Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 17 - Going Tiny in West Virginia - 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.

- What is this?
- This is the bedroom.

- It's a fold-down sink.
- That's so cool.

- Oh, ho, ho, ho!
- 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.
- Ooh.

- That's the loft.
- Whoa.

I think I see a problem already.

- Oh, my gosh.
- What do you think of this one?

I love it.

West Virginia resident
Skye and her dad Jimmie

are on the hunt
for a tiny home.

Come up here, Dad.

I'll run right up.

I'm speechless.

And it's on the first floor.



But finding the right
one is easier said than done.

It lifts up.
Dad, what's wrong with it?

We've either gotta get
some more space

or cut some things out.

- It's like a wine barrel.
- It's a shub.

It's a shower and a tub.

I think we're gonna need
more room for the bathroom.

I'm gonna beat you, Dad.

Well, you're gonna
have to try hard.

I'm Skye. I'm 21.

And I live in Red House,
West Virginia.

I'm a really artsy person.

I love to travel, cook, read.

I was born in New Jersey.

But I was raised here
in West Virginia.

And my mother
was a single mother.

She raised me
until the age of 6.

Um, she met Jimmie.

I was jealous
of their relationship at first.

But I'm so thankful for it.

In sixth grade,
my mom passed away.

And Jimmie has
raised me ever since.

This is the house that my mother
built from the ground up.

This house is very unique.

My mother tore down
an old Amish barn.

And she brought
all the materials down here

and built a house out of it.

And just like her mother,

Skye also wants to build a home
from the ground up.

But she wants to go tiny.

I heard about tiny houses
2 1/2 years ago.

My friend was talking to me

about living
in a storage container.

And I just thought
she was crazy.

So I looked up
different pictures of them.

And from that,
I found tiny houses.

It really just fits
the person that I am

because I study
business management.

And I am interested
in a couple different careers

that would take me
out of West Virginia.

So having a tiny house
would help me easily

move across the country
and build a career and a life.

And helping her
build her tiny home

is her dad, Jimmie.

I do have some previous
construction experience.

I have done, basically,

all of the different major tasks
of building a house.

So we can do it together

if we can just figure out
how to make everything work.

Do you think the barn will be

a good place
to start buildin' the house?

Yeah, I think so.

How long do you
think it will take?

I'd say 6 to 9 months,
at least.

Skye will park her
house on her family's property

until she graduates
from college.

She has a build budget
of $50,000.

And she and Jimmie
will be looking at tiny homes

with build plans for sale

that she can base
her home off of.

I still want a house
big enough

to have everything
that I'd like to have.

So I'm thinking around
300 square feet.

I really don't like
this apex roof.

My mother's taste
was very different from mine.

I just think that I'm more
modern and more minimalist.

I think if we built a flat roof
over the tiny house,

then it would give us
more head space in a loft.

And it'd be a lot easier
to build than an apex roof.

For the interior of the house,

I'd like to have
a few different things.

I want two lofts in my house.

And I would like it
to be very light and bright.

I'd like a bathtub
in my tiny house.

But I would also really
like a full shower as well.

I'd also like to have a ladder

because it takes up
less space than stairs.

And I really want
a full-size kitchen.

And I'd like to also
have full-size appliances.

I know people probably think

that having
full-size appliances is crazy.

But I really think
that we can do it.

I-I think
the biggest challenge

will be to get all of the things
in it that Skye wants.

To find the perfect tiny house,

Skye and Jimmie are
traveling to Austin, Texas,

where tiny is booming.

Lucky for them,
long-time friend

and Austin real estate
broker Tara Knight

knows the tiny landscape.

I'm so glad that I got you
and Jimmie here to Austin.

The tiny house movement
in Austin, Texas,

is really growing.

I've known Skye and Jimmie
for about seven years.

So when I heard they were
gonna build a tiny house,

I had to get them to Austin

because there's so many
great tiny homes here

and tons of floor plans
to visit.

Skye, I wanted you
to see this house today

because I think it really meets
a lot of your criteria.

- What do you think?
- It's beautiful.

But it's very cabin-like,
kinda woodsy.

It doesn't look really modern,
like she's looking for.

I like the windows.
But I'm not really

a big fan of the roof.

Dad and I discussed that there
would be more space in the lofts

if we did have a flat roof.

Oh, it's got a nice,
- big storage box on the front.
- I love it.

So as you can see,
- it's easily towable.
- Right.

It looks like it's well-built.

- How big is it?
- It's 288 square feet.

If Skye were to buy
the house already built,

it would cost $50,000.

But for her to
purchase the plans

and build it herself,

it would cost around $20,350.

Wow.
This isn't what I expected.

- Me neither.
- I like the two lofts.

