Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 11 - Traveling Musicians Go Tiny - full transcript
Homebuyers across the country
are saying goodbye
to big houses...
Wow! Look at that.
That is tiny.
...and hello to small spaces.
With the push of a button,
this house contracts
to half its size.
- Wow.
- Wow.
- What is this?
- This is the bedroom.
- It's a fold-down sink.
- That's so cool!
Oh!
Wow.
This just got weird.
But the smaller the house,
the bigger the challenge
fitting inside.
It'd be six of us up here.
Where am I gonna sleep?
- This swings back.
- Whoa.
- That's the loft.
- Ohh.
I think I see
a problem already.
It's a metal box!
Traveling musicians
Rob and Anitra are going tiny
so they can bring their house
wherever they go.
I'd probably have to take my hat
off before I came in here.
Look at the wood.
I love this.
Now, that's rockin'.
Looks like they've got a rock
wall to get up to this loft.
That's definitely unique.
But their two different design
styles don't exactly mesh.
It's got
a nice modern look.
It's a lot of metal.
It's not really
my kind of color, but...
What are you talking about?
You're wearing the house.
Look at you.
♪ Who I am ♪
♪ I'm a natural girl, yeah ♪
I'm Rob. I'm 37.
I'm a musician
and a graphic designer.
And I'm Anitra. I'm 33.
I'm a singer-songwriter.
♪ Whoooooooooo ♪
♪ I'm a natural girl, yeah ♪
We've been together
for eight years.
We are
professional musicians.
We tour and gig in Houston
and all over America.
We just recently moved
to Houston from Tennessee,
and now we're staying here
in Houston with family.
Life for a traveling musician
is very interesting.
Sometimes we're in New York
in the dead of winter.
It's snowing,
it's freezing.
We get stuck
out in the snow sometimes.
But other times, we're
in Florida, on the beach.
I got
some more to add.
Tired of crashing
with family,
Rob and Anitra are ready
to buy their own home.
They want something small enough
to travel the country
wherever
their music takes them.
The prospect of living in
a tiny house is really exciting
because it's on wheels,
so you can take it
wherever you want.
And by us
being on the road so much,
it's nice to be able
to have that option
where we don't have to pay
for hotels all the time.
We can just take
the house.
That just seems like
an awesome deal.
You know
when we get our house,
we wouldn't be able to fit
anything like that in it.
We'll have to go back
to just jogging in the street.
Yeah, I know. I guess we'll
have to start running for real.
We plan on building
our tiny house ourselves,
you know, to save money.
Also, you know,
just for the experience
and the journey
of doing it.
You think we'll be able to fit
a lazy Susan in the cabinets?
Yeah,
that's a good idea.
So we want to find
a design that we like,
get the plans,
buy the materials,
and build it.
It's gonna be very daunting,
and I'm scared--
just the fact that we've never
done anything like this before.
What are we doing?
How do you run
electrical wires
and how do you... Yeah, plumbing.
...how do you build
your own tub?
- We're actually doing this.
- Mm-hmm.
We're gonna have to get you
some work gloves, though.
They have $30,000
to spend on the build
and want something no bigger
than 300 square feet.
Oh, this one's nice.
That's not quite modern enough
for me, though.
I'm looking for
a tiny house
that has a modern,
kind of boxy, industrial look
with maybe, you know,
some splashes of color.
Now, there's your cabin
right there.
I'm looking for
a cabin-lodge--
something with lots of wood
and muted colors.
Yeah, we'll have to get creative
with storage.
If the house has a loft,
Rob would like stairs.
- They're kind of floating.
- Floating stairs.
I don't want to have to climb up
a ladder every day.
I would love a tub.
- Oh, look.
- There's a tub! Yeah!
I guess it can
be done, huh?
See?
And Anitra needs a private space
where she can write music.
Having that special space for me
is very important
because it's a way
that I can just get away,
retreat, and concentrate
on my music
without having distractions.
- Let's look at that kitchen.
- Okay.
I'm looking for
a full-size kitchen
because I love to cook.
And I need
a big living space
where we can have friends
and family over and entertain.
When they aren't traveling,
they plan to park their
tiny house on family property
in downtown Houston.
And to find
the perfect tiny home,
they've decided
to travel out of state.
We're planning to go on
a little trip to Colorado.
There's lots of tiny houses
there, different designs--
nail down
what we're gonna build.
It's a tiny-house Mecca.
Luckily for them, their friend
Jason Daye lives in Colorado,
and he's not only
a real estate agent,
but he's familiar
with all things tiny,
since tiny living is so popular
in the state.
We're excited to see
what he has to show us.
Today, Jason is showing them
a tiny option
with plans for sale
that they can build themselves.
Uh, Jason, what is this?
This is a tiny house
that's designed
to look like a caboose.
Oh, all right.
I get it.
Well, I do like it,
but it just doesn't give me
the cabin, rustic look
that I'm going for.
