Building Your Tiny House Dream: Create and Build a Tiny House with Your Own Hands

Chris Schapdick

Fox Chapel Publishing (AUG 11) Softcover $19.99 (176pp), 978-1-58011-847-7

Chris Schapdick found his passion in tiny house building and made it a second career. With Building Your Tiny House Dream, he turns his attention to mentoring others through the building process.

The book’s warm, openhearted style encourages novices to take the leap. More than a set of building plans, the book makes the tiny house dream accessible to anyone who’s willing, even if they’ve only built IKEA furniture before. Its build is a 50-square-foot, portable house constructed on a tow-behind trailer base. Its construction is broken down into a series of small steps, each prefaced with a list of bare minimum tools, materials, components, costs, and hours of labor.

Concepts and customization are emphasized enough to keep the project from turning into a kit build, and alternate interior layouts are included, designed for turning this tiny house into an office, pool house, yoga studio, or recording studio, in addition to its most obvious use as a camper or guest space. One of the book’s most useful tools is its self-inventory, whose series of statements around planning, building, and tiny living are presented for self-affirmation prior to embarking on a tiny house dream.

The text is clear about declaring that tiny house living involves a series of compromises. It details the pros and cons of various tiny house systems, including electrical, heating, and cooling systems, and is thoughtful in naming the lifestyle changes that are necessary for successful tiny house living.

Suitable for all skill levels though aimed at beginners, Building Your Tiny House Dream is a comprehensive guide, complete with an extensive resource list, that’s guaranteed to turn a daunting project into an achievable dream.