Yeah, it looks like it
has a lot of space

for the actual size it is.

I like the placement
of the windows.

So let's look at some
of the functionality.

We have a desk
you could work at,

have a computer at, eat at.

Do you think that we could

maybe put the desk
closer to the kitchen?

Your dad can do anything.
- I'm sure he can.
- Yeah.

In addition to the two lofts,
- this also folds out into a bed.
- Oh, wow.

It looks like there's storage
down here as well.

It's actually built-in,
too, isn't it?

It is.
So this isn't movable.

And how do you get up
to the second loft?

- Wanna try this...
- Careful.

'Cause this is
practical, right?

- Yeah, right.
- You'll do this everyday.

- Yeah, this'll work.
- It's for storage.

This is terrible.

We could put a full-size bed.

But I think I'd rather
use it for storage.

And I'd like a way to get up
and down from the loft.

Maybe like a fire pole
or a zipline.

You can zipline across.

What do you think
about those stairs?

Well, they have storage inside.

But these look kind of impractical.

Yeah, I think
one of the problems

is the steps of the stairs
are not wide enough.

It's kinda like a ladder,

which is what you're
wanting, right, a ladder?

Well, we could possibly
have the storage,

not have the stairs
and have a ladder

that we could transport
from one loft to the other.

Dad, you should
come up here and look.

- Party in the loft up here.
- Wow.

You can put a king-size
bed up there.

Well, I think we'd have
a lot more head room up here

with a flat roof.

I do, too.
I like the pole here.

It keeps the bed on the loft.

And I also like this lip.

It makes it easier
to climb up here.

- Yeah.
- Well, let's
check out the kitchen.

I don't really like
this kitchen at all.

It is really, really small.

There's no room for a fridge

or a dishwasher or a stove,
for that matter.

Do you think you can get
everything you want

in a kitchen in this space?

I think that we could
build something

with all of the appliances

and kitchen space
that I want.

I think we're gonna have
to be more realistic

about what you want.

We've either gotta get
some more space

or cut some things out.

- This is the bathroom?
- Yes.

Look at the nice
rain showerhead.

It's so small.

How am I supposed
to take a bath in this?

- It's like a wine barrel.
- It's a shub.

It's a shower and a tub.

I think we're gonna need
more room for the bathroom.

If we get these plans,

we're going to have to do
some major modifications.

The windows are really pretty.

I like the black frames.

I wish that the house
was a flat roof.

Also, the ladder,

we need to do something
different with the stairs.

But with the budget, we have
lots of room to do things.

It has some possibilities.

The main one would have to be

to change the bathroom
and the kitchen

because neither one of those
are optimum or suitable

as they are.

Tara wants Skye
to see a roomier option

with a few surprises.

I'm speechless.

What do you think
about the layout?

College student Skye
is going tiny

and has recruited
her dad, Jimmie,

to help her
build a house of her own.

They've traveled from their home
base of West Virginia

to Austin, Texas,
where tiny is popular,

and are looking
at houses with plans

for sale with family friend

and local real estate
broker Tara Knight.

Skye likes the two lofts
in a tiny wood cabin

and that it can be built
for well

under her $50,000 budget.

But she'd have to modify
the plans to get the flat roof

and full-sized appliances
she wants.

Looking to give Skye
a more upgraded option,

Tara is showing her
an industrial, modern cabin

she hopes will hit the mark.

- Oh, my gosh.
- What do you think of this one?

- I love it.
- Jimmie, what do you think?

- Looks great.
- Here's the thing.

- This one's $95,000.
- Wow.

- What?
- But the plans are only $759.

- And materials are $40,000.
- Oh, that's not too bad.

I love the cedar and the metal
- contrast.
- And the metal...

And it's actually
kind of modern, too.

Yes. And the metal
will last a lifetime.

- What is the square footage?
- It's 301 square feet.

So it's right what you
- were looking at.
- That's amazing.

The exterior is gorgeous.

I think it looks modern.
But it's also very industrial.

And I'm attracted
to that sort of style.

- No way.
- Wow.

This is amazing.
I love the skylights.

There's a fireplace.

And it's really
a well-thought out living area.

- And look at the kitchen.
- That's so nice.

- It's perfect.
- Is that a dishwasher?

Is this a dishwasher? Oh.

No, it actually
doesn't have a dishwasher.

But maybe there's room
for a dishwasher here.

- Yeah, that's a...
- It's a full-size fridge.

- Full size, yes.
- Oh, nice.

I told you that
we could put a fridge

in a tiny house.

- Yeah.
- Is this the kitchen table?

It's a fold-down kitchen table.

So you can fold it down.
But there's not a ton of room.

I mean, how would we even
sit here and eat dinner?

I can't reach.