The color
does nothing for me.
I would rather
brown, muted, earthy tones.
It's definitely
got color.
It's not really
my kind of color, but...
What are you talking about?
You're wearing the house.
Look at you.
You're matching the house perfectly.
Yeah, okay.
How big is it?
This house
is 240 square feet.
- Wow.
- Wow.
How much
would it cost?
You can buy the plans
for $800,
and then the material costs
would be about $48,000.
Okay, we're gonna have
to bring that down
a little more, though.
So, let's go ahead
and take a look.
Okay.
Oh,
I love the floors!
Yeah, wow.
It's really open.
Look at the wood.
I love this.
Who knew this caboose had
a cabin on the inside?
Isn't this nice?
That's a lot of wood.
I feel like I just climbed
inside of a tree.
Well, I like trees.
This is all
tongue-and-groove pine.
And one thing
you can do--
instead of having
so much wood on the walls,
you can use a different service
that's gonna be less expensive.
Well,
I love the lighting,
and it gives a lot more space,
too, 'cause it's raised.
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
But, hey, I don't like
this bed here.
We have to do
something about this.
I mean, especially if we're
gonna be entertaining people,
we can't have them hanging out
right, like, on our bed.
I need a loft--
or, at least, a wall.
Of course,
there's plenty of room,
so if you want to build a loft,
you can lift that bed up
and kind of open up
some of this living space.
Okay, yeah.
How much height do we have?
Let's see.
If we were gonna build a loft,
it'd be about 8 feet.
Okay.
Yeah, it could work.
Don't forget-- you do have
that added space in the cupola,
so you can even bring that loft
out a little bit if you'd like.
All those changes, though,
are gonna add cost.
This kitchen is adorable.
- Yeah, it is.
- I like the countertops.
But they're also
quite expensive.
For these countertops,
you're looking
at about $1,200 to $1,500.
- Oh, wow.
- Okay.
So you can change
the surface,
use something less expensive,
and cut costs there, as well.
There's some nice storage
back here, too. Look.
His and hers.
Oh, yeah. I like that.
That's nice.
But these appliances
are kind of small.
Look--
a washer and dryer.
Yeah, this really is
a beautiful bathroom.
Ooh, look.
The shower is huge!
We can both fit in here.
Oh, yeah?
Let's see.
Oh, yeah.
This is a great size.
- Yeah.
- I like it.
But they don't
have a tub.
- That's true.
- You know I wanted a tub.
I just wonder, like,
being so close to the kitchen,
you know, this toilet
is, like, right here.
Yeah, that might be
kind of weird.
Yeah.
I don't know about that.
I love having
all of this wood inside.
It really brings together
that cabin look
that I was going for.
Yeah, it's got that,
but it's a lot of wood.
We'd have to play with that
a little bit
and give it
more of a modern touch.
I don't like the bathroom
being so close to the kitchen.
True.
But I do love the kitchen.
It was adorable.
And then there's
the entertaining space
and the bed, and we probably
could build a loft.
I need
more sleeping areas,
places where I can get away,
write my songs.
They're now seeing
something with more privacy,
but there's a trade-off.
It's a metal box!
Mmm!
- You like my salad?
- Mm-hmm.
Houston, Texas-based
traveling musicians
Rob and Anitra
are constantly on the road
and tired of living
out of hotel rooms.
They want a mobile tiny house
and have flown to Colorado
to look at houses
with plans for sale,
with the help of their friend
and real-estate agent,
Jason Daye.
A mobile caboose has
interior-cabin details
that Anitra loves,
but the material costs are above
their $30,000 build budget.
And since it lacks a dedicated
private space for writing music,
they would have to
reconfigure the layout
to include a raised loft.
Today, they're seeing
a more modern, tiny option
with separate loft space.
It's a metal box!
Yeah. I like the metal.
It's got a nice modern look.
There's no part of "metal box"
that screams "cabin."
So, how big is it?
269 square feet.
- Okay.
- Okay.
So, how much would
something like this cost?
You can actually buy the plans
for this model for $550
right here
in the showroom,
and the material cost is
right about $45,000.
- Okay.
- Let's go take a look.
Okay.
Oh, wow!
This is nice, Jason.
Yeah.
- I love the wood look.
- Yeah.
It's still got kind of
a modern feel to it,
even though it's all wood.
I like it.
Ooh, and I love
the skylights here.
You don't see that
when you walk up.
Yeah, that's a nice touch.
And I like the living space
and the storage,
but I wish
that there was a little more.
You might consider instead
of having a fireplace
opening this space up,
have some more seating,
save about $800.
- Hmm.
- Okay.
This is a good-size kitchen.
I could work in it.
Look at this storage
in here.
And this farmhouse sink--
now, that's rockin'.
Yeah, that is cool.
Oh, look.
There's a guitar case.
We can store our instruments
up there, possibly.
Yeah,
or even on the wall.
