Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 16 - Heather Plans to Stay Tiny When She Relocates from Her Small Home in Alaska Back to Buffalo, NY. - full transcript

Across the nation,
people are going small--

really small...

These are so cute!

...buying tiny houses,

some just a microscopic
100 square feet.

Whoa.

This is a tiny house.

It looks really small.

This tiny trend
is picking up big steam,

with everything from
converted train cars and barns

to yurts
and microhouses on wheels.



I'd be a gypsy
on the run.

Looks more like a truck
than a tiny house.

Heather sold her tiny house
in Alaska

and is moving back home
to Buffalo, New York,

and she's ready
to go tiny again.

Are these stairs
very tight.

Wow. We definitely could
be Thelma and Louise in
this, couldn't we?

But will she find
the perfect space

for herself and her four-legged
friends to call home?

I could see you sleeping here
with three dogs.

Could you see yourself
sleeping there?

No.

Let's go.

I'm Heather, and I'm a biologist
for the Army Corps of Engineers.



But I really love animals,

and on the side,
I have a dog-training business.

Lie down.

Sleepy time.

Roll over.

Good girl!

I've been living in Alaska
for about seven years.

Property in Alaska
is pretty expensive,

so a tiny house

was a more affordable option
for me at the time.

But I did miss my family.

I just recently moved back
to Buffalo, New York.

It's not scenic like Alaska

in terms of the big mountains
and everything,

- but it's home.
- Come on, Heather!

You can tell we're all very
excited to have you back.

I've got a lot
of nieces and nephews,

and, you know, I just
really want to be a
part of their lives.

All right.
Nap time, guys.

Having lived in a tiny house
before, I really learned

that I'm attracted
to a minimalist lifestyle.

Some of my best memories
and happiest times of life

is when I was actually working
as a field biologist.

You're living in some cabin or
a tent in the middle of nowhere,

and all you have
is a few clothes.

I missed nothing that I owned.

Shipping her tiny
house from Alaska to New York

would've been too expensive,
so Heather sold it

and is staying with her mom
while she hunts for a new one.

Heather,
you're such a good hostess.

It's easy at Mom's house

when she's got all this food
hanging around.

Heather, you should totally draw
your tiny house and see...

That's true.
You guys haven't seen it.

Show me how you're going to fit
all your stuff

into that little house.

First of all, your napkin
would be like half that size.

My friends and family
think that I'm a total nut bar

for wanting to live
in a tiny house.

Amy thinks I should get
something bigger.

I've asked my cousin Amy
to tour houses with me

because out of everyone
in my family,

she'll be totally honest.

Housing-wise,
Heather and I do differ.

I have a 2,000-square-foot home,
and she is looking to go tiny.

You can go too small, and then
you don't have any room to grow.

Where do
the three dogs go?

Oh,
that's a good question.

Right now my family
consists of three dogs,

so finding a tiny house
that will fit them

is really important.

I think a bed downstairs
is gonna be key.

The biggest thing

that I didn't like
about the Alaska tiny house is

that sleeping in the loft meant
I couldn't sleep with the dogs.

I had a really small fridge,

and so I had to go shopping
for groceries all the time.

What I'm really looking for
in the kitchen

is a decent-sized refrigerator,

and I'd like to have an oven
that's big enough to, like,

bake a chicken,
bake a batch of cookies.

I can't imagine trying
to fit full-size appliances

and a bed on the first floor
of a 200-square-foot tiny house.

Where do you store
everything?

I don't know.
It depends on what I find.

I'd really like to have a tub.

I know that might be hard
to find because of the space,

but when it's a cold, dark day,
it's nice to get in the hot tub.

You might have to add
another napkin.

I really want something
that feels like a cabin.

Think part of why I want
a tiny house to have that feel

is that when I come home
every night,

I'm not
just in some boring house,

but I can feel like
I'm kind of on vacation

and I can relax
more in that atmosphere.

