Imagine an entire community of these, with common areas, populated by older retired folks, without families that could share chores and help support a "prepper community" with their wisdom and knowledge. It would offer a tremendous opportunity for single older folks.
🙏 I'm 62 and live in 10x14 shed right now in my mom's backyard so that I can take care of her. She has dementia. When she passes or goes to elderly home I will become homeless unless I can find a situation like you've suggested, and move my tiny little safe place😢
My husband and I built a 30x30 "barndominium" in 2016. We took special care in ultra insulation and l designed in lots of "hidden" amenities. Once the slab foundation was laid and the metal exterior was raised, everything else we did, ourselves. Sold off a few cows, and it's paid for. Less than $20,000 and a lot of blisters and sweat. Where we live, permits weren't needed, but we still followed local code. A mini split keeps it cool in the summer and a small gas heater keeps us toasty in the winter. Did have to pay a big amount for the electric company to run lines. We're both in our 60s.
@@dawncollyott487I drew up the blue prints, hubby did the dirt work for the foundation, had a company pour the foundation and a family member with fabrication skills helped with the frame and placing the outer "skin". I know there are companies that do this, I had looked at estimates but, due to the expense of a "company". We used our family and a couple of friends with the knowledge base and skills. I'm thankful my father was a master carpenter and cabinet maker, he imparted his wisdom. The only utility we didn't do ourselves, was installing the gas lines. Hubby had to do everything that required a ladder, as I don't do "heights" lol
On our 300 acre property we built 3 tiny homes for each one of our kids and put them all together on there own piece of the property. They each have a small bathroom and kitchenette along with heat and running water. In the middle of their little compound we put a huge fire pit and their own driveway and parking area in the woods. When the kids aren’t there we Airbnb them out to gain revenue. It’s been the best thing we could have done and it gives the kids an area to party and gather away from the old folks.
@@sandrajohnson9926 we do the Airbnb because of the skiing and tourists love the foliage in VT that there is usually a waiting list of people wanting to rent out these cabins. Living in the middle of nowhere and in the woods had an appeal to a lot of people and it’s nice to make an income off what we’ve built for our kids. It’s all going to them in the end.
Awesome! I would love to do this for my girls. If only I had more property, I have 3 and a half acres but my country is so strict no way to make it happen! I was gonna try but they (the county) put a stop to that!!!!
I just did this. My house is 10x16. I’m off grid, I can heat my whole house all winter with four truck loads of wood. Use rain catchment. I have chickens, a big garden. Best thing I ever did!!
Sounds great. You have reduced the government control factor a bunch. I am in a house right now in a city that is good in Oklahoma, bought in 1996. I have an acreage I bought in 1979. Working on it.
@@mhammer5 shoot bro the government control factor is there but honestly whats up there too would be the bank control factor. If you loan too much and run put of money the bank will repo the shed you finished to be mansion quality on the inside, and they seize your land and resell it. So the cheaper the place the easier to pay off. Keeps the bank and the goobermint away
You are living my dream! I have an acre of raw land, and I’m in the process of getting the trees thinned/cleared. The goal is to put a 10x16 side lofted barn out there early next year and eventually have chickens and a garden. Great way to live!
@@wyndimoore9121 the funny thing is, it was kind of forced on me. My husband suffers from severe PTSD and TBI from Iraq. Last winter he dropped me and my dog off at a old farm house I owned. We survived the winter with no heat, barely any food or water. I made up my mind it would never happen again. That’s when I started building my tiny home, got a wood stove… then I found I really loved the freedom of living this way. I’ll never go back to living on the grid. I found my happiness! :)
Dave, we are living in a larger one of these sheds right now. It’s definitely comfortable and very easy to clean! We put in plumbing and a wood burning stove to heat it. We had spray foam insulation put in it and it keeps it warm and cool. No monthly payment and it’s ours. It can be done.
My wife and I lived in an 8x10 tiny house built on a frame that we gutted from an old pop up camper. It cost us $600 in 2019 to do that and we built it in the state forest. We lived in it and got a storage unit. Slept in the truck for four months or so with our 80lb dog until we had enough to get a mortgage with the record low interest rates. Got the house before the housing market went haywire. I would recommend doing this idea to someone! Get the land situation figured out first if you can but otherwise a couple of weeks is all it takes to build a really nice livable scenario.
I am in the process of paying off an older model, 22 foot long fully self contained Class A Motorhome to make into my Tiny home on wheels. It only has 18,000 original miles on the engine, and is equipped with a 4000 Watt Onan generator that only has 79 hours of running time on it. I found it for a steal of $2500.00. It does need a little bit of work and TLC, but I believe I got a decent deal.
@@CamperVanClark thank you. It needs the roof resealed, and a couple tires, and new belts on the engine. Not sure about the generator yet because I need to get a deep cycle marine battery for a house battery, which is also used to start the generator. As far as inside, the cabinets above the Dinette need to be better secured, as they are currently flopping in the breeze.
@@kathyfoster7468 I fully intend to reseal the entire roof. It is not, and has not been leaking anywhere inside that I can see, but I still plan on taping all the seams, and around all the fixture housings up on the roof, then I will be resealing the entire roof front to back, side to side.
In the ‘70s I dated a guy whose dad was a trucker. He and his dad lived in a tiny shed on some farmland. It was perfect for them. His dad was on the road most of the time, so it worked well. The kitchen was a camping cooktop on top of a cabinet. The couch small, it sat right across from the kitchen. The tv was mounted up near the ceiling in a corner. They had a bunk bed behind a divider wall. It was tight, but it worked for them.
I think these sheds are affordable enough what i migjt do is get a bigger one for the more long term living and around it ill put smaller ones that are more affordable for when family or friends show up, or sometimes you got a fella thats down on his luck and just needs a gpod bed for a couple months to get back on their feet, or rent them out for really affordable prices to people who dont want 750+ rent. lots of possibilities.
My fiancee and I bought a crappy 8x16. Fixed it up and we stay in it as we're building a small 900 sq ft house. We're doing all the building ourselves. The money that would go towards rent is going into the house. The 8x16 was just a shell. We put in a small counter, a toilet, and a standup shower. The bed takes up half the room but it's only temporary. You don't have to be well-off. We both deliver pizza and we're almost finished with the house which is paid for. Putting siding on it now.
Nice. Its nice to see two people on the come up and youre not inventing robots, just delivering pizza and building. Building yourself is free money in the bank if you build it right. I want to buy a couple 3 or 4 of these sheds and i want to learn to finish them inside to a really high standard so they hold their value and im going to place them through the southwest spaced far enough away ill be able to travel into colorado for summer time work and then down to new mexico texas and florida for work in the winter. Im trying to budget so I travel by motorcycle and so i need a shed equiped to store and work on motorcycles. I figure if I spend 10k on each place and finish them myself i only need about 40k and i can pop enough locations down i can leave one place and travel to the next in a day so every night i dont have to buy a hotel whuch just sucks my money down and im not working hard just to drain the money. Hotels are nice but i travel too much and i really need a place where if my bike is breaking down i have an actual home i can leave it at. If i have no homes inbetween colorado and florida and I break down, the tow gets expensive. Plus im going to learn to finish them real quality so theyll hold value and when im done theyll be portable so i can sell the land wothout them or with them when im done and i can travel back and forth for my different work in different seasons and save lots of money that way in the ling run. As opposed to if i had 1 nicer house or an apartment i rent and then also pay hotel fees etc.
I retired to my daughter and SIL's property almost 5 years ago and had a 12×16 high lofted shed/cabin erected. After it was dried in I did the rest. I live 100% off rain water and piggyback a 50A service off their main house. I use propane for cooking and heat but if you plan your windows and doors correctly you don't need air conditioning.
Not sure where you live, but do you find the propane expensive as a heat source? What kind of propane heater? I'll be putting a wood stove in my 12x12....but am a 62 yr old gal so wood might be a bit harder over time.
I have a 10x20 as an office. 35 yr old female. Got electric in it but then finished inside myself with regular pink insulation, white washed Shiplap (painted/cut/nailed up myself), & vinyl floor. I only regret I didn’t get it sooner. Paid each item off as I went & now enjoy having a place not paying rent, tax deductible, & not being in a bad area of town. If it were a home, I’d want it to be 2x as big & go with a mini split. It would absolutely be livable & very comfortable. I would go with an Excalibur shipping Container home also.
@@sandrajohnson9926 Absolutely Sandra...sold everything, packed it up, bailed from the city to the countryside and hadn't looked back. Life is good! Stay safe.
Container cabins are an interesting idea because theres gloval infrustructure already to move them around, plus they come with big doors you can secure. Have their flaws though.
@@TheAnnoyingBoss That's true...I love mine however. Very sound structure, it's diverse, can be carried with you and convertible. Plus it's cheaper than a conventional home lol no payments for 30 years 😉🤗
Great idea to share with folks. I've lived in various small "cabin" type structures in Alaska. 12x12 and 12x16 are easy to heat. Water catchment, gray water drain, and composting toilet work well to avoid septic and well. I have moved up in life to a semi refer-trailer which is well insulated and up off the ground. A sliding glass door set just inside the factory doors. Picture window where the cooling unit used to be. Life is Peachy
Beware of using shipping containers. As a contractor and worked for a company that shipped over seas. If you live in an area with weather changes" temperature " container walls will sweat. Once you build walls the moisture is now trapped behind walls and ceilings . It's almost impossible to stop it from happening. Told a neighbor about it when he went to.finish his out. First year they had ice cycles hang from ceilings and then ice on walls. Interior was heated but outside Temps up and down 30s - 50s. They have black mold in the container now. I have seen others on UA-cam talk about the same issues. My containers with tools in them sweat through fall,winter and spring. Just something to think about.