Yeah, there's not a whole
lotta room for two people, even.

It's right next
to the stairs, too.

Is there storage
in these stairs?

No, there's not.

I think the mechanicals
are behind it.

They're kind of, like,
a waste of space, you know?

- Yeah.
- This loft is small.

- Come up here, Dad.
- Go check that out.

I'll run right up.

Wow, yeah. I already hit my--
already hit my head.

I wonder if we could
make this roof flat

so we would have more
head space in the lofts.

I'm sure we could.

And it'd probably be
a little bit cheaper.

Beneath the loft
is a ground-floor bedroom.

Oh, my gosh.

In my wildest dreams,

I never considered
a bedroom in here.

- Right?
- I'm speechless.

- It's on the first floor!
- A full two bedrooms.

Well, you'd have to give up
a lot of other things

or several other things.

I would really love to have
a bedroom on the first floor.

We could do a flat roof
and keep a loft.

To get all the things
that she wants,

she can't have
the bed downstairs.

There's just no way.

- Oh, what a huge bathroom.
- I really like it.

- It's got a real toi--
- Is it a real toilet?

It's a foot flush toilet,
kind of like what's in a RV.

I mean,
I really want a bathtub.

But that's a really
good-size shower.

So you might be willin'
to give that up

since you would have
your own en suite bathroom

right off of your bedroom?

- Maybe.
- Somethin' to think about.

I love the exterior.

I didn't think I would
because of the wooden walls.

I love the interior.

I love the bedroom
on the first floor.

I mean, it just doesn't have
a kitchen table to eat at.

There was several things
that I really liked about it.

But the head room
in the loft is nonexistent.

I really didn't care for that.

And I don't think
there's any way

to keep the bed
on the first floor

and to get all of the appliances
full size that you really want.

Do you think that we could
still use this floor plan?

Well, here's my concern.

If you continue to make changes,
this might put you over budget.

Since cost is an issue,

Skye's seeing another option

that's well below
her build budget.

But it has some drawbacks.

It lifts up.
Dad, what's wrong with it?

Dad, I don't think
anything up here is mine.

Really?

Skye is building
her own tiny house

so that after college,

she has the freedom to move
wherever her job takes her.

She and her dad, Jimmie,

are traveling from their home
in West Virginia

and visiting Austin, Texas,

where tiny has taken off,

to see what houses with plans
for sale might work for her.

Long-time friend and
real estate broker Tara Knight

is helping them
with their tiny search.

A 288-square-foot wood cabin

has the size and two lofts
Skye is looking for.

And it's well below
her $50,000 build budget.

But she would need to modify
both the kitchen and bathroom

to get the modern
amenities she wants.

She likes the kitchen
layout of a larger,

industrial-modern cabin.

But the loft is cramped.

And she'd have to lose
the downstairs bedroom

to free up space for all
the full-size appliances

on her wish list.

Tara now wants Skye
to see a 160-square-foot

tiny house that she thinks
fits her style.

I think you're gonna love
so much

about the one
we're gonna see today.

I like the color and the wood.
It's very modern.

Yeah.
It has got the flat roof.

You'll be happy to hear this one
is well within your budget.

The model they're seeing today

costs $35,000 to buy outright.

But for Skye
to build it herself,

plans and materials
would run about $25,750.

I think the design speaks to me
for several different reasons.

I love the boxy feel.

I love the sliding glass door.

And I also really
like the flat roof.

Wow, look at this layout.

Yeah, nice and boxy lookin'.

- Bedroom's on the first floor.
- Wow.

- Look at all this storage.
- Oh, yeah.

Look at this little light.

- Wow.
- This is so cool.

Yeah.
You'd never get anything done.

You'd never leave.

The bedroom on the first floor
is really neat.

I would definitely
give up a loft

if I could have everything

that I wanted
on the first floor.

They seem to have
a lotta storage in here.

I bet there's even
storage under there.

Oh, yeah, bunches of it.

I could put all kinds
of things under there.

I really like the closet space.

But does this model
have a washer and dryer?

No. But with all the money

you're saving,
you could get the washer

and dryer of your dreams.

Do you think we could
put one here, Dad?

Yeah.

It's, uh, plenty big enough
for a washer and dryer.

You know, I didn't even
notice this door

from the outside.
Look, Dad.

There's a nice landing strip
for the porch.

Yeah.
But look at all the space

that could be used in the house.

It's about 2 feet deep

and roughly 36 inches wide.

That takes up a lotta space
we could use for an interior.

Yeah. With the landing space
and the closet space,

that's about 10% of
the whole floor space available.

So we could just do away
with this whole door.

Yeah. You'd have a lot
more open space here,

usable for what you'd
really wanna put here.

Well, this isn't
much of a kitchen.

