Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 22 - Simplicity in San Diego, CA - full transcript
Home buyers
across the country
are saying goodbye
to big houses...
Wow, look at that.
That is tiny.
...and hello to small spaces.
With a 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.
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 going to sleep?
This swings back.
That's the loft.
- Oh.
- I think I see problem already.
- Oh, it's so cute.
- Oh, this is really cute.
San Diego mom Hilary
has got her heart set
on a tiny home.
- It's big, right?
- That's tiny.
No, it's big.
It'll be great.
But her friend Diane
is there to keep her grounded.
Oh, cool.
Look, it's my closet.
You, Sadie, camping gear.
Is that realistic here?
What are you going to do
about privacy in the bathroom?
Finding a home
with enough space for her
and her young daughter
is no easy feat.
This is cool.
Oh, but wait.
Can you see me?
Hmm.
My name's Hilary.
I live in San Diego,
and I work in International
Education Administration.
I got you.
I'm a single mom.
I have a 7-year-old
daughter, Sadie,
with me about half the time.
Uh-oh. Uh-oh!
I'd say some of
my favorite hobbies
are really anything to do
with being outside,
and then if my daughter's
around, we'll build a fort.
The weather's so nice,
we're just outside a lot.
My lease ended in my rental
place about three months ago.
I'm currently living
with a friend of mine
in the San Diego area,
and I'm waiting to go tiny.
You think we'll have the space
for this in a tiny house?
I have so many reasons
why I want to go tiny.
I've never owned my own home,
and this is definitely
an affordable way to do that.
I would say that minimalism has
become kind of a fun addiction.
Like, I notice myself
lying in bed at night
thinking like, "You know,
I haven't worn that jacket.
I bet that could go."
Raising a daughter,
there's a lot of toys.
There are many
gifts they receive.
There's a lot of media.
There's a lot of just stuff
around all the time,
and I'm showing my daughter
what it looks like
to have less stuff.
She will have fewer
distractions in her life.
So, look,
look how little she is.
It's going to be great.
I'd love to see
how this works.
What about the bathroom
situation?
My friend Diane's
going to help me
have a voice of reason.
She's always honest with me.
She's always straightforward,
and she's also a mom,
so I think she'll be
a really good voice in my head.
I can't believe
she's doing this.
This is a bold move,
and it's going to be
an adventure.
Now, here's one.
Here's the exterior.
I think I'm kind of picky.
So I will be curious
what spaces
I find that I'm okay with.
Ideal budget is $50,000.
I would be willing to spend
a little more if it had,
you know, everything.
It's beautiful.
It's clean.
It just looks so plain.
I'm looking for a tiny home
that is really clean.
I don't want cottage or a cabin,
that woodsy feel,
and neither do
I want a really cold,
modern, glass box.
I want a lot of light.
I want it to feel
just really open and bright.
Look how small that is.
That's ridiculous.
She'd like something
between 200 and 300 square feet,
and will be placing the house
on a friend's land.
She's 7 now.
What about when she's 16?
My biggest reservation
going tiny would be
having private time
separate from my daughter.
She needs to have her own space,
and I as an adult
need my own space.
Oh, and you're going
to need a ladder
or are you going
to do stairs?
If we're having a loft
for either of us,
I'd like it to have stairs.
I don't want to have a ladder
where I'm always having to think
about things or be worried
about falling off
or going to the bathroom
in the middle of the night.
I want a bathtub, things
that make it feel
like a real house
even if it's tiny.
I don't know where you're
going to put your stuff.
Well, I'm most excited about
finally having my own house
with windows on
all four sides and space,
and I'll own it, and it's mine,
and I can do with it,
anything I want.
For help finding
the right tiny home,
Hilary will be looking at places
by several local
San Diego builders.
Today, she's meeting up
with Mike Partanna,
who's showing her
one of his models
that she can have
custom built to her liking.
- It's really cute.
- You like it?
It reminds me of on
the East Coast, like,
the Cape Cod models
that I grew up with.
And I love the red doors.
So how big is she?
It is 270 square feet.
So a little bit
of the smaller side, right?
Yeah.
You'll be surprised
when you get inside.
It feels really open
and spacious though.
Okay.
This one's starting
with our standard features.
It starts at $55,000.
As we have it modeled here,
it is $62,000.
Oh!
But we are a custom
tiny-home builder,
so we can tailor it
and get it down to your budget
and kind of tweak it
to what you need.
Hello,
red French doors.
Oh, it's adorable!
Oh, this is nice.
- Oh, wow!
- You like it?
- Yeah.
- Nice and open, huh?
Yeah. Well, I love
all these big windows
in the living area.
It gives you a lot
of natural light.
- It makes it feel open.
- Yeah.
- It's pretty cabin-y.
- It is.
We do the tongue and groove,
and a lot of people like it.
But we could also do drywall.
That would actually
save you $2,000
if we did drywall versus
the tongue and groove.
Oh, wow. Oh.
So yeah.
This is
a really nice kitchen.
I've had kitchens smaller
than this in apartments.
Wow, look how huge
this sink is.
- Wow.