@ Back Achers Homestead ….The only way to cure this problem is to spray foam on the interior first. This seals and insulates the metal, but is expensive.
@Graham Dawes as long as they use the correct foam, there are different types. Some are open cell. When we built pole barns later the owner would have them sprayed with foam. Any wood contacting metal was a thermal break. It would sweat there and also foam would take on moisture. Same issue they have when sprayed in box sill of homes. Causing mold and rot to sill and rim joist of house.
@Matthew Valentine not always all it takes is a very small air gap against outside wall to create sweating. And can go from there. I have personally seen it.
I am doing this now. I bought mine from the Amish a shell and I'm finishing it myself. I wish I'd done it a long time ago. I'm in the country no codesI paid 8k for 400 Sq ft cabin. Empty shell.
I'm on Arkwright Town Board Western NY. I'm the only one on the board for freedom to put tiny houses on one's property. Others want to code them tax them and regulate renting of rooms in private houses. I'm a real thorn in their side. I'm fighting for the people, not the purse!
This is exactly what we were thinking of doing. We know people that would definitely benefit from having something like this to live in. Everyone is going to need a little help along the way.
12x16 Tuff Shed for the past year, just finished a 12x8 front porch. Wood heater, solar, insulated, have it on the back of some families property with hand pump well and garden, chickens out in the country. Sister has the green thumb and nurses degree, i have the defensive hardware. Best we can do here.
Rock wool is a little more expensive than fiberglass insulation but it's far superior and the cost difference isn't a big deal when you're only insulating a tiny home.
I bought one of these cabins, and I live in it in the woods. You mention to get rid of the loft on one end and put it in bathroom … I believe that the problem with that is that loft is actually structural on grambel sheds. I did take out the loft on one end, and did so to make room for the wood-burning fireplace … put back in a support higher up on the gambrel. The other problem is that the other loft which most people would use as a bedroom may not be an able to bear weight . I tried to find out how much weight but it’s per square foot, and I haven’t taken the time to sit down and calculate. Another problem is I cannot afford to have a root cellar built and there is no place for food preps. It goes hot here in the summer and cold winters. While the wood-burning stove does keep me warm in the winter, it does not warm the bottom 12 inches of the cabin floor. For example, this winter it was -35°F and water that had spilled on my floor froze overnight. I do also have a vented propane heater and other backup heat sources but the floor is not insulated and I am just going to have to live with that. Split mini AC was $600 ppd on Amazon and it is self install and five stars - I can run it day and night on my 1200w solar. I love living off grid - I have had a huge house and never want to go back. HOWEVER, I am not a labor skilled woman and this life can be very difficult. There are things you would never think of: black widow and recluse spiders, mosquitos, bugs, bugs, bugs, copper head snakes, 5’ black snakes, coyotes, bears 🐻, hawks and raccoons kill the chickens, chickens love to turn garden beds into dirt baths, Japanese beetles eat fruit trees and stuff in the garden … wells have become VERY expensive to put in … no garbage service … Composting toilets are great - but that needs to be lugged through the woods and dumped … and when you get back - prepare to pull ticks off your clothes and body 😢 I went into living in a shed with rose colored glasses - it is not cheap and takes a lot of patience and time. Still, after over three years I am still putting out money for basic stuff like pea gravel over the ankle twisting 2”-3” gravel so it’s not a mud pit in front of shed and an out door container to house garden and sprouting equipment and cattle panels (as fencing) to go around garden … etc … Not trying to dissuade anyone - rather want to say go into it eyes wide open. I live in a county with zero regulations and I see a lot of families come and thrive, and a lot also come here and fail at living off grid.
NO SHAME IN THAT!! I've lived in mine 5yrs now $ paid 24,000.00 my son put in the utility. I've been Dept free for 2 yrs now! Paid it out. Per month. I got a Yellow 💛 40x12 cute little porch! I live on family land
My husband and I built a 10*12 shed in our backyard. We hired someone to build the shell and we finished it ourselves with insulation, drywall, electric and flooring. We spent $5k total (including a small window AC unit). We use it as my husbands home office now but we always talk about how we could use it temporarily if we lose power. It wouldn't be a long term comfortable solution for our family of 4 (2 adults, 2 small children) and dog, but it would be easier to heat/cool that space and would be an ok short term solution for no power. We have had it for more than 2 years now and are pretty happy with the investment.
Hank and Rex That is such a low price. Would you mind telling me what state you live in? I live in Montana and a shed shell costs so much more than that for that size. Thanks
@@MTNurse we live in Houston TX. The guy we hired charged $3100 to build it - materials and labor. It's a 10*12 barn shed with 6 ft side walls (probably 10-12ft in the middle of the shed), heavy duty floor with extra support. It has 2 small windows and a vent in the ceiling. They built the thing from start to finish in about 7 hours, 2 guys. Amazing!! Then my husband finished it out. We did have a friend help us hang some dry wall and in exchange I helped them with some paperwork they needed to get done (I'm an attorney by trade). The name of the company we hired is called Texas Affordable Sheds. Google around for someone local, not a big company.
@@MTNurse I forgot to mention that there was an existing electrical wire already ran out there when we moved in so it was pretty easy to thread that through and install some pot lights and outlets. That probably helped us a lot with cost too.
@@pjnewton1014 Thank you for all that info. You said your husband finished it. What all did he have to do? Was it just detail work to make it look nicer or things that were necessary? Thank you again
Great vid. Built a tiny home on rural land and use it for a hunting cabin. Currently live in a barn-da-minium on the Mother In Laws place. She lives in the main family home across the driveway. She needed some help on her acreage and we needed cheap bills....so we help her out and keep her out of going to assisted living, and she helps us be able to save our money. Its a win for everyone. She gets to retire and enjoy her years for as long as possible on her beautiful property and we have minimal bills! I will admit....she is very amiable and so are we...so it works. May not be the best for high drama family situations...so only proceed with caution, and try to keep seperate living structures as this is more emotional healthy for evwryone.
Been looking into this for about a year. When the owner of my building buys me out to renovate, I will be moving into my own little home on a property I will own outright. Great to hear different ideas.
We purchased "unrestricted land" and had our 12x32 tiny home built 16 inches on center. (Like a house) totally debt free. Love this lifestyle. Make sure you plan !
Its a great idea and we put one on our land and fixed it up as a guest house. It also doubles as my freeze dryer station and will be ready for use if times are hard for friends or family. Since they are small u can pick up seconds, extras and left over construction material and do it cheaply but end result is like new fabulous
We live a gravel road & are seeing more families putting sheds on it for family members. A house or trailer was already there, electric, well, etc. People will go back to multigenerational living together. It's cheaper, & better for all.
Dave is a man of God. God is speaking through Dave. God is saying times ahead will change for the better. Must walk through the fire to see the light. Keep up the ideas Dave.
I've been trying for YEARS to get my husband to get a small plot of land off the beaten path to put one of these as a secondary location. We had one years ago, parked on a small plot of land in the woods. We used an outhouse, some solar, it had a well and septic. We insulated, put in an off grid kitchen and it was WONDERFUL. Unfortunately the area was horrible for game (in the middle of a pine forest), impossible to grown any decent amount of food. So last year he sold it to a family member. I've been trying since then to convince him to get another set up like we had.
FYI I would not eat the big wild 4-legged game. Either Gates or the other one who owns FB have a company and they have been giving arm candy to all the Deer!
I use a 5-gallon bucket for my toilet and I put a kitty pool in the yard as a bathtub been living this way for 6 years and I love it. Thank you for putting this information out there so other people can actually have a roof over their head.
I know a couple who lived in a converted shed at a lakehouse area. Land was given to them by parents. They had no running water or electricity. Used a bucket for the bathroom in the middle of the night..took the golfcart to the public restroom/restaurant during daylight hours. Far as i know. It wasn't avainst the rules to not have electricity. This was in eastern NC. If it was, no one ever said anything. They were just there on weekends mainly, although they stayed a week every now and then. People should be able to camp on their land, regardless of what the dwelling looks like. Especially if you're not in the suburbs where there are HOAs
Home Depot has one that's two story. If my house wasn't paid for that is exactly what I would do. I think they are absolutely adorable. They remind me of a fairy tail cottage. You could even put one over a little root cellar.
@@kelleclark I have been in it. Yes it would all have to be perfected but not difficult or too expensive. Well, I suppose it would be expensive these days.
I stay away from thr major retail chains and I go with the local guys who really hussle building a more quality product. Im nit a fan of the amish peoples religion but they are in my area and they are good craftsman. They built my families shed and poarch swing and theyre very well done and competitive prices. Plus its easier to have them build upgrades for a little extra cost and if you go with home depot they just want to sell it to you and be done
@@TheAnnoyingBoss yes, I agree with you. We do it all ourselves too. I actually have a huge load of sawmill wood that is waiting for it's new life as a shed. Got the wood at $1 a board foot. Someone ordered it from a local sawmill. They paid half and never showed up to collect it and paid his bill. The only reason we hire anyone for anything is major electrical work and even that is done by a close friend.