Oh, that's a great idea.
I love that.
Here, they have
this nifty fold-up table.
Flip it up to eat
or to use as a desk,
and then when you're done,
just goes right back down...
leaves this space
open here.
Now, there's something
I'm really excited to show you.
Oh! My bedroom!
Wow!
Is this is the privacy
you were looking for?
- Yes!
- Full wall.
Okay, wait a minute.
I'm gonna take--
You get out,
close the door, and see.
Wow.
This is nice.
I was really surprised to see
a master bedroom downstairs,
especially with that privacy
and everything.
I know Anitra was trying
to claim it,
but that would
definitely be our room.
And you step
right into the bathroom.
Yeah.
It's a little small.
Yeah.
Nice shower.
Yeah,
it's a good size.
- Let's see.
- We both can fit in.
But it's missing a tub!
That's true.
There's plenty more
to see.
Okay.
Well, I really like the fact
that there's these stairs
you get up to the loft,
instead of a ladder.
If you notice this, they also
found some space in these.
Okay.
And there's access here
to your hot-water heater
and your electric.
- Okay.
- Cool.
I'm gonna go up
and see this loft.
It's a nice
little loft space.
I like
this skylight, here.
I might use this room
as my private space after all,
'cause I can look out and look
at the stars and the sky.
That metal box ended up
being great inside.
I really loved it.
Yeah, and the kitchen
was kind of small.
There wasn't as much
living space as we would like.
I loved the two options
for my private space.
I really need a place
I can get away.
Material costs
are closer.
It'd be nice
to see something
that's really
within our budget, though.
Yeah, I'm sure I can find
something that's within reach
of what
you're looking to spend.
Since cost is an issue,
they're hoping a less expensive
tiny option might work.
But... you get
what you pay for.
I'd probably have to take my
hat off before I came in here.
♪ Everywhere I go,
I get all the looks ♪
♪ And I ain't ashamed ♪
Tired of living
out of hotel rooms.
Houston, Texas-based
traveling musicians
Rob and Anitra
are looking to buy plans
for their own mobile tiny home
that they can build themselves
and move from city to city.
♪ I'm a natural girl, yeah ♪
They've traveled to Colorado
to visit friend
and local real-estate agent
Jason Daye,
who's showing them
some tiny-house options.
Anitra likes
the interior-cabin feel
of a unique
caboose-style home,
but it's above
their $30,000 build budget,
and to create privacy,
they would need to build a loft.
A more industrial-looking
tiny house
has the modern exterior
that Rob likes
and a private space
for Anitra,
but Rob feels that the bathroom
is a bit small,
and it's
still over their budget.
Today, Jason wants them to see
a more cost-conscious way to go.
This was a couple
much like yourselves,
who actually bought the plans
and built it themselves.
So you'll see
some unique elements
that they put into
this property.
And I brought the plans
along with me
in case you might want
to take a look at it.
I love
the modern look.
This is super-colorful.
Yeah. How big
is this house?
It has 207 square feet
on the main floor,
but you get two lofts,
so 317 square feet
of living space.
- Oh, wow. That's incredible.
- That's awesome.
I like the idea
of having two lofts.
I mean, how much would it cost?
What are we looking at?
You can buy materials
probably about $33,000.
$299 for the plans,
and you're on your way.
That's what
I'm talking about.
Now you're speaking
our language.
This is spacious!
Yeah, it really is.
It seems like
it'd be a good space
for entertaining
and hanging out.
I like the natural light, too,
like the windows.
I wish there was
a little more, though.
Where are we going to put
our instruments, though?
I just wish we had
a little more storage.
Let me see-- I wonder,
would there be enough room
for my drums
in that storage space?
Yeah, I think
that could work.
It's great what this couple did.
They opened up the space.
But I would want
more storage options.
I have two guitars,
and he has two drums,
so we would definitely want
to put more storage in there.
Oh, a place
to hang my clothes up.
- There you go.
- Love that.
Wow.
Yeah, there's a lot of space.
I could cook in here.
I'd probably have to take my hat
off before I came in here.
Well, the cool thing is,
the homeowners that built this
decided they needed more space
up in the loft,
so they actually dropped
the ceiling down a little bit
to afford that space,
but if you guys were
to build this model,
you can raise this
to give you that headroom
you need in the kitchen.
Okay. Okay.
I like this countertop.
This is
kind of interesting.
Looks like they've got a rock
wall to get up to this loft.
That's definitely unique.
I wouldn't incorporate
a rock-climbing wall
to get up to the loft.
I'd rather my guests
be able to climb up--
at least climb up a ladder.
Okay.
Let's see.
Just put your foot
right there.
- Oh, yeah.
- What's it look like?
It's a nice little space. Yeah.
You can hang out
up there.
Guys, you want to take
a peek at the bathroom.
Yeah, there's a tub.
Your tub and a shower
that you can stand up in.