I'm open to a tiny house
on wheels

because that's
what I had lived in in Alaska.

Heather plans
to park it on a friend's land.

My budget's $50,000,

but I'm willing
to go over it a little bit

if I find the right house
so that I can get settled

and start hanging out
with my family.

This is so neat.

Heather has called
in local builder Bill Rockhill

to help her find
the tiny house of her dreams.

Today, he's showing her
a 200-square-foot house

that's all ready
to hit the road.

Right now the tiny-house
business is booming,

especially in upstate New York.

I am very confident
we can find Heather something

on the market
that will fit her needs.

If we can't find it,

we'll certainly
be able to build it.

This doesn't look
like a tiny house, Bill.

This looks like a truck.

It is a truck.

It's a tiny house
on a truck.

Wow, I've never really seen
anything like it.

I know that Heather
wants to go mobile,

but, I mean, if you want
to go camping, go camping.

You don't have to
take your house with you.

How much are they asking
for this one?

It's $75,000.

Oh, wow. Whoa.

But I don't want you
to get worried about that.

We can make this about the same
size on a lighter truck,

and I think we can do it
within your budget.

Okay.

I can't wait to see
what it looks like inside.

Oh, my goodness, Amy.

Got to get
in here.

Oh, my gosh.

This is
really cool.

Oh, my gosh.

It's so much more spacious
than I would've imagined.

Let's check out
this little grandpa truck.

Wow.

We definitely could be Thelma
and Louise in this, couldn't we?

I'm not driving off
any cliffs, Amy.

I hope not. Wow.

This thing is ancient. Okay.

Can I get a truck
maybe from this century?

Oh,
for sure.

It's a truck that's permanently
attached to the house,

so if the truck
breaks down or has motor trouble

or something like that,

I think it'd be hard
to fix and maintain.

But, you know,
what's a really cool option

is that now you don't
have to buy a truck

to transport
your home.

It's all
right here.

- That would be cool.
- That would be awesome.

Then I could be
one self-contained unit,

and I could just go
wherever I wanted.

Now, I know you wanted
a downstairs bedroom,

but this loft's
really good use of space

because it's built out
completely over the cab,

and it doesn't take out
any of the floor space

of the building.

Yeah,
I do like that,

and actually,
getting up here wasn't too bad.

I think the dogs might be able
to actually get up here.

I guess if your dogs
could make it up here,

I probably should be able
to make it up here, right?

Wow.
There's a lot of room up here...

Yeah.

...for you
and your doggy cuddle zone.

It's very important.

Uh, I guess.

I think this kitchen space
is really big.

I mean, this is almost as big
as, like, a normal kitchen.

Instead of this small,
little fridge,

I think you could fit almost
a full-size refrigerator here.

You could still have a sink
in the middle,

and you could have maybe
a normal stove here.

And I never
would've thought

that you'd have this much space
in, like, a truck house.

No,
I wouldn't have, either.

I'm not thinking you're as crazy
as I did originally, so...

This is kind of
a weird space back here.

I mean,
it's big for a bathroom.

My bathroom
in my tiny house in Alaska

was maybe
a few inches wider than me.

This is almost like
a normal-house bathroom.

Mm-hmm.

But it does seem like
they've utilized it very well.

You know, there's all this
empty space back here.

You have plenty of room
for a full-sized tub.

You can even possibly
get a stackable washer

- and dryer in here.
- Ooh,
that would be nice.

Okay.
That would be nice.

I would think
it would need a sink, too.

- What do you think?
- Oh, yeah.

I didn't even notice
there isn't even a sink in here.

- There's no sink.
- Yeah.

I mean, there's a lot of space
back here to do what's needed.

I never would've thought
of putting a tiny house

on a truck
like this.

It's really unique,
and I really like the outside.

It looks
like a cabin.

I like
the open floor plan.

I like that I could have
a bathtub in there.

I think you'll get everything
that you want in that bathroom,

and the budget
won't change very much at all.