I converted a 12x24 shed with a porch and two lofts. Lived in there with two teenage boys and two Labs. Amazing how comfortable it was and how little needed to live on. 🥰
There is a lot of land that is unincorporated, not subject to any codes at all, and zoned permanently off grid. It is also considerably cheaper than developed land or property being sold for residential building. Dig a well, buy The Humanure Handbook and build an enclosed composting toilet, and buy some solar panels. Then get one or more of the sheds (if you have a road in that will handle the width, most of the companies making them will deliver just about anywhere. Do your homework on the land and on your floor plans!! If you get a 16 wide x 24 or 32 with a loft, you have ample room for a loft bedroom for the kids, and a bedroom/bath directly in under it for the adults. Lay out your bathroom along a long side, 4 feet wide and the same length as your bedroom/the loft, and you have the remaining space to add a kitchen/dining/living area. You can use a composting toilet that you build inside with zero odor or mess btw, and an indoor shower is a blessing in the winter. Jus' sayin'. Add wiring and plumbing (if you are digging a shallow well, or have a spring, try to place the shed so that you can pump water directly into the shed, or from inside it ... again, winter!). Insulate it and add whatever wall type you prefer. Finish the floor. Now, you have a place to live. If you are bringing water in, extend your roof enough to provide cover for your 250 gallon totes. Less sun means less algae in the summer, and less snow to clear in the winter. Then, add a covered porch large enough that you can use tools and build/work on other projects without getting rained on ~ or just to extend the living space ~ or both. Whatever floor plans you come up with use masking or duct tape to lay out the shed size, your walls, and what furniture you plan to have before you EVER purchase/rent the shed! What looks great on paper often doesn't work at all in real life but most of the things you might have to change will be evident with just the tape outline to walk around and get a feel for the actual size and things that might have to be reworked, resized, or planned differently. With a well/shallow well/spring (and any filtration you need), a composting toilet, and even minimal solar (if you have wind, consider adding a helix to the panels). Make sure of water rights before you set up to use a stream or river to provide power OR as a water source. Speaking from experience here as we've done all of these things. Once we were set, we purchased a second shed and had it set at right angles to the original, built a connecting square room in the corner, and a nice deck that is partially covered between them in the front. That gave us the space to add a nice large bedroom, a full bathroom, and our office/comms in the square room ... plus finish the kitchen/pantry, and have a small living room. We use only wood for heating, and we have a combination two burner rocket stove/grill/earth oven/smoker that we build out of brick and some sheet metal. The smoker will do both warm and cool smoking depending on where we light the fire. This is on our deck under the metal roof with a cement block form under it for support. Our only bills are insurance and phone/internet. We bought the land on a rent to own option (google companies because there are several that you can search for property through) and on only a disabled/retired military pay. It took about a year to complete the first shed paying as we built, and another year to finish the second/add the extra room. But, we did this with less than $3000 a month, both of us partially disabled, and at 60ish. The only real issue we have is a medical emergency and the distance/time involved which is something all of us old folks have to consider and weigh the odds on.
@Teresa Martinez This is true ~ but the key word in your post is the word "town". Almost every town in the country has a set of codes. Unrestricted/off-grid land is not in any town. That land comes with no services (water, sewer, power, phone, and often first responder or even an initial address). If you want to live in a town or small community you will find that there are codes and restrictions. Tiny house codes change just about yearly in every state and every county and it is something you have to check as thoroughly as you would a deed and mineral/water rights. Certain states retain some restrictions across the entire state as far as water and septic installation, and mineral rights are generally attached to each individual parcel. Some areas also retain restrictions on RV living. What really bites is finding a piece of land that is perfect in every way except for that one little restriction that is tacked on. When choosing unrestricted land, you have to do a lot of homework, and decide for yourself if you really want those services or want to provide them for yourself. The more services you would prefer, the more you are subject to requirements and the codes necessary for companies to maintain them. Only you can decide on what balance between the two you are comfortable with.
I have 5.0 Acres I bought a few years ago and I've been slowly building the infrastructure I need (utilities, housing, gardens, etc) Its imperative that you have an alternative to city living
Thank you @Southernprepper1 for all of these useful tips. I really like these tiny houses. Another great tip from you was to test how you would get water from the source to your location. I learned real quick how heavy water is. Now I’ve got buckets and a kids red wagon in my preps.
In the 1930s my mothers family of six spent a winter in Minnesota living in a chicken coup about the size of these sheds. In the winter, in Minnesota. OK roll tape. This causes me to recollect that all the horror stories of survival during that time were about a year and a half of length. After that life settled down to just miserable for about a decade and a half. We haven't started yet.
Brand new apartment building here in California is charging 3200 a month for a 2 1 apartment. We were a small town 2 decades ago. We still aren't a big city. People who are living in those will not be able to afford it through bad times at all.
Awesome video. For people who don't know, going with a 2x6 construction is probably going to increase cost by 20% or so. But much better for insulation, which is helpful in the long term.
Im wondering what is best if i want to bulletproof my walls. Maybe i give up with wood and switch to maybe a metal frame to gome the weight but im also worried about turning my micro seasonal home into a lightning rod that kills me
Excellent vid. We have drug TONS of sheds home from local suburbanites. Brace them up and drag them home on skids. FYI i have had EXCELLENT luck putting used rubber roofing under them to prevent moisture movement from the ground.
A Murphy bed makes sense to me if I had to live in one of these. Sky lights for the garage door shed with no windows so you don’t get depressed with no light.
To me, a tiny house skoolie was the answer. I am an assistant to a person with property to park it on and finish my build as part of my wages. I also have a rent free loft I live in while working, a small car for my use, utilities and groceries paid for in addition to a weekly payday. On off time, I take the skoolie and go camping in state parks. I have only 2 bills, my phone and insurance 🙃
@@TUKByV The unknown knows nothing, God says, Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, Saying, ...That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yeah, and sell the refuse of the wheat...When will you search God's scriptures?
May I suggest that you put this up on blocks or stilts, like the old creole homes. The weather is just to unpredictable to assume that rain wouldn't creep in. Way too much flooding right now. God bless!
Tiny homes from sheds are a great idea. I've always been cash poor, but resource rich, so I can't buy one. I'm building four log outbuildings next to the garden, averaging 12'x16'. Gathered stone, cut yellow pine logs, and splitting white oak shakes for their roofs. Hand hewing the logs with a double bit axe and a broad axe. I'm using my brother's band mill to saw flooring and roof sheathing. Throw in some reclaimed wavy glass windows, making the doors, and making hinges and latches at my forge. Picked up some busted bags of mortar and concrete for $1 a bag at Lowes. I'll use a few pounds of nails, which I bought at a closing hardware store, with 450 pounds costing me $36. Each building will cost me $6. Where there's a will, there's a way. Some of the local timberframe guild guys are dropping by to help me with the heavy parts.
I used to rent a small cabin behind a house the fireplace hadnt been inspected so no heat only a small infrared heater that read 32°inside and would read 53° when left running It wasnt bad i could handle it my proper rest was worth it
I would build my own and put a greenhouse leaned off it. Then I would use the greenhouse heat to heat the house after insulated. I’d just use Hammocks to sleep. It’s crazy that a tiny house is the new American dream. I’m happy with a tarp and hammock and a view though.
@@Hatbox948 Put up 50 pounds in Mylar & vacuum- sealed. Another 50 pounds to go. Rice, dry beans, & lentils put up. Do all you can now. God bless. The Lord is creator of all the earth. His love endures forever.
@@Hatbox948 I buy Prairie Gold organic at a store in the country. They sell in bulk, rejected vegetables, lots of canned goods, & some expired food. I think they cater to the Amish. We live in Southwest Missouri. I have yet to get it in mylar or vacuum seal. I also bought bulk oats. I think it was under $90 for both.
Great information Dave. Sheds have come a long way. I remembered when sheds were primarily used for garden tools and such. Regarding the second shed: the toilet, one can have a compost toilet and a standing sink. More room for a shower and additional storage space. I live in Arizona and many people are buying land and putting modular homes (regulations) on them. I have been seeing an increase in 18-wheelers on the I-10 hauling modular homes. This is a win-win for both parties. People have a choice of housing and where to live and businesses are hiring more people to do such work.
I watch alot of Living Big in a Tiny Home --- Great ideas. Very creative spaces, ideas for storage & lay out. Some have bedrooms downstairs. The first tiny home show I watched had bed that pulls out from under floor. On top part of floor was a desk & chair. Or use a big couch that folds out. That's the biggest problem I found with tiny homes. I do not do stairs or ladders. You need to think like a RV person. Compact living. Eliminate all the things you don't need. Downsize clothes. Dishes - minimum. We all need to get rid of more stuff.
Depending on your land, you can also use the tiny houses as an extra source of income for a farm, doing agri tourism and renting out the tiny house to visitors for the weekend as an easy getaway to the countryside, or to rent if you wanted to teach classes on homesteading or farming.
The Amish make great sheds at very reasonable prices... seeb some great build quality units in northern Michigan..upto 16" x 40" with loft and was spray Insulated... would keep you really toasty with a small wood stove...
Thank you for posting this. This is exactly what I was looking for last night. Too many earthquakes happening here along side of all that's happening in the world.
I wouldnt mind having several of them inside a bigger prefabricated metal building. Indoor greenhouse, everyone in the family has their own, one for weapons.
