In this video, we take a look at how to install building wrap and cavity battens to the steel frame of our tiny house. Each and every step of this build is so exciting for us as we watch our house continuously transform, constantly bringing us closer to Tiny House living! 

When one thinks of loft spaces, a variety of images may enter your mind. From cluttered and dusty attic spaces, to tree house fantasies. That is part of makes creating your own loft space so much fun. Tiny Houses are unique in that nearly all have loft spaces, and it is an important and integral part of designing your tiny house.

Securing the Tiny House to the trailer is one of the most vital elements to get right. In this video we show how our tiny house is secured to the trailer and also take a look at the various screws and connections that FRAMECAD have used to make sure our Tiny House is ready for whatever the road and the elements will throw at it!

It’s time for the steel frame of our Tiny House to be erected and attached to the trailer! In this video, the amazing team at FRAMECAD show us just how efficient steel framing can be, as we watch the whole house frame go up in a matter of hours!

With the floor now securely in place on the trailer, it’s time to get it looking good! In this video we show how to plug the holes in the trailer that have been left by the screws and then how to sand and oil the floor. If you have missed the first video of our floor installation, you can check that out here.

In this video we show you step-by-step how to install a tongue and groove floor directly onto a Tiny House trailer. We’re incredibly lucky to have master builder Alan Drayton and his team from Bio Build Ltd helping us on our build and giving us their expert advice.

DIY is a huge part of the tiny house movement, but of course it’s best to get as much help and guidance as possible. Constructing a Tiny House is certainly an achievable goal for most people, but it is good to arm yourself with the best tools and knowledge before embarking on your journey.

At 20 square meters (215 square feet) Student Tiny House builder Stefan Cook really has created a very big Tiny House. Stefan’s Tiny House has largely been constructed from salvaged materials from homes in Christchurch that were demolished after the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. He saw it as an opportunity to obtain many high quality building materials (especially windows and doors) at a great price.

After watching the film Garbage Warrior, kiwi couple Nathan Rushton and Jess Fitzgerald were so inspired by Earthships that they actually travelled to New Mexico to study Earthship Biotecture with pioneering architect Michael Reynolds.  After returning to New Zealand and finding an ideal location, the couple then began the process of designing and building a downsized version of an Earthship at their property in Raglan.

Introducing the Solscape Earth Domes. These beautiful natural buildings are each less than 10 square meters, and sit overlooking the ocean, amongst the beautiful hills of Raglan, New Zealand. The Earth Domes were built using a technique called earth-bag construction, where sturdy sacks are filled with material such as rock, sand and clay and then compacted down. The buildings each have a ferrocement roof and are finished off with a lime plaster.

Over the past few weeks, Mel and I have been flat out working on another really exciting project. We’ve been out of Auckland, in the wild and even filming with helicopters, which has been a fantastic experience! We haven’t been able to film any updates recently, but we are back now and in full swing of filming...

Steel is used in the construction of our Tiny House trailer due to its inherent strength, however as a metal it is susceptible to rust when left unprotected in the elements. Naturally, as the trailer is the foundation of a Tiny House, it’s important that it doesn’t rust out form under you!...

Nestled in the trunks of a wonderful old Kauri Forest in New Zealand, this DIY Tree House is an absolute delight. The whole house is made from three small rooms (each under 9 square meters) that are all individually suspended in the trees. Although these tree houses are still under construction, the care and attention that is going into this build is evident and it is easy to imagine just how stunning they will be when completed.

Located in the Auckland (New Zealand) suburb of Glen Eden, Cedric is a charming Tiny House who in a previous life was actually a house truck. The space has been wonderfully converted into a very functional living area with kitchen, bathroom and a lovely lounge.

Last week Brett Sutherland’s Tiny House made the journey from Hamilton to it’s new home at Bethells Beach on the west coast of Auckland. We caught up with Brett to see how he was settling in to his new Tiny House, find out more about the land he is now living on and to celebrate the completion of the house with his friends and family. See the full video tour of Brett’s Tiny House here. 

EarthSong Eco-Neighbourhood has long been at the cutting edge of sustainable design and urban permaculture. It’s for that very reason that it should be no surprise to discover that EarthSong is also now home to one of New Zealand’s first Tiny Houses.

Brett’s Tiny House was on the move this week! We will be catching up with Brett again soon and shooting another video to see how he and the Mobile Villa have settled into their new spot in paradise.

The trailer is the foundation of a Tiny House, so it’s important to get the design right! In this video, we talk to our custom trailer manufacturer Ian, from Munford Industries about building a Tiny House trailer in New Zealand. If you’re starting your own Tiny House build in New Zealand, this is the first place you should head!