Lifestyle 9 Amazing Tiny Homes That You Can Build For Under $30,000

Off-the-grid tiny homes are truly having their moment. And it's no wonder since the downsized life has a lot going for it, from being super energy efficient and affordable, to the fact that every single inch of your living space is cleverly engineered to be multifunctional. To put you on your way to tiny house-dom, here are 9 ridiculously cool versions you could easily build yourself for under $30,000 using a special set of blueprints. Just FYI, it's BYO land.



1. The A-Frame Cabin $1,200

Square footage: 110

Is It Portable? No

Best Feature: Expandable outdoor living area

Steer clear, claustrophobes. This charming hut packs in a remarkable amount of livable area inside its tiny confines and has an expanding wall that serves as a pseudo sun-porch.

2. Simple Solar Cabin $2,000+

Square footage: 196

Is It Portable? Potentially

Best Feature: Optional wood-heated pallet hot tub

The plans for these spots vary widely, but its designer contends you'll be able to build the whole thing for under $2,000 so long as you don't include windows and doors, which no matter how aggressively back-to-nature you may be, are pretty damn important.

3. The Gifford $18,100

Square footage: 112

Is It Portable? Potentially

Best Feature: Stainless steel fireplace and skylights

Ironically inspired by a bunch of Great Lodges around the country, this tiny version of one is nonetheless impressive with a vaulted ceiling and knotty pine interior.

4. Portland Alternative Dwellings' Sweet Pea $25,000

Square footage: 136

Is It Portable? Yes

Best Feature: Generously sized kitchen and bathroom

Built on a trailer, this spread's unfinished wood interior has a great deal of built-in storage, a comfortable day bed, and a lofted sleeping area with its own sizable skylight.

5. Nomad Flat Pack Micro Home $25,000

Square footage: 100

Is It Portable? No

Best Feature: Assembly requires only a drill

This (nearly) turnkey kit arrives flat-packed and assembles—using just a drill—into an airy living room and kitchen with a cozy lofted bedroom up a narrow flight of stairs. The design's also engineered to work in tandem with specialized green energy, rainwater collection, and grey water treatment systems.

6. The Mica $29,000

Square footage: 172

Is It Portable? Yes

Best Feature: Sliding glass doors, and lots of windows

If you're lazy you could buy this one pre-assembled for a whopping $66K, but you can score the plans and raw materials to put it together yourself for under $30,000. It's one of the more easily towed on the list, too, since it doesn't require a special permit to take on the road.

7. The hOMe $30,000

Square footage: 207

Is It Portable? Yes

Best Feature: Catwalk and lofted lounge

Designed with the novice builder in mind, these narrow ultra-modern digs are our favorite on the list. The space is smartly divided with distinct areas for dining, cooking, lounging, and sleeping. With all that, it still maintains a lofty lodge vibe thanks to a tiny wood stove to keep things cozy.

8. Tiny Texas Ranch $30,000

Square footage: 120

Is It Portable? No

Best Feature: Unique detailing in salvaged windows, doors, and appliances

For $30K, the dudes at Tiny Texas Houses will ship you all the (salvaged) materials needed to build one of their bare bones floorplans. Though you'll need $75,000-plus to get something slightly bigger with bells and whistles like a screened-in porch out back.