Yeah, let me see.
Oh, yeah, I love this.
And I love
all the repurposed stuff,
like the exposed pipes
and the sink.
Yeah, I really like
these stairs.
Wow.
This is nice.
Yeah, I like the space,
like the headroom.
I really like
the skylight.
That is cool.
Just all the windows
in general, you know,
you just get
a nice cross flow going.
Yeah.
I love how the inside
has this rustic feel to it.
And it's got
a nice open space in here,
perfect for entertaining
and hanging out.
I do love
the extra loft, too,
'cause that gives me
my space
that I can go hide away
and do my own thing.
But, you know, it is missing
the storage space
that I think we would need
for our instruments and stuff.
To put cabinets
out here,
probably gonna be somewhere
between $3,000 and $8,000,
based upon what materials
and what cabinets you use.
With several uniquely different
tiny houses up for discussion,
Rob and Anitra
have to hash it out.
Which one of these do you think
we can actually build?
I don't know.
It's gonna be a tough choice.
Our house hunters are moving
on up to a much smaller space.
Could you live in a tiny house?
♪ Want to build
a tiny house ♪
♪ And which one
will we choose? ♪
Houston, Texas-based
traveling musicians
Rob and Anitra
are building a mobile tiny home
that's small enough
to go wherever they do.
With a budget of $30,000,
they've seen plans
for several distinctly different
tiny houses,
and it's time for them
to choose one.
That's a new song. Yeah.
I just have my mind wrapped up
in this whole tiny-house thing.
Yeah, we do need
to make a decision.
What about
that colorful caboose?
That one was like
240 square feet.
The build cost for this place
is $48,800.
I wasn't a fan
of the color.
I wish that there was
more privacy.
It just seemed like
it was just too open.
You know, I could always
build you a loft.
Are you serious?
Now, that one had
a really cool bathroom.
- The kitchen was nice.
- Yeah.
Lots of storage.
Yeah, it seemed like there was
some potential places
where we could store
our instruments.
Well, what did you think
about that industrial barn?
It was 269 square feet--
nice size.
Plans and materials
for this house are $45,550.
Well, you know, we could use
some different materials--
you know,
maybe cut the cost down.
It wasn't enough wood
for my taste.
No? Well, on the inside,
it had a ton of wood.
It was a really cool layout,
and that loft upstairs
could be perfect
for you to retreat.
What'd you think
about the modern house?
The modern one was
really interesting.
I loved all
the different-colored woods
on the outside, you know,
and it was boxy.
This one would cost $33,299
for them to build.
I think he said 317 square feet altogether.
Yeah, yeah.
There wasn't a lot
of, like, natural light,
you know,
in the main room.
Yeah, they didn't have
a lot of window
and built-in storage
because we're gonna need
somewhere to put this stuff.
And I don't know
if I can take a rock wall
up to my privacy loft.
Yeah, we'll have to build
some stairs.
That would take up
more of the living space.
Which one of these do you think
we can actually build?
I don't know.
It's gonna be a tough choice.
So, I think the modern one
is a perfect fit
because it has the modern
and it has the cabin.
Great fusion.
Yeah, and it had a great layout
on the inside.
Just some minor changes,
you know,
we could really
make that work.
All right!
Let's go buy some plans!
All right.
- Looking good!
- Got a brown wall.
It took us six months
to actually build the house,
and we've been living in it now
for-- how long?
About a month.
So, don't forget
about this trim here.
Oh, yeah.
We spent $299 on the plans,
and our budget was $30,000,
but we went a little over,
so we're at $35,000 right now.
Yeah. With a little bit
more work to do.
We're currently placing
our tiny house in Houston,
close to downtown.
We're renting
from some family friends.
The layout of our kitchen
is fairly similar
to the one
that we toured.
We got our African wood floor
that pops.
It really pops.
It has an artistic vibe.
We added a ladder to go up
to the guest loft,
instead of the rock wall,
which was cool, you know.
We've got a space
to store our instruments
and our music equipment.
Plus, I got
my drum up there.
Got kind of an office space/
dining area.
So, there are
some things
that we're still working on
on the tiny house.
We want to build
some more storage cabinets.
Want to build a deck
in the front,
with some storage space there
for outdoor things.
We love playing music
in our tiny home.
The acoustics are amazing.
And plus, I get
my own private retreat,
so that's awesome.
- Hey!
- Hey, there.
- How are you?
- Good to see you.
Doesn't feel closed-in
at all.
- Let's go play some music!
- Yeah.
♪ She walked through the woods
one day ♪
We are super-excited
about taking this tiny house
with us on the road.
We can't wait to travel and
still have our house with us,
and not have to
stay at hotels all the time.
Hit it!
This whole experience definitely
brought us closer together.
It was
an amazing experience.
We learned so much.
I mean, we even did the plumbing
and the electrical,
and we know how to do
so much more now.
After doing this,
I think...
We can do anything.
