7 Tiny House Kits to Make Your Minimalism Dreams Come True
Updated: Mar. 22, 2024
These houses might be tiny, but they're big on style (and functionality).
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It’s the year 2023, and tiny homes are becoming increasingly popular. Just ask Bailey Moran, a 10+ year veteran in the real estate industry and the COO of Austin TX Realty. “Amidst rising inflation, the median home price has increased drastically. People are inclined to buy tiny homes rather than big family units,” she says. “These homes are much more affordable and require less maintenance.”
Beyond being budget-friendly, tiny homes are more energy-efficient than traditional homes. “Tiny homes use less material and energy, which makes them environmentally-friendly,” Moran says.
If you’re interested in jumping on the tiny-home bandwagon, we’ve looked high and low for some of the best tiny house kits on the market. Whether you’re looking for a tiny-house kit for a backyard WFH space or a steel frame kit for a one-bedroom tiny home to live in, you’re going to want to check out the tiny house kits we found below.
Best Overall Tiny House Kit
Plus 1 Sea Breeze 1 Bedroom Tiny Home Steel Frame Building Kit
This steel-frame one-bedroom tiny house kit is designed for easy assembly on a concrete slab, and The Home Depot offers almost all the finishings you’ll need to make this house a home: Doors, windows, electrical, plumbing, finishes and more.
You can upgrade this kit with deck and flooring options, and you can modify it by changing the door opening to a different side or adding a wall on the inside. The beauty of steel kit homes is their extreme strength and durability. Steel frames are not affected by termites, mold, rodents or bugs. Steel is also recyclable and fire-resistant. The Sea Breeze kit is 366 square feet, and the plan has space to configure a bedroom, living room and bathroom area.
Pros
- Pre-assembled, high-quality steel panels
- Termite- and shrink-proof for easy maintenance
- Simple instructions
- 50-year warranty
- Financing is available
- List of materials required to finish home included
- Home Depot construction and build team helps to determine the materials necessary to build each project
Cons
- Non-returnable
Best Tiny House Kit for a Guesthouse
Plus 1 Seattle Tiny Home Steel Frame Building Kit
If you’re looking for a tiny home that will add space for guests, the Seattle Tiny Home Kit is a solid choice from the Plus 1 line. Like the option above, this kit is designed for assembly on a concrete slab and includes a steel frame structure. At a modest 200 square feet, it’s a smaller choice than the Sea Breeze kit, but the plan still includes space for a bathroom area.
While the base model does not include a deck, a deck and flooring system can be added as an upgrade option. Finishes are not included either, but the Seattle has many size and design options to choose from for an additional cost. P.S. If you’re serious about tiny home living, you need to check out Tumbleweed Tiny Homes, too.
Pros
- Pre-assembled, high-quality steel panels
- Termite- and shrink-proof for easy maintenance
- Simple instructions
- 50-year warranty
- Financing is available
- List of materials required to finish home included
- Home Depot construction and build team helps to determine the materials necessary to build each project
Cons
- Only the steel frame structure (shell) included
- Non-returnable
Best Budget Tiny House Kit
CedarShed Ranchhouse Gable Solid and Manufactured Wood Storage Shed
This ranch house kit from Cedarshed doubles as a tiny house kit for your backyard. It offers 16 feet by 14 feet of space for less than $13,000. And it includes everything you need to make the shed a tiny home space: Windows, shutters, flooring, double doors, shingles and flower boxes.
The Cedarshed kit is water-, weather- and rot-resistant and has a wind rating of 20 mph. This kit makes a great start to your backyard she-shed or the shop space of dreams.
Pros
- Good value
- Kit includes nearly everything needed for assembly
- Natural cedar wood
- Flexible door placement
- Paintable
- Sustainable
- 1-year warranty
Cons
- Foundation and assembly required
Best Tiny House Kit for Plants
Little Cottage Company Colonial Gable Hobby Greenhouse
This well-designed greenhouse kit from Wayfair comes pre-assembled, primed and ready for paint! The walls are delivered in panelized sections, and everything is precut and labeled for easy assembly. Plus, the 8-foot-by-8-foot greenhouse cottage has a ton of windows, so your plants will get all the sunlight they need.
