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Tiny homes – are fast becoming a favourite addition & main attraction for property owners in Australia.
Offering a great alternative to granny flats or full builds for the budget conscious, they have been taken on with tremendous enthusiasm in Australia.
First becoming popular in the US, Aussies have followed suit enthusiastically & have taken to the idea of a tiny home as an additional accommodation, guest accommodation or teenage retreat, like a duck to water.
Tiny homes not only have a smaller footprint then most traditional concrete based granny flats but also do not need council approval, as they are essentially not a fixed item on your land and can be picked up and transported, provided they meet the size requirements.
We spoke to three tiny home builders located in New South Wales, Queensland & Victoria, to see what they offer and to share their wisdom :
We spoke to Kylie Emans at Designer Eco Tiny Homes – who are Australia’s oldest & largest tiny home builders having been established in 2016 & with over 100 builds per annum. Designer Eco Tiny Homes are located at Ulladulla, New South Wales & showcase 14 tiny homes for viewing.
Kylie said part of the attraction is that no DA is required from council for a tiny home, and completion can take from as little as 6 to 8 weeks, depending on the size of your chosen design.
Don’t just think that a tiny home is for those with a vast block of land – no siree, it’s a happy addition to the burbs, from Sydney to Melbourne & all over Australia tiny homes have been growing strong.
If you live in the suburbs & have a drive or side access of 2.4 m wide you could be on your way to potentially having a tiny home placed in your back yard.
Many landowners have also seen tiny homes as a terrific guest accommodation & have had them built and placed in amazing locations offering truly magical holiday rentals.
With companies like Designer Eco Tiny Homes, who feature holiday rentals on their website – it also allows potential buyers a chance to try before you buy.
Designer Eco Tiny Homes also offer water tanks, solar panels & compostable waste – which Kylie said was another feature of their tiny homes allowing owners to get the most out of their new dwellings & be able to have the home off the grid.
With tiny homes on the market ranging from approx. $ 85,000 upwards it really is a budget conscious and charming addition to any property.
And if you want one that’s ready to go – then hey presto – check out the ready - made ones on offer at Designer Eco Tiny Homes.
We also spoke to Alex Monteiro of Aussie Tiny Houses, who are an award winning company located in Coolum Beach, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, with a combined factory & showroom, where they will be hosting an open inspection on November the 12th, with an expected 400 visitors.
When asking Alex what he thought was an important point to consider when purchasing a tiny home, he advised it was the dimensions of the tiny home.
Yes, you might say that is obvious but tiny homes do come under size restrictions, as they are classified as a caravan, hence they don’t need a DA & can be towed.
So, when obtaining insurance size is a crucial point that needs to be satisfied or you may have to search harder when it comes to obtaining cover.
We asked Alex what their most popular tiny home was, he advised it was the Hazel 8.4 & it’s easy to see why – this cutie has two lofts connected by a walkway & is a truly stunning home.
And if a loft bedroom is not your thing, then consider a home with a downstairs bedroom – such as the Casuarina 8.4 by Aussie Tiny Houses, which is popular with some of the more mature users, who no longer wish to climb stairs.
But you can have a variety of addons or changes such as louvered windows, off grid goodies like the compost toilet, solar systems & the grey water diversion. You can also lux it up and have outdoor deck, cedar feature walls & more, you can certainly get creative.
At Aussie Tiny Houses, you even have the option of buying the home in three stages: lock up, shell or turnkey. If you are especially handy or wish to really make it your own, the opportunity is there & Aussie Tiny Homes can also assist with finance.
Aussie Tiny Houses specializing in high end tiny homes & having won the Sunshine Coast Business Award for Clean technology in 2021 & have been nominated as finalist in 2022, with winners to be announced on the 12th of November, they certainly can advise in limiting your Eco footprint with your tiny house.
Aussie Tiny Homes is very passionate about tiny homes & community, they have recently participated with providing tiny homes for U turn, a non-profit social program assisting with housing relief for young people.
When checking out the tiny home scene in Victoria we spoke to Henry Hangan of Tiny House by Hangan, located in Victoria.
Tiny House by Hangan, are one of Australia’s leading tiny home builders with 40 staff members on hand ready to create your dream tiny home.
Henry said there has been a distinct change in people purchasing tiny homes, whilst many buyers previously bought for setting up their Airbnb, now its a larger number of young couples looking to call a home their own. Whilst most of his homes have headed to rural Victoria, Tiny Homes by Hangan have made several tiny homes that have settled in Tasmania, being shipped to their new destination on the Spirit.
Henry advised one of the questions that pops up repeatedly, is how secure are tiny homes when it comes to hill tops or locations that are more open to strong winds & the temperament of the weather. As many owners wish to place their tiny home on strategic locations to take advantage of million-dollar views.
Often building a hilltop home, might see you breaking the bank, due to the lay of the land but with a tiny home it is much more affordable. Henry says the homes are sturdy and weight anywhere from 3- 3 ½ ton for the smaller ones, to 4 ½ , with their largest design the Paperbark, that sleeps 4 to 6 & is often the favourite for families, being 11 meters long is on a 10 ton trailer with the home itself coming in at approx. 8 ton.
Tiny House by Hangan can also build a trailer for your tiny home, should you be feeling adventures & wish to get creative & build your own tiny home.
For your tiny home questions visit
or the blog at Aussie Tiny Homes
Or visit Tiny Home Expos who organize expos throughout Australia, that can kick start you on your way.
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