- This is amazing.
A lot of storage
in here.
Yeah, the kitchen,
you get a ton of storage,
and this is one way
you could save some money.
These are highly
custom cabinets.
If we went with our standard
white cabinets,
you would save
about $1,500.
- Okay.
- Wow, okay.
I'm noticing not a lot of
privacy for the lofts.
There isn't on this one,
but we can do walls.
We can do curtains
and everything.
When you do that, though,
it closes off,
but it gives you privacy.
- Okay.
- Can I go up in one?
Absolutely, go ahead.
So this,
I just lift it up?
- Yep, just pull it down.
- Oh, that's nice.
So this would be
my loft, right?
- Right.
- Oh, it's so cute.
- Does it fit a double?
- It does.
That is actually
a twin-sized bed,
just to give you
comparison, but yeah.
A full-sized bed, you'll have
a little bit of room
on the front of it.
How's your
head room up there?
Uh, it's good.
- Is that a peak roof?
- Yes, it's a peak roof.
But we have a bunch
of different shed-style,
peak roofs, you know,
we can kind of do
any roofline
that you want.
This is why I am not
giving the ladder to Sadie.
Oh, this is a really
nice bathroom.
This is cool.
Oh, but wait.
- Oh, can you see me?
- Hmm.
The frosted glass
gives you some privacy,
but you still get the natural
light from the inside.
Oh, I like this.
Like, it's a real bathroom,
right, like you'd have
in your house?
- It's really nice.
Just like the kitchen,
this bathroom
is much more
than I was expecting.
- So no tub.
- Oh.
But this is a nice shower.
But actually, this is
actually an upgraded cost.
- Oh.
- So you could save
$1,000 by doing a standard tub.
- There we go.
- We're just ripping it up.
I know.
I love it.
Let me see how steep this is.
So this would be
Sadie's loft.
Oh, yeah.
That way, all of her toys
and stuff would be up here,
and it'll be just a nice
living room downstairs.
What about
storage up here?
This house doesn't have
a lot of storage
aside from the really
well-equipped kitchen.
When I think of all
my camping gear
and ski gear and Sadie's clothes
and just life in general
for the two of us,
I don't know.
It's still kind of small.
Could we, like, do some walls,
maybe with some cabinets
in them?
Absolutely.
We could do a railing.
We could do cupboards.
We could do open shelving
and everything to give you
kind of some separation.
Yeah. Do you think me
and Sadie are too close?
I don't think you're
going to get around that
in a tiny house.
I was surprised about
how cabin-y it was inside.
- Yeah.
- It's kind of small,
- but it's pretty darn cute.
- Yeah.
And there's still
the issue of privacy.
Yes.
She's super cute,
but she may just be
a little too small.
Hilary and Diane
are now headed to see
something a bit more spacious.
Look at this closet.
- Oh!
- Yes, I know.
Bye.
So here's my thing.
Like, how oft have I used
this really nice printer, right?
San Diego, California,
single-mom Hilary
is embracing
a more minimalist lifestyle
and looking for
a tiny home for herself
and her daughter, Sadie.
With her best friend
Diane along for help,
Hilary's working
with several local builders
so she can see
a variety of options.
So far, tiny-house
builder Mike Partanna
has shown her a 270-square-foot
traditional bungalow
with plenty of charm,
but customizations like
adding storage and privacy
in the lofts will surpass
her $50,000 budget.
Today, Hilary's meeting up
with another local
tiny manufacturer,
whose sales rep Tom Reynoso
is showing them
a customizable tiny option.
Wow, this is really cute.
Yeah, this is
our cottage-style model,
and this one
features a loft.
- Oh, awesome.
- Pretty permanent.
Yeah, that's true.
How do you transport it?
No, we set this home
to be permanent
- for this location.
- Uh-huh.
But there's a trailer hitch
underneath it.
And a truck can pull it
wherever you want it.
How much does it cost
to move one of these?
It depends on where
you want it gone,
but typically
about $1,500
is what it costs
to move one of these.
- Oh.
- Okay.
I love that there's
this huge awning.
How big is
the whole thing?
The home itself
is 378 square feet.
Oh. That's nice.
But because it's a loft, you
also have usable space upstairs.
Well, how much is
the overall price?
This one, the base price
of the home is $49,500,
but with the options that we
added to this one here,
as shown, it's about $56,500.
Still, that's great.
This could actually
be under budget.
- Yeah.
- Yay.
Oh, wow.
Oh, this is nice.
This is like
a real house.
- What do you think?
- It's really nice.
It's so bright, all these
windows and the lights.
And the vaulted ceiling,
it's really nice.
Wow, this is
an amazing kitchen.
Plenty
of countertop space
and a lot
of cabinet space, too.
You've got the lazy Susan
back there.
The lazy Hilary.
This is great, and look at
the big window over the sink.
Wow, it's so big.
An oven,
and I could be cooking, right?
And Sadie can be
hanging out here.
We'd probably just put barstools
here, don't you think?
That's true. And just not have
a dining-room table?
Yeah.
The cabinetry
is a little more cottage-y
than I'm looking for in that
it's a little busy.