Yeah.

Because I don't want to
spend $75,000 on a house.

Well, I get that,
and I think

that if we were
to search out the right truck

and maybe use indigenous,
locally harvested lumber,

I think we could definitely
come very close to your budget.

But, you know,

you've got to maintain
the truck that it's on,

and that
can be an issue.

I really,
- really like it.
- Yeah.

But I would love for you to see
something a little bit bigger.

Heather,
this is a...

So Bill is
bringing out the big guns.

This thing is huge!

Where are the appliances, though?

We'll have to bring
the dogs here and...

Yep.
...go for
a hike sometime.

Heather is trading in
her Alaskan tiny house

for one that's closer to
her family in Buffalo, New York.

With her three dogs
also along for the move,

she's looking
for something mobile

she can park
on her friend's land.

Builder Bill Rockhill has shown
Heather and her cousin Amy

a tiny house on a truck,

which is her style and has room
for the appliances she wants.

Even though Bill could build it

to fit
within her $50,000 budget,

there might not be enough room
for Heather and the dogs.

Wanting to show Heather
something a bit roomier,

Bill has lined up a house
with more square footage.

Oh, my gosh, Amy,

this thing is huge compared
to what I was thinking about.

It's not the cabin style
I normally like,

but it's really adorable.

Well, this house
is not for sale,

but the plans are.

Okay.
So I would have to build this.

How much
would that cost?

Your materials
would run around $26,000,

then about double that
for labor.

It would be a little bit
over your budget,

but it's
a lot more house.

This one is around 512
square feet on the main floor

and with the two lofts,
around 624.

It's not on wheels, so I'd
probably have to buy property.

But land in this area
really isn't all that expensive,

and you could
put down roots

like you've been wanting to do
to be more near family.

Oh, wow.

- Oh, my goodness.
- This is really cute.

Wow.
A lot more space, huh?

It seems so spacious
in here.

I can totally see my dogs
just running around

and wrestling and playing
in here.

And this kitchen
is nice and open.

Where are the appliances, though?

Well, these people
choose not to have them,

but you have plenty of space
for them.

Full-size fridge,
full-size stove, upper cabinets.

So it sounds like
I could really have

the kitchen I want
in here.

And this must be the bathroom
in here.

Whoa.

This is kind of
a nice-sized space.

It doesn't have a tub. No.

There's no tub.

Well, if you didn't have
that cabinet in the corner,

you could probably get
a full tub and shower in there.

Right.
Okay.

But then what would you do
for storage?

I mean... Eh, it's a trade-off.

I guess you could put a cabinet
maybe over here or something.

Yeah.
You could.

I mean, this is not
a bad bathroom at all.

I'm gonna check out
the lofts up here.

These stairs
are so tight.

Yeah. It's pretty cool
up here, though.

But it's
a lot of space.

I don't know
what I would do with it.

It's a small house, for sure,

compared
to most people's houses,

but it's still kind of big.

Well, I mean,
they're using it as two offices,

but you could utilize this space
as even a guest room

so when your nieces and nephews
come, they could have

a place to sleep.

That would be nice to have
plenty of room for the kids

to play and hang out
when they come over.

And I really love
the catwalk.

I think that adds a whole
unique aspect to this space.

It really does,
but it's kind of plain.

I mean, it's nothing
but while walls everywhere.

It doesn't have
any of that cabin feel in here

that I really like.

There's a lot of stuff
you could do in here.

Oh, absolutely.

Instead of these
drywall-covered beams,

we could use reclaimed wood.

That would be cool.

But do you think
this is where they sleep?

Yes.
That folds out.

You've got
- to be kidding me.
- That's awful.

There's no way I could sleep
on something like that.

I just want my bed
out all the time

so the dogs and I can just,
you know,

relax on it,
hang out together.

You know what I was
kind of thinking?

