In recent years, the tiny house movement has been growing in popularity. People are beginning to look at houses of all shapes and sizes as a way to live more simply, reduce their impact on the environment, and save money.
So can you build a tiny home for $5000? Yes, it is possible if you know where you can save money and if you do some of the work yourself.
In this article, we will show you how to build a simple yet beautiful tiny house that costs just 5 grand!
Getting Started
The first thing you need to do is buy a trailer. This will be the foundation of your tiny house and can help make sure that you don’t have any structural issues later on down the line. Don’t forget to add in costs for things like parking, permits, and other related fees!
We recommend getting an 18-foot modular steel trailer with a ramp door from Harbor Freight Tools. These trailers are relatively inexpensive at $399 but they still meet all state building codes. You might also want to get some wheels separately ($69) so that it’s easier for hauling around once it has been built up or assembled onto its permanent location. We would also highly suggest investing in a hitch and ball ($74) so that you can tow it with your car once the house is finished.
The second thing you need to do is find some land on which to build your tiny home. We recommend looking for government or community-owned property where there are no restrictions against using trailers as foundations. You will also want a place close by, preferably within walking distance from public transport systems like buses, trains, subways, etc., in order to save money on transportation costs! Some great places we have seen include city parks (just make sure they don’t ask for additional fees!), leftover lots after developments go through an area of town, old industrial sites that haven’t been used in years due to changes in manufacturing or other industries, and even just a vacant lot that you own!
The third thing is to get your permits for building the house. You should start by checking with your local zoning department or city hall to see what they require before deciding on where to build it. Requirements can include such things as setbacks from property lines, whether trailers are allowed at all (and if so how many), parking requirements, ground coverings like grass or gravel, etc.
Next, look into getting any utilities hooked up: electricity, natural gas service in some areas depending on current code restrictions as well as water and sewer connections generally provided through a septic system—though it’s best to check this out ahead of time since sometimes these aren’t available to trailers.
Last but not least, you will need to buy the materials and supplies for building your house! This includes such things as a foundation kit ($190), two sheets of ¼ inch plywood (or OSB) at $45 each, paint/primer if desired ($25-50), door handles or knobs (~$30), vinyl flooring (~$50-100 depending on size), insulation material like spray foam (~$70), etc.
Start the Building
For this project, we would recommend purchasing everything from Home Depot because it has a great website with all kinds of helpful information about what might work best where in terms of materials and prices. We found that out of every place we investigated they had the most comprehensive list—though you should also look around for deals and discounts to make your house as affordable as possible.
You will want to estimate the cost of materials based on how many square feet your tiny home has (remember that a trailer is only 18ft wide). For example, if it’s 180 ft² then we would recommend buying about $1500 worth of supplies from Home Depot—though this can vary depending on what kind of flooring or other extras you might need in order to complete your project.
Materials List: – Trailer kit ($399) – Wheels (~$69) – Hitch ball & socket set ($74) – Plywood sheets (~$190 total; ~$45 each) – Door handles/knobs (~$30) – Paint/primer (~$25-50) – Vinyl flooring (~$50-100) – Spray foam insulation ($70).
The estimated cost of materials is around $1500. It may be cheaper if you’re willing to buy less or more expensive depending on what kind of extras you want in your tiny home. You can use reclaimed wood and supplies to save on buying everything new.
Finishing Your New Tiny House
You have a lot of options when it comes to finishing your new tiny house! It can be as basic or extravagant as you want. Some ideas include:
– Hanging string lights inside for mood lighting
– Putting in shelves and other storage spaces that keep things like bikes, spare tires, tools, pumps, etc., off the floor so they don’t get wet during rainstorms or snow events
– Painting the exterior trim with colors that match your home’s interior décor—or vice versa if you prefer to create contrast between exteriors and interiors (this is also good for people who are looking at their homes from afar)
Some memorable finishes we’ve seen lately include adding curtains on windows/doors for privacy (especially when the home is small and there are multiple people living in it) or installing a porch swing on your front door so you can relax while watching nature pass by.
Conclusion
In conclusion, building a tiny house for $5000 may be possible—depending on how you plan to build it and what materials you’re able to find. You’ll want to research your local zoning requirements first before deciding where and how big the home will be because this can have an impact on everything from parking regulations to whether or not trailers are allowed at all in certain areas. Once you know that information, then the rest is easy! Though there’s no guarantee of finding cheap materials at Home Depot (or anywhere else), we found them more expensive than other retailers but they do offer great deals online like free shipping with orders over $150 so always look around if saving money is important. Finally, don’t forget about the soft costs of this project like permits, insurance, and taxes. It might take a while to make back the money you spend on these expenses but it’s worth considering nonetheless!