The Small House has many advantages, particularly when combined with solar design and green building methods. A few factors that make a small house an attractive option are low-cost, maintenance, and environmental impact. A small house is less expensive to build, keeping the size small, geometry and details simple, that will allow for reduced construction costs and lead to an affordable home.
Less debt = smaller or possibly no mortgage.
A small house can be built to require little to no exterior maintenance. In a single level house, what little maintenance is required is relatively easy to manage.
A small house requires less materials & products to build. Integrating green building methods, harnessing solar energy, and reducing embodied energy leads to a more sustainable building with lower environmental impact.
Why build more house than you really need?
Aside from the common budget restraints that are often associated with building a new home and determine your limitations, consider first examining the reality of one’s needs: Do you really need a larger home? The option of living a simpler lifestyle with less stress in a smaller home can create freedom for some people. Investing in a small house that is energy efficient will lead to easy living in comfort, with very low monthly utility costs, or none with a net- zero home. You can invest the money you saved in choosing a small house or downsizing in your future. This can be particularly important if you live on a fixed retirement income.
The ‘Park Model’, 408 sq. ft., 1 BR, 1 Bath
What size is a Small House?
A small house can vary in overall size and dimensions, but typically IRC code space requirements call for at minimum 1 bedroom / 1 bath, and more common is a 2 bedroom / 1 bath arrangement. A typical small house is between 400 and 1000 sq. ft., and falls into two general arrangements:
- Single bay wide home – which are long and narrow, or
- Double bay wide home – arranged to increase depth and reduce length
An affordable small house is usually single level, and for true economy has a shed roof or low pitch gable.
Small House construction falls under three main categories:
Pre-manufactured = premanufactured as a single unit and transported to building site complete.
Site assembled = premanufactured panels transported to the site and assembled, or modular construction where multiple premanufactured units are transported to the site and assembled with a crane.
Site built = traditionally, individual materials and supplies are delivered to building site and assembled, piece by piece.
Double Bay Plan – 912 sq ft, 2 BR
Single Bay Plan – 672 sq ft, 1 BR
Dimensions and Rough Cost in Maine for Pre-manufactured, Single Level Homes
| Dimensions | Sq. Ft. | Bedrooms & Baths | Approximate Cost | Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny Home | 8’ x 16′
10’ x 24’ |
128
240 |
w/loft
w/loft |
$30,000
$50,000 |
no code
no code |
| Park Model | 12’ x 32’ | 384 | 1 bdrm/1 bath | $40,000 | 3-season |
| Single Wide | 14’ x 40’
14’ x 56’ |
560
784 |
1 bdrm/1 bath
2 bdrm/1 bath |
$35,000
$50,000+ |
HUD code
HUD code |
| Double Wide | 24’ x 32′ | 768 | 2 bdrm/1 bath | $80,000 | HUD code |
| Modular Ranch | 24’ x 34’ | 816 | 2 bdrm/1 bath | $90,000 | IRC code |
| Modular Cape | 26’ x 36′ | 950 | 3 bdrm/1 bath | $100,000 | IRC code |
Dimensions and Rough Cost for Maine Sunworks ‘Green’ Site-built Homes
| Dimensions | Sq. Ft. | Bedrooms & Baths | Approximate Cost | Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single Bay | 12’ x 32’
14’ x 40’ 16’ x 32’ 16’ x 44’ 18’ x 48’ |
384
560 512 704 864 |
1 bdrm/1 bath
1 bdrm/1 bath 1 bdrm/1 bath 1 bdrm/1 bath 2 bdrm/1 bath |
$70,000
$85,000 $80,000 $110,000 $140,000 |
IRC code |
| Double Bay | 22’ x 34’
24’ x 36’ 24’ x 40’ |
748
864 960 |
2 bdrm/1 bath
2 bdrm/1 bath 2 bdrm/1 bath |
$140,000
$150,000 $165,000 |
IRC code |