- Oh, wow!
- Thank you!
are saying goodbye
to big houses...
Wow! Look at that.
That is tiny.
...and hello to small spaces.
With the push of a button,
this house contracts
to half its size.
- Wow.
- Wow.
- What is this?
- This is the bedroom.
- It's a fold-down sink.
- That's so cool!
Oh!
Wow.
This just got weird.
But the smaller the house,
the bigger the challenge
fitting inside.
It'd be six of us up here.
Where am I gonna sleep?
- This swings back.
- Whoa.
- That's the loft.
- Ohh.
I think I see
a problem already.
It's a metal box!
Traveling musicians
Rob and Anitra are going tiny
so they can bring their house
wherever they go.
I'd probably have to take my hat
off before I came in here.
Look at the wood.
I love this.
Now, that's rockin'.
Looks like they've got a rock
wall to get up to this loft.
That's definitely unique.
But their two different design
styles don't exactly mesh.
It's got
a nice modern look.
It's a lot of metal.
It's not really
my kind of color, but...
What are you talking about?
You're wearing the house.
Look at you.
♪ Who I am ♪
♪ I'm a natural girl, yeah ♪
I'm Rob. I'm 37.
I'm a musician
and a graphic designer.
And I'm Anitra. I'm 33.
I'm a singer-songwriter.
♪ Whoooooooooo ♪
♪ I'm a natural girl, yeah ♪
We've been together
for eight years.
We are
professional musicians.
We tour and gig in Houston
and all over America.
We just recently moved
to Houston from Tennessee,
and now we're staying here
in Houston with family.
Life for a traveling musician
is very interesting.
Sometimes we're in New York
in the dead of winter.
It's snowing,
it's freezing.
We get stuck
out in the snow sometimes.
But other times, we're
in Florida, on the beach.
I got
some more to add.
Tired of crashing
with family,
Rob and Anitra are ready
to buy their own home.
They want something small enough
to travel the country
wherever
their music takes them.
The prospect of living in
a tiny house is really exciting
because it's on wheels,
so you can take it
wherever you want.
And by us
being on the road so much,
it's nice to be able
to have that option
where we don't have to pay
for hotels all the time.
We can just take
the house.
That just seems like
an awesome deal.
You know
when we get our house,
we wouldn't be able to fit
anything like that in it.
We'll have to go back
to just jogging in the street.
Yeah, I know. I guess we'll
have to start running for real.
We plan on building
our tiny house ourselves,
you know, to save money.
Also, you know,
just for the experience
and the journey
of doing it.
You think we'll be able to fit
a lazy Susan in the cabinets?
Yeah,
that's a good idea.
So we want to find
a design that we like,
get the plans,
buy the materials,
and build it.
It's gonna be very daunting,
and I'm scared--
just the fact that we've never
done anything like this before.
What are we doing?
How do you run
electrical wires
and how do you... Yeah, plumbing.
...how do you build
your own tub?
- We're actually doing this.
- Mm-hmm.
We're gonna have to get you
some work gloves, though.
They have $30,000
to spend on the build
and want something no bigger
than 300 square feet.
Oh, this one's nice.
That's not quite modern enough
for me, though.
I'm looking for
a tiny house
that has a modern,
kind of boxy, industrial look
with maybe, you know,
some splashes of color.
Now, there's your cabin
right there.
I'm looking for
a cabin-lodge--
something with lots of wood
and muted colors.
Yeah, we'll have to get creative
with storage.
If the house has a loft,
Rob would like stairs.
- They're kind of floating.
- Floating stairs.
I don't want to have to climb up
a ladder every day.
I would love a tub.
- Oh, look.
- There's a tub! Yeah!
I guess it can
be done, huh?
See?
And Anitra needs a private space
where she can write music.
Having that special space for me
is very important
because it's a way
that I can just get away,
retreat, and concentrate
on my music
without having distractions.
- Let's look at that kitchen.
- Okay.
I'm looking for
a full-size kitchen
because I love to cook.
And I need
a big living space
where we can have friends
and family over and entertain.
When they aren't traveling,
they plan to park their
tiny house on family property
in downtown Houston.
And to find
the perfect tiny home,
they've decided
to travel out of state.
We're planning to go on
a little trip to Colorado.
There's lots of tiny houses
there, different designs--
nail down
what we're gonna build.
It's a tiny-house Mecca.
Luckily for them, their friend
Jason Daye lives in Colorado,
and he's not only
a real estate agent,
but he's familiar
with all things tiny,
since tiny living is so popular
in the state.
We're excited to see
what he has to show us.
Today, Jason is showing them
a tiny option
with plans for sale
that they can build themselves.
Uh, Jason, what is this?
This is a tiny house
that's designed
to look like a caboose.
Oh, all right.
I get it.
Well, I do like it,
but it just doesn't give me
the cabin, rustic look
that I'm going for.
The color
does nothing for me.
