XS-House
65 square feet  Ready made: $36,997 Build it yourself: $16,000 |
slideshow |
| House width: | 7′ | Porch: | 2′ x 1½’ |
| House length: | 11′ | Main Room: | 4 ½’ x 5 ½’ |
Trailer Size:  |
7′ x 10′ | Kitchen: | 4′ x 4′ |
| Road Height: | 12′ 9″ | Bathroom: | 3 ½’ x 2′ |
| Dry Weight: |
4000 lbs | Ceiling height: | 6′ 2″ |
| all measurements are approximate | Loft height: | 3′ 2″ | |
The XS-House is the smallest house we offer. The “XS” stands for extra small and excessively efficient. It has two closets that flank the front door, a heater, and a sleeping loft above.
Learn more: Connecting to utilties, Purchasing a house, Building a house
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Comments
83 Responses to “XS-House”
Got something to say?
Please send me info. about buying plans
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Jay Shafer reply on May 27th, 2008 7:28 pm:
If you click on the plans tab at the top of any page you will find all of the information we have.
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Kate reply on September 17th, 2008 11:23 am:
Hi Jay,
I love these houses. After being stationed away from home and sharing an 8 man tent for close to a year. I have learned to use space very wisely. I can see that you really put thought into every feature. I wish the military had these when I was there! lol
I just wanted to thank you, and tell you that I look forward to seeing one in person.
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Daniel reply on September 17th, 2008 1:09 pm:
I agree about the military having stuff like this… Right now, I’m in one of those shipping container rooms… A bed, a desk and not much room because of equipment boxes… small yes, but not designed well.
Jay Shafer reply on September 20th, 2008 4:03 pm:
Thanks, Kate. I look forward to it too.
Kate reply on September 22nd, 2008 12:25 pm:
Daniel, I bet Jay could come up with a design for those CLU’s. LOL… I have to say that I really would have liked to get into one of those but, wasn’t worth the move when one came available. Also, I have turn all of the Marines and Army I know on to this site. Because of constant deployments many are considering these as a permenant home. I guess when you are only home for four months out of the year, it really seems crazy to keep getting apartments and moving in and out of storage facilities for your belongings. I am almost ready to buy the plans. Good Luck, Brother, God Speed on your next trip down range, keep your head down & thoughts positive. Ooooh Rah
NUS reply on November 22nd, 2008 3:41 pm:
HOW DO YOU TREAT YOUR WASTE AND STORAGE
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Jay Shafer reply on November 23rd, 2008 1:46 pm:
I personally compost, but I generally instal more standard sewer systems for others.
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This model looks like an outhouse. I like th eother models better.
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Steve with Tumbleweed reply on June 11th, 2008 4:35 pm:
My favorite is the Weebee, but I like this one too.
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This house used to be around $7,000, and look at the price now, wow it would of been a great investment. Totally regret not getting it. As a college student I would love to live in one of these and it would be way cheaper.
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Steve with Tumbleweed reply on June 24th, 2008 10:53 am:
The $7,000 was the cost of the materials and not the cost of the house. That was some time ago, and the material cost has almost doubled since then. It really goes to show how much inflation there really is.
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Arden Singletary reply on June 25th, 2008 10:40 pm:
In my area, building costs are around $100.00 per square foot. I am VERY interested in building a tiny house. Is there any reason that your buildings would cost more than the average to build?
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Steve with Tumbleweed reply on June 26th, 2008 10:17 am:
As the house becomes smaller, typically the cost per square foot increases (especially if you hire someone else to do it). That’s because empty space is very inexpensive to build. When the house is shrunk down, the cost of appliances are proportionally more, and the cost of the kitchen and bathroom are basically the same whether the house is 100 square feet or 1000 square feet. Additionally, if include electric hookups and sewer hookups to the cost, they are basically a flat fee irregardless of the house size.
Hank reply on July 14th, 2008 11:12 am:
Well, it’s 2 grand just for the trailer and plans. And that’s if you get the trailer used.
does this model not have a stove top?
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Steve with Tumbleweed reply on June 27th, 2008 1:53 am:
No it does not have a stove top. However, you can find a great electric burner/over at compactappliance.com that can easily be stored in a cabinet.
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I am just curious if hybrids of these houses could be sent with the plans. Perhaps the xs house with a front porch/desk over head included?
