Tiny House Hunters (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 27 - Going Tiny in Two Cities - 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.

- Oh, it's really cute.
- Oh, wow.

Jadon and Katie are
looking for a portable tiny home

they can hit the road with
in Portland, Oregon.

So do you think
- you could tow this?
- I think so.

But portability
isn't their only issue.

Do you think
it's a little too much white?

- No. No.
- I was hoping for maybe
a little bit of rustic wood.



Even if they can agree on style,

finding something with enough
space is a serious challenge.

It's getting a little
small in here.

- Can you sit up comfortably?
- Mostly, kind of.

You'll have to trim
your Mohawk a little bit.

All right. Well,
- we're in rainy Portland.
- Yeah.

Although, I think it's better
than 0 degrees Milwaukee.

Hi, I'm Jadon.
I'm Katie.

I'm a professional photographer.

Most of what I do revolves
around weddings.

I've been a graphic designer
for over 10 years

for the same company,
and I love it.

Jadon and I met
at a baseball game,

and I looked over and was like,
"Who's the guy

with the shirt off with
the tattoos and the Mohawk?"

And it was Jadon.

Having sold
their 1,400-square-foot home

in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,

they've moved
to Portland, Oregon,

where they're staying
with friends.

The Portland area, even just
the whole Pacific Northwest,

is just a gorgeous part
of the country,

and the city itself of Portland
just has such a fun vibe

with so much to do
in the area.

They've decided to buy
a portable tiny house

that they can drive back
and forth

between Portland and Milwaukee,

letting them live
in either city.

We're going tiny just to be able
to live in two places at once.

We just really want
an opportunity

to travel to new places and
really get to know new areas.

What do you think?

Do you think Mazy's
gonna like tiny living?

I think she's a tiny dog,
tiny house.

I think it might work.

So our budget
is $57,000,

and we're really hoping
to stay right at that.

I mean, under is even better.
Under is always better.

We're really not looking
to buy any land.

I mean, we really just
want to lease month to month,

and I think that would be
the ideal situation for us.

- What do you think of this one?
- This is a little too log cabin.

I feel like we'd have to
go up in the mountains

and never come back
if we got this one.

I really love just a clean,
white, modern home.

I think my style's probably
a little bit of a mix

between a rustic
and industrial.

I like a few more
darker woods

and kind of
a little bit of that vibe.

Yeah, It looks like
it might have

a little workspace
over here, though.

- That would be nice.
- Chairs.

But it just feels
everything, like,

is a little too
crammed in.

I'm gonna be working remotely,
so I really need an office space

that I can set up
all my things in

and just feel
really comfortable in.

That would be a fun place
to hang out. Yeah.

We definitely like to have a lot
of family and friends stop by.

You know,
we like to entertain.

We just need to make sure that,
throughout the house,

there's that room
to have people over.

I mean, I think
a lot of these houses

probably could have
a good kitchen.

I really, really have
to have a nice kitchen.

I just really want some place
I can bake and cook

and just really make some
healthy meals for Jadon and I

and to have people over, and
that really is a must for me.

What about traveling between
Wisconsin and Oregon, though?

I mean, do you think
that's gonna be difficult

with a tiny house?

I mean, I don't know
if it's gonna be easy. Yeah.

But, I mean, as long as it's
a house that the truck can tow,

I mean, there's no reason
why we can't go back and forth.

What if we're not able
to find a porch, though?

Well, I mean, it would be nice
if it's already there,

but, I mean,
if we have to build our own,

I mean, I'm sure we can
come up with something.

I definitely want stairs.

I just can't imagine

using a ladder to climb
into bed every day.

It makes me feel like
I'm a kid sharing a bunk bed

with my brother again.

We just, for awhile,
have been feeling that need,

that pull for more adventure
to kind of write

a better story
for our lives,

and so I think
moving to a tiny house

is definitely a big chance,
definitely a big change.

And so we're just looking
for the excitement

and adventure of it.

They'll be
looking at tiny options

built by several local builders.

Today, they're meeting up
with Bruce Westra,

who's showing them
one of his mobile tiny builds

that's ready to buy as is.

We got a really nice one
to show you today,

188 square feet,

and it retails at $55,000
fully furnished.

- Oh, wow.
- Wow.

So everything you see
- goes with it.
- This seems not too bad to tow.

I mean, how much does
something like this weigh?

About 8,000 pounds. Okay.

And a 1-ton truck
- easily pulls it.
- Okay. Oh, nice.

With the towing now,
does anything on the outside,

the awning, the porch,
does any of that come with it?

The porch doesn't
- travel with it.
- Okay.

And the awning goes with it, but
it has to be removed for train.

- Okay.
- Okay, that's not too bad.

So, I'd have to maybe build
my own porch somewhere then?

Maybe. We'll see.

Come on in.

Wow.

