At first glance this home would be easy to confuse for a shipping container home, but it’s not. It was built using structural insulated panels (SIPs) by former boat builder and carpenter Jeff Hobbs of Room To Move. He was hired by owner Briar Hale, and Hobbs drew heavily on his experience as a boat builder when designing the home.
The home appears very spacious despite it’s modest size. This is mostly due to the large windows and skylights, which let in plenty of light. The home also features an inclined roof, which gives it extra headroom. To build it, Hobbs used mostly recycled wood and metals, though they refurbished them so they look new. The interior is dominated by a sitting area fitted with a comfy L-section sofa, under which there are a number of hidden storage compartments. The cushions and compartments can be assembled into a guest bed at need.
There is also a well-sized kitchen with a long counter, a two-burner gas stove with oven and a minimalist range hood. The bathroom features a normal sized shower, toilet and sink. The bedroom is located in a loft, as is the case with most tiny homes. This one looks almost like a room though, and has three fully operable windows. One of them provides access to the roof, which is a very nice touch.
The home is powered by a 600-watt rooftop-mounted solar array. There is also a water catchment system installed, while the water is heated via a solar collector and woodstove. The designer put laundry into a utility shed at the front of the house, which is a clever space saving move. The home also features a wraparound wooden porch.
The home cost about $77,000 to build, which is quite high, but according to Hobbs, it is mainly due to the learning curve as he applied his boat building skills to designing a tiny house. He is confident that the next one will be done much faster and cheaper.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.