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Steve with Tumbleweed reply on July 5th, 2008 8:57 pm:
We can and do make adjustments to plans for people. Adding the porch to the plans is something we can do pretty easily. We’ve added skylights to plans, and have had really tall people request higher ceilings. Those are all relatively easy adjustments/additions.
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You have a video tour of ur Epu home (on youtube) but no other home. Can you make video tours of all your houses such as this one?
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Steve with Tumbleweed reply on July 9th, 2008 6:18 pm:
Thanks for the suggestion. We’ll do that in the future as we build more homes.
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Would it be possible to change the kitchen so that the sink only took up half of the area and you had some counterspace. Also to make the desk smaller to make room for a pantry just to the right of the kitchen?
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AC reply on November 1st, 2008 10:41 pm:
Dude, you could just get like a board and stick it in the sink, like a cutting board. For the pantry thing, buy like a storage cabinet from Target, etc. and stick it on the desk. It’s cheap!
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Are you planning on bringing one of your houses with you to NC when you have the workshop this fall?
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Steve with Tumbleweed reply on July 14th, 2008 8:07 pm:
No, Jay will be flying to NC.
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I would love to live in the XS, but I have a small dog (18ib.). Has anyone ever done this? Do you think it would be possible?
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Steve with Tumbleweed reply on July 14th, 2008 8:07 pm:
Possible, but never tried before. You’d be the first.
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But wait…. where do I park my Hummer??
Seriously, keep up the good work. If I didn’t have a wife & kids I’d do it.
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AC reply on November 1st, 2008 10:42 pm:
You could park your hummer next to the house…
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Does the XS have a shower and fridge?
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Ivan reply on August 12th, 2008 7:48 am:
I’m also curious if the XS includes a shower and fridge. Also, can the sink be moved to the right (in front of the window) to free up counter space?
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Jay Shafer reply on August 20th, 2008 1:24 am:
Yup, yup & yup.
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Wow - this would make a fantastic treehouse!
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Hey I was wondering something about the trailered models. What keeps someone from just ripping it off? Seems they could just hook up and drive off while you were away at work all day. These are so nice - I’m sure it would be a concern.
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Daniel reply on August 29th, 2008 4:06 pm:
you could always get a trailer lock that covers the hitch mount.
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Colin reply on August 29th, 2008 10:28 pm:
Might help but thieves can simply attach the “locked” trailer coupler to their vehicle with chain or rope and pull the trailer away.
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Matt reply on November 6th, 2008 2:30 pm:
who would steal it? I mean it be hard to sell quickly plus it might be hard to hide it. What would the call the crime Grand house theft , teeny house theft, or just theft. besides a trailer lock you could get some wheel locks to prevent the trailer from being towed away.
I will be investing in Lojack once my tumble weed is built. If it ever gets stolen. The police can pin point its location.
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They’d be best for people who work from home or would have a secure parking area.
(Maybe in front of the police station? ; > )
One’s home and transportation would probably occupy the same footprint as a large truck or RV so a slot in a parking garage,etc. that fit them would work for a tiny house on a trailer.
Such a house would be great to take on vacation,to festivals,craft fairs,cons,
tours,revivals,etc. when one might need to work on the open road.
(If it could hold the business and any inventory,why not?)
One would need to be VERY careful not to have debt collectors,law enforcement officials,etc. confiscate your towing vehicle.
That could leave you stranded or they might take your diminutive domicile with it.
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This is a cool, but not often used (yet) site…www.tinyhouseforum.com
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Your tiny homes are fascinating! Tiny has intrigued me ever since I viewed a friend’s dorm room, but I have never seen it done any better than you do it. Efficient use of space is so beautiful! More indoor pics of your houses would be welcome. Is the couch in the XS built in and have storage underneath, perhaps? I like the suggestion someone made to move the sink in front of the window to free up more counter space.
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Jay Shafer reply on October 22nd, 2008 4:12 am:
Thanks, Melanie. The couch is built in.
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Greetings!
Desiring to know if a person, such as myself can make payments towards one of the houses? Such as the Teeny one for instance?
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“This house used to be around $7,000, and look at the price now, wow it would of been a great investment. Totally regret not getting it. As a college student I would love to live in one of these and it would be way cheaper.”
tumblweed reply:
“The $7,000 was the cost of the materials and not the cost of the house. That was some time ago, and the material cost has almost doubled since then. It really goes to show how much inflation there really is.”
so material cost have doubled from roughly $7,000 to $14,000?
that means you are charging an OUTRAGEOUS cost of $350/sqft for construction. this house is only 65sqft how can it possibly cost that much to build?