I mean, I could use
a little more white in here,

not gonna lie.

Although, I think the bamboo
against the dark still has

some of that
rustic feel to it.

- Looks kind of nice as it is.
- Do you? Ooh.

And, like, it's a really
nice size for a couch.

Yeah. The couch looks
really nice-sized.

I mean, think about it, too.

Even if we're having
friends over here,

I mean, a few on the couch,
I think we could definitely

- be able to hang out in here.
- Yeah.

And then, all right, I'm seeing
some unique drawers over here.

Inside are all
little storage areas.

- Oh, yeah.
- So cool.

Great, like, after taking Mazy
for a walk, you know,

we can just shove
our coats in here,

put our boots down there.

The one thing I'm kind of not
seeing, though, is a workspace.

And that's why we have
this little flip-up workspace.

Okay. I'm a little concerned
that might be a little small,

but, I mean, I guess
that could also double as--

I'm guessing that's the prep
area for the kitchen, too?

It is. You can use it
for a prep area.

You can use it
for a table.

Is there a stove or...

We have the refrigerator
- and induction cook surface.
- Okay.

When you walk in
the kitchen, it's very cute,

but there's just no place
for me to cook or bake.

And I really don't love that.

- Sink here.
- Okay.

And this is the counter space
that's available, so...

The kitchen is really
not working for me.

So this is the bathroom.

Oh, it's really cute.

I mean, it's just
a toilet and a shower.

Although the sink
is right here.

We could just put up
a mirror, and then I
could just get ready

in the mornings
right around the corner.

Let's see. Is this gonna
be big enough for you?

- Let me see.
- All right. Let's see.

6'1".

Hey, you got about
6 inches to spare.

It's okay.

And then the loft
is right above us.

- Okay.
- Okay.

Ooh, I like how there's
this rail up here.

The bamboo rail makes me
feel safe and...

He made that
nice and sturdy.

I like that.
- It does feel sturdy.
- I feel the stairs
are pretty easy, too.

It's not like a ladder you have
to crawl up to get in here.

It's a tight fit,
but, you know,

I think this is just kind of
what happens in these houses.

I'm not hitting my head
or anything.

- Yeah. What about laying down?
- Laying down?

You got to kind
of duck to lay down.

Lofts are lofts.

You know,
it's not gonna be huge,

but this one, I'm not sure

if there's enough space
to spread out up there.

And, you know, too,
this little thing right here,

if you're downstairs, I can
maybe get a little, uh...

breakfast in bed.

- Yeah. Good luck trying that.
- Oh, okay.

It's cute.

Yeah.
What are your thoughts?

Do you think it could
work for you?

Well, I really like
the loft space.

I mean, I think that that felt
really cozy and comfortable.

I like the living room.

I think it's a big enough space
to really be able to hang out,

relax, you know,
really spend some time.

My only concern is the kitchen.
I just... I don't know.

I just feel like the counter
space is a little jammed up.

And then I really would like
a nice, big work area.

So that's another concern.

But, you know,
I guess having a house

this size would be
pretty easy to tow

when we're going
across the country

spending so much time
in the truck

and moving
everything around.

And don't get me wrong,

I really do think
the bamboo is beautiful.

It's modern in a certain way
but not modern in, like,

the streamline way
maybe I'm looking for.

Bruce now wants to
show them one of his builds

that's more Katie's style.

- It's really cute.
- Yeah. It's really bright,
really fun.

Did we just find me?

Actually grow out that beard.
I mean, a lumberjack.

You're gonna fit right in
in the Pacific Northwest.

You know, if you put this
in the house, anytime I go away,

you could have me there.

Katie, a graphic designer,

and her husband, Jadon,
a photographer,

are going tiny to spend
half the year in Portland

and the other half
where they grew up in Milwaukee,

so mobility is a priority
for them.

Local tiny-house builder
Bruce Westra

has shown them
a 188-square-foot home

that's just under
their $57,000 budget.

Jadon loves the rustic style,

but Katie wants something
more modern and white.

And the kitchen and office space
are too small

to be practical for her.

Bruce is now showing them
another one of his builds

that's more Katie's style.

- It's really cute.
- Yeah. It's really bright,
really fun.

Yeah, I love the gray,
and it definitely feels

very beachy and outdoorsy.

It's very airy and refreshing.
- It's really pretty.
- It's got great curb appeal.

- Hi, guys.
- Hi.

- How you doing?
- Jadon, good to see you.

So, yeah, we've got
a great little beach house

for you guys
to look at today.

It's 212 square feet.

It lists at $60,000,
fully furnished.

Of course, there's
no property with that

and no porch, also.

That'd be a little tough
to have that porch on there

driving down the road,
might make it a little tough.

Having a porch is
definitely a big deal for me.

I'm really gonna have to
try to come up with some
sort of creative solution.