I was thinking the same thing when I had the idea of moving to Alaska. Park a decent camper inside a metal building. Sky lights in metal building, place to stack wood out of the snow.. i have changed my mind, just too old .
I’ve been wanting some sort of tiny home rather it be a dome, a container home, a tiny home or a shed to home. It’s just me and my dog. But yes you still have to afford at least a lot and have utilities. I would love to have an arrangement with someone in exchange for some help. But being a single disabled person is almost impossible to find housing, which is why I’m renting a friends basement.
@@Sparkysings2 doesn't take as much as paying someone rent. And places like marketplace and yard sales become your go toos. It can be done. May take time but it can be done. Mines is 3 years in the making as I am on limited income and disabled to boot. So if you say it can't be done as long as you think that way it won't get done.
David thanks for this. I have been looking at these. Backyard Portable Buildings has several different prefabricated cabins. They will even set them up for 750 watts electrical.
Have 3. First one custom with 8' walls. Second one repo and a deal. Third one, a repo also, with front porch will screen in. Back loft is lower than front. I like closer to ground at my age. Less steps. The one you like the best Dave, with add on, we did outdoor kitchen and shower area. Curtins slide back/forward. Checked zoning & if under a certain sq footage no permits needed, thus outdoor shower/kitchen. Smaller one even had tiny wood stove.
Dave, I can see this working for families who have land that other other family members can have use of a well, septic, etc. Having a stranger come into help you with work in exchange for free rent. No. I’ve seen it before. They work a little while and then you have to fight to get them to do anything. And…try and kick them mout? They can destroy the structure just to pay you back. A great idea when we had people who were grateful for help. Today we’re dealing with drug abuse etc.
This is a great idea. I'm concerned that I'll have some kids and grandkids living with us again as times get more difficult. Even a small house would be so helpful. It would allow for privacy and personal space. We're all going to have to think outside of the box. I've seen some great sheds at the Amish store we visit periodically. They have some great options.
I've been working on my Tiny home for about 2 years now ,its nearly complete with solar and a wood burning stove. I currently have it on a friends wooded lot but am hoping to find at least a couple to 3 acres of my own soon.
Im in 10x14 in my mother's backyard. Im going to have to find a person with land willing to let me bring my tiny house to, when she passes or goes into elderly home. I can see the vision of tiny home communities for older people like myself helping each other. My alternative is to live in a car😢. I'm on disability and there is no affordable housing in safe place for kind quiet older persons.
Living in a 14x40 Graceland...its perfect!! Could not buy insulation last year so wrapped it in reflectix...holds temp very well. On the standing AC, had a free standing, and they produce heat also...get 3x3 windows for window units.
That's the plan for 10 acres. Several of them. So looking forward to it. Permits are the key. As long as under 200sq ft. where I am at I am ok without too much hassle. Keep it looking like storage where possible for less hassle. I have neighbors nearby who would potentially rat me out so another area of concern. Try to stay smart with the sewer so you do not kill yourself or ruin your well. Hardest part is downsizing and getting rid of "crap". But well worth it. My location even has problems with rain collection. I will ignore that stupid law. There is common sense and then there is over reach. Earth bag homes in some location another option, I may do both.
Dave, the first building you went into is what my friend just purchased..I put the electrical in where he wanted it. He wants to use it as a woodworking shop. We put a 100 Amp box in it. All wired in and powered up. One day. He will insulate it and install a wall AC unit in the back wall. Personally. I could live in that, not a problem. Add water and hook into the existing septic. And we are in business.
David... this does help! ------ Ben following/watching you since 09'. THANK YOU !!! My only additions... The first structure... I'd put (leave room for) a SMALL wood burning stove right inside the door (to the right) Any lofts included... LEAVE THEM in place. Teens/kids will do JUST FINE in such spaces. Else... storage. If you're trying to plan for a bathroom... folks can duck their heads to answer the call. For those capable/willing... do your research... these prefab'd sheds are great... but IF you have the tools and knowledge... you can (RIGHT NOW) plan/purchase/build on your own for substantially less. Love you David. Keep educating the next generation.
We bought a nice shed and had it wired and insulated for our island off grid property. It was pretty chilly overnight in February and March but April was cozy and warm for sleeping.
Dave….I think there is going to be a ton of various kinds of rv’s repossessed soon…it seems to me that they might be a solution for those looking for shelter without having to do a lot of work….back in the early 70s I lived in a 320 sq ft cabin for three years and it was great for what I needed…
I have a dry flush LAVEO toilet in my new Class B Ford Transit 350 HD motor home and it would be an excellent choice for a small home like in this video. It's no more than a fancy bucket. It uses cartridges, but can work with the right size trash bin bags. Perfect for off grid life.
I have a 12x30 one level. Love it! One thing I highly recommend that you use a high grade insulation , and consider what direction the wind blows in your area , because if you sit it just right. You can cool it with windows open in the summer.
Absolutely the bestand most effective vid you have ever ever done!!!!!! Can you pls continue to do more vids along this subject and how both the tiny homeowner would set thos up,, see as well as how the landowner would or could h set this up?
Sheds don't always meet code in your area. Shed conversions are a bad idea for most people. You build a foundation nkt hard run plumbing lines not hard just have to dig and plan ahead before foundation. You frame a wall and attach it to a foundation you build a roof and then finish the plumbing and electrical you put walls up and put in cabinets ect. You do 2x6 on 16 inch centers to fit the insulation. For outside you wrap the plywood and use plastic on the I side it needs to breath so you add a vent strip. Windows just a square box to nail on. It's simple just physically demanding work
Build your table and couch to fold out to a bed like in camper trailers. Get the barn roof like the 2nd one he was in, except w/o the porch that wastes space (that you pay for ). You can add your own simpler porch cheaper later. The barn roof allows sleeping/storage above (better use of space).
I’ve been living in a tiny home for almost 4 years now, no mortgage and minimal bills.
Great reset, but our way kinda. I like it. It's in your own terms that you live frugally.
And no Room for anything
@@richrock455 and?
@@richrock455 stop buying useless stuff and it won’t be a problem.
@@richrock455one set of cloths ur living with lol
Imagine an entire community of these, with common areas, populated by older retired folks, without families that could share chores and help support a "prepper community" with their wisdom and knowledge. It would offer a tremendous opportunity for single older folks.
True .
🙏 I'm 62 and live in 10x14 shed right now in my mom's backyard so that I can take care of her. She has dementia. When she passes or goes to elderly home I will become homeless unless I can find a situation like you've suggested, and move my tiny little safe place😢
@@lyndabell1966 What about your mom's home? Can't you live there after she passes?
I would love a tiny community of like minded people.
@@StephanieJoRountree I would never be able to afford it 😪
My husband and I built a 30x30 "barndominium" in 2016. We took special care in ultra insulation and l designed in lots of "hidden" amenities. Once the slab foundation was laid and the metal exterior was raised, everything else we did, ourselves. Sold off a few cows, and it's paid for. Less than $20,000 and a lot of blisters and sweat. Where we live, permits weren't needed, but we still followed local code. A mini split keeps it cool in the summer and a small gas heater keeps us toasty in the winter. Did have to pay a big amount for the electric company to run lines. We're both in our 60s.
if you don't mind me asking what state are you in? i am looking for a place with no zoning or permits. thank you
@@dave-yeahthatsme3925 Arkansas
@@royallioness6282 ok thank you
did you go with a company that pre-makes them?? If so, which one?
@@dawncollyott487I drew up the blue prints, hubby did the dirt work for the foundation, had a company pour the foundation and a family member with fabrication skills helped with the frame and placing the outer "skin". I know there are companies that do this, I had looked at estimates but, due to the expense of a "company". We used our family and a couple of friends with the knowledge base and skills. I'm thankful my father was a master carpenter and cabinet maker, he imparted his wisdom. The only utility we didn't do ourselves, was installing the gas lines. Hubby had to do everything that required a ladder, as I don't do "heights" lol
On our 300 acre property we built 3 tiny homes for each one of our kids and put them all together on there own piece of the property. They each have a small bathroom and kitchenette along with heat and running water. In the middle of their little compound we put a huge fire pit and their own driveway and parking area in the woods. When the kids aren’t there we Airbnb them out to gain revenue. It’s been the best thing we could have done and it gives the kids an area to party and gather away from the old folks.
Nice idea!!
We have thought about doing this, as well, to rent out as hunting lodge for deer or Retreat over the weekend.
Beautiful!
@@sandrajohnson9926 we do the Airbnb because of the skiing and tourists love the foliage in VT that there is usually a waiting list of people wanting to rent out these cabins. Living in the middle of nowhere and in the woods had an appeal to a lot of people and it’s nice to make an income off what we’ve built for our kids. It’s all going to them in the end.
Would you adopt me?? 😏
Awesome! I would love to do this for my girls. If only I had more property, I have 3 and a half acres but my country is so strict no way to make it happen! I was gonna try but they (the county) put a stop to that!!!!
I just did this. My house is 10x16. I’m off grid, I can heat my whole house all winter with four truck loads of wood. Use rain catchment. I have chickens, a big garden. Best thing I ever did!!
Sounds great. You have reduced the government control factor a bunch. I am in a house right now in a city that is good in Oklahoma, bought in 1996. I have an acreage I bought in 1979. Working on it.