I would rather
brown, muted, earthy tones.
It's definitely
got color.
It's not really
my kind of color, but...
What are you talking about?
You're wearing the house.
Look at you.
You're matching the house perfectly.
Yeah, okay.
How big is it?
This house
is 240 square feet.
- Wow.
- Wow.
How much
would it cost?
You can buy the plans
for $800,
and then the material costs
would be about $48,000.
Okay, we're gonna have
to bring that down
a little more, though.
So, let's go ahead
and take a look.
Okay.
Oh,
I love the floors!
Yeah, wow.
It's really open.
Look at the wood.
I love this.
Who knew this caboose had
a cabin on the inside?
Isn't this nice?
That's a lot of wood.
I feel like I just climbed
inside of a tree.
Well, I like trees.
This is all
tongue-and-groove pine.
And one thing
you can do--
instead of having
so much wood on the walls,
you can use a different service
that's gonna be less expensive.
Well,
I love the lighting,
and it gives a lot more space,
too, 'cause it's raised.
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
But, hey, I don't like
this bed here.
We have to do
something about this.
I mean, especially if we're
gonna be entertaining people,
we can't have them hanging out
right, like, on our bed.
I need a loft--
or, at least, a wall.
Of course,
there's plenty of room,
so if you want to build a loft,
you can lift that bed up
and kind of open up
some of this living space.
Okay, yeah.
How much height do we have?
Let's see.
If we were gonna build a loft,
it'd be about 8 feet.
Okay.
Yeah, it could work.
Don't forget-- you do have
that added space in the cupola,
so you can even bring that loft
out a little bit if you'd like.
All those changes, though,
are gonna add cost.
This kitchen is adorable.
- Yeah, it is.
- I like the countertops.
But they're also
quite expensive.
For these countertops,
you're looking
at about $1,200 to $1,500.
- Oh, wow.
- Okay.
So you can change
the surface,
use something less expensive,
and cut costs there, as well.
There's some nice storage
back here, too. Look.
His and hers.
Oh, yeah. I like that.
That's nice.
But these appliances
are kind of small.
Look--
a washer and dryer.
Yeah, this really is
a beautiful bathroom.
Ooh, look.
The shower is huge!
We can both fit in here.
Oh, yeah?
Let's see.
Oh, yeah.
This is a great size.
- Yeah.
- I like it.
But they don't
have a tub.
- That's true.
- You know I wanted a tub.
I just wonder, like,
being so close to the kitchen,
you know, this toilet
is, like, right here.
Yeah, that might be
kind of weird.
Yeah.
I don't know about that.
I love having
all of this wood inside.
It really brings together
that cabin look
that I was going for.
Yeah, it's got that,
but it's a lot of wood.
We'd have to play with that
a little bit
and give it
more of a modern touch.
I don't like the bathroom
being so close to the kitchen.
True.
But I do love the kitchen.
It was adorable.
And then there's
the entertaining space
and the bed, and we probably
could build a loft.
I need
more sleeping areas,
places where I can get away,
write my songs.
They're now seeing
something with more privacy,
but there's a trade-off.
It's a metal box!
Mmm!
- You like my salad?
- Mm-hmm.
Houston, Texas-based
traveling musicians
Rob and Anitra
are constantly on the road
and tired of living
out of hotel rooms.
They want a mobile tiny house
and have flown to Colorado
to look at houses
with plans for sale,
with the help of their friend
and real-estate agent,
Jason Daye.
A mobile caboose has
interior-cabin details
that Anitra loves,
but the material costs are above
their $30,000 build budget.
And since it lacks a dedicated
private space for writing music,
they would have to
reconfigure the layout
to include a raised loft.
Today, they're seeing
a more modern, tiny option
with separate loft space.
It's a metal box!
Yeah. I like the metal.
It's got a nice modern look.
There's no part of "metal box"
that screams "cabin."
So, how big is it?
269 square feet.
- Okay.
- Okay.
So, how much would
something like this cost?
You can actually buy the plans
for this model for $550
right here
in the showroom,
and the material cost is
right about $45,000.
- Okay.
- Let's go take a look.
Okay.
Oh, wow!
This is nice, Jason.
Yeah.
- I love the wood look.
- Yeah.
It's still got kind of
a modern feel to it,
even though it's all wood.
I like it.
Ooh, and I love
the skylights here.
You don't see that
when you walk up.
Yeah, that's a nice touch.
And I like the living space
and the storage,
but I wish
that there was a little more.
You might consider instead
of having a fireplace
opening this space up,
have some more seating,
save about $800.
- Hmm.
- Okay.
This is a good-size kitchen.
I could work in it.
Look at this storage
in here.
And this farmhouse sink--
now, that's rockin'.
Yeah, that is cool.
Oh, look.
There's a guitar case.
We can store our instruments
up there, possibly.
Yeah,
or even on the wall.
Oh, that's a great idea.