There are no appliances
in here.

I mean, there's a mini fridge.
But that's about it.

- There's a sink.
- No stove, no microwave.

But this isn't even
a farmhouse sink.

And it lifts up.

Dad, what's wrong with it?

Well, obviously,
it hasn't been hooked up yet.

That's weird.
There are some nice cabinets

up here, though.

The bathroom is right
next to the kitchen.

It's a composting toilet.

- No way.
- It is.

It's so small.

Look. I can't even fit.

Hey.

How are you supposed to
shower and wash your hair?

Jimmie, we need
a bigger shower.

- We need a bigger shower.
- Okay.

The flat roof
really works well.

I really even like the bed
on the first level.

But it just takes up
so much space.

Do you think that
we could put a loft?

Yeah, I think it's possible.

But there's just not
enough space for all the things

that you really want
in your house.

So if we could
build up higher

and if we could get
another 6 feet or so on the end,

it's entirely possible
with our budget

that we could give you
the things you want, probably.

And it would still
be under budget.

After seeing several
different options,

it's time for Skye to decide

which tiny house she
and Jimmie are going to build.

It's gonna take a lot of work
to get all the things you want.

Our house hunters
are upgrading to tiny houses.

Could you live
in something this small?

Check out more tiny homes at...

With the help
of her dad, Jimmie,

college student Skye

is looking to build her
own tiny house

that she can hit the road with
after graduation.

With a $50,000 build budget,
she's seen several options.

And it's time
to pick which model

she'll base her own
build off of.

They saw a 288-square-foot
wood cabin

with a build cost of $20,350.

I really liked the exterior,
the entrance,

and the two lofts for sure.

I don't really like
the apex roof, though.

No, 'cause that's gonna really
limit your loft head space.

And the steps
were dangerous.

They just weren't wide
enough front to back.

And the wine barrel
in the shower and...

Yeah, I-I didn't like
that either.

But that house is definitely
within our budget.

And I think that it would
be really easy to tow.

Next was
an industrial-modern cabin

with the highest build
cost at $40,759.

It was also the biggest
at 301 square feet.

I love the kitchen.
They had a fireplace,

a bedroom on the first floor.

But you're gonna have
to give that bedroom up

because there were
several things it

did not have
that you want, right?

It didn't have a flat roof.

It didn't have two lofts.

But it had a place to eat.

And the bathroom
wasn't too bad.

The box model had
a build cost of $25,750

but at 160 square feet,

was the smallest
of all the homes.

I like the flat roof.

And I like the bed
on the first floor.

But I still think that
it's a waste of space.

If we had two lofts
in the house,

then we could use one
as a bedroom.

Now it's probably
small for you.

But it-- on the positive side,
it's really towable.

But that kitchen
had a mini fridge,

no other appliances.

And none of them
were full-size.

We're gonna have to do a lot
of modification to the plans.

And it's gonna take
a lot of work

to get
all the things you want.

You-- you know,
I think the box model

is the better one to develop
what you really want.

But I want everything
that I asked for.

So as long as we can
get everything

that I want in this house,
the boxy plans are fine with me.

Okay. We're gonna have
to do a lot of work

to make it work for ya.

I'm ready.

Good job.
And this last screw.

I've been living in
my tiny house for about a month.

It's wonderful.

It looks really good.

Same kinda roof, too.

We ended up spending $50,000

just because we used higher-end
products and materials.

The house is currently
parked on her family's property.

It took us a year to build this.

And we changed a lot
from this floor plan.

The model they originally toured

was 160 square feet.

But Skye and Jimmie expanded

the footprint
to 300 square feet.

One of the major changes
was we put the kitchen there,

the appliances.

And we put the sliding door
at the end.

That seemed to work
best for us.

Originally, on this end
of the trailer

was the bathroom
and kitchen split.

So we took that out,
and we made it the living area.

We moved the bathroom
down the trailer.

Then we have this great bar,

a nice eating space with stools.

The door that was here,
we moved.

And it opened up this wall
to make the eating space

and a lotta cabinets.

Here's the bathroom.

I have a bathtub,
a separate shower,

a sink,
and a washer and dryer.

It really turned out better

than I had thought
it was going to.

And we added two lofts
and took the bed up

from the first floor
into one of the lofts.

And the second
is a storage loft.

We really didn't compromise
on anything in the house.

I really like the flat roof.

The other windows
really lets the sun in.

Building this house
with Skye was a lotta fun.

It was a lotta work.
But she was very helpful.

And I think, more than anything,

she learned that what looks like
a really easy task

might take a heck
of a lot longer

than what you thought
it was going to.

You know, when I look
at this house

that your mother built
and this house that you built,

there's a lotta legacy here.

It looks good.