I realize you need to make a profit, but that seems a bit over-kill to me. Why not buy a 90sq/ft shed from home depot for $6,000, and design it to be livable for less than HALF THE PRICE!
GREAT HOMES, however DELUSIONAL PRICES
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i have noticed that the tiny houses featuring the newport gas heater have the stove pipe running right up in front of the center of the window which would block a view to the outside. why is that? i know a tiny house is TINY, but is that the standard placement of that particular stove—or can it be place so that the stove pipe isn’t ‘blocking’ window??
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Jay Shafer reply on November 1st, 2008 4:29 pm:
One could move the heater to any position along any side wall where there is space (see Lusby).
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Can the XS-House be attached to a vehicle, like a Ford Super Duty?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 2nd, 2008 5:05 pm:
With ease.
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Having just driven back down the Saw Mill just North of Manhattan and seeing the scarily low bridges that go over that road. What is the height of a house like a Weebee or Lusby, as I have a feeling that if I were to build one, it would find itself being towed a couple of times in the next few years.
Also, in your experience, how have you avoided the problem of “low clearances”.
Cheers,
JT
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Jay Shafer reply on November 2nd, 2008 5:05 pm:
13′-6″ is the standard height allowable in the US. That’s how high our tallest portable houses are. Extra low clearances should be avoided.
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John Tompkins reply on November 2nd, 2008 6:25 pm:
Thanks Jay,
Yes I found a link to a trucking website that provided some insight into particularly low bridges State by State.
http://www.aitaonline.com/Info/Road/Low%20Clearances.html
To avoid anyone turning their homes into convertibles.
Thanks again,
JT
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Jay Shafer reply on November 4th, 2008 5:40 pm:
Thanks for the great link.
Hi, just wanted to start out by saying that i love your houses. There are other small home manfactures, but they lack the quality and efficient layout that your houses provide. I feel that the xs-house is clearly the most efficient house layout that you have to offer, especially with the built in couch and desk. My only concern is the xs bathroom and kitchen are just slighty too small for me. I think you should design a home with the xs-house layout but stretch the bathroom to include a private shower and stretch the kitchen to include a stove top burner. I think that would create your best house yet. The Tarleton is similar but does not have the built in couch and desk. Plus the Tarleton has poor placement of the heater and a total rap around kitchen. Best wishes, Paul
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I understand that the Tarleton is a much larger house than the xs as well. My point being is that if you stretched the kitchen and bathroom of the xs house you would have a house that could use a similar size if not the exact frame as the Epu but also provide better layout while incorporating a private shower. Not to mention the gain of an additional model at a feasible price point (est.$43,000). Best Wishes, Paul
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Jay Shafer reply on November 8th, 2008 4:17 pm:
Thanks, Paul. I’m always looking for ways to tweak the designs.
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I understand the Tarleton is a larger house but it has a similar layout. I think that if you stretched the kitchen and bath in the xs house it would provide you with a house similar in size as the Epu but offer more content for the money. I think this would create a house that is somewhat feasible (est.$43,000) all while offering the features and comforts of your $47,000 houses.
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Great minds think alike?
I’ve also been thinking about a Tumbleweed with the Epu’s 8×15 foot print, and the XS layout. While the two upholstered chairs on either side of the fireplace are really appealing, the built in sofa affords more storage, and even a place to stretch out. A very skinny place, but fine for a nap, or place to lay down if one wasn’t feeling well and wanting to stay, um, closer to the bathroom.
And I like a simple galley station with sink in the middle, flanked by stove (RV or the one Jay mentioned finding a few weeks ago) and fridge. When you have an “L” arrangement, there is always “that” space in the corner that can be hard to reach and get full use of.
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Could this XS house be attached to and towed around by my ‘94 Toyota Corolla?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 10th, 2008 3:12 pm:
It weighs about 4000 pounds. Your owner’s manual should tell you if it’s a go. I have never owned a car that will pull my house. When I need to move I just rent a U-Haul or pick-up.
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With a house on wheels how do you deal with waste water?
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Jay Shafer reply on November 10th, 2008 3:06 pm:
An RV toilet comes standard in our little ones, but I prefer a composting toilet. this option comes at no extra charge.
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I am interested in your homes. Can I come see one. Where are they manufatured and how long would it take to get one.
