Tennessee Tiny Home: How She Combined Two Models Into One
When Lisa needed a simpler life, she didn't leave the state. She stayed for the low costs, the same driver's license and truck registration, and neighbors who show up for each other. The Tennessee tiny home she showed us is 14 by 34 feet, built by combining two floor plans, with no loft, a full bathtub and a screened porch with a 180-degree view. "It's way bigger than I imagined," she said.
At a glance
Community: Lakeland Ridge, East Tennessee
Builder: Hilltop Structures
Size: 14 by 34 feet, one level, no loft
Before: a farmhouse from the 1800s, then about 6 months in a camper
Now: Lisa is selling the home (see the listing below)
Why Did She Stay in Tennessee?
Staying kept her budget tight and her paperwork simple. Lisa was living on disability income and wanted to live "as frugally and as comfortable as possible." She'd have loved a home on the coast, but Tennessee made sense. "In general, it's really, really inexpensive here," she said.
Community mattered as much as cost. "If you put the need out there, they will show up for you. And I do the same for them."
For another fixed-income story, see living in a tiny home on Social Security.
How Did She Get From a Farmhouse to a Tiny Home?
It took a few life changes. Lisa left a corporate job and a big house in Colorado, sold everything with a partner, and traveled the country in a 40-foot RV. In Tennessee, they bought a farm from the 1800s and spent six years restoring it.
When health problems kept her from working the land, she filed for divorce, moved into a camper and started looking for a tiny home community. She already knew her builder. She found Lakeland Ridge by accident. "Sometimes life requires a life redo," she said.
Weighing a camper instead? See destination trailer vs tiny home.
How Do You Combine Two Tiny Home Models?
You ask the builder. Lisa worked with Hilltop Structures to merge two of its plans. Starting from a 14 by 38 model, she chose French doors and a shorter porch to get her 180-degree view. She also swapped four small living room windows for two larger ones, which left more wall space for art and shelves.
"Hilltop was very clear upfront with all of the details, exactly what I was getting and what I was going to need to pay and when," she said. The builder estimated four to six months. The house was delivered in less than four.
Why Did She Skip the Loft?
Every Hilltop model comes with a loft, and Lisa said no. "If I have too many things that I need to go up a loft to store them, that means I have too many things," she said. Instead, open ceilings run front to back and make the house feel bigger, and the builder added high shelves above the bathroom and bedroom.
More homes like this in how a retired couple designed a no-loft tiny home.
Can a Tiny Home Kitchen Handle Daily Cooking?
Lisa's did. After six months with a camper kitchen, she wanted a full-size stove, a full-size microwave, a big sink and real counter space. With no restaurants close by, she cooked from fresh most days and froze meal-size portions.
The butcher block counters and open shelves came with the builder's design. An old farmhouse cabinet on the opposite wall became her pantry and her library. "Every short person needs a step ladder," she said, and hers fits right beside the refrigerator.
Can a Tiny Home Have a Bathtub?
Yes, if the layout has room, and the bathroom was a big reason Lisa combined two plans. She didn't want the corner shower many tiny homes use. Her bathroom has a tub and shower, a window, and a vessel sink the builder suggested. "Not every tiny home has a bathtub," she said.
What She Changed Along the Way
Her bedroom fits a double bed, but a queen would fit too. Lisa paid extra, "gladly," for a second mini split there, though the insulation meant she rarely needed it. She had the water heater mounted up high above the refrigerator to keep her small closet free, then added hooks and shelves.
The lot drops off steeply out front, so a local builder friend built the two-tier deck she designed. It leads to the screened porch, where she liked to have coffee, read and visit with neighbors.
More ideas in real storage hacks from real tiny homes.
What It Costs Each Month, and Why She Had No Mortgage
When we filmed, Lisa's lot rent at Lakeland Ridge was $450 a month for her spot, plus a minimum water charge and metered electric. She paid for the home with the net profit from selling the farm, so she had no mortgage. She called tiny living "a relatively inexpensive way to live a quality life in a community."
Is Lisa's Tiny Home for Sale?
Yes. Since we filmed, Lisa has decided to sell, and she asked us to share her listing. You can see it on https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FGCSK4NQZ/.
What Should You Check Before You Hire a Builder?
Lisa spent 15 years as a real estate transaction coordinator, and her advice is direct.
Get a clear, detailed contract from anyone building your home, and read every detail.
Get a detailed lease for the lot where the home will sit.
Check the local laws and regulations.
Research the people before you hand over any money.
"Be your own advocate," she said.
See more in tiny home buying mistakes.
FAQ
How much does it cost to live in a Tennessee tiny home community?
It depends on the community and the lot. At Lakeland Ridge in East Tennessee, Lisa paid $450 a month in lot rent for her spot when we filmed, plus a minimum water charge and metered electric.
Can a tiny home have a bathtub?
Yes, if the floor plan has room. Lisa combined two Hilltop Structures models so her 14 by 34 foot tiny home could have a full tub and shower instead of a corner shower.
Can you combine two tiny home floor plans?
Some builders will. Hilltop Structures combined two of its models for Lisa, changing the doors, porch and windows and leaving out the loft.
How long does it take to build a tiny home?
It depends on the builder. Hilltop Structures estimated four to six months for Lisa's home and delivered it in less than four.
What should be in a contract with a tiny home builder?
Lisa, a former real estate transaction coordinator, says it should be clear and detailed, showing exactly what you're getting, what you'll pay and when. She also recommends a detailed lease for your lot.
Builder: Hilltop Structures
Community: Lakeland Ridge
Lisa's home for sale: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FGCSK4NQZ/
Want a new tour in your inbox every week? Join the Tiny Home Tours newsletter for a new home every week.
Comments