I do like
the clean-and-simple lines.
That said, I love how much
counter space there is.
This is nice, and it's like
a little private home office.
You know, get all
the stuff out of the way.
Yeah, all that
extra cabinetry
and countertop space.
Now, this particular bathroom,
it's a full-sized bath.
This is the real deal,
and this is huge.
We opted for the shower
instead of the tub-shower combo.
Whatever you would prefer.
And then, you lead
into your private bedroom.
Oh! Wow.
You've got all
your built-in cabinets.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Look at this closet.
- No!
- Yes, I know.
Bye.
I'd have my ski gear,
my camping gear.
Oh, and look at this!
I love this feature.
This is a great
use of space.
The built-ins are super handy.
I would have
extra storage space.
Look at this,
and then, privacy.
- Let's go check out the loft.
- Oh, good.
Oh, wow.
It's real stairs.
Wow, and I can stand up.
This is massive.
She could have
a double bed up here.
She could have her
entire bedroom up here.
I don't think
she'd ever come down.
It's bigger than
I was thinking of,
which I know
sounds bizarre.
Well, it's on the large side
for a tiny house.
It's really bright
and open.
There's a lot of things
that we can do to help
adjust the budget, too.
This is a gorgeous kitchen.
All of the storage,
I could buy more stuff.
And there's a lot of privacy
in this house.
Yes, that is definitely true.
I don't know.
I feel like it could be
a lot of house.
They're now on their way
to see something a bit cozier,
but there's always a trade off.
So, I just noticed
there's not a door.
What are you going to do
about privacy in the bathroom?
How high can you get?
I think you're just going
to stay up there all day.
San Diego mom
Hilary is going tiny
and buying her first home.
So that she can see
a wide range of options,
she's having a variety
of local builders
show her their tiny builds.
So far, she and her friend Diane
have seen a traditional bungalow
that's just over
her $50,000 budget.
She's concerned
with the lack of privacy,
and it might be a little bit
too small for her
and her daughter, Sadie.
They've also seen
a roomy cottage
with plenty of space and privacy
that can be built to her liking,
but Hilary thinks
it could be too much house
and would be costly to tow.
Today, they're meeting up
with local builder Ben Rawson
to see one of his fully
customizable tiny builds.
- Hi, Ben.
- Hey, guys.
- Hey.
- Wow.
This is a different
kind of style.
I like how it breaks up
from being like a cabin
to being
it's not super modern.
It's not super rustic.
I like the mix.
Yeah, but why
are there no doorknobs?
It's a brand-new build.
It's about 98% finished.
They leave some of
the finished aspects open
so you can kind of
have some options.
This is industrious, though.
I mean, it's metal.
I think it gives it
some style.
It's about 208 square feet
on the bottom,
and then, the lofts add
about another 100 square feet.
- So 308 square feet?
- Yeah, it's big, right?
- That's tiny.
- No, it's big.
It'll be great,
but how much is this guy?
It's $54,000, so it comes
in a little over your budget.
Oh.
So it's $54,000
and it's not done?
Would she have to pay
for the completion or...
Well, it depends
on what upgrades
she goes with
for the end.
I think you're really going to
like the interior on this one.
It's got a really clean,
modern look.
Oh, I see what you were
talking about.
Oh, this is very bright.
This place is huge.
White finish,
very clean, pine trim.
This is great.
You can put a dining-room table
right here,
like, a drop-down table
from the wall.
You can also use
this kitchen area
right here as a bar
with a stool to eat.
Oh, it's so cute.
Look, picture Sadie,
right, doing her
little homework,
and I'm, like,
making the dinner.
I can see Sadie
sitting in this spot.
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
But then, do I fit?
- Yeah.
- I don't know.
I wish this went further.
Right, like a real table.
Maybe you could make
this into a drop-down.
And I like the sink.
I like the white
sort of farmhouse.
This is nice.
I mean, I could really cook.
A full-size oven
is nice.
There's storage built
under the stairs in this one,
so you can put
all your extra...
Oh, cool.
Look, it's my closet.
I can, like, put a bar,
hang all my clothes.
You, Sadie, camping gear,
is that realistic here?
This is not a closet.
She could maybe fit
a handful of shirts
and a pair of shoes in there.
I think there's still
plenty of space back here
in the laundry room
to build shelving, too.
Laundry room?
That's too funny.
Wait a minute.
It's part of one thing.
- Yeah, I've seen these online.
- Washer and dryer in one?
- In one.
- Nice.
What is going on here?
This is really small.
This is very small.
It's a real tub.
I like that there's
a full-sized tub.
Yes. Okay, so Sadie
would like this.
You know, it's real.
It's big.
Okay, so I just noticed
there's not a door.
What are you going to do
about privacy in the bathroom?
It looks like there's
enough space right here,
next to the washer-dryer,
to put a pocket door.
Oh, that would be nice.
Okay, so this loft
doesn't have any privacy,
and it doesn't have a way
to get up to it.
Yeah.
What are my options?
You could put in
a fold-up ladder
or like a rolling library
ladder along the ledge.