While this tiny colonial-style house kit is most definitely a greenhouse, we think styling it as an adorable cottage and even adding some seating inside would be an enchanting addition to any garden space.
Pros
- Includes shelving, door, floor an ventilation
- 25 safety glass windows with screens and 12 transom windows
- Weather-, water-, UV-, rot-, wind- and mold-resistant
- Freestanding
- Relatively affordable
- Ideal for avid gardeners
Cons
- Foundation and anchoring kit not included
Best Work Pod Tiny House Kit
Vifah Composite Workpod
While this tiny house kit is certainly a splurge, if you’re looking for a backyard work pod, this kit delivers. This autonomous pod is a simple, flexible way to add an office or studio space to any piece of land and take working from home to a whole new level. With inputs for heating and cooling, you’ll be able to use it year-round.
The best part? It’s done in a day. The pod comes with clear assembly instructions and can be built in just a few hours. Its interior space is just shy of 8-foot-by-12-foot. We love the idea of putting this pod in a woody environment or near water for a serene workspace.
Pros
- Quick and easy assembly
- Very durable
- Sound absorbing
- Outlet included
- LED lighting
- Ventilation
- 3-year warranty
Cons
- Very expensive
Best Tiny House Kit for a Backyard Studio
Canopia Copenhagen Studio Shed
Create a stunning studio space in your backyard with the Copenhagen Garden Office Kit. Whether you’re looking for a detached art space or an outdoor yoga studio, the backyard office kit has triple-wall insulation for year-round use. Plus, the infrastructure has space to set up any hidden wiring or pipes for electricity, internet or water and can support an air conditioner.
The 9-foot-by-11-foot studio kit has a Scandinavian-inspired design. The sleek black frame and paintable panels keep it modern, while the front of the outdoor studio is completely clear, including the wide double doors that open for the ultimate indoor-outdoor experience.
Choose where to place the two windows, sunroof panel and included shade to optimize your view and natural lighting. There’s no need for an expensive renovation with this kit. You can achieve an outdoor home studio or office that is beautiful, functional and affordable.
Pros
- Modern, customizable design
- Compatible with standard electric plugs
- Triple wall insulation has space to hide pipes and electric wiring
- Versatile and safe
- Weather-resistant
- Relatively affordable
- 12-year warranty
Cons
- Requires foundation
Best Outdoor Gazebo-Style Tiny House Kit
Purple Leaf Outdoor Screen House
This multifunctional building kit can be used as a stylish sunroom, studio, hot tub house or backyard party space. It offers privacy and shelter from the wind and rain and has LED lights that can be operated by a switch or remote.
The oversized windows are complete with netting that allow let light in and allows for air circulation. For as low as $1,800, this gazebo-style tiny house kit is one to look at if you’re simply wanting to add a hangout space to your backyard.
Pros
- Multiple size options
- Affordable
- Weather-resistant
- Multi-functional
- Back and front double sliding doors
- Includes LED lights
Cons
- More of an outdoor shelter space than an outdoor room or tiny home
What to Look for When Buying a Tiny House Kit
Tiny house kits are relatively new to the market, and you can expect to see more available as demand increases. There are a few main things to consider when shopping for a tiny house kit. Budget, size and intended purpose are all things to think about when you start looking.
Most tiny homes are 400 square feet or less in size. Depending on whether you plan to use your tiny home as an additional office space or haul it behind a vehicle, size and weight are critical to take into consideration.
The price of tiny house kits varies widely. If you’re shopping for traditional tiny house kits, you can expect to spend a minimum of about $12,000—and that price often includes the frame alone. Once you begin adding finishings like windows, doors, flooring and outlets, you can expect the price to increase significantly.
However, if you’re shopping for a kit that provides additional shelter, storage or workspace outside of the home, there are cheaper options available, like the gazebo- and greenhouse-style kits above.
How We Found the Best Tiny House Kits
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject-matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
FAQ
What type of foundation do tiny houses require?
While the recommended foundation for tiny houses depends on the individual kit, most tiny house kits require a concrete foundation. You should consult your tiny house kit’s manufacturer before laying a foundation. And you’ll want to be sure to research zoning laws where you live before you begin building your tiny home.
Originally Published: March 22, 2024