@@mhammer5 shoot bro the government control factor is there but honestly whats up there too would be the bank control factor. If you loan too much and run put of money the bank will repo the shed you finished to be mansion quality on the inside, and they seize your land and resell it. So the cheaper the place the easier to pay off. Keeps the bank and the goobermint away
You are living my dream! I have an acre of raw land, and I’m in the process of getting the trees thinned/cleared. The goal is to put a 10x16 side lofted barn out there early next year and eventually have chickens and a garden. Great way to live!
@@wyndimoore9121 the funny thing is, it was kind of forced on me. My husband suffers from severe PTSD and TBI from Iraq. Last winter he dropped me and my dog off at a old farm house I owned. We survived the winter with no heat, barely any food or water. I made up my mind it would never happen again. That’s when I started building my tiny home, got a wood stove… then I found I really loved the freedom of living this way. I’ll never go back to living on the grid. I found my happiness! :)
Whereabouts?
Dave, we are living in a larger one of these sheds right now. It’s definitely comfortable and very easy to clean! We put in plumbing and a wood burning stove to heat it. We had spray foam insulation put in it and it keeps it warm and cool. No monthly payment and it’s ours. It can be done.
Where is it you take shelter when tornadoes come?
My wife and I lived in an 8x10 tiny house built on a frame that we gutted from an old pop up camper. It cost us $600 in 2019 to do that and we built it in the state forest. We lived in it and got a storage unit. Slept in the truck for four months or so with our 80lb dog until we had enough to get a mortgage with the record low interest rates. Got the house before the housing market went haywire. I would recommend doing this idea to someone! Get the land situation figured out first if you can but otherwise a couple of weeks is all it takes to build a really nice livable scenario.
Sorry, couldn't edit but we basically lived in that tiny house for 2 years but we slept under truck topper for 4 months with the dog.
Awesome! Y'all are an inspiration!
Until the government takes your land. That will be next. Watch.
I am in the process of paying off an older model, 22 foot long fully self contained Class A Motorhome to make into my Tiny home on wheels. It only has 18,000 original miles on the engine, and is equipped with a 4000 Watt Onan generator that only has 79 hours of running time on it. I found it for a steal of $2500.00. It does need a little bit of work and TLC, but I believe I got a decent deal.
Great deal!
@@CamperVanClark thank you. It needs the roof resealed, and a couple tires, and new belts on the engine. Not sure about the generator yet because I need to get a deep cycle marine battery for a house battery, which is also used to start the generator. As far as inside, the cabinets above the Dinette need to be better secured, as they are currently flopping in the breeze.
Make sure you build a new roof on it because it will leak period!
@@kathyfoster7468 I fully intend to reseal the entire roof. It is not, and has not been leaking anywhere inside that I can see, but I still plan on taping all the seams, and around all the fixture housings up on the roof, then I will be resealing the entire roof front to back, side to side.
You could always put an old trailer frame under it to avoid problems with the county. Simply a storage trailer then.
In the ‘70s I dated a guy whose dad was a trucker. He and his dad lived in a tiny shed on some farmland. It was perfect for them. His dad was on the road most of the time, so it worked well. The kitchen was a camping cooktop on top of a cabinet. The couch small, it sat right across from the kitchen. The tv was mounted up near the ceiling in a corner. They had a bunk bed behind a divider wall. It was tight, but it worked for them.
And it did not beat up their paycheck.
I think these sheds are affordable enough what i migjt do is get a bigger one for the more long term living and around it ill put smaller ones that are more affordable for when family or friends show up, or sometimes you got a fella thats down on his luck and just needs a gpod bed for a couple months to get back on their feet, or rent them out for really affordable prices to people who dont want 750+ rent. lots of possibilities.
My fiancee and I bought a crappy 8x16. Fixed it up and we stay in it as we're building a small 900 sq ft house. We're doing all the building ourselves. The money that would go towards rent is going into the house.
The 8x16 was just a shell. We put in a small counter, a toilet, and a standup shower. The bed takes up half the room but it's only temporary.
You don't have to be well-off. We both deliver pizza and we're almost finished with the house which is paid for. Putting siding on it now.
Nice. Its nice to see two people on the come up and youre not inventing robots, just delivering pizza and building. Building yourself is free money in the bank if you build it right. I want to buy a couple 3 or 4 of these sheds and i want to learn to finish them inside to a really high standard so they hold their value and im going to place them through the southwest spaced far enough away ill be able to travel into colorado for summer time work and then down to new mexico texas and florida for work in the winter. Im trying to budget so I travel by motorcycle and so i need a shed equiped to store and work on motorcycles. I figure if I spend 10k on each place and finish them myself i only need about 40k and i can pop enough locations down i can leave one place and travel to the next in a day so every night i dont have to buy a hotel whuch just sucks my money down and im not working hard just to drain the money. Hotels are nice but i travel too much and i really need a place where if my bike is breaking down i have an actual home i can leave it at. If i have no homes inbetween colorado and florida and I break down, the tow gets expensive. Plus im going to learn to finish them real quality so theyll hold value and when im done theyll be portable so i can sell the land wothout them or with them when im done and i can travel back and forth for my different work in different seasons and save lots of money that way in the ling run. As opposed to if i had 1 nicer house or an apartment i rent and then also pay hotel fees etc.
I retired to my daughter and SIL's property almost 5 years ago and had a 12×16 high lofted shed/cabin erected. After it was dried in I did the rest. I live 100% off rain water and piggyback a 50A service off their main house. I use propane for cooking and heat but if you plan your windows and doors correctly you don't need air conditioning.
Consider a ground mount solar array to replace your electric and propane use. True off grid then. 400W panels $250ea; need 20 of them.
Couple that with mango power 7KWH box that southernprepper1 reviewed 2 weeks ago.
My new Tennessee Home If you don't live in Florida, you may not need AC. I live in a 16x40 Tiny mansion.
Good for you regarding AC. Acclimatizing is the key but so many aren't willing to do it. Acclimatizing is a military trick for enduring the heat.
Not sure where you live, but do you find the propane expensive as a heat source? What kind of propane heater? I'll be putting a wood stove in my 12x12....but am a 62 yr old gal so wood might be a bit harder over time.
I have a 10x20 as an office. 35 yr old female. Got electric in it but then finished inside myself with regular pink insulation, white washed Shiplap (painted/cut/nailed up myself), & vinyl floor. I only regret I didn’t get it sooner. Paid each item off as I went & now enjoy having a place not paying rent, tax deductible, & not being in a bad area of town. If it were a home, I’d want it to be 2x as big & go with a mini split. It would absolutely be livable & very comfortable. I would go with an Excalibur shipping Container home also.
I was homeless for a year. This would have been a tremendous step up from the minivan I had.
We are currently doing this and while it's difficult it's very very worth it
I have a 20 ft container home and a 120 sq ft tiny house/shed...paid cash for both and debt free...Love it!
Sounds incredible.
You are better off than many.
@@sandrajohnson9926 Absolutely Sandra...sold everything, packed it up, bailed from the city to the countryside and hadn't looked back. Life is good! Stay safe.
Container cabins are an interesting idea because theres gloval infrustructure already to move them around, plus they come with big doors you can secure. Have their flaws though.
@@TheAnnoyingBoss That's true...I love mine however. Very sound structure, it's diverse, can be carried with you and convertible. Plus it's cheaper than a conventional home lol no payments for 30 years 😉🤗
Great idea to share with folks. I've lived in various small "cabin" type structures in Alaska. 12x12 and 12x16 are easy to heat. Water catchment, gray water drain, and composting toilet work well to avoid septic and well. I have moved up in life to a semi refer-trailer which is well insulated and up off the ground. A sliding glass door set just inside the factory doors. Picture window where the cooling unit used to be. Life is Peachy
Can you legit use a composting toilet to fertikize a garden without getting E-coli in your tomatos?
Beware of using shipping containers. As a contractor and worked for a company that shipped over seas. If you live in an area with weather changes" temperature " container walls will sweat. Once you build walls the moisture is now trapped behind walls and ceilings . It's almost impossible to stop it from happening. Told a neighbor about it when he went to.finish his out. First year they had ice cycles hang from ceilings and then ice on walls. Interior was heated but outside Temps up and down 30s - 50s. They have black mold in the container now. I have seen others on UA-cam talk about the same issues. My containers with tools in them sweat through fall,winter and spring. Just something to think about.
Some people have to learn the hardest way.
@ Back Achers Homestead ….The only way to cure this problem is to spray foam on the interior first. This seals and insulates the metal, but is expensive.
@Graham Dawes as long as they use the correct foam, there are different types. Some are open cell. When we built pole barns later the owner would have them sprayed with foam. Any wood contacting metal was a thermal break. It would sweat there and also foam would take on moisture. Same issue they have when sprayed in box sill of homes. Causing mold and rot to sill and rim joist of house.
Spray foam insulation should stop this issue
@Matthew Valentine not always all it takes is a very small air gap against outside wall to create sweating. And can go from there. I have personally seen it.
I am doing this now. I bought mine from the Amish a shell and I'm finishing it myself. I wish I'd done it a long time ago. I'm in the country no codesI paid 8k for 400 Sq ft cabin. Empty shell.
Great price! Better quality likely.
With a small space it is a great idea to put a "Murphy" bed in that can be put onto the wall when not in use.
I think Murphy beds are under used in tiny house living.
Yes I’ve been thinking the same thing thanks for confirmation!
I'm on Arkwright Town Board Western NY.