It's not like
I can really take it down

and throw it in the back
of the truck very easily.

So do you think
you could tow this?

I think so. How much
does this one weigh?

About 8,000 pounds.
So pretty easy to move.

- Yeah.
- Okay.

Nice.
Oh, wow.

The white
is really great,

and the mixture
with the unstained wood...

You like that....I love that. Yeah.

Yeah, I was figuring
you'd like the white.

So we can move
into the living area

right over here.

So this is a pull-out
bed, as well?

Yes, this goes into a big
single or a small double.

Plenty of sleeping space
for guests.

So that's nice.

This is the kitchen.
Kind of an all-in-one stovetop,

sink, and refrigerator
underneath of that.

It's kind of nice
that you just walk up.

It's all in this one area.

I'm just afraid, cooking-wise,
like, I tend to use

a lot of dishes,
a lot of ingredients.

I'm just kind of afraid

it just might not be
enough room for me.

Is this a table
over here or...

- This is a table.
- Okay.

It comes up.

Both sides come up
like that.

Actually, I think that
could work really well

as an office space.

And, over here,
we have the bathroom.

There's a nice, sizable shower.
It looks tall enough for you.

- A little storage here.
- Room enough to change,

kind of get ready
in the morning.

And it's got that door
to separate the space.

So, Bruce, is this
the only closet we have?

Yeah. That's the only
closet in the house. Hmm.

Katie's definitely not a fan
of the closet or lack thereof.

We thought we pared down
pretty well,

but the more we see
these houses,

the more we realize there's
still gonna be some clothes

that I think are really
gonna have a hard time

fitting what's currently here.

All right. Well,
I like the industrial pole.

That's nice.

Oh, wow.
It's nice up here.

Yeah,
a lot of head space.

Yeah, no. I fit.
I fit really well up here.

It's really cozy.

I could Mazy running
around up here.

Yeah.
Oh, I'm sure she would.

I don't think
she'd be able to get up

the ladder herself, though.

Like, if you have to
go to the bathroom in
the middle of the night,

I'd be a little worried
I'd fall down the ladder.

Yeah. I could see myself
taking a tumble maybe.

Yeah.
But, I mean,
it might be worth it

for the nice loft space
once you get up here.

There's no way
Mazy can go up that.

There's no way.

It would be possible
to put a stairway in there.

Some reworking, but...

Take a little effort,
but you could rework it.

Okay.

I just love the white.

I mean, it just feels so open
and airy. It's great.

I think it does
pair well.

It does have enough
of the exposed wood

and the industrial pipes.

And I do like how that
table's functional enough

to be my office space, too.

I just am kind of worried
about the cooking space.

We just really love entertaining,

and I love to cook,

and I'm just worried that
that's just not gonna work.

It is gonna be a little
bit tough. I mean,

I think if we just
find a way to fit an
oven in over there.

I mean, I think
there's some options

we could probably look
at fitting something in.

Well, if you get me an oven
- in there, we'll talk.
- Okay.

They're now seeing something
larger that Katie's sold on,

but Jadon is another story.

I love the white.
- It's so nice and open.
- Do you think it's
a little too much white?

- What about this?
- For what?

The porch.

Jadon and Katie are
looking for a portable tiny home

in Portland, Oregon,

so they can drive back and forth
from the Pacific Northwest

to their hometown
of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Tiny-home builder
Bruce Westra

has shown them
a 188-square-foot rustic cabin

that's easy to tow and has space
for hosting friends.

But Katie's concerned
the kitchen is too small,

and the loft
is cramped for Jadon.

Next was a 212-square-foot
tiny beach cottage.

They love the spacious bedroom,

but the ladder access would be
difficult for their dog, Mazy.

And it was just over
their $57,000 budget

and didn't have
a porch for Jadon.

- Oh, wow.
- Oh, it's really cute.

I really like
the French doors

and the white
and the brown.

- That's really nice.
- It looks really sharp
and modern and...

Today, they're meeting up with
local builder Connor McBride

to see one of his
tiny options.

It's 265 square feet,

- and it's listed at $60,000.
- Okay.

So what's it take to tow
something like this?

We can tow this behind
a full-sized truck.

We recommend it is
- a full-sized truck.
- Okay.

The hitch is
underneath the deck,

so we can fold up the deck
to protect the front

of the tiny home
as you are towing it.

I absolutely love
the porch on the front,

but, you know, when it comes
to towing this thing,

I mean, it's really big.

You know, I'd be
a little bit nervous

hooking this thing up
to the truck

and trying to drive down
the highway with it.

- Thank you.
- Thanks.

- Come on in, guys.
- Wow.

I love the white.
It's so nice and open.

And the windows
are just so airy.

And it just feels bigger than
you think it would feel in here.

It does feel pretty big,
but do you think

it's a little
too much white?

