As mentioned in our previous article, How to Find a Tiny House Builder, it’s important to take the time to research exactly what you want. There are a number of key points to consider before choosing the right builder for your project. Here’s a quick review of the questions you want to ask when deciding on the company that will build your dream tiny home:
- How long have they been in business? Go for a more experienced tiny house builder and you’re more likely to get someone who knows what works and what doesn’t.
- Can they build exactly what I’m looking for? While some tiny house builders focus on set designs, there are also builders out there who will take your design dreams and make them a reality!
- What kinds of material do they use? Take a look at some of the tiny houses they built in the past. Make sure they use quality materials that will make your tiny house last!
- Have they built a lot of tiny houses? Tiny house builders often come from other types of building backgrounds, and may not know what’s what (even if they claim to). Make sure they’ve built other tiny houses before.
California is an excellent place to live in a tiny house. Known worldwide for its van-life culture, California is no stranger to the idea of living in small spaces. While most cities in California allow ADUs (accessory dwelling units), not all accept the idea of a tiny house on wheels. However, unlike other states, California is warming up to these mobile houses that aren’t quite RVs. Take Fresno for example. Fresno is the first city in the entire United States to allow tiny houses on wheels as secondary dwellings in residential neighborhoods–a massive win for the tiny house community.
At the end of the day, the tiny house movement started out west and is slightly further along than its east coast counterparts. With an increasing number of tiny house builder choices, you’ll have your dream tiny home in no time (although you may need to ditch the California king-bed).
Pacifica Tiny Homes
Image source: Pacifica Tiny Homes
A family-run business made up of skilled contractors and plumbers. After noticing the rising need for affordable housing in the notoriously pricy Bay Area, the crew at Pacifica Tiny Homes made it their mission to offer quality tiny houses at a decent price. They were also recently awarded the NOAH certificate of Featured Builder for the month of December 2018–a huge honor in the tiny house builder community.
- Location: Bay Area, California
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: no
- Custom builds: N/A
- Certifications: NOAH (guarantees the tiny home passes inspection for safety, structure, and energy efficiency standards)
- Tiny house financing partners: yes, Koala Financial Group. Learn more here.
- Price: approx. $36,900
Contact the builder here for more information.
California Tiny House
Image source: California Tiny House
Another family-owned business, this tiny house builder understands the power of the tiny house movement and what it stands for! The folks at California Tiny House pride themselves on their hands-on approach to the design and build process. Their focus is on a high-quality build and positive experience for their clients.
- Location: Fresno, California
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: yes
- Custom builds: yes
- Certifications: RV certified through Pacific West
- Tiny house financing partners: no
- Price: starting at $40,000
Contact the builder here for more information.
Sierra Tiny Houses
Image source: Sierra Tiny Houses
This tiny house builder offers a variety of stock models, or a custom build to suit your budget and lifestyle. A huge bonus, is that they’re also a dealer for one of the best trailer companies in the country. Although based in Northern California, Sierra Tiny Houses can deliver anywhere in the United States.
- Location: Sacramento, California
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: yes
- Custom builds: yes
- Certifications: RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association)
- Tiny house financing partners: yes, LightStream. Learn more here.
- Price: starting at approx. $55,000 for a stock model.
Contact the builder here for more information.
Tiny House Basics
Image source: Tiny House Basics
The team at Tiny House Basics will help you make your tiny house dreams a reality. A quality tiny house on wheels needs to have a quality trailer. At Tiny House Basics, their specialty is deck between, deck over, and gooseneck trailer models. With five locations across the United States, this tiny house builder is able to deliver tiny houses across the U.S. and Canada.
- Location: Clayton, California
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: no
- Custom builds: yes
- Certifications: N/A
- Tiny house financing partners: no
- Price: N/A
Contact the builder here for more information.
KJE Tiny Homes
Image source: KJE Tiny Homes
This small, family-run business offers custom-built tiny homes that are NOAH certified. Their HQ located in Fresno, California is the first city in the United States to allow tiny houses on wheels in a residential area. Additionally, the state of California is no stranger to wildfires, and this builder has done its part to give back to the community and people affected by the devastation.
- Location: Fresno, California
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: N/A
- Custom builds: yes
- Certifications: N/A
- Tiny house financing partners: yes, you can learn more here.
- Price: starts at approx. $40,000
Contact the builder here for more information.
Forever Tiny Homes
Image source: Forever Tiny Homes
This tiny house builder specializes in just one customizable model in order to put the best quality product on the market. Their affordable prices and quality materials make them a leader in the RV (recreational vehicle) industry.
- Location: Anderson, California
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: no
- Custom builds: yes, but only on their one model
- Certifications: RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association)
- Tiny house financing partners: Learn more here.
- Price: starting at approx. $50,000
Contact the builder here for more information.
Sunwest Tiny Homes
Image source: Sunwest Tiny Homes
Sunwest Tiny Homes offers beautifully constructed tiny homes either as a standard model, a shell, or a custom build. Their standard models boast windows that allow in plenty of natural light, eco-friendly features, and unique custom features.
- Location: Ord Bend, California
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: no
- Custom builds: yes
- Certifications: no
- Tiny house financing partners: no, but you can see their buying program here.
- Price: starting at approx. $45,000
Contact the builder here for more information.
Molecule Tiny Homes
Image source: Molecule tiny homes
Image source: Molecule tiny homes
Custom tiny houses specialized company.
- Locations: Santa Cruz, CA - Garden valley,CA
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: yes
- Custom builds: yes
- Certifications: N/A
- Tiny house financing partners: N/A
- Price: Prices between 50 000$ to 90 000$ depending on the project.
Contact the builder here for more information.
Seabreeze Tiny Homes
Image source: Seabreeze Tiny Homes
A commitment to stylish and comfortable homes is what Seabreeze Tiny Homes promises their clients. With 40 years of experience under their belt, this tiny house builder is able to offer a small space with a number of out-of-the-box features.
- Location: Fresno, California
- Tiny houses on wheels: yes
- Tiny houses on foundations: no
- Custom builds: yes
- Certifications: N/A
- Tiny house financing partners: N/A
- Price: N/A
Contact the builder here for more information.
The Takeaway
Finding the right tiny house builder for you isn’t an easy task. This is one of the most important steps of the tiny house process because ultimately, it’s a choice that decides whether your dream home becomes a reality or not. The number of qualified tiny house builders out there is steadily growing. Be sure to do your research, and even schedule a chat with several of the builders before committing to one. Our biggest advice? Don’t rush the process. Enjoy it. Having your own tiny home built to your exact specifications is a moment that you’ll want to remember for the rest of your life.