Put a mattress in here
for your doggy cuddle zone

sleeping area, have your
living-room space over there,

and boom, you have everything
you are looking for.

And for wherever
you put your bed,

you have the double French doors
right there

so the dogs can come in
and come out very easily.

Yeah.
This is just beautiful.

And on
your own property...

I mean,
think about what you could do.

I could have grass.

I could have flowers
and really make this...

Absolutely.... something special.

You know, this house is actually
starting to grow on me.

Even though it's not my style,
it was really charming.

It's a bigger house
than I was thinking.

But you can really customize it
to your own liking.

I do like that I could have
the kitchen and the bathtub,

but I think it's still
too much house for me.

And it might be
a little overwhelming

thinking about
having to buy land.

I still like the idea
of having something mobile,

so I'm hoping Bill can show me

at least one more tiny house
on wheels.

So Bill's scaling back the size
to something more movable.

This does really
stick out pretty far.

That's what happens when you get
a couple hundred square feet.

I call shotgun!

Wait,
I already called shotgun.

Heather and her three
dogs have just moved from Alaska

back home to upstate New York
to be closer to family.

She owned a tiny house
and loved it so much,

she wants to buy another one.

I hope so.
I think you...

With the help of her cousin Amy
and builder Bill Rockhill,

she's seen a 200-square-foot
tiny house built on a truck

that she could park
on her friend's land.

It's well over
her $50,000 budget,

but Bill is certain
he can build a bigger one

that fits her needs for less.

Next was a larger model home
that he could build for $52,000.

But buying the land for the
house would be a costly overage,

even though she could customize
the place

to be exactly what she wants.

Since Heather is unsure if
a stationary house is for her,

Bill has found another
200-square-foot place on wheels.

Oh, my goodness.
It's so cute.

I still like
the style.

It looks like
a cabin.

So does it remind you of yours
that you lived in in Alaska?

It does
a little bit.

- This one, as-is, is $49,500.
- Okay.

So that's right
at the top of my budget.

I really wish this one
had a deck, though.

Oh, wow. Wow.

It's really cute
in here.

- I knew you'd like it.
- Look at this.

Oh, my goodness.
I love it.

I know
you wanted bigger appliances,

but they take up
a lot of space.

I mean, look at
the washer/dryer there.

Yeah.
That's true.

This does really
stick out pretty far.

That's what happens when you get
a couple hundred square feet.

But look how much storage
there is, though.

My last tiny house
came with almost no storage

in the kitchen whatsoever.

You can fit a lot of food
in here.

I wouldn't have to keep
going back to the store...

...so many times,
but--

But they do take up
a lot of space.

They do.

It's so cramped.

I don't know how
she's gonna be able to live

in something so small.

You couldn't bake a turkey
in there.

We have a full bedroom
here in the back.

- This is nice.
- Oh, wow. Yeah.

There are a lot
of shelves back here.

You mentioned that you wanted
to be able to sleep downstairs

with the dogs, and this is
the perfect situation.

Yeah.
This is nice.

- Want to try it out for me?
- All right.

Now just imagine
you're in there with three dogs.

Oh, boy.

I could see you sleeping here
with three dogs.

Could you see yourself
sleeping there?

No.

Oh, wow.
It's really small in here.

- Well, it's a tiny home.
- And I see there's no tub.

I was really hoping
this one would have a tub.

Well, we can add a tub,
but it's gonna be a big expense.

We'd have to come out this way
and maybe take out the sink.

Okay.
So that's kind of the big deal.

It's already at the top
of my budget, so...

I want
to see that loft.

Wow, are these stairs
very tight.

I do like this little balcony, though.

This is really
a cute feature.

I call it
my Romeo balcony.

Romeo, Romeo!

It is very roomy
up here.

Well,
what I like about this loft

is that
it's a little bit more open.

My other tiny house,

the roofline was at this angle
the whole way over.

This is a much more
livable loft, I think.

But if you didn't have
the loft,

it would make downstairs
look much more spacious.

You're right.
I don't really need this space.

Well, overall,

I really like the size
and the style of the house.

It looks
kind of like a cabin.

I've got the bed downstairs
that I wanted.

There's
full-size appliances.

There are a few things
that still bug me

about the house, though.

Yeah.
I mean, it is very cramped.

And those stairs
take up a lot of space.

The full-size
appliances...

I know you wanted those,
but in that space,

it's really tight.

The other thing
is that

I really would've liked it
to have a bathtub,

but that might really put this
house out of my price range.

It's time for Heather to decide

which tiny home is right
for her and her furry friends.

Because I've lived
in a tiny house before,

I really know
what I like.

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The dogs had so much fun
swimming here the other day.

With her cousin Amy's help,

Heather is looking for a tiny
house in Buffalo, New York,

for herself
and her canine companions.

Having already lived tiny
in Alaska,

she's ready
to pick her new home.

So let's talk about
that one on a truck.

That was something I never
really thought of before.

That one Bill showed us
was $75,000,

but Bill said he could get me
a newer truck, which'd be nice,

and build me something
more in my budget.

It was very spacious
in there.

I was
very surprised.

I mean, that would be
a nice space for the dogs.

And that bathroom
in the back

would be big enough
to add a tub.

The one thing that I really
don't like about it, though,

is that it would be
permanently attached to a truck.

What if
it breaks down someday,

and it can't be fixed
or is really expensive to fix?

The little red house was $26,000
for the plans and materials

and then double that
for labor.

That puts it
right around in my budget,

but then I'd have to
buy land, too.

It was way too modern
for me.

But Bill could make it
very rustic

to your liking with,
you know...

Yeah.
...reclaimed wood.

Yeah,
he could.

I liked how
- it was so open.
- Mm-hmm.

I think the dogs
would really like that,

but it was
so big.

I don't know what I would do
with all that space.

So let's talk about
that rustic one on wheels.

That one was $49,500.

That's right
at my budget.

Right.
So that's good.

And it was mobile,
which is, you know...

Mm-hmm.
...what you were
looking for.

But I found it,
like, so clunky,

and not really
a lot of open space in there.

That's true, but it did have
the bed downstairs,

and it's got bigger appliances,
which I really like.

But it really took up
a lot of space.

I don't know
how you'd fit anything

in there furniture-wise.

And I'm not sure what I'd do
with that loft, either.

I would think
you'd want something

a little bit bigger
than what you had in Alaska.

Because I've lived
in a tiny house before,

I really know
- what I like.
- Yeah.

And I think I like that rustic
cabin that's already built.

I think it'd be
the perfect house for me.

I'm so excited
you're back!
Yay!

So I decided to go with
the rustic tiny house on wheels

that Bill had built,
and I paid $49,500 for it.

There were no really
hidden costs to it.

I had to add on stairs
and the porch and a flower box,

and I was able to park it
on a friend's property.

I've been in my house
for two weeks,

and the dogs are loving it.

I also put a fence
off the side door for them

so they can have
their own little area.

The only thing I had
to compromise with on this house

was not having a bathtub.

Other than that,
I really got the house I wanted,

and I think it's perfect for me
and the dogs.

That's good puppies.

I think they like the bed
the best

because every time
I go into the house,

that's where they are.

This place has really
turned out awesome.

I'm really
so amazed.

The finishes in this home
are really beautiful.

I have to say,
it doesn't feel

as confined and chopped up
as it originally did to me.

I think it just--

It's so much more homey
now that you've moved in.

Whoa!

This is so cool.

Some of the kids
have seen the house,

and they just think it's
the coolest thing in the world.

And they just, I mean,
they are attracted to that loft

like bees to flowers.

This is pretty cool
- hangout area, huh?
- Mm-hmm.

My plan now that I'm back home
is just to enjoy my family,

enjoy doing stuff
in the outdoors, relax,

and just live life.