- No. No.
- I was hoping for maybe
a little bit of rustic wood.

Look. Rustic wood
right there, there.

Here too, like, it could be
a dining space or a workspace.

I can just set up my computer
and look out the window,

and I think
this could be nice.

Yeah, this side bar
actually folds down,

so it can give you more space
when you're not using it.

- That's awesome.
- And just, if you did have
a sofa here, you know,

it gives you more area
to walk right here.

Yeah, we could just put
a couple barstools here,

and, like, I could even see us
entertaining some people.

And I like it.

- Kitchen here.
- This is a really size.

We really
want to cook more,

and I really like that
we could entertain here.

I'm concerned the oven
might be, like,

a little small
for what I want.

Like, I feel like I could
maybe only put

in maybe one casserole pan
at a time.

But I don't know.
We could probably make it work.

Two-burner stove
right below this cutting board.

Oh, that's nice.
I really like that.

I don't know if I love how,
when you walk in

it's just like
this big black massive thing

right in the middle
of everything.

But... Do you like it?

Think about how much stuff
we cram in our fridge.

I guess.

Nice and big.

- I like this.
- Yeah.

Like, I can actually, like,
feel-- like, walk around in it.

I do really like
the size of the shower.

You're 6'1", so if you
can fit in there nicely...

Yeah. I got plenty
of space in here.

Yeah, that is really nice.
I love that.

I don't know if
I like how, I mean,

if I'm getting ready,

and then there's
like a door right here,

I kind of feel like there's
a little lack of privacy.

Everything
is customizable.

You can definitely
make a few changes

if you want a little bit
more privacy in here.

I like these stairs.
They feel really safe,

and I like how the window
lets in a lot of light.

All right. It's getting
a little small in here.

Okay. So it's wide enough.

- All right. Wide enough.
- You got about a foot.

Can you sit up
comfortably?

Mostly, kind of.

Maybe we just need to trim
your Mohawk up there.

Yeah.

Once we put a mattress up here,
though, I mean,

I'm gonna be
sitting up higher.

Yeah, yeah,
but we can still--

you know, we can put
the mattress here

and then maybe even like
a dresser here,

and, I mean,
this could work.

I mean, we could find
a way to make it work.

I love the white.
I love the windows.

I love how open it feels.

I know you love the white,
but I wouldn't mind

seeing that wood,
industrial kind of rustic feel.

I really do think that
that space over there

with the fold-up board could be
a good office space for me.

I really love
this big kitchen,

but that loft really,
really, really bothers me.

I absolutely
love that porch.

You know, I'm not sure with
just the size of this thing.

Just picture myself driving
down the road in something,

hauling this,
it's a little intimidating.

That's what's gonna happen

when you go to something
26 feet long.

Having seen three tiny options,
it's time for Jadon and Katie

to decide which one will be
hitting the road with them.

We have to go all the way
from Wisconsin to Oregon, too.

Yeah, it's gonna be
a long trip.

Jadon and Katie are looking
for a transportable tiny home

so they can spend half
the year in Portland

and half the year in Milwaukee
where they're from.

With $57,000 to spend,

they've seen several
unique options to consider.

So what did you think
about that bamboo house?

It was 188 square feet,
$55,000.

I mean, just the unique
character of the styles,

the decorations, I mean,
coming fully furnished.

We could have, you know,
more people in

and kind of be able to
have some friends over.

I really liked just
kind of that dark wood

with that really warm feeling
you had when you walked in.

Yeah. It was a little dark, though.

It didn't really have
the white that I liked.

It didn't really feel
very modern,

but the storage in the steps
would be really nice.

I can even see Mazy running up
those stairs easily at night,

but I can't see myself
cooking a big meal there.

What did you think
of that tiny beach house?

212 square feet, $60,000,
comes fully furnished.

I mean, walking in, it just
felt so nice and open.

I mean, it just had
all those modern details

that I loved,
all the white everywhere.

It just felt
so clean and crisp.

As must as you love the white,
it kind of mixed,

definitely,
our two styles.

But, I mean, that kitchen,
I just don't see myself
really, like,

cooking and making a really
nice meal for friends there.

But I think all of it
could be worth it

for that
master suite loft.

That was phenomenal,
but that ladder, I mean,

even though
it's worth the climb,

I just can't see us
using that every day.

You know, we could potentially
build our own stairs,

but, you know,
the more I think about it,

the more we talk about
building and building,

you know, where
it's above our budget.

What do you think about
the big and spacious tiny?

$60,000,
265 square feet.

I really like that porch.

When you walk in,
the white,

it's just so airy
and beautiful.

I feel like
there could be maybe

a few more little
dark-wood details.

There's the pop-up bar.
I mean, I need a workspace.

I mean, and that was
the perfect workspace for us.

But, I mean, the loft itself
is just really cramped-feