Home Smart Homeowner
Buying a tiny home for retirement is an excellent way to shave expenses. The Family Handyman looks at 15 tiny homes for the retiree who wants a single-level tiny home or wants a sleeping area on the main/lower level.
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Photo: Courtesy of Tiny Home Builders
The 15 Best Tiny Home Models to Buy After Retirement
Many tiny homes are designed so that the sleeping area is at the top of a set of stairs. This can be a deal breaker for some retirees. Tiny Home Builders has come out with the “Tiny Retirement” design that eliminates these stairs. This design places the entryway on the long side so there is room for a bathroom at one end and a bed or pull-out couch on the other. Photo: Courtesy of Tiny Home Builders
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Photo: Courtesy of Zyl Vardos, Inc.
Little Bird Deluxe Model Creates Rustic Elegance
The “Little Bird” tiny home design from Zyl Vardos, Inc. has a unique, curved dormer roofline that creates a beautiful entry with double French doors. The larger curved steps made with cedar provide more space for people with problems walking and the stainless steel shower makes shower cleanup a snap.
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Don Vardo from Portland Alternative Designs Is Great for Weekend Getaways
Most tiny home designs allow for more living space by putting the sleeping area in a loft that requires you to climb a ladder. And these ladders are often steep and narrow, making them dangerous for some retirees. Portland Alternative Designs, PAD for short, has the Don Vardo tiny home model. It is great for the retiree couple who only want something for weekend getaways. And it’s built on a standard utility trailer frame so even many mid- or full-size cars can tow it. The main drawback is that it’s so small that there’s no kitchen and the shower is actually the back porch. Photo: Courtesy of PAD
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Traveler XL Is Designed for the Retiree Nomad
The Traveler XL tiny home from Escape Homes at 35 feet, including the hitch, is ideal for the retiree that plans to travel with their tiny home. And electric brakes, Hopkins break away system and load leveling jacks are all standard. Also extra safety options include grab bars and an electric cooktop. Photo: Courtesy of Escape Homes
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Home Care Suites
The Floridian Tiny Home
The Floridian by Home Care Suites isn’t like most other tiny homes. Because it isn’t designed to be portable in any way after setup. It’s built on a concrete pad. The Floridian is for the retiree who prefers to live close to their family and still maintain some privacy and independence. The cottage has a big front porch and sitting room, as well as space for full-sized washer and dryers.
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Minim House Does More with Less
Although only 264 square feet (one of the smallest tiny homes on this list) the Minim House design maximizes the smaller space to feel like the larger models listed here. And there’s an area with a 5-foot sofa with a top that reveals extra storage space. Adjacent to this is a platform that can hide a rollaway queen bed underneath and house a full-size bed on the platform. Minim House also has an off-grid option that can collect up to 290 gallons of water using the gutters on the roof. Photo: Courtesy of Minim Homes
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Go Off Grid with the Steely Cottage
Shopdog has designed the Steely Cottage so it runs completely off solar as it comes equipped with solar panels. The company uses Corten steel to achieve a rustic appearance. And this tiny home comes with a composting sewage system so that the gray water can be used for gardens. Photo: Courtesy of Shopdog
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Photo: Courtesy of Nelson Tiny Houses
V House Lets You Customize to Your Heart’s Desire
Most tiny homes give you a little leeway when it comes to customizing your tiny home. And the V House from Nelson Tiny Houses is so-named because of the variety and versatility your customization options represent. Their Little V model has a base price of $45,000. And Nelson says buyers can estimate the cost of their V House by adding approximately $200 per square foot to that.
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Photo: Courtesy of Tiny Home Builders
The Tiny Studio Is ‘Tiny Expandable’
TheTiny Studio from Tiny Home Buildershas an interior width of 7.3 feet. But thanks to some ingenious storage designs, it feels bigger. The kitchen and dining area on one end sits on a platform that hides a roll-out bed that can double as seating when partially pulled out. The stairs leading up to the platform also pull out to reveal extra storage. There’s also a 3 by 7 foot, 3 inchstorage areaabove the bathroom of the same size. Tiny Home Builders specifically designed this model so it’s as much at home behind your truck as it is permanently parked.
Photo: Courtesy of Tiny Home Builders
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Oceanside Retreat Is Tiny Luxury
The Oceanside Retreat from Creative Cottages is a 411 square foot slice of Americana straight out of the 1960s. The back wall of the house is all glass for bright interiors and great vistas. And there is even the option for a river stone fireplace to keep you warm on those cold winter nights. Photo: Courtesy of Creative Cottages, LLC
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Alpha Has a Unique Swing-Down Patio/Porch
The Alpha from New Frontier Tiny Homes places the living and sleeping areas at either end of the unit. And with both areas being two steps above the center entry area. This center area is dominated on one side by a window wall with sliding glass…