I love that.
Here, they have
this nifty fold-up table.
Flip it up to eat
or to use as a desk,
and then when you're done,
just goes right back down...
leaves this space
open here.
Now, there's something
I'm really excited to show you.
Oh! My bedroom!
Wow!
Is this is the privacy
you were looking for?
- Yes!
- Full wall.
Okay, wait a minute.
I'm gonna take--
You get out,
close the door, and see.
Wow.
This is nice.
I was really surprised to see
a master bedroom downstairs,
especially with that privacy
and everything.
I know Anitra was trying
to claim it,
but that would
definitely be our room.
And you step
right into the bathroom.
Yeah.
It's a little small.
Yeah.
Nice shower.
Yeah,
it's a good size.
- Let's see.
- We both can fit in.
But it's missing a tub!
That's true.
There's plenty more
to see.
Okay.
Well, I really like the fact
that there's these stairs
you get up to the loft,
instead of a ladder.
If you notice this, they also
found some space in these.
Okay.
And there's access here
to your hot-water heater
and your electric.
- Okay.
- Cool.
I'm gonna go up
and see this loft.
It's a nice
little loft space.
I like
this skylight, here.
I might use this room
as my private space after all,
'cause I can look out and look
at the stars and the sky.
That metal box ended up
being great inside.
I really loved it.
Yeah, and the kitchen
was kind of small.
There wasn't as much
living space as we would like.
I loved the two options
for my private space.
I really need a place
I can get away.
Material costs
are closer.
It'd be nice
to see something
that's really
within our budget, though.
Yeah, I'm sure I can find
something that's within reach
of what
you're looking to spend.
Since cost is an issue,
they're hoping a less expensive
tiny option might work.
But... you get
what you pay for.
I'd probably have to take my
hat off before I came in here.
♪ Everywhere I go,
I get all the looks ♪
♪ And I ain't ashamed ♪
Tired of living
out of hotel rooms.
Houston, Texas-based
traveling musicians
Rob and Anitra
are looking to buy plans
for their own mobile tiny home
that they can build themselves
and move from city to city.
♪ I'm a natural girl, yeah ♪
They've traveled to Colorado
to visit friend
and local real-estate agent
Jason Daye,
who's showing them
some tiny-house options.
Anitra likes
the interior-cabin feel
of a unique
caboose-style home,
but it's above
their $30,000 build budget,
and to create privacy,
they would need to build a loft.
A more industrial-looking
tiny house
has the modern exterior
that Rob likes
and a private space
for Anitra,
but Rob feels that the bathroom
is a bit small,
and it's
still over their budget.
Today, Jason wants them to see
a more cost-conscious way to go.
This was a couple
much like yourselves,
who actually bought the plans
and built it themselves.
So you'll see
some unique elements
that they put into
this property.
And I brought the plans
along with me
in case you might want
to take a look at it.
I love
the modern look.
This is super-colorful.
Yeah. How big
is this house?
It has 207 square feet
on the main floor,
but you get two lofts,
so 317 square feet
of living space.
- Oh, wow. That's incredible.
- That's awesome.
I like the idea
of having two lofts.
I mean, how much would it cost?
What are we looking at?
You can buy materials
probably about $33,000.
$299 for the plans,
and you're on your way.
That's what
I'm talking about.
Now you're speaking
our language.
This is spacious!
Yeah, it really is.
It seems like
it'd be a good space
for entertaining
and hanging out.
I like the natural light, too,
like the windows.
I wish there was
a little more, though.
Where are we going to put
our instruments, though?
I just wish we had
a little more storage.
Let me see-- I wonder,
would there be enough room
for my drums
in that storage space?
Yeah, I think
that could work.
It's great what this couple did.
They opened up the space.
But I would want
more storage options.
I have two guitars,
and he has two drums,
so we would definitely want
to put more storage in there.
Oh, a place
to hang my clothes up.
- There you go.
- Love that.
Wow.
Yeah, there's a lot of space.
I could cook in here.
I'd probably have to take my hat
off before I came in here.
Well, the cool thing is,
the homeowners that built this
decided they needed more space
up in the loft,
so they actually dropped
the ceiling down a little bit
to afford that space,
but if you guys were
to build this model,
you can raise this
to give you that headroom
you need in the kitchen.
Okay. Okay.
I like this countertop.
This is
kind of interesting.
Looks like they've got a rock
wall to get up to this loft.
That's definitely unique.
I wouldn't incorporate
a rock-climbing wall
to get up to the loft.
I'd rather my guests
be able to climb up--
at least climb up a ladder.
Okay.
Let's see.
Just put your foot
right there.
- Oh, yeah.
- What's it look like?
It's a nice little space. Yeah.
You can hang out
up there.
Guys, you want to take
a peek at the bathroom.
Yeah, there's a tub.
Your tub and a shower
that you can stand up in.
Yeah, let me see.
Oh, yeah, I love this.
