Terri’s Home

Tiny House Company™ built a single story tiny house for Terri Bsullak, measuring 20-feet x 30-feet. The 600-square foot house cost around $35,000 to build at the time of construction (Note: Today, in 2006, this home would cost $75,000 to $85,000 to build).  As a single woman and social services worker, a tiny home is affordable and is all Terri wanted.

Terri’s house has a large living room/dining area/kitchen measuring 20-feet x 20-feet, and the bedroom and bath area measuring 20-feet x 10-feet.

Features that made Terri’s cottage so perfect for her are:

• 600 square feet – just enough space for a single person.

• One bedroom (she has a futon in the living room that can serve as a guest bed when needed.)

• Basic and simple open floor plan,

• Rain water harvesting, storage, and filtration,

• Direct Vent gas space heater with a woodstove backup.

• High ceilings – give spacious feeling.

• Lots of windows – natural sunlight.

• Metal roof – for rainwater harvesting

• Plywood siding that looks like traditional board and batton.

• The house is built on piers, which are quicker to build and less expensive than a concrete foundation.

• Ramp instead of steps to the front door.

Terri Bsullak’s determination to achieve her ideal living space can be an inspiration to us all. She tells us in her own words.

I wasn’t planning on buying or building my own house until my landlords got a divorce. I then had to figure out what to do next. I initially thought I had to find another place to rent. The place I had was perfect, because it was somebody’s house, a cottage, and they were friends of mine. It was inexpensive rent, out in the county and it was perfect. And then as I began to look around at other places to rent I realized it wasn’t very easy to find what I wanted.

Someone then suggested that I buy a house. I said no. I felt there was no way I could. I didn’t have a down payment, I felt I just couldn’t do that. Then I started looking around at different mortgage companies and one of them said that they could probably give me a mortgage for maybe $25,000. I almost cried, because I knew that wasn’t going to buy a house. I finally got another mortgage company to help me out with reducing some of my other bills, student loans and monthly expenses.

I then started looking around at places to buy, and I knew I couldn’t do a lot of the fixer uppers that were in my price range. It was very difficult looking, and looking, and looking. I would find a place and think it might be a possibility and then it was sold already, or something would happen. Then someone suggested that I build. I initially thought, I’d never do that. I had never lived in a brand new house before. And then, at some point I was reading the news paper, and there was this thing about the Tiny House Company™. And I thought, yes, that’s perfect! That’s what I need!

"It wasn’t that I wanted a tiny house just because I thought it would be inexpensive.  I just like small things." – Terri Bsullak

I had done some traveling to Europe and different places where bigger is not better all the time. They have these beautiful small cars, small roads, small houses, and it is wonderful. Bigger is not better. It is detrimental in so many cases. You know, you eat a huge steak and it’s going to kill you if you keep feeding yourself that kind of food. So I was just really wanting a small space. I didn’t want anything huge to have to clean, and all the different reasons including my commitment to our environment.

I have been involved with the Greens over the years. I am a vegetarian, and a lot of environmental issues are important to me. I feel like, why make it harder for the environment and the population in general by having huge everything? So I heard about the Tiny House Company and I wondered if I could afford a tiny house. And then the problem was, if I could afford a tiny house, then what about finding a piece of land?

It was a huge challenge to try to find something that I could afford. I was thinking perhaps two acres in the county. But no, after looking, I couldn’t even find that. Little pieces of land were difficult to find and the places that I found were just awful pieces of land, like being cliff side, or having to cross the river three times to access. They were situations that I just couldn’t manage.

Finally this friend of mine who was my realtor had a piece of land for sale. It was much more land than I wanted: twenty-two acres. He then suggested that maybe I could divide it up, split it with somebody. I came out and saw the land and I decided that I just had to have it to myself. I got greedy once I saw it. So I switched things around. I had a certain amount that I was going to spend for the land, and a certain amount to spend for the house. I paid a little bit more for the land, a little less for the house. I felt if I could swing that, then I could actually make it happen.

Then the situation with the land was awful as far as needing to get a right of way through the neighbor’s land, trees had to be cleared, a drive way had to be built. Pretty much everyone I spoke to told me I was crazy for trying to build on that land. But, I was determined. Yet with all the problems, the purchase of the land happened very quickly. Also, there were many set backs, but I decided that I was going to make it happen. And now every single day, I just say to myself, this is my little house and I created it and I love it.

