Remember that time when tiny houses are all the rage? You’ve probably seen those cute little home photos online or watched TV series like Tiny House, Big Living by HGTV, or Netflix’s Tiny House Nation.
Tiny Houses Are Still A Valid Option
But wait, tiny houses are still an exciting trend, especially for those who want to embrace a lifestyle of minimalism and simplicity. Because the idea – having less space (and thus, less stuff) creates more room for more essential things in life – is a dang appealing one! Tiny house kits make building your dream home even easier and more convenient. Not to mention, it makes things so much faster! Imagine building your home like Lego! Isn’t that the dream? No waiting time. No hassle. Just a large-scale DIY project!
What Is a Tiny House Kit?
Tiny house kits are tiny homes you can purchase online and have shipped to you. They usually include all the materials needed to build the bare bones of a small house. Think of it as a large-scale dollhouse, completely livable once done. At the most basic, these kits have everything needed for the house frame and exterior – lumber, roof, doors, windows, and necessary hardware. Others can include a bit more, like interior finishings such as flooring and trims, usually depending on the model you choose. Although they all make “tiny” houses, these kits can range in styles, designs, and sizes. They are suitable for singles, couples, or even small families. They can also be built on a mobile trailer fixed with wheels or a modular home constructed on permanent foundations. And the major selling feature is that they are generally easy to assemble, come with step-by-step instructions, and don’t require any special building experience or equipment.
Best Tiny House Kit: 10 Models We Recommend
House kits make building your dream tiny house quicker than starting your new home from scratch. If you are dreaming of a tiny home to live in full time, a studio or office space in the backyard, a workshop, writing dens, a pool house, or a guest house ready to go, these are our favorite tiny house kits.
1. KitHAUS’ K5 & K6 series
First on our list is the beautiful tiny home you’ll be happy to move into. Go big with your tiny home with the K5 and K6 series from KitHAUS. The company has been revolutionizing the pre-fab house industry since 2005. Their pre-fab modules can transform any open space in your yard into an anything-you-can-think-of hub – a fully-functioning house, escape pod, weekend retreat, guestroom, home office, yoga studio, etc. Starting from a 235 square-foot basic structure, you can customize it into something larger for a setup with a complete bathroom and kitchenette. Another huge selling point is their M.H.S. structural anodized aluminum framing, available in silver or bronze, your choice! But more importantly, it’s lightweight and resistant to rust, mold, and termites, built for the long term.
2. EZ Supply Modern 1-Bedroom
This tiny home is one of the best modern house kits you can find, featuring plate glass walls to make the space more spacious than it actually is.
3. Yardadu Pre-fab Zen Office
If you are looking for a tiny house kit that offers luxe features, it pays to consider the Zen Office by Yardadu. They make over-the-top modern outdoor office pods to give you all the privacy and comfort you need while working, in the most fashionable way too. It’s built for working as much as lounging, with a dedicated space to rest and unwind. It’s a 103 square feet modular office featuring an Architect-grade design but super easy to build on your own. The unit boasts a toughened glass wall design with sound insulation, fireproofing, ventilation, and lighting. The power supply is also ready, so you’re good to go.
4. Allwood’s Bonaire Cabin Kit
Imagine having a mini-resort right in your patio or yard. Isn’t that a dream? One you can turn into reality with the resort-style cabin kit from Allwood. Although it might take five days with two adults to set this unit up, the Bonaire model is as beautiful as a garden house or a guest house can get. It boasts a timeless design with a combination of top-quality Nordic spruce wood and features large windows to compliment any type of surrounding. The 225 square feet space is often good enough in most applications. But in case you need a bit more to fit two bedrooms, you can get an extra 12 square feet interior room for a little over a thousand dollars. Or, opt for more area for a few more dollars if you want to fit in three rooms. Better still, get this tiny house with their FDAT (Factory Deterrent Against Termites) feature for less than $400 if termites are a huge nuisance in your location.
5. Jamaica Cottage Shop’s Writer’s Haven
Who doesn’t want to have a hideaway, a pseudo lake house (even without a lake nearby), or just a place to be alone with your thoughts? If that kind of space is what you’re dreaming about, consider the Writer’s Haven from Jamaica Cottage Shop. But what we think is the selling point of this little haven is the translucent roof panel and windows that allow so much natural light. Overall, it’s a great place for writing, reading, painting, thinking, or just relaxing, and it’s already fitted for you to do all that and more. It’s a 168 square feet inspirational hideaway with a built-in daybed and desk. That’s not all because you can configure the kit to the kind of space you are looking for. It’s available as a frame-only kit, a complete pre-cut kit, or a 3- and 4-season house kit. We recommend going for the latter if you want a tiny home that offers year-round comfort.
6. Allwood’s Summerlight
Like many of Allwood’s home kits, the Summerlight cabin boasts a timeless traditional design that will fit incredibly well in any pool or garden area. Again, it’s made of high-quality solid Nordic Spruce wood, and no interior finishing is needed. Meanwhile, the double doors and surrounding huge windows give the interior the most light and an airy vibe. It has 150 square feet area that can be your next guest house, recreation center, outdoor game room, personal gym, or yoga studio. If you think this cabin kit is the tiny home of your dreams, get a buddy, and you can assemble this unit with minimal tools in just three days or even less.
7. Jamaica Cottage Shop’s Vermont Cottage A
It may look a bit too small on the outside, but don’t let that fool you because it has enough space for the entire family or visiting guests. Next on the list is another house kit from Jamaica Cottage Shop. This time, a slightly bigger 1-bedroom cabin-style with a 320 square-foot base area plus a loft area of 96 square feet. And don’t forget the porch out front! If you’re dreaming of the best cottage-style simplistic home, the Vermont cottage is as charming as it gets. The open floor plan combined with a high ceiling is brimming with possibilities. Use the tiny cabin to create a full-fledged summer house, art studio, camp, country retreat, or even a 4-season living!
