to bring to the market the highest quality, lowest cost RV in the industry. We take pride in our craftsmanship and our quality; that is why you will see on every unit our brass logo displayed proudly front and center. We hope to please the community with affordable prices, quality materials, and an overall good experience.
INCREDIBLE TINY HOMES MORRISTOWN, TN
Some of the most creative tiny homes we’ve stumbled upon, such as “The Hobbit,” are created by this custom-build company. Styles of these tiny homes take inspiration from different cities within the United States, with photos on their website showing how truly versatile tiny houses can be!
Check out this rave review from their first customer:
I was Randy Jones’ very first customer. I bought his famous hobbit house and have been in it over a year. It is awesome in every way, shape, and form. There’s no up-keep and hardly any maintenance at all. You will love a 15 minute total clean-up vs a bigger house that takes all day to clean. Randy is a master craftsman that bar none is the most trustworthy person I know on the planet and believe me I don’t trust too many people.
TINY MOUNTAIN HOUSES SALEM, OR
Taking inspiration from the mountain ranges across the North America, Tiny Mountain Homes has 18 different models to choose from, plus RVIA certification. Tiny Mountain Houses look nothing short of luxurious on the inside. They also deliver to all 50 states!
Tiny Mountain Houses enthusiastically offers almost anything you are looking for.
Tiny Houses are a way to travel in comfort, to downsize a hectic lifestyle, or to make that “cabin in the woods” (or on the lake, or on the beach, or on the top of the mountain) an option without sacrificing quality, craftsmanship, comfort, or affordability. Offering rustic designs as well as modern homes we have something to suit everyone’s needs. As a young company, located out of Salem, Oregon, we have an eagerness to jump into new projects, offering flexibility and openness to your input in ways that larger companies are unable to do.
TINY HOME BUILDERS DELAND, FL
This company has it all: prefabricated homes, build-it-yourself plans, and online workshops to teach you how-to. Their site is absolutely loaded with helpful resources like a savings goal calculator, construction codes and calculators, insurance options, financing options, an energy consumption calculator, a tiny house map for you to find like-minded individuals and tiny house communities, a tiny house marketplace where you can buy or sell a tiny house or ADU, and much, much more.
Dan Louche, owner of Tiny Home Builders, literally wrote the book on Tiny House Design and Construction. Chapters cover downsizing, custom designs, materials, construction… even places to park!
TIMBERCRAFT TINY HOMES GUNTERSVILLE, AL
These little guys are so charming, it’s like they walked right out of Pinterest! It’s not every day that homes come with butcher block countertops, central air/heat, and stainless-steel appliances with purchase. But Timbercraft makes that their standard. The team here will work with your set budget to design a custom build. Plus, if you’re in the area, they can build your house on skids rather than wheels, if you so desire.
We love Timbercraft’s philosophy of slowing down:
If you only had to work half as much as you do now to pay for your dwelling how would you spend your time? Would you travel the world? Write a book? Learn to fly? Free yourself from the rat race and live the simple life.
TINY LIFE CONSTRUCTION GREENSBORO, NC
Embracing challenges and owning your freedom is what Tiny Life Construction is all about. This North Carolina business is all about helping you find your next adventure in a tiny home. You can choose from three different models or work with them to make your own.
We love the philosophy and culture embedded in this brand:
At Tiny Life Construction, we are passionate about embracing new challenges. We believe releasing the clutter in our lives is the only way we’ll be free to jump into our next adventure. We want to get out of how life used to be and start chasing how life should be. We believe change should be embraced, not feared. We desire a new beginning where “simplicity” is part of our daily vocabulary. We want to choose what we see outside our front door, and we want to own where we lay our head at night. We want to own our freedom.
LIBERATION TINY HOMES LANCASTER, PA
The couple that runs this small business believes in blending traditional and modern ways of life, and their incredible tiny homes do just that. If you’re on the fence about making a purchase of a tiny home, Liberation offers a rental program to get the immersive experience of life in a tiny house. Go back to tiny home basics with styles from super-simple to traditional. If you’re unsure about what direction you’d like to go, it sounds like the folks at Liberation Tiny Homes will hold your hand every step of the way.
Check out this review:
I have been living in my tiny house since early spring, having witnessed the manifestation of this jewel of a house all last winter. Every day I wake up in my loft and am in awe of the precision and beauty of the construction of this house. I wasn’t the easiest client for James, and it took longer than necessary for the house to come to fruition because I had no clear vision of what I wanted. But the man is patient yet firm, keeping things in balance for his business while working with my indecision. For me, it just wasn’t just about building a house for my retirement, it was a process of self-realization. And finally, James didn’t just turn me out to pasture when it was a done deal. Gentleman that he is, James has made sure things were right and working when I needed help as I was adjusting to living in my tiny house.
TUMBLEWEED TINY HOUSE COMPANY SONOMA, CA
Probably one of the first to take off with tiny home designs in 1999, Tumbleweed Tiny House Company has lovely classic models, as well as building plans for the DIYer. As the largest Tiny House RV producer in the US, Tumbleweed has seen the evolution of tiny houses, and their quality systems, production processes, materials usage, recycling, and other environmental practices have earned the highest level green certification.
- Heat Recovery Ventilation System keeps your air quality fresh and helps prevent condensation
- Non-emitting insulation made from recycled materials
- Ductless and efficient heating and air conditioning
- Dual pane energy efficient windows
- Low flow water fixtures
- Composting options
- Energy efficient appliances and lighting
- Certified lumber, sheathing and subfloor
- Excess materials recycled offsite or donated to the Restore
AL TINY HOMES MT. OLIVE, AL
As a member of the National Organization of Alternative Housing (NOAH), AL Tiny Homes believes in building their tiny homes to the highest standards of safety, energy efficiency, and structural soundness. Servicing the Southeast states, this company offers a complimentary design consultation to help you dream up your own incredible tiny homes, or will work with you on a plan you already have started.
AL Tiny Homes shares these benefits of tiny house living:
- Significantly lower monthly energy bills
- Fewer items and materials weighing you down
- Tranquil, easy to manage, and overall simpler space
BANTAM BUILT HOMES SOUTH ELGIN, IL
Bantam Built Homes offers tiny homes on wheels. They start from standard designs, but engage with each customer to make sure that the final design meets their needs. Some Bantam homes feature large windows and skylights to prevent that claustrophobic feeling. Choose single-story or loft homes.
Why pick a tiny home on a trailer instead of a stationary home? Tiny house trailers offer the flexibility of portability—the ability to move or vacation without the hassle of packing and unpacking. Yet unlike RVs, tiny homes are built to be lived in and incorporate the conveniences of a permanent home.
![10 Steps Toward a Zero Energy Home [Infographic]](https://elemental.green/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/cbfb-440x264.jpg)