Having been here over a year, I just can’t imagine what I would do differently. I am not thinking it would be nicer to have more space or have this or that. There’s nothing that I would change. It’s absolutely perfect. Last week I had some friends come up that hadn’t seen the house and there were eight of us here. At first I was worried about having enough space because it is a tiny house, but everyone had places to sit down, and they were comfortable. They loved it. It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed each other’s company.

My total home is 20’ x 30’ (600 sq. ft.) When you first walk in, this big main room and kitchen is 20’x20’, 400 sq. ft, so it doesn’t seem like a tiny house.

It doesn’t seem small at all. I have lots of windows, so again it’s very open and bright. As far as lighting, I definitely like my light above my sink. I don’t like having a light on in the middle of the day, so I think placement of windows is critical.

My home has high ceilings. It has a tiny little bedroom and a tiny little bathroom. It was a long process to get the design that I wanted that would work. I had some ideas, but I didn’t know if they would work until Tiny House Company, Andy Lee, helped me figure that out. We came out with the design in the end that just worked out perfectly. I have my sliding glass doors looking out onto my deck and forest.

Wood is my main heat, but I do have a propane heater that I can use. It doesn’t take a lot to heat my house it’s so small. The refrigerator is electric. My cabinets and doors were hand made by Andy and they came out beautifully. It is so much fun to show it off to people.

It also was wonderful that Andy let me do some of the work. I did the painting. I feel that I got to know the house because I’ve actually painted every inch of it.

I definitely love my wood floors. A friend and I installed them our selves in two days. They don’t show dirt and are easily cleaned.

My deck is divine. It is only 8’x8’, only 164 square feet, small, but perfect for me. I spend hours and hours sitting out there. I get my food, my knitting, and my books and go out there to enjoy the outdoors. And I love to sit outside to work and think, so even at 9:00 at night during the summer, I’m still sitting outside.

And my kitchen is designed so that I don’t have to walk just to get to the stove from the refrigerator. I have a friend who has a huge kitchen; I didn’t like cooking in that kitchen because it was so big and I had to walk so much. It’s too much work to cook; too much walking! Totally inefficient, for me especially, big spaces can be quite a problem because of the way I walk.

Even when I had eight people at my house, we didn’t have to sit around a huge table. We sat on the couch and chairs, and it was perfect.

At first, rainwater harvesting was totally out of the question for Terri. She didn’t want to hear about it. However, Terri was forced to do rainwater harvesting off her roof or not live in her house. Here’s why in her own words:

“I thought I had to have a conventional well. My well driller has a lot of experience, but after spending over 5 weeks and drilling 5 dry holes at over 300 feet each; we had to give up. We kept hitting caves and ledge. I paid him $6,000 for dry holes – and that was half price!

Andy Lee finally convinced me to try rainwater harvesting. I had no other choice if I was going to live in my tiny home; and there was nothing more in the world I wanted than my own home. So I was motivated to be open to any possibility.

"Rainwater harvesting is so natural, the rain falls and I have water. Direct from the source. What could be simpler? In hindsight, I don’t know why I was so hesitant to do rainwater harvesting."
 — Terri Bsullak

 My rainwater collection system was not expensive. It cost $800 for gutters, roof washer and connecting to my cistern. The cistern cost $2,500 which included installation, pump and connection to the house. So for $3,200 I have water!

 This year there has been so much rain that I have too much for my holding tank. But that’s not a problem, it just drains out as it would without my rain harvesting system.

During the drought I had water delivered, but it only cost $30 for 1,000 gallons. That’s no big deal. I don’t use as much water as most people.  My cistern holds enough for a 3 month supply, so with one water delivery, I had 3 months of water. That’s cheaper than most people pay for city water in one month. I love it!”

One of the reasons that everyone at Tiny House Company is so in admiration of Terri’s determination is that Terri has a disability, but she is one of the last people anyone would think of as disabled. Terri has a cyst on her spinal cord that prevents her from walking normally. But it doesn’t slow her down from skiing, hiking, canoeing or accomplishing her dreams, including her tiny dream home.

“The cyst itself is pretty much the entire length of my spinal cord. I have some pain every now and then, but I have learned to live with it.”

Pat has known Terri for years and says that Terri looks healthier than almost any one else she knows. “Terri’s eyes have a light in them. She has a big healthy, genuine smile. She is the perfect weight, has great muscle tone and clear skin. She is more physically fit and energetic than most folks I know. Terri is unstoppable. She participates in skiing, hiking, and canoeing, and is an athlete and an inspiration to us all.”