Oh, that would be nice.
I brought a step ladder
with me.
Let me go grab it,
and we'll hop up there.
Okay.
I don't know.
I don't think Sadie, at 7,
is going to want to climb
a ladder every day.
- Yay!
- There we go.
Okay.
Oh, wow.
This is so cute.
Oh, my gosh.
Wow, this isn't too bad.
Look, look.
This is roomier
than I anticipated,
but there's no mattress
up here yet.
Maybe I can only date guys
who are under 6 feet.
And no privacy.
- Absolutely no privacy.
- Yeah.
I think I would need
a curtain or something.
Go ahead, girl. Okay.
I think this loft
would be better for Sadie
because the stairs, she'd have
an easier time getting up.
This is big, though.
I mean, you could definitely
fit a queen mattress.
The cross breeze
is really nice up here.
- This is really nice.
- What about storage up here?
Do you have
any ideas, Ben?
Yeah, we could build out
more storage in the corners
or actually right where you're
sitting would be fine.
Like a built-in?
There's not really privacy.
I mean, you can sort of count
this, but it's like, "Hello.
Hello down there."
Okay, so you would
give Sadie the master loft?
I think yes,
if it would keep
all of her toys
out of the living room.
So it's really bright.
I like that, but I don't know.
It's still kind of
industrial out there,
right, with all that metal.
It's a lot roomier
than I anticipated,
but it doesn't have
a lot of storage still.
It's a little over budget.
I think I just
overall need something
with a little more privacy
between me and Sadie.
But it does have
a very open floor plan.
Yeah, and I love
the full-size tub.
That's nice.
With lots of ways to
downsize, it's time for Hilary
to decide which tiny house is
right for her and her daughter.
So many choices.
Our house hunters
are moving on up
to a much smaller space.
Could you live
in a tiny house?
San Diego, California,
local Hilary
is going tiny
to simplify her life
and to be able
to own her own home.
With a budget of $50,000,
she needs something
with space and privacy
for herself
and her daughter, Sadie.
After seeing several different
ways to live smaller,
it's time for her
to make a decision.
So what about
the Traditional house?
That one was the smallest
of the three
$55,000, but it was
only 270 square feet,
so talk about
privacy, right?
But the craftsmanship
was amazing.
Really great.
And the bathroom, holy smokes.
However, I don't think
you had very much storage
in that one at all.
I was surprised at how
cabin-y it was inside
given that on the outside,
it was kind of traditional
and smooth.
That one had
a nice kitchen in it,
but do you think the living
space was big enough?
The living space
was really small.
What about the Cottage?
I really love the Cottage.
It was the largest of
all three at 370 square feet
plus that huge loft.
That was amazing,
and that was under budget.
It was $49,500.
It was really cute
on the outside.
And don't forget
about all the privacy
you would have in that house.
That is real privacy. Real.
And Sadie in the loft.
What did you think
of the Industrial house?
This option was
308 square feet
and priced at $54,000.
It was open and airy
on the inside.
A lot of natural light.
That was nice.
It had a lot of corrugated
metal on the outside.
But it had a lot
of great redwood, too.
I looked that it was unique.
I liked how open
and airy it was inside.
You've got a lot
to think about, girl.
So many choices.
So I love the craftsmanship
of the traditional
and the exterior
and those incredible
French doors,
and just overall the quality,
but I'm going to cut it.
It's just too small.
Okay, I could see that.
So we have left
the Industrial and the Cottage.
The Cottage is great,
but I don't think
it speaks to me.
I really want
to be mobile.
I am going to have
to go with the Industrial.
I really am.
Really? Wow, okay.
I'll just get used
to the metal.
Yeah. Well, I love it.
Let's call the builder.
I know. I want to get it
before it goes.
Will you take these
out to the patio?
Thank you, love.
I have officially been living
in a tiny house for three weeks,
and I've named her the way
you'd name a boat.
She is the Little Dove.
I am adjusting perfectly
to living tiny.
I sleep like a rock in my loft.
My kitchen gets
really messy really fast,
but it cleans up instantly.
- Hey, you want some tea?
- Yeah, let's do tea.
The final cost was $54,000.
So what I love,
are cross breeze.
- Look at this.
- Oh.
And the windows
are so open.
Hilary's parked her tiny house
on a friend's property for now.
Okay, baby.
I am only paying $600
to rent the land,
and $600 for my mortgage,
so in San Diego,
1,200 bucks is incredible.
Okay, dive in.
My turn.
Oh, Maddie's already ready.
My favorite spot
in my tiny house
is definitely my loft.
My feet face out on this lush,
beautiful garden,
and that's where Sadie
and I watch movies and snuggle.
This is the album I found of
when you were a little girl.
Look at that.
I gave myself the smaller loft
for my own sanity.
I don't want toys everywhere,
and I don't want
to be distracted
by all of Sadie's stuff.
I also wanted her to have
her own little nook and cranny.
Life is good.
I don't have
any regrets going tiny.
I have no idea what lies in the
future for me and my tiny house.