And I love
all the repurposed stuff,
like the exposed pipes
and the sink.
Yeah, I really like
these stairs.
Wow.
This is nice.
Yeah, I like the space,
like the headroom.
I really like
the skylight.
That is cool.
Just all the windows
in general, you know,
you just get
a nice cross flow going.
Yeah.
I love how the inside
has this rustic feel to it.
And it's got
a nice open space in here,
perfect for entertaining
and hanging out.
I do love
the extra loft, too,
'cause that gives me
my space
that I can go hide away
and do my own thing.
But, you know, it is missing
the storage space
that I think we would need
for our instruments and stuff.
To put cabinets
out here,
probably gonna be somewhere
between $3,000 and $8,000,
based upon what materials
and what cabinets you use.
With several uniquely different
tiny houses up for discussion,
Rob and Anitra
have to hash it out.
Which one of these do you think
we can actually build?
I don't know.
It's gonna be a tough choice.
Our house hunters are moving
on up to a much smaller space.
Could you live in a tiny house?
♪ Want to build
a tiny house ♪
♪ And which one
will we choose? ♪
Houston, Texas-based
traveling musicians
Rob and Anitra
are building a mobile tiny home
that's small enough
to go wherever they do.
With a budget of $30,000,
they've seen plans
for several distinctly different
tiny houses,
and it's time for them
to choose one.
That's a new song. Yeah.
I just have my mind wrapped up
in this whole tiny-house thing.
Yeah, we do need
to make a decision.
What about
that colorful caboose?
That one was like
240 square feet.
The build cost for this place
is $48,800.
I wasn't a fan
of the color.
I wish that there was
more privacy.
It just seemed like
it was just too open.
You know, I could always
build you a loft.
Are you serious?
Now, that one had
a really cool bathroom.
- The kitchen was nice.
- Yeah.
Lots of storage.
Yeah, it seemed like there was
some potential places
where we could store
our instruments.
Well, what did you think
about that industrial barn?
It was 269 square feet--
nice size.
Plans and materials
for this house are $45,550.
Well, you know, we could use
some different materials--
you know,
maybe cut the cost down.
It wasn't enough wood
for my taste.
No? Well, on the inside,
it had a ton of wood.
It was a really cool layout,
and that loft upstairs
could be perfect
for you to retreat.
What'd you think
about the modern house?
The modern one was
really interesting.
I loved all
the different-colored woods
on the outside, you know,
and it was boxy.
This one would cost $33,299
for them to build.
I think he said 317 square feet altogether.
Yeah, yeah.
There wasn't a lot
of, like, natural light,
you know,
in the main room.
Yeah, they didn't have
a lot of window
and built-in storage
because we're gonna need
somewhere to put this stuff.
And I don't know
if I can take a rock wall
up to my privacy loft.
Yeah, we'll have to build
some stairs.
That would take up
more of the living space.
Which one of these do you think
we can actually build?
I don't know.
It's gonna be a tough choice.
So, I think the modern one
is a perfect fit
because it has the modern
and it has the cabin.
Great fusion.
Yeah, and it had a great layout
on the inside.
Just some minor changes,
you know,
we could really
make that work.
All right!
Let's go buy some plans!
All right.
- Looking good!
- Got a brown wall.
It took us six months
to actually build the house,
and we've been living in it now
for-- how long?
About a month.
So, don't forget
about this trim here.
Oh, yeah.
We spent $299 on the plans,
and our budget was $30,000,
but we went a little over,
so we're at $35,000 right now.
Yeah. With a little bit
more work to do.
We're currently placing
our tiny house in Houston,
close to downtown.
We're renting
from some family friends.
The layout of our kitchen
is fairly similar
to the one
that we toured.
We got our African wood floor
that pops.
It really pops.
It has an artistic vibe.
We added a ladder to go up
to the guest loft,
instead of the rock wall,
which was cool, you know.
We've got a space
to store our instruments
and our music equipment.
Plus, I got
my drum up there.
Got kind of an office space/
dining area.
So, there are
some things
that we're still working on
on the tiny house.
We want to build
some more storage cabinets.
Want to build a deck
in the front,
with some storage space there
for outdoor things.
We love playing music
in our tiny home.
The acoustics are amazing.
And plus, I get
my own private retreat,
so that's awesome.
- Hey!
- Hey, there.
- How are you?
- Good to see you.
Doesn't feel closed-in
at all.
- Let's go play some music!
- Yeah.
♪ She walked through the woods
one day ♪
We are super-excited
about taking this tiny house
with us on the road.
We can't wait to travel and
still have our house with us,
and not have to
stay at hotels all the time.
Hit it!
This whole experience definitely
brought us closer together.
It was
an amazing experience.
We learned so much.
I mean, we even did the plumbing
and the electrical,
and we know how to do
so much more now.
After doing this,
I think...
We can do anything.
- Oh, wow!
- Thank you!