As Terri sees herself: A lot of people think I shouldn’t be living alone because I walk with a limp and fall down a lot. I have a hard time getting up stairs but falling doesn’t bother me as much as it does others. I am determined to be in a space that I love, and I love my tiny home. My “disability” just makes me stronger.

I also want to say that I definitely recommend my ramp instead of stairs. It is something that I use everyday and I forget how special it is. It blends with the whole house, and it doesn’t look weird. It’s so much easier for me to get into my house. It is also a treat to be able to invite others over who have accessibility challenges. For example, I have a friend who uses a wheel chair and many other friends who have physical challenges. The word we use is “visit-ability” and that word means a lot to us.

My ramp makes it possible to have friends with disabilities come to my house. There are so few houses in the county that they can get into at all. My ramp adds richness to my life that I hadn’t considered before.

The old house that I rented before had three or four nice beautiful stone steps, but its visit-ability factor was zero. I had to get up them without a railing. I pretty much fell every time. I never fall on my ramp. It’s a wonderful asset for me and my friends. Andy Lee knew, he just put it in without asking me, and when I drove up and first saw it I knew immediately it was perfect.

For me, of all people, to make building and owning my own home happen is amazing. Tiny House Company helped me make it happen. I was able to get a loan and able to buy twenty-two acres and everything. Professionally I am a mental health and substance abuse counselor with the county. I had only been working as a counselor for about two years before deciding to build my new home. I wasn’t making much money at all.  I also was paying off my student loans from when I went to graduate school to get a Master’s in Social Work. Before graduate school, I was working and traveling for ten years and pretty much survived on ten thousand dollars a year.

“If I were to give advice to someone considering a tiny house, I would say just do it. Several people that I know are considering building a house, and I invite them to come up and see my home. It will show them that they can do it. It’s great.”

"From the Tiny House Company view, as contractors, there is a lot more joy for us building a tiny house for someone like Terri than in building a larger house for people that we know don’t really appreciate it, even though we might make more money building bigger houses." - Pat Foreman

 It’s not just about money for us. Building and promoting tiny homes is about making a cultural difference in what we value in housing.  — Pat Foreman

Terri’s house has given her a new lease on life. She is so proud of her little house and has put love into all the details that make her little home a unique and beautiful expression of her.

The Lane’s Shed Home

Barbara and Howard Lane have a lot of experience living in small places and tiny houses. Barbara grew up on a bay in Lake Ontario where many people she knew and played with, lived in compact quarters, both on boats and in small cottages.

Howard, was a career naval officer. From his years on boats he also appreciated the finer nuances of living in small quarters. After he retired they put everything into storage and traveled across America living in a van for about a year. Their travels gave them an even finer appreciation of the economy of space in a way nothing else could. It’s not that this is a small couple. Howard was a commanding 6’4” and Barbara an impressive and fit 5’10”.

After their van travels they bought 215 gorgeous acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains and built a 4,000 square foot house, which they had planned as a retreat center. But first, they built a 12’ x 16’ tiny garden house (192 sq. ft.) to stay in and to store tools in while working on their 4,000 square foot big house. Over the years of building and living in the tiny house they grew to appreciate the cozy, safe and organized life style their tiny house offered. Whereas they have offices, hobby space, bathrooms and a kitchen in the big house, they spend most of their time in the tiny house. Here is Barbara’s story.

Growing up I lived right across from a yacht club, so a lot of the people that I knew lived on boats and had little tiny cottages, maybe 16’x16’, that included a kitchen, a living room, and a bedroom. They had very informal, summer cottages, and they spent a lot of time outdoors.

And some of the people that I knew converted sail lockers into living spaces for the summer. So they would have a living area, maybe 12’x12’, and half this space above would be a loft where they would sleep in sleeping bags. They would cook outdoors and they would use the yacht club showers and bathrooms, and they would hang out outdoors. Although they lived in these tiny spaces, the club itself had big, big living areas, so if they wanted space they could always go down to the club, or they could sit outside in the covered porches.

I would study boats in order to plan tiny houses, because the way a boat is engineered, and the way the space is used is totally different than in house.

“While living in such small places, there wasn’t necessarily a clear distinction between being inside and outside. You lived your life as if it were a picnic. I loved it.” - Barbara Lane

Sometimes these cowboy kitchens were just out there, in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes they were on wagons and they would haul them. That was the model for my outdoor kitchen. For probably 7 years, I cooked outdoors in a 6’x12’ area covered by a tarp. In the winter time I cooked inside the shed on a single burner, an electric frying pan, a microwave, and a toaster oven. I still do. In the early days I had a Coleman stove, and now I have a big, commercial size cooker with a grill, but I still often cook inside on a single burner.