I look forward to doing
a lot of outdoor living
and just look forward to having
friends over to hang out.
across the country
are saying goodbye
to big houses...
Wow, look at that.
That is tiny.
...and hello to small spaces.
With a 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.
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 going to sleep?
This swings back.
That's the loft.
- Oh.
- I think I see problem already.
- Oh, it's so cute.
- Oh, this is really cute.
San Diego mom Hilary
has got her heart set
on a tiny home.
- It's big, right?
- That's tiny.
No, it's big.
It'll be great.
But her friend Diane
is there to keep her grounded.
Oh, cool.
Look, it's my closet.
You, Sadie, camping gear.
Is that realistic here?
What are you going to do
about privacy in the bathroom?
Finding a home
with enough space for her
and her young daughter
is no easy feat.
This is cool.
Oh, but wait.
Can you see me?
Hmm.
My name's Hilary.
I live in San Diego,
and I work in International
Education Administration.
I got you.
I'm a single mom.
I have a 7-year-old
daughter, Sadie,
with me about half the time.
Uh-oh. Uh-oh!
I'd say some of
my favorite hobbies
are really anything to do
with being outside,
and then if my daughter's
around, we'll build a fort.
The weather's so nice,
we're just outside a lot.
My lease ended in my rental
place about three months ago.
I'm currently living
with a friend of mine
in the San Diego area,
and I'm waiting to go tiny.
You think we'll have the space
for this in a tiny house?
I have so many reasons
why I want to go tiny.
I've never owned my own home,
and this is definitely
an affordable way to do that.
I would say that minimalism has
become kind of a fun addiction.
Like, I notice myself
lying in bed at night
thinking like, "You know,
I haven't worn that jacket.
I bet that could go."
Raising a daughter,
there's a lot of toys.
There are many
gifts they receive.
There's a lot of media.
There's a lot of just stuff
around all the time,
and I'm showing my daughter
what it looks like
to have less stuff.
She will have fewer
distractions in her life.
So, look,
look how little she is.
It's going to be great.
I'd love to see
how this works.
What about the bathroom
situation?
My friend Diane's
going to help me
have a voice of reason.
She's always honest with me.
She's always straightforward,
and she's also a mom,
so I think she'll be
a really good voice in my head.
I can't believe
she's doing this.
This is a bold move,
and it's going to be
an adventure.
Now, here's one.
Here's the exterior.
I think I'm kind of picky.
So I will be curious
what spaces
I find that I'm okay with.
Ideal budget is $50,000.
I would be willing to spend
a little more if it had,
you know, everything.
It's beautiful.
It's clean.
It just looks so plain.
I'm looking for a tiny home
that is really clean.
I don't want cottage or a cabin,
that woodsy feel,
and neither do
I want a really cold,
modern, glass box.
I want a lot of light.
I want it to feel
just really open and bright.
Look how small that is.
That's ridiculous.
She'd like something
between 200 and 300 square feet,
and will be placing the house
on a friend's land.
She's 7 now.
What about when she's 16?
My biggest reservation
going tiny would be
having private time
separate from my daughter.
She needs to have her own space,
and I as an adult
need my own space.
Oh, and you're going
to need a ladder
or are you going
to do stairs?
If we're having a loft
for either of us,
I'd like it to have stairs.
I don't want to have a ladder
where I'm always having to think
about things or be worried
about falling off
or going to the bathroom
in the middle of the night.
I want a bathtub, things
that make it feel
like a real house
even if it's tiny.
I don't know where you're
going to put your stuff.
Well, I'm most excited about
finally having my own house
with windows on
all four sides and space,
and I'll own it, and it's mine,
and I can do with it,
anything I want.
For help finding
the right tiny home,
Hilary will be looking at places
by several local
San Diego builders.
Today, she's meeting up
with Mike Partanna,
who's showing her
one of his models
that she can have
custom built to her liking.
- It's really cute.
- You like it?
It reminds me of on
the East Coast, like,
the Cape Cod models
that I grew up with.
And I love the red doors.
So how big is she?
It is 270 square feet.
So a little bit
of the smaller side, right?
Yeah.
You'll be surprised
when you get inside.
It feels really open
and spacious though.
Okay.
This one's starting
with our standard features.
It starts at $55,000.
As we have it modeled here,
it is $62,000.
Oh!
But we are a custom
tiny-home builder,
so we can tailor it
and get it down to your budget
and kind of tweak it
to what you need.
Hello,
red French doors.
Oh, it's adorable!
Oh, this is nice.
- Oh, wow!
- You like it?
- Yeah.
- Nice and open, huh?
Yeah. Well, I love
all these big windows
in the living area.
It gives you a lot
of natural light.
- It makes it feel open.
- Yeah.
- It's pretty cabin-y.
- It is.
We do the tongue and groove,
and a lot of people like it.
But we could also do drywall.
That would actually
save you $2,000
if we did drywall versus
the tongue and groove.
Oh, wow. Oh.
So yeah.
This is
a really nice kitchen.
I've had kitchens smaller
than this in apartments.
Wow, look how huge
this sink is.
- Wow.
- This is amazing.
A lot of storage
in here.
