Tiny

Days ago we told you the feds are spending $11.4 million on a catalogue of tiny home designs that will be builder-ready, based on the noble and ancient idea of post-war Victory Houses.  Delivery date for the plans is (maybe) January.

The same amount of money could deliver about 170 tiny homes, already built. Luxury ones, actually, says the manufacturer. Plumbing, electrical and heat included. You just need some dirt.

Here’s a picture of the most expensive house I could find on Amazon for delivery in Canada. Order today and the giant 1,270-pound box could be sitting on your lot by November 22. The cost of this one, complete, is $61,950.

If you haven’t looked, there are dozens of tiny homes now being marketed online. Spend ten or twenty grand and get something to stuff granny into amid the backyard. Or drop sixty for a two-bedroom, 40-foot family abode made of metal strong enough to carry 6 feet of snow on the roof or withstand the average earthquake.

Apparently this is one of Amazone’s big growth areas (and I went through the entire process of ordering a house to be assured it actually happens).

Below is a sampling of the cheaper stuff:

By the way, here are some of the feature points of the ‘luxury’ home that ended up in my Amazon cart.

• “Perfect Family House Features** _ 40 Ft Expandable design with enough space for a family—External Dimensions: L 480 W 120 H 86 Inches. The thoughtfully designed layout includes 2 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 fully equipped kitchen area, and 1 separate wet and dry bathroom.
• “Basic Living Features**_ More living area than standard foldable houses Standard large windows for ample natural lighting – All doors with locks – 1 smaller window for shower room – 1 glass entry door to the bathroom. Fully equipped bathroom features_ Cabinets – Water heater – Toilet – Sink – Mirror – Private shower area. Kitchen with cabinets-taps-hot and cold pipelines-sink.
• “Structure**_ Double glazed PVC sliding window and security doors made of broken bridge aluminum. Prefabricated US standard electrical and plumbing systems – Exterior walls and roof insulated with flame-retardant foam panels – Main structure made of strong steel frame composed of sturdy square steel tubes – Optimal natural lighting throughout the interior- Excellent thermal insulation and soundproofing.
• “Safety Features**_- Wind, Earthquake, Fire and Waterproof. Typhoon resistant. Fire-rated Class A – Wind-resistant up to level 11 – Seismic-resistant up to level 9. ** Customizable**_Color can be customized. The exterior can also be customized. Keeping your needs in mind we offer a list of customizable options: -1 bedroom,1 living room, 1 bathroom -2 bedrooms,1 living room,1 bathroom -3 bedrooms, 1 living room,1 bathroom -4 bedrooms,1 bathroom.
• “Installation**_ Expandable container house can be installed easily. Save more labor and material costs. Suitable for various locations, including urban and remote areas Perfect for temporary or long-term family residence. **Note**_ Regularly remove snow accumulation on the roof during heavy snowfall – Snow height should not exceed 6.6ft.”

Is this too good to be true?

Maybe. Amazon can be a swamp – just a platform for thousands of vendors, many of them flogging stuff that may never arrive or be as advertised. Mr. Bezos can’t check it all over personally. Too busy with the yacht. You need to do some homework. Call the supplier directly. Get peer reviews.

Then there’s the matter of building codes, local regulations and permits (not to mention power, water and sewer line hookups). You can’t just plop a metal-and-glass house somewhere and start living there. An occupancy permit is required. That takes approvals.

But wait. Building a tiny house from Ottawa’s yet-to-be-published book of designs requires exactly the same thing. Permits. Bureaucrats. Utility guys. And some dirt. Plus, of course, excavators, framers, carpenters, drywallers, plumbers, electricians, roofers, HVAC folk, painters and glazers. All the stuff Amazon says comes in the box.

Land aside, will a Sean Fraser house go up, complete, for $61,950?

Tiny house plans. From tiny minds.

About the picture: “Here is our grand dog, Nahla, an elderly Sheltie,” writes Anne, “enjoying a stick at low tide on Savary Island. No matter what the tide does our B&D portfolio shows healthy gains. Thanks for your daily diligence Garth. I can’t go to sleep without reading your blog. It’s like a soothing lullaby with all the world‘s turmoil.”

To be in touch or send a picture of your beast, email to ‘garth@garth.ca’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2024/10/17/tiny/