This might be one of the most inexpensive housing options we’ve come across. We share a lot of ideas here, from prefabs to metal buildings to tiny homes to anything else we think you guys might be interested in. That has included a few strange but inexpensive options, and this idea is going to fit right in with those.
These Old Hickory sheds actually start at even less than $1500. That price is the one for their model that has windows and a little porch. It looks almost like a little home — definitely compares with cabins and tiny homes. But it’s actually a shed. These things are actually sold as “utility style” “playhouses” along with their sheds that are sold as “barns,” “lofted barns,” and “utility sheds.” But they’re big as cabins, with 12 X24 dimensions minimum (you can get them bigger) and 8 foot walls. They also have 2 X 3 windows and a 9 lite window door and that porch you can see in the photo. As you can see from the photo, people are already using these residentially or semi-residentially.
And they have smaller ones with less fancy builds that cost even less — like under $1000. Can you imagine what one of these little sheds would look like set up as a tiny home? You could even mount one to a truck trainer if you wanted to tow it around. Note though that they aren’t built for that — it’s just an idea for transport — so you wouldn’t necessarily want to take them on the highway or over any rough ground.
That might mean you can’t expect it to meet building codes for a house, but that doesn’t mean you can’t live in one of these the way you could in a cabin as long as you aren’t breaking any zoning. Of course, these could serve as a guest cabin in a yard, because you could put a shed there no problem, and this one looks like a quaint little tiny home cabin. What if you put a bed and everything you usually put in a cabin in there?
Besides size options, you can also chose roof options (black, dark brown, evergreen, weathered wood) or metal woods in 4 colors.
And here’s one of the more interesting parts of this idea as a cabin: They offer building options for units when you order one. A tiny home cabin could have various sized single- or double-pane windows, various doors, including double wooden barn doors, garage doors (if you want to be able to store your stuff or small vehicle in it as well), flooring, shelves, work benches, lofts, porch railings, engineered plans, and non-standard color options. Basically you can customize your order how you can picture it, staying to the basics of a rectangular tiny home cabin with windows, a door, and a porch.
The company who makes these both sells them (either delivered as a prefab or assembled on site when they can’t be delivered for whatever reason), and also rents them, so you could always try one out first. A third option exists, too: rent to own. And they have 5-year warranties.
They also have free delivery and set-up, and here’s the information for that, since I suspect anyone considering this tiny home option would want to know this: “Buildings at the sales lot can usually be delivered within 5 week days (weather permitting). Ordered Treated & Fir buildings can usually be delivered within 10 to 15 days (weather permitting). Ordered Painted and Metal buildings can usually be delivered within 15 to 20 days (weather permitting). Note: Non-standard metal colors on any building will add one week to the lead time. No site preparation necessary (if site is accessible with truck and trailer and site is no more than 3 feet out of level). Free setup includes leveling with customer supplied concrete blocks and driver supplied pressure treated shims. Drivers can supply concrete blocks for a minimal charge. First 30 miles free, over 30 miles subject to additional charge.”
Find more from Old Hickory and other tiny home and cabin builders indexed in our Home Designers and Builders Directory. You can search the company’s name and look builders near your area. And to see more cabins homes, click here.