Yeah, the kitchen,
you get a ton of storage,
and this is one way
you could save some money.
These are highly
custom cabinets.
If we went with our standard
white cabinets,
you would save
about $1,500.
- Okay.
- Wow, okay.
I'm noticing not a lot of
privacy for the lofts.
There isn't on this one,
but we can do walls.
We can do curtains
and everything.
When you do that, though,
it closes off,
but it gives you privacy.
- Okay.
- Can I go up in one?
Absolutely, go ahead.
So this,
I just lift it up?
- Yep, just pull it down.
- Oh, that's nice.
So this would be
my loft, right?
- Right.
- Oh, it's so cute.
- Does it fit a double?
- It does.
That is actually
a twin-sized bed,
just to give you
comparison, but yeah.
A full-sized bed, you'll have
a little bit of room
on the front of it.
How's your
head room up there?
Uh, it's good.
- Is that a peak roof?
- Yes, it's a peak roof.
But we have a bunch
of different shed-style,
peak roofs, you know,
we can kind of do
any roofline
that you want.
This is why I am not
giving the ladder to Sadie.
Oh, this is a really
nice bathroom.
This is cool.
Oh, but wait.
- Oh, can you see me?
- Hmm.
The frosted glass
gives you some privacy,
but you still get the natural
light from the inside.
Oh, I like this.
Like, it's a real bathroom,
right, like you'd have
in your house?
- It's really nice.
Just like the kitchen,
this bathroom
is much more
than I was expecting.
- So no tub.
- Oh.
But this is a nice shower.
But actually, this is
actually an upgraded cost.
- Oh.
- So you could save
$1,000 by doing a standard tub.
- There we go.
- We're just ripping it up.
I know.
I love it.
Let me see how steep this is.
So this would be
Sadie's loft.
Oh, yeah.
That way, all of her toys
and stuff would be up here,
and it'll be just a nice
living room downstairs.
What about
storage up here?
This house doesn't have
a lot of storage
aside from the really
well-equipped kitchen.
When I think of all
my camping gear
and ski gear and Sadie's clothes
and just life in general
for the two of us,
I don't know.
It's still kind of small.
Could we, like, do some walls,
maybe with some cabinets
in them?
Absolutely.
We could do a railing.
We could do cupboards.
We could do open shelving
and everything to give you
kind of some separation.
Yeah. Do you think me
and Sadie are too close?
I don't think you're
going to get around that
in a tiny house.
I was surprised about
how cabin-y it was inside.
- Yeah.
- It's kind of small,
- but it's pretty darn cute.
- Yeah.
And there's still
the issue of privacy.
Yes.
She's super cute,
but she may just be
a little too small.
Hilary and Diane
are now headed to see
something a bit more spacious.
Look at this closet.
- Oh!
- Yes, I know.
Bye.
So here's my thing.
Like, how oft have I used
this really nice printer, right?
San Diego, California,
single-mom Hilary
is embracing
a more minimalist lifestyle
and looking for
a tiny home for herself
and her daughter, Sadie.
With her best friend
Diane along for help,
Hilary's working
with several local builders
so she can see
a variety of options.
So far, tiny-house
builder Mike Partanna
has shown her a 270-square-foot
traditional bungalow
with plenty of charm,
but customizations like
adding storage and privacy
in the lofts will surpass
her $50,000 budget.
Today, Hilary's meeting up
with another local
tiny manufacturer,
whose sales rep Tom Reynoso
is showing them
a customizable tiny option.
Wow, this is really cute.
Yeah, this is
our cottage-style model,
and this one
features a loft.
- Oh, awesome.
- Pretty permanent.
Yeah, that's true.
How do you transport it?
No, we set this home
to be permanent
- for this location.
- Uh-huh.
But there's a trailer hitch
underneath it.
And a truck can pull it
wherever you want it.
How much does it cost
to move one of these?
It depends on where
you want it gone,
but typically
about $1,500
is what it costs
to move one of these.
- Oh.
- Okay.
I love that there's
this huge awning.
How big is
the whole thing?
The home itself
is 378 square feet.
Oh. That's nice.
But because it's a loft, you
also have usable space upstairs.
Well, how much is
the overall price?
This one, the base price
of the home is $49,500,
but with the options that we
added to this one here,
as shown, it's about $56,500.
Still, that's great.
This could actually
be under budget.
- Yeah.
- Yay.
Oh, wow.
Oh, this is nice.
This is like
a real house.
- What do you think?
- It's really nice.
It's so bright, all these
windows and the lights.
And the vaulted ceiling,
it's really nice.
Wow, this is
an amazing kitchen.
Plenty
of countertop space
and a lot
of cabinet space, too.
You've got the lazy Susan
back there.
The lazy Hilary.
This is great, and look at
the big window over the sink.
Wow, it's so big.
An oven,
and I could be cooking, right?
And Sadie can be
hanging out here.
We'd probably just put barstools
here, don't you think?
That's true. And just not have
a dining-room table?
Yeah.
The cabinetry
is a little more cottage-y
than I'm looking for in that
it's a little busy.
I do like
the clean-and-simple lines.