When we first moved into the cabin, it was meant to be a temporary thing, and we had spent two winters in the neighbors small cabin, but much bigger than this, maybe four times as big. It had a bathroom and closets. But we got tired of commuting back and forth so we decided to spend the third winter here, and live in the shed on our own land. We basically insulated it, and added a wood burning stove that took up a lot of floor space.

This photo shows both of the Lane houses to give you an idea of their location relative to each other. The 192 square foot tiny house is in the foreground and the 4,000 square foot house behind it. They are about 50 feet from each other. You can also see Barbara’s outdoor cowboy kitchen  on the left and solar shower to the right. Note the skylights in the patio/kitchen area let in natural light.

So now our 4,000 square foot home is the equivalent to my child hood yacht club. That’s where the socializing takes place, that’s where the groups can gather, and where I can sprawl. But for everyday living the 12’x16’ “garden shed” is our choice! We have continued to live in this tiny little garden shed since 1996. Since Howard died, I am now living alone, and I am even more attracted to living in the smaller space.”

Barbara has found through experience that there are necessary tricks to living in tiny spaces. When asked what she would do differently, Barbara states that if she were to modify her cabin she would add a bathroom. She shares:

“I have used what I call my ”bathroom bucket buddy” during much of my tiny house living experience. When Howard and I were traveling in our van we routinely used a 5 gallon plastic bucket at night. Even when we were staying with friends and sleeping in the van it was more convenient than going inside and possibly waking everyone up. Bucket bathrooms are also very common among Peace Corps volunteers overseas. They are very practical.

In many ways our van traveling was our first tiny house experience – only on wheels. We learned the necessity of organization and efficiency of space utilization.

Further tricks to living in tiny spaces include custom building and using a cupboard that is on wheels. I can move it depending on what I’m doing. I’ve learned to have and use furniture to serve multiple functions

When we first moved into the shed, we had two extra long twin beds that we slept in. We used these beds as a sofa as well as a bed. And as we went along, we decided, hey, we are here longer than we thought and we decided that we would like to sleep together. We modified it so that we had a twin bed and a queen size bed. In between the beds is a tiny little shelf, probably five inches wide. Just enough for an arm rest or to set a cup of tea. It’s almost like a centerboard on a boat. It fits between the two beds, and only takes up a half inch of floor space. And then Howard built in shelf after shelf after shelf after shelf.

I suggest building furniture, such as cabinetry, to the sizes that fit your needs specifically. I also suggest maximizing the use of space down to the quarter inch. Howard and I have had long, long, long discussions about a quarter inch here, a quarter inch there. It can make such a difference in how the space feels. Everything in our shed is very, very thought out and carefully measured. The spice rack is just tall enough for the spices, the tea shelf is just tall enough for two boxes of tea, and so on. We have custom shelves for specific purposes. Very precise and efficient.

I also suggest that anyone considering living in a tiny house give thought to natural light, ventilation, ceiling height, heating options, and insulation. All the things that one wants in a regular size house. You can do a lot with very little. I suggest that you extend your space into the outdoors, such as an outdoor patio for cooking and dining when the weather permits.”

Barbara explains her philosophy about living in tiny houses:

As a potter and an artist, I am very clear that I want to live a hand-crafted life. I also want to live in a hand-crafted house. I create it.  My house and I  are unique in all the world. We become expressions of each other.

Modular houses don’t involve much of anything that is hand crafted. They all have the same plastic, void look and the feel that is impersonal, mass-produced, dry-wall and plastic. At best people make it “theirs” with curtains, art, but it’s still mass-produced and homogenized.  There is not much you can do to change that feeling, that ambiance.

In tiny houses the rules of civilized living shift. It’s OK to put your feet up. It’s OK to be casual and yourself.

As an analogy, you are playing a different game living in a tiny house. In an ordinary house you are playing Monopoly. In a tiny house you are playing Hobbit.

This might sound abstract but I also get the sense about the outside “body of air” being closer in a tiny house. I’m not sure how to explain it, but just like in a boat there is water all around, very close, and that has a certain feeling and has a certain energy. Same with air in a tiny house. You are not very far from the outside body of air. In big buildings or hotels that have offices sandwiched between offices, or hotel rooms stacked all around there is, for me, a closed in and very different quality to the air. The outside is more removed. Some hotels try and compensate for this with big atriums and water fountains, but it’s still not the same. Tiny homes put you closer to the outside air and all that is happening within your immediate climate and environment. I like that.