I'm the only one on the board for freedom to put tiny houses on one's property. Others want to code them tax them and regulate renting of rooms in private houses. I'm a real thorn in their side. I'm fighting for the people, not the purse!
@ Lynn Bedford …..Good for you; the world needs more sensible local government.
Regards from UK. 🇬🇧
This is exactly what we were thinking of doing. We know people that would definitely benefit from having something like this to live in. Everyone is going to need a little help along the way.
Thanks Dave. I love the idea of hiding the doors and windows with the garage door!!!
I knew someone with a machine she'd they did the same thing too. Just pulled the metal doors closed, and the place was secure.
Never thought about the garage door idea
Ive been talkin about tiny house living for over a week..n now you are giving us info..its almost like i was being listen to.
Living Big in a Tiny Home - on U Toob.
12x16 Tuff Shed for the past year, just finished a 12x8 front porch.
Wood heater, solar, insulated, have it on the back of some families property with hand pump well and garden, chickens out in the country.
Sister has the green thumb and nurses degree, i have the defensive hardware. Best we can do here.
Rock wool is a little more expensive than fiberglass insulation but it's far superior and the cost difference isn't a big deal when you're only insulating a tiny home.
iv been living in a 12x24 for 3 years by choice its been great and i don't see my self ever going back to a conventional home
Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys did this years ago..LOL. This will be the new Hooverville.
I bought one of these cabins, and I live in it in the woods.
You mention to get rid of the loft on one end and put it in bathroom … I believe that the problem with that is that loft is actually structural on grambel sheds. I did take out the loft on one end, and did so to make room for the wood-burning fireplace … put back in a support higher up on the gambrel.
The other problem is that the other loft which most people would use as a bedroom may not be an able to bear weight . I tried to find out how much weight but it’s per square foot, and I haven’t taken the time to sit down and calculate.
Another problem is I cannot afford to have a root cellar built and there is no place for food preps. It goes hot here in the summer and cold winters.
While the wood-burning stove does keep me warm in the winter, it does not warm the bottom 12 inches of the cabin floor. For example, this winter it was -35°F and water that had spilled on my floor froze overnight. I do also have a vented propane heater and other backup heat sources but the floor is not insulated and I am just going to have to live with that.
Split mini AC was $600 ppd on Amazon and it is self install and five stars - I can run it day and night on my 1200w solar.
I love living off grid - I have had a huge house and never want to go back. HOWEVER, I am not a labor skilled woman and this life can be very difficult. There are things you would never think of: black widow and recluse spiders, mosquitos, bugs, bugs, bugs, copper head snakes, 5’ black snakes, coyotes, bears 🐻, hawks and raccoons kill the chickens, chickens love to turn garden beds into dirt baths, Japanese beetles eat fruit trees and stuff in the garden … wells have become VERY expensive to put in … no garbage service …
Composting toilets are great - but that needs to be lugged through the woods and dumped … and when you get back - prepare to pull ticks off your clothes and body 😢
I went into living in a shed with rose colored glasses - it is not cheap and takes a lot of patience and time.
Still, after over three years I am still putting out money for basic stuff like pea gravel over the ankle twisting 2”-3” gravel so it’s not a mud pit in front of shed and an out door container to house garden and sprouting equipment and cattle panels (as fencing) to go around garden … etc …
Not trying to dissuade anyone - rather want to say go into it eyes wide open. I live in a county with zero regulations and I see a lot of families come and thrive, and a lot also come here and fail at living off grid.
Very nice of you Dave to give people another way to approach their circumstances. God bless brother
NO SHAME IN THAT!! I've lived in mine 5yrs now $ paid 24,000.00 my son put in the utility. I've been Dept free for 2 yrs now! Paid it out. Per month. I got a Yellow 💛 40x12 cute little porch! I live on family land
My husband and I built a 10*12 shed in our backyard. We hired someone to build the shell and we finished it ourselves with insulation, drywall, electric and flooring. We spent $5k total (including a small window AC unit). We use it as my husbands home office now but we always talk about how we could use it temporarily if we lose power. It wouldn't be a long term comfortable solution for our family of 4 (2 adults, 2 small children) and dog, but it would be easier to heat/cool that space and would be an ok short term solution for no power. We have had it for more than 2 years now and are pretty happy with the investment.
Hank and Rex That is such a low price. Would you mind telling me what state you live in? I live in Montana and a shed shell costs so much more than that for that size. Thanks
@@MTNurse we live in Houston TX. The guy we hired charged $3100 to build it - materials and labor. It's a 10*12 barn shed with 6 ft side walls (probably 10-12ft in the middle of the shed), heavy duty floor with extra support. It has 2 small windows and a vent in the ceiling. They built the thing from start to finish in about 7 hours, 2 guys. Amazing!! Then my husband finished it out. We did have a friend help us hang some dry wall and in exchange I helped them with some paperwork they needed to get done (I'm an attorney by trade). The name of the company we hired is called Texas Affordable Sheds. Google around for someone local, not a big company.
You definitely come out way better if you build it yourself they charge an arm and leg for what your really getting!
@@MTNurse I forgot to mention that there was an existing electrical wire already ran out there when we moved in so it was pretty easy to thread that through and install some pot lights and outlets. That probably helped us a lot with cost too.
@@pjnewton1014 Thank you for all that info. You said your husband finished it. What all did he have to do? Was it just detail work to make it look nicer or things that were necessary? Thank you again
Great vid. Built a tiny home on rural land and use it for a hunting cabin. Currently live in a barn-da-minium on the Mother In Laws place. She lives in the main family home across the driveway. She needed some help on her acreage and we needed cheap bills....so we help her out and keep her out of going to assisted living, and she helps us be able to save our money. Its a win for everyone. She gets to retire and enjoy her years for as long as possible on her beautiful property and we have minimal bills! I will admit....she is very amiable and so are we...so it works. May not be the best for high drama family situations...so only proceed with caution, and try to keep seperate living structures as this is more emotional healthy for evwryone.
Been looking into this for about a year. When the owner of my building buys me out to renovate, I will be moving into my own little home on a property I will own outright.
Great to hear different ideas.
We purchased "unrestricted land" and had our 12x32 tiny home built 16 inches on center. (Like a house) totally debt free. Love this lifestyle. Make sure you plan !
Tell me about how yoy did your water situation. Did you get land ontop of an aquafir or do you have it hauled in..
@TheAnnoyingBoss we have rain water catchment and indoor plumbing from that using a shurflow 12V Pump. We also have a spring - with a ram pump.
We live off grid in a 14’x40’ Graceland building on acreage. It is a beautiful home and it’s even insured as a home. It’s possible if it’s done right.
Its a great idea and we put one on our land and fixed it up as a guest house. It also doubles as my freeze dryer station and will be ready for use if times are hard for friends or family. Since they are small u can pick up seconds, extras and left over construction material and do it cheaply but end result is like new fabulous
We live a gravel road & are seeing more families putting sheds on it for family members. A house or trailer was already there, electric, well, etc.
People will go back to multigenerational living together. It's cheaper, & better for all.
Dave is a man of God.
God is speaking through Dave. God is saying times ahead will change for the better. Must walk through the fire to see the light.
Keep up the ideas Dave.
I've been trying for YEARS to get my husband to get a small plot of land off the beaten path to put one of these as a secondary location. We had one years ago, parked on a small plot of land in the woods. We used an outhouse, some solar, it had a well and septic. We insulated, put in an off grid kitchen and it was WONDERFUL. Unfortunately the area was horrible for game (in the middle of a pine forest), impossible to grown any decent amount of food. So last year he sold it to a family member. I've been trying since then to convince him to get another set up like we had.
FYI I would not eat the big wild 4-legged game. Either Gates or the other one who owns FB have a company and they have been giving arm candy to all the Deer!
I use a 5-gallon bucket for my toilet and I put a kitty pool in the yard as a bathtub been living this way for 6 years and I love it. Thank you for putting this information out there so other people can actually have a roof over their head.
And where do u dump this bucket? And how do you bathe in the winter?
I know a couple who lived in a converted shed at a lakehouse area. Land was given to them by parents. They had no running water or electricity. Used a bucket for the bathroom in the middle of the night..took the golfcart to the public restroom/restaurant during daylight hours. Far as i know. It wasn't avainst the rules to not have electricity. This was in eastern NC. If it was, no one ever said anything. They were just there on weekends mainly, although they stayed a week every now and then. People should be able to camp on their land, regardless of what the dwelling looks like. Especially if you're not in the suburbs where there are HOAs
Nice! I typically just lurk without commenting but this topic is way too far up my alley to stay silent. Many of you know why. 😁 thanks Dave!
Home Depot has one that's two story. If my house wasn't paid for that is exactly what I would do. I think they are absolutely adorable. They remind me of a fairy tail cottage. You could even put one over a little root cellar.
Overpriced and VERY cheaply built...go inside and really check out the construction.
@@kelleclark I have been in it. Yes it would all have to be perfected but not difficult or too expensive. Well, I suppose it would be expensive these days.
I stay away from thr major retail chains and I go with the local guys who really hussle building a more quality product. Im nit a fan of the amish peoples religion but they are in my area and they are good craftsman. They built my families shed and poarch swing and theyre very well done and competitive prices. Plus its easier to have them build upgrades for a little extra cost and if you go with home depot they just want to sell it to you and be done
@@TheAnnoyingBoss yes, I agree with you. We do it all ourselves too. I actually have a huge load of sawmill wood that is waiting for it's new life as a shed. Got the wood at $1 a board foot. Someone ordered it from a local sawmill. They paid half and never showed up to collect it and paid his bill. The only reason we hire anyone for anything is major electrical work and even that is done by a close friend.