That said, I love how much
counter space there is.
This is nice, and it's like
a little private home office.
You know, get all
the stuff out of the way.
Yeah, all that
extra cabinetry
and countertop space.
Now, this particular bathroom,
it's a full-sized bath.
This is the real deal,
and this is huge.
We opted for the shower
instead of the tub-shower combo.
Whatever you would prefer.
And then, you lead
into your private bedroom.
Oh! Wow.
You've got all
your built-in cabinets.
- Oh, my gosh.
- Look at this closet.
- No!
- Yes, I know.
Bye.
I'd have my ski gear,
my camping gear.
Oh, and look at this!
I love this feature.
This is a great
use of space.
The built-ins are super handy.
I would have
extra storage space.
Look at this,
and then, privacy.
- Let's go check out the loft.
- Oh, good.
Oh, wow.
It's real stairs.
Wow, and I can stand up.
This is massive.
She could have
a double bed up here.
She could have her
entire bedroom up here.
I don't think
she'd ever come down.
It's bigger than
I was thinking of,
which I know
sounds bizarre.
Well, it's on the large side
for a tiny house.
It's really bright
and open.
There's a lot of things
that we can do to help
adjust the budget, too.
This is a gorgeous kitchen.
All of the storage,
I could buy more stuff.
And there's a lot of privacy
in this house.
Yes, that is definitely true.
I don't know.
I feel like it could be
a lot of house.
They're now on their way
to see something a bit cozier,
but there's always a trade off.
So, I just noticed
there's not a door.
What are you going to do
about privacy in the bathroom?
How high can you get?
I think you're just going
to stay up there all day.
San Diego mom
Hilary is going tiny
and buying her first home.
So that she can see
a wide range of options,
she's having a variety
of local builders
show her their tiny builds.
So far, she and her friend Diane
have seen a traditional bungalow
that's just over
her $50,000 budget.
She's concerned
with the lack of privacy,
and it might be a little bit
too small for her
and her daughter, Sadie.
They've also seen
a roomy cottage
with plenty of space and privacy
that can be built to her liking,
but Hilary thinks
it could be too much house
and would be costly to tow.
Today, they're meeting up
with local builder Ben Rawson
to see one of his fully
customizable tiny builds.
- Hi, Ben.
- Hey, guys.
- Hey.
- Wow.
This is a different
kind of style.
I like how it breaks up
from being like a cabin
to being
it's not super modern.
It's not super rustic.
I like the mix.
Yeah, but why
are there no doorknobs?
It's a brand-new build.
It's about 98% finished.
They leave some of
the finished aspects open
so you can kind of
have some options.
This is industrious, though.
I mean, it's metal.
I think it gives it
some style.
It's about 208 square feet
on the bottom,
and then, the lofts add
about another 100 square feet.
- So 308 square feet?
- Yeah, it's big, right?
- That's tiny.
- No, it's big.
It'll be great,
but how much is this guy?
It's $54,000, so it comes
in a little over your budget.
Oh.
So it's $54,000
and it's not done?
Would she have to pay
for the completion or...
Well, it depends
on what upgrades
she goes with
for the end.
I think you're really going to
like the interior on this one.
It's got a really clean,
modern look.
Oh, I see what you were
talking about.
Oh, this is very bright.
This place is huge.
White finish,
very clean, pine trim.
This is great.
You can put a dining-room table
right here,
like, a drop-down table
from the wall.
You can also use
this kitchen area
right here as a bar
with a stool to eat.
Oh, it's so cute.
Look, picture Sadie,
right, doing her
little homework,
and I'm, like,
making the dinner.
I can see Sadie
sitting in this spot.
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
But then, do I fit?
- Yeah.
- I don't know.
I wish this went further.
Right, like a real table.
Maybe you could make
this into a drop-down.
And I like the sink.
I like the white
sort of farmhouse.
This is nice.
I mean, I could really cook.
A full-size oven
is nice.
There's storage built
under the stairs in this one,
so you can put
all your extra...
Oh, cool.
Look, it's my closet.
I can, like, put a bar,
hang all my clothes.
You, Sadie, camping gear,
is that realistic here?
This is not a closet.
She could maybe fit
a handful of shirts
and a pair of shoes in there.
I think there's still
plenty of space back here
in the laundry room
to build shelving, too.
Laundry room?
That's too funny.
Wait a minute.
It's part of one thing.
- Yeah, I've seen these online.
- Washer and dryer in one?
- In one.
- Nice.
What is going on here?
This is really small.
This is very small.
It's a real tub.
I like that there's
a full-sized tub.
Yes. Okay, so Sadie
would like this.
You know, it's real.
It's big.
Okay, so I just noticed
there's not a door.
What are you going to do
about privacy in the bathroom?
It looks like there's
enough space right here,
next to the washer-dryer,
to put a pocket door.
Oh, that would be nice.
Okay, so this loft
doesn't have any privacy,
and it doesn't have a way
to get up to it.
Yeah.
What are my options?
You could put in
a fold-up ladder
or like a rolling library
ladder along the ledge.
Oh, that would be nice.