There is something about miniaturization that appeals to people. Senses and imagination expands. In a tiny house you set your perception at a different level. Magical things happen. Our culture really doesn’t have the vocabulary to describe living in tiny houses. The best we come up with is “cozy”; but it’s way beyond “cozy”.  I hope Pat and Andy with this tiny homes book can help develop a vocabulary to describe living in tiny houses and special use of space.

“I am a fanatic about tiny homes. I think most people love them. It comes from childhood; something primal with us. Everyone has fun memories or fantasies about playhouses and tree houses. Those special magical places that are safe from the outside world. I think they’re wonderful. I just love them.” — Barbara Lane

Uncle Gene’s Tiny Home

Gene Babish is a 38 year-old single fellow who lives in a 10' x 12' (120 square foot) tiny house in the backyard of his sister’s house, Stephanie and brother-in-law, Ronnie Coffey. Gene is a multi-talented, can-do builder type of guy including a professional roofer. He helps with the Coffey’s Excavating Company business installing septic fields and preparing foundations. His passion is music.  As his sister says, “He generally keeps to himself in good company”.
Here’s Gene’s story.

I love living in my little house. Life is great. It gives me a nice space of my own for when I need privacy. When I need a little quite time, I go out there. It is comfortable and it stays comfortable. It’s mine. It also is a great space to bring my nephews out to and give them guitar lessons away from the rest of the family, so that others can do the things they might need to do. About eighteen years ago I cut off two of my fingers on a conveyor and now I play my guitar the best that I can. I’m teaching my nephews to play. I really enjoy that.

My house has actually turned into a get-away space for other members of the family as well as myself. You might say that at times that it is used more often than the main house. My brother-in-law, Ronnie, comes out and has a beer. My nephews, Peanut and Coltran come out and listen to music, have snacks, and play the guitar with me. We can be layed back in my tiny home; in our own little world.

Gene Babish in front of his tiny home with the family dog Hogan. Gene’s home is 120 square feet and is actually a detached bedroom from the main house. Whereas the house it totally insulated, it is not wired and you can see the outdoor extension cord that provides power from the main house. Gene’s house is built on skids and can be easily moved with a tractor.

Before I came to live with my sister and Ronnie, I lived with my mom. She is divorced and I was taking care of her. Then my younger sister came to live with us. I decided it was time to find a new place. So I bought a tent and lived in it for almost a year before moving into my tiny house.

I have been married and divorced twice and have two children. I am living alone and guess I’m a bit of a natural loner. I just needed a small space that I could call home. I needed something affordable. Living in my tiny house is like I am 18 years old again. It’s like I’m on my own little camping expedition only better.

My sister Stephanie and brother-in-law Ronnie are nice enough to let me to live on their property and to use their home facilities, such as the bath and kitchen. I use their electricity, hot water, washing machine and dryer. In exchange I work around the house doing chores. I try to do the things I can to help out, like mowing and taking the kids for periods of time when it is helpful. I work with Ronnie in his excavating business full time.

If I was not living here in this tiny house, I would be living in that tent. The tent was 9’ x 9 (81 sf) and I moved it all over Rockbridge County. Sometimes I would stay in a campground. Sometimes my friends would invite me to their properties. Many times I would go to my friends places and they would invite many people up and we would play music.

Before living in the tent, I was living in an apartment and I got tired of paying rent to live in a run down place. The apartment was a three bedroom and for me it was just way too much space. Too much space to clean, too much space to fill, just too much.

If I were to change anything in my tiny house, I would take one of the a windows out and put a door in and expand out the back. I would add a little two story with a loft. I actually think my tiny house would be perfect if it were on wheels so I could move it around.

My plans are to continue to work with the excavating business and I might possibly go back to doing roofing. That is what I know and do best. I am happy here. I am safe and I enjoy being with my nephews, playing with them and helping out. I will continue to live in my little house. It’s my home.

As we continue to make changes to my cottage, big or small, I’d like Tiny House Company (Pat and Andy) to come out and see the changes. Tiny homes are great. Especially for people like me who just really don’t need that much space.

Having my own tiny home in my sister’s back yard has brought richness and meaning back into my life. It’s brought us back together as a family. I so value the quality time I have with my nephews. Otherwise, I never would have known what a joy it is be a contributing member of my family. Thank you Tiny House Company for making this possible. — Gene Babish

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