8. Jamaica Cottage Shop’s Church Street
Here’s another one from the same company, a quaint shed you can add in the garden, or anywhere really. When it comes to square footage, it’s not the biggest, with only 96 square feet. But the Church Street shed is a remarkable contender for its adorable features. It’s a stunning structure that will be the envy with its charming cottage-style exterior with a rustic appeal brought by exposed post and beam framing, shiplap pine sheathing, and asphalt roof shingles.
9. Summerwood’s Nomad Modern Bunkie
Summerwood Products is a company with several decades of bringing pre-fab kits with classic and traditional or sleek and modern styles, or a combination of both, to your next office, studio, cabana, sheds, and workshops. But they also have cabins and cottages like the Nomad, their modern take on the classic cabin with all the works to escape the hassle of city life. Choose the size you want, starting from 100 square feet, and opt to have a custom front porch. But all size options will give you the same high ceiling, large windows, and loft design will offer plenty of natural light for a bright and airy interior.
10. Summerwood’s Urban Studio
Surely not the least in terms of features, but absolutely the least when it comes to the price tag! It’s the best tiny home kit under $5,000 that we’ve found and really like. The Urban Studio, another from Summerwood, boasts a fresh, modern design to give you stylish outdoor living space. Turn it into a poolside studio, a relaxing space for entertaining guests, a home office studio, or just anything you like. And like any Summerwood product, there are rooms for upgrades at a cost, like walls and roof insulation or switch to a transom window. They also have an enhanced siding package with seven layers of protection against moisture.
Shopping for Tiny House Kits? Here’s What to Look for
It may be a tiny house, but buying one is a big decision. Here are a few things you must look for before hitting that purchase button.
Floor Space
Tiny houses are typically between 100 to 400 square feet in size. However, they can have extra space if a porch or deck is included. Most of them will also offer additional square footage via a loft. When selecting a tiny house kit, one of the first things you should consider is how much room you need. And to help with that, you’ll have to know what you’ll need it for. For example, a small office will require less land area than a studio apartment with a kitchen and bathroom. But besides the interior area of your tiny house kit, you’ll also need to take into account the size of the area where you’re going to build the unit. Keep in mind to check your local zoning requirements for any specified distance of your tiny house from your main house and other structures.
Materials Included
Tiny home kits range in prices depending on how “done” you want the house to be. Most kits come in levels like:
Basic tiny house kits: usually only includes the complete shell or housing envelope. These are generally empty sheds that may (at a bare minimum) or may not include fittings, and you’ll have to apply floor, wall, and ceiling finishes at your own cost. Standard kits: typically complete with standard fittings and minimal built-in furniture.Super Standard kits: come with standard fittings, built-in furniture, complete shower & bath, etc. Luxury tiny houses: come with a high price tag but has the high-end installations you need for a habitable home – fitting, built-in furniture, shower/bath, mechanical engineering, air conditioning, etc.
Before buying any tiny house kit, always review the kit’s features and material list. That way, you completely understand what you’re getting for your money and any other necessary costs.
Customization Options
Some manufacturers will offer different models of a particular kit, maybe with a bigger floor size or additional furnishing. Others will have room for customization with several additions, like higher ceilings, extra window options, lofts, decks, interior rooms, or different kinds of finishes at additional cost. Listen, you will either love the idea of living in a tiny home or not. While tiny homes are cute enough to grab your imagination, they are not for everyone. So, before you join the tiny living movement, here are a few things to know about it and find out if a tiny house is really for you.
What are the pros of a tiny house kit?
Buying home kits is perfect for someone looking to build their tiny home without special construction know-how. Almost all kits are pre-cut, color-coded or number, and stacked to make assembly quick and easy. All home kits come with everything you need to build the bare bones of your new dwelling, except for the tools, although you only need the basics – screwdrivers, drill, saw, hammer, etc. By far, the best selling point is that you can complete the unit’s building process in just a few days with two adults, and the real fun begins. It suits every homeowner looking to be more hands-on and express their creativity.
What are the cons of a tiny house kit?
Tiny home kit manufacturers will advertise that the kits already have everything you need to set up a nice dwelling in just days. And that’s mostly correct. However, they usually lack the major necessities that a habitable house requires, like spaces to run water and electrical components. If you buy a tiny house kit to have a place to “live in,” expect extra work and cost to make the structure truly habitable. While it’s an advantage that you can modify the structure once assembled, any modification or alteration you do might void the warranty.
How much would a tiny home kit cost?
Tiny house kits vary in prices greatly, depending on a few factors: square footage and their features and inclusions. You can buy one tiny house kit for under $5,000. They are usually smaller and bare-bone ones. There are also larger home kits at $20,000 or more with complete interior furnishing or luxury tiny home kits for over $100,000.
Will it be cheaper to buy or build a tiny house?
Building a tiny home from scratch is almost always cheaper than buying a ready-made one that only needs assembling. But it involves plenty of construction know-how and takes so much time. With that said, if you’re willing to pay a little bit more for convenience and less building time necessary, tiny home kits are a fantastic middle ground.
Final Thoughts on the Best Tiny House Kits!
Did you like our recommendations? Whether you are looking for a tiny home because you believe in simplicity and minimalism or you need extra room in your yard, we are confident you can find one that fits your needs from our list. Are you ready for tiny living? What are your tiny home plans? Share it with us in your comments below. We’d love to hear all about your dream tiny house!