Thanks
Rob
970 846 8786
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Jay Shafer reply on November 11th, 2008 8:36 pm:
We’re in Sebastopol, CA. I give a tour of my 100 square foot house once a month (usuallly the first Saturday). To sign up visit… http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/openhouse/#faq
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What do you do with the used water from the shower and sink? Is it filitered and reused?
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I want to see some more pictures (Interior) of the Vardo, it’s so cute.
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Jay Shafer reply on November 21st, 2008 6:27 pm:
I think you can still see some at Greg Johnson’s resourcesforlife.com in his photos of our July West Coast trip. There are also some in my portfolio.
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Hello Jay,
Has anyone lived in any of your tiny houses during the full winter of Quebec? I know some do it in the north of the US. But I am wondering about Quebec winters.
Anyone would like to share how they manage?
What adaptations or modifications to the hookups would be required? Insulating under the floor?
Many thanks!
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Francis reply on December 1st, 2008 3:45 pm:
Salut Denis !
I’d like to get an idea too! Winters in Quebec are FAR different from the rest of North America ! can you live well at -35 celcius ?
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Denis reply on December 1st, 2008 4:41 pm:
Minus 35 celcius is a rare occurence but we normally get about two very cold periods of 4-5 days of -20 day and -30 night…
One can live very well if the house is well insulated, has winter tires etc. The cities are well prepared for the winters up here. Big difference for example 5cm of snow in Boston is a huge problem while here it’s like nothing. It costs a lot to cities… but there is a price to pay for living up north I guess.
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Jay Shafer reply on December 1st, 2008 9:41 pm:
Yes. It’s actually much easier to heat these small houses than it is to heat large ones.
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Jay Shafer reply on December 1st, 2008 9:57 pm:
These little houses are actually much easier to heat than big ones. They are fully insulated in the floor, walls ceiling and windows. You may want to get the larger Newport heater from Dickinson though.
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FABULOUS ideas - However, I would like to know more about the problems of properties. Land is the most expensive part of any home. How does one deal with zoning - or building in areas where the other houses in the neighborhood are currently standard size monsters?
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I’m considering building an XS-House and my own trailer. I’ve built mobile units for drive-up coffee sales but the peaks were lower (hiproof). I have 2 Torflex 7000# axles from a unit that were removed when it was placed on a foundation. The hub face to hub face width is 81″. Is that too narrow for the XS-House application? I would only need one axle due to the lesser dry weight you have listed for that house. Wheel wells are manadory but they could be hidden under the couch and desk. The wheel wells could also be built into the frame of the trailer. I’d like your recommendation on my ideas
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Jay Shafer reply on December 12th, 2008 4:29 pm:
I think you’re onto something there, Sy. I don’t have a set of plans for the XS with me as I travel to the Orlando workshop, but I remember it as something like 80″ wide. If you need any more room the wells should fit right under the couch and desk.
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Sy reply on December 16th, 2008 3:12 am:
My main concern was wheel tracking down the road in relationship to the height. Being that the width is narrower on my axle, would that pose a problem with being too top heavy on cornering? Just a thought. Remember my 81″ is hub to hub with extra width with tires which are 16″/8 lug x 6.5″ bolt pattern. I’m thinking that the frame would set lower too because there are no leaf springs. They are torsion leafs like an older VW front suspension beam but only one trail arm set at 10 degrees down. Hope your Orlando workshop is successful and I want to meet you at the end of the Coast-to-Coast tour in Philadelphia. I’m an hour north in Bethlehem.
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[...] you live in a house like this? XS-House | Tumbleweed Tiny House Company It would be very cheap, but I don’t think any furniture would fit in [...]
whoa wait a sec…
There really is a shower in there?
If there is i found my dream.
Good work in creating feasible homes
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Could a marine woodstove be substituted for the propane heater? I’d rather not be tied to using propane. Many tiny marine woodstoves are set up for cooking as well as heat. Thanks.
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Jay Shafer reply on December 31st, 2008 5:20 pm:
No problem.
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Does the fridge really fit under the sink?
Would it be possible to add a small front porch, like on the epu?
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Jay Shafer reply on December 31st, 2008 4:05 pm:
Yes on both counts.
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when you’re towing the trailer, do you have to secure everything (like books and chairs) to keep them from falling?
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Jay Shafer reply on January 2nd, 2009 4:57 pm:
Yes.
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