I converted a 12x24 shed with a porch and two lofts. Lived in there with two teenage boys and two Labs. Amazing how comfortable it was and how little needed to live on. 🥰
There is a lot of land that is unincorporated, not subject to any codes at all, and zoned permanently off grid. It is also considerably cheaper than developed land or property being sold for residential building. Dig a well, buy The Humanure Handbook and build an enclosed composting toilet, and buy some solar panels. Then get one or more of the sheds (if you have a road in that will handle the width, most of the companies making them will deliver just about anywhere. Do your homework on the land and on your floor plans!! If you get a 16 wide x 24 or 32 with a loft, you have ample room for a loft bedroom for the kids, and a bedroom/bath directly in under it for the adults. Lay out your bathroom along a long side, 4 feet wide and the same length as your bedroom/the loft, and you have the remaining space to add a kitchen/dining/living area. You can use a composting toilet that you build inside with zero odor or mess btw, and an indoor shower is a blessing in the winter. Jus' sayin'.
Add wiring and plumbing (if you are digging a shallow well, or have a spring, try to place the shed so that you can pump water directly into the shed, or from inside it ... again, winter!). Insulate it and add whatever wall type you prefer. Finish the floor. Now, you have a place to live. If you are bringing water in, extend your roof enough to provide cover for your 250 gallon totes. Less sun means less algae in the summer, and less snow to clear in the winter. Then, add a covered porch large enough that you can use tools and build/work on other projects without getting rained on ~ or just to extend the living space ~ or both.
Whatever floor plans you come up with use masking or duct tape to lay out the shed size, your walls, and what furniture you plan to have before you EVER purchase/rent the shed! What looks great on paper often doesn't work at all in real life but most of the things you might have to change will be evident with just the tape outline to walk around and get a feel for the actual size and things that might have to be reworked, resized, or planned differently. With a well/shallow well/spring (and any filtration you need), a composting toilet, and even minimal solar (if you have wind, consider adding a helix to the panels). Make sure of water rights before you set up to use a stream or river to provide power OR as a water source.
Speaking from experience here as we've done all of these things. Once we were set, we purchased a second shed and had it set at right angles to the original, built a connecting square room in the corner, and a nice deck that is partially covered between them in the front. That gave us the space to add a nice large bedroom, a full bathroom, and our office/comms in the square room ... plus finish the kitchen/pantry, and have a small living room. We use only wood for heating, and we have a combination two burner rocket stove/grill/earth oven/smoker that we build out of brick and some sheet metal. The smoker will do both warm and cool smoking depending on where we light the fire. This is on our deck under the metal roof with a cement block form under it for support. Our only bills are insurance and phone/internet.
We bought the land on a rent to own option (google companies because there are several that you can search for property through) and on only a disabled/retired military pay. It took about a year to complete the first shed paying as we built, and another year to finish the second/add the extra room. But, we did this with less than $3000 a month, both of us partially disabled, and at 60ish. The only real issue we have is a medical emergency and the distance/time involved which is something all of us old folks have to consider and weigh the odds on.
@Teresa Martinez This is true ~ but the key word in your post is the word "town". Almost every town in the country has a set of codes. Unrestricted/off-grid land is not in any town. That land comes with no services (water, sewer, power, phone, and often first responder or even an initial address). If you want to live in a town or small community you will find that there are codes and restrictions. Tiny house codes change just about yearly in every state and every county and it is something you have to check as thoroughly as you would a deed and mineral/water rights. Certain states retain some restrictions across the entire state as far as water and septic installation, and mineral rights are generally attached to each individual parcel. Some areas also retain restrictions on RV living. What really bites is finding a piece of land that is perfect in every way except for that one little restriction that is tacked on.
When choosing unrestricted land, you have to do a lot of homework, and decide for yourself if you really want those services or want to provide them for yourself. The more services you would prefer, the more you are subject to requirements and the codes necessary for companies to maintain them. Only you can decide on what balance between the two you are comfortable with.
I have 5.0 Acres I bought a few years ago and I've been slowly building the infrastructure I need (utilities, housing, gardens, etc) Its imperative that you have an alternative to city living
Thank you @Southernprepper1 for all of these useful tips.
I really like these tiny houses.
Another great tip from you was to test how you would get water from the source to your location. I learned real quick how heavy water is. Now I’ve got buckets and a kids red wagon in my preps.
In the 1930s my mothers family of six spent a winter in Minnesota living in a chicken coup about the size of these sheds. In the winter, in Minnesota. OK roll tape. This causes me to recollect that all the horror stories of survival during that time were about a year and a half of length. After that life settled down to just miserable for about a decade and a half. We haven't started yet.
80 yrs old and have been wanting this for years. Thanks!!
Off-gas that sucker a season or two before moving in, seal it up good on inside but air it out often.
Brand new apartment building here in California is charging 3200 a month for a 2 1 apartment. We were a small town 2 decades ago. We still aren't a big city. People who are living in those will not be able to afford it through bad times at all.
I bet the illegal border jumpers will get them.
Thanks Joe Biden.
Awesome video. For people who don't know, going with a 2x6 construction is probably going to increase cost by 20% or so. But much better for insulation, which is helpful in the long term.
Im wondering what is best if i want to bulletproof my walls. Maybe i give up with wood and switch to maybe a metal frame to gome the weight but im also worried about turning my micro seasonal home into a lightning rod that kills me
Excellent vid. We have drug TONS of sheds home from local suburbanites. Brace them up and drag them home on skids. FYI i have had EXCELLENT luck putting used rubber roofing under them to prevent moisture movement from the ground.
A Murphy bed makes sense to me if I had to live in one of these.
Sky lights for the garage door shed with no windows so you don’t get depressed with no light.
skylights are prone to leaking
To me, a tiny house skoolie was the answer. I am an assistant to a person with property to park it on and finish my build as part of my wages. I also have a rent free loft I live in while working, a small car for my use, utilities and groceries paid for in addition to a weekly payday. On off time, I take the skoolie and go camping in state parks. I have only 2 bills, my phone and insurance 🙃
My mother lived in a boxcar when she was young. My grandpa worked for the railroad.
Thank you for loving mankind.
Don't you mean Thank you for loving free labour mankind?
@@TomiAnneTimm nonsense.
@@TUKByV The unknown knows nothing, God says, Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, Saying, ...That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes; yeah, and sell the refuse of the wheat...When will you search God's scriptures?
@@TomiAnneTimm Look! A socialist hiding behind Scripture! Thanks for ushering in the next Holodomor.
@@TomiAnneTimm by the way, "The Unknown Knows" is just an old song. Do you have any meaningful taunts to offer?
Remember too spray in insulation will give you better bang for your buck with 2x4 construction. Thanks Dave.
Spray in insulation or of outdoors and make some homes unlivable.
Tried to get the wife to do this 10 years ago.
No sale! Lol
So easy to do. Just have to be willing to live a minimalist lifestyle. 🤷
exactly 100%, I'm going to try to accumulate as many sheds as I can, once I get land for exactly this reason.
May I suggest that you put this up on blocks or stilts, like the old creole homes. The weather is just to unpredictable to assume that rain wouldn't creep in.
Way too much flooding right now.
God bless!
Tiny homes from sheds are a great idea. I've always been cash poor, but resource rich, so I can't buy one. I'm building four log outbuildings next to the garden, averaging 12'x16'. Gathered stone, cut yellow pine logs, and splitting white oak shakes for their roofs. Hand hewing the logs with a double bit axe and a broad axe. I'm using my brother's band mill to saw flooring and roof sheathing. Throw in some reclaimed wavy glass windows, making the doors, and making hinges and latches at my forge. Picked up some busted bags of mortar and concrete for $1 a bag at Lowes. I'll use a few pounds of nails, which I bought at a closing hardware store, with 450 pounds costing me $36. Each building will cost me $6. Where there's a will, there's a way. Some of the local timberframe guild guys are dropping by to help me with the heavy parts.
Wow just wow. Great job, so impressed. This is what will help us survive what's coming, knowing how to do stuff and working together. Good for you!
Bible says in labor there is profit.
I used to rent a small cabin behind a house the fireplace hadnt been inspected so no heat only a small infrared heater that read 32°inside and would read 53° when left running
It wasnt bad i could handle it my proper rest was worth it
I would build my own and put a greenhouse leaned off it. Then I would use the greenhouse heat to heat the house after insulated. I’d just use Hammocks to sleep. It’s crazy that a tiny house is the new American dream. I’m happy with a tarp and hammock and a view though.
Humidity and mold maybe an issue
Air circulation is key.
WARNING: Just on noon news, KANSAS WHEAT HARVEST IS PREDICTED TO BE LOWEST IN 60 YEARS 🤔
Stock up on flour now!
Rice harvests, also.
I believe in Thailand - from Alaska Prepper.
Half of the world depends on Rice for food, main staple.
People are going to starve.
@@Hatbox948 Put up 50 pounds in Mylar & vacuum- sealed.
Another 50 pounds to go.
Rice, dry beans, & lentils put up.
Do all you can now.
God bless.
The Lord is creator of all the earth.
His love endures forever.
@@sandrajohnson9926 Yes, I will and am. I do need to get more flour though.
@@Hatbox948 I buy Prairie Gold organic at a store in the country. They sell in bulk, rejected vegetables, lots of canned goods, & some expired food. I think they cater to the Amish.
We live in Southwest Missouri.
I have yet to get it in mylar or vacuum seal.
I also bought bulk oats.
I think it was under $90 for both.
Great information Dave. Sheds have come a long way. I remembered when sheds were primarily used for garden tools and such.
Regarding the second shed: the toilet, one can have a compost toilet and a standing sink. More room for a shower and additional storage space. I live in Arizona and many people are buying land and putting modular homes (regulations) on them. I have been seeing an increase in 18-wheelers on the I-10 hauling modular homes. This is a win-win for both parties. People have a choice of housing and where to live and businesses are hiring more people to do such work.
I definitely want more land and less house now. 🙂
❤️🙏🏼✝️🙌🏼🎉❤️❤️❤️
I watch alot of Living Big in a Tiny Home --- Great ideas.
Very creative spaces, ideas for storage & lay out. Some have bedrooms downstairs.
The first tiny home show I watched had bed that pulls out from under floor. On top part of floor was a desk & chair. Or use a big couch that folds out.
That's the biggest problem I found with tiny homes. I do not do stairs or ladders.
You need to think like a RV person.
Compact living.
Eliminate all the things you don't need.
Downsize clothes.
Dishes - minimum.
We all need to get rid of more stuff.
With the right colors, and proper placements, they make great BOL's.
Oh how I wish 😢🙏🙏🙏
Stay well and be safe 🙏 ❤️
Texas Nana 🤠
Psalm 91
Gotta be sneaky with that unless it's unrestricted now . If I had a spot on a farm I know, could handle that. Maybe connect 2 of them.
What excellent ideas! I pray this brings great hope to many.. And creative ideas..
We bought one of these and made it into a home. I had to sell and move but they work so well.
Depending on your land, you can also use the tiny houses as an extra source of income for a farm, doing agri tourism and renting out the tiny house to visitors for the weekend as an easy getaway to the countryside, or to rent if you wanted to teach classes on homesteading or farming.
The Amish make great sheds at very reasonable prices... seeb some great build quality units in northern Michigan..upto 16" x 40" with loft and was spray Insulated... would keep you really toasty with a small wood stove...
Thank you for posting this. This is exactly what I was looking for last night. Too many earthquakes happening here along side of all that's happening in the world.
I wouldnt mind having several of them inside a bigger prefabricated metal building. Indoor greenhouse, everyone in the family has their own, one for weapons.
I was thinking the same thing when I had the idea of moving to Alaska. Park a decent camper inside a metal building. Sky lights in metal building, place to stack wood out of the snow.. i have changed my mind, just too old .
I may put up a steel kit building and build a sort of apartment in part of it.
I’ve been wanting some sort of tiny home rather it be a dome, a container home, a tiny home or a shed to home. It’s just me and my dog. But yes you still have to afford at least a lot and have utilities. I would love to have an arrangement with someone in exchange for some help. But being a single disabled person is almost impossible to find housing, which is why I’m renting a friends basement.
I'm a single senior female and if I can do it you can 👍
@@debbieluna2967 Nice!
@@debbieluna2967 takes money I don’t have.
@@Sparkysings2 doesn't take as much as paying someone rent. And places like marketplace and yard sales become your go toos. It can be done. May take time but it can be done. Mines is 3 years in the making as I am on limited income and disabled to boot. So if you say it can't be done as long as you think that way it won't get done.
@@debbieluna2967 that’s not what I was saying but thanks
David thanks for this. I have been looking at these. Backyard Portable Buildings has several different prefabricated cabins. They will even set them up for 750 watts electrical.
Have 3. First one custom with 8' walls. Second one repo and a deal. Third one, a repo also, with front porch will screen in.
Back loft is lower than front.
I like closer to ground at my age. Less steps.
The one you like the best Dave, with add on, we did outdoor kitchen and shower area. Curtins slide back/forward.
Checked zoning & if under a certain sq footage no permits needed, thus outdoor shower/kitchen.
Smaller one even had tiny wood stove.
Love this idea. Glad you covered it. Don't forget to get your permit if needed so they can't take it.
Dave, I can see this working for families who have land that other other family members can have use of a well, septic, etc. Having a stranger come into help you with work in exchange for free rent. No. I’ve seen it before. They work a little while and then you have to fight to get them to do anything. And…try and kick them mout? They can destroy the structure just to pay you back. A great idea when we had people who were grateful for help. Today we’re dealing with drug abuse etc.
This is a great idea. I'm concerned that I'll have some kids and grandkids living with us again as times get more difficult. Even a small house would be so helpful. It would allow for privacy and personal space. We're all going to have to think outside of the box. I've seen some great sheds at the Amish store we visit periodically. They have some great options.
I've been working on my Tiny home for about 2 years now ,its nearly complete with solar and a wood burning stove. I currently have it on a friends wooded lot but am hoping to find at least a couple to 3 acres of my own soon.
This was a heart warming video ❤ thank you it's so great to see a video where someone else is considering the masses. Thank you and God Bless
The one thing I would make provision for would be a small wood stove!
Im in 10x14 in my mother's backyard. Im going to have to find a person with land willing to let me bring my tiny house to, when she passes or goes into elderly home. I can see the vision of tiny home communities for older people like myself helping each other. My alternative is to live in a car😢. I'm on disability and there is no affordable housing in safe place for kind quiet older persons.
Living in a 14x40 Graceland...its perfect!!
Could not buy insulation last year so wrapped it in reflectix...holds temp very well.
On the standing AC, had a free standing, and they produce heat also...get 3x3 windows for window units.
That's the plan for 10 acres. Several of them. So looking forward to it. Permits are the key. As long as under 200sq ft. where I am at I am ok without too much hassle. Keep it looking like storage where possible for less hassle. I have neighbors nearby who would potentially rat me out so another area of concern. Try to stay smart with the sewer so you do not kill yourself or ruin your well. Hardest part is downsizing and getting rid of "crap". But well worth it. My location even has problems with rain collection. I will ignore that stupid law. There is common sense and then there is over reach. Earth bag homes in some location another option, I may do both.
what state ?
@@dave-yeahthatsme3925 Nevada, a very interesting state. County to county some pretty interesting differences.
Excellent and helpful video SP1!!
Dave, the first building you went into is what my friend just purchased..I put the electrical in where he wanted it. He wants to use it as a woodworking shop. We put a 100 Amp box in it. All wired in and powered up. One day. He will insulate it and install a wall AC unit in the back wall. Personally. I could live in that, not a problem. Add water and hook into the existing septic. And we are in business.
David... this does help! ------ Ben following/watching you since 09'. THANK YOU !!!
My only additions...
The first structure... I'd put (leave room for) a SMALL wood burning stove right inside the door (to the right)
Any lofts included... LEAVE THEM in place. Teens/kids will do JUST FINE in such spaces. Else... storage.
If you're trying to plan for a bathroom... folks can duck their heads to answer the call.
For those capable/willing... do your research... these prefab'd sheds are great... but IF you have the tools and knowledge... you can (RIGHT NOW) plan/purchase/build on your own for substantially less.
Love you David. Keep educating the next generation.
We bought a nice shed and had it wired and insulated for our island off grid property. It was pretty chilly overnight in February and March but April was cozy and warm for sleeping.
Dave….I think there is going to be a ton of various kinds of rv’s repossessed soon…it seems to me that they might be a solution for those looking for shelter without having to do a lot of work….back in the early 70s I lived in a 320 sq ft cabin for three years and it was great for what I needed…
I have a dry flush LAVEO toilet in my new Class B Ford Transit 350 HD motor home and it would be an excellent choice for a small home like in this video. It's no more than a fancy bucket. It uses cartridges, but can work with the right size trash bin bags. Perfect for off grid life.
I have a 12x30 one level. Love it! One thing I highly recommend that you use a high grade insulation , and consider what direction the wind blows in your area , because if you sit it just right. You can cool it with windows open in the summer.
Absolutely the bestand most effective vid you have ever ever done!!!!!! Can you pls continue to do more vids along this subject and how both the tiny homeowner would set thos up,, see as well as how the landowner would or could h set this up?
Sheds don't always meet code in your area. Shed conversions are a bad idea for most people. You build a foundation nkt hard run plumbing lines not hard just have to dig and plan ahead before foundation. You frame a wall and attach it to a foundation you build a roof and then finish the plumbing and electrical you put walls up and put in cabinets ect. You do 2x6 on 16 inch centers to fit the insulation. For outside you wrap the plywood and use plastic on the I side it needs to breath so you add a vent strip. Windows just a square box to nail on. It's simple just physically demanding work
Fantastic Idea Dave, thank you.
@@bigchief4044 Yeah, you laugh now 😳
If you can afford a bunker you ain’t living in tiny home….
@@NoneyaTexasontheback20 Yeah, you are correct, it wasn't such a great idea after all.
@@jaysbaby2012 😂. 👍 I got all the above and then some…. With the right bunker you don’t even need a house
@@NoneyaTexasontheback20 Riiiiiiiight.
Build your table and couch to fold out to a bed like in camper trailers. Get the barn roof like the 2nd one he was in, except w/o the porch that wastes space (that you pay for ). You can add your own simpler porch cheaper later. The barn roof allows sleeping/storage above (better use of space).