I brought a step ladder
with me.
Let me go grab it,
and we'll hop up there.
Okay.
I don't know.
I don't think Sadie, at 7,
is going to want to climb
a ladder every day.
- Yay!
- There we go.
Okay.
Oh, wow.
This is so cute.
Oh, my gosh.
Wow, this isn't too bad.
Look, look.
This is roomier
than I anticipated,
but there's no mattress
up here yet.
Maybe I can only date guys
who are under 6 feet.
And no privacy.
- Absolutely no privacy.
- Yeah.
I think I would need
a curtain or something.
Go ahead, girl. Okay.
I think this loft
would be better for Sadie
because the stairs, she'd have
an easier time getting up.
This is big, though.
I mean, you could definitely
fit a queen mattress.
The cross breeze
is really nice up here.
- This is really nice.
- What about storage up here?
Do you have
any ideas, Ben?
Yeah, we could build out
more storage in the corners
or actually right where you're
sitting would be fine.
Like a built-in?
There's not really privacy.
I mean, you can sort of count
this, but it's like, "Hello.
Hello down there."
Okay, so you would
give Sadie the master loft?
I think yes,
if it would keep
all of her toys
out of the living room.
So it's really bright.
I like that, but I don't know.
It's still kind of
industrial out there,
right, with all that metal.
It's a lot roomier
than I anticipated,
but it doesn't have
a lot of storage still.
It's a little over budget.
I think I just
overall need something
with a little more privacy
between me and Sadie.
But it does have
a very open floor plan.
Yeah, and I love
the full-size tub.
That's nice.
With lots of ways to
downsize, it's time for Hilary
to decide which tiny house is
right for her and her daughter.
So many choices.
Our house hunters
are moving on up
to a much smaller space.
Could you live
in a tiny house?
San Diego, California,
local Hilary
is going tiny
to simplify her life
and to be able
to own her own home.
With a budget of $50,000,
she needs something
with space and privacy
for herself
and her daughter, Sadie.
After seeing several different
ways to live smaller,
it's time for her
to make a decision.
So what about
the Traditional house?
That one was the smallest
of the three
$55,000, but it was
only 270 square feet,
so talk about
privacy, right?
But the craftsmanship
was amazing.
Really great.
And the bathroom, holy smokes.
However, I don't think
you had very much storage
in that one at all.
I was surprised at how
cabin-y it was inside
given that on the outside,
it was kind of traditional
and smooth.
That one had
a nice kitchen in it,
but do you think the living
space was big enough?
The living space
was really small.
What about the Cottage?
I really love the Cottage.
It was the largest of
all three at 370 square feet
plus that huge loft.
That was amazing,
and that was under budget.
It was $49,500.
It was really cute
on the outside.
And don't forget
about all the privacy
you would have in that house.
That is real privacy. Real.
And Sadie in the loft.
What did you think
of the Industrial house?
This option was
308 square feet
and priced at $54,000.
It was open and airy
on the inside.
A lot of natural light.
That was nice.
It had a lot of corrugated
metal on the outside.
But it had a lot
of great redwood, too.
I looked that it was unique.
I liked how open
and airy it was inside.
You've got a lot
to think about, girl.
So many choices.
So I love the craftsmanship
of the traditional
and the exterior
and those incredible
French doors,
and just overall the quality,
but I'm going to cut it.
It's just too small.
Okay, I could see that.
So we have left
the Industrial and the Cottage.
The Cottage is great,
but I don't think
it speaks to me.
I really want
to be mobile.
I am going to have
to go with the Industrial.
I really am.
Really? Wow, okay.
I'll just get used
to the metal.
Yeah. Well, I love it.
Let's call the builder.
I know. I want to get it
before it goes.
Will you take these
out to the patio?
Thank you, love.
I have officially been living
in a tiny house for three weeks,
and I've named her the way
you'd name a boat.
She is the Little Dove.
I am adjusting perfectly
to living tiny.
I sleep like a rock in my loft.
My kitchen gets
really messy really fast,
but it cleans up instantly.
- Hey, you want some tea?
- Yeah, let's do tea.
The final cost was $54,000.
So what I love,
are cross breeze.
- Look at this.
- Oh.
And the windows
are so open.
Hilary's parked her tiny house
on a friend's property for now.
Okay, baby.
I am only paying $600
to rent the land,
and $600 for my mortgage,
so in San Diego,
1,200 bucks is incredible.
Okay, dive in.
My turn.
Oh, Maddie's already ready.
My favorite spot
in my tiny house
is definitely my loft.
My feet face out on this lush,
beautiful garden,
and that's where Sadie
and I watch movies and snuggle.
This is the album I found of
when you were a little girl.
Look at that.
I gave myself the smaller loft
for my own sanity.
I don't want toys everywhere,
and I don't want
to be distracted
by all of Sadie's stuff.
I also wanted her to have
her own little nook and cranny.
Life is good.
I don't have
any regrets going tiny.
I have no idea what lies in the
future for me and my tiny house.
I look forward to doing
a lot of outdoor living
and just look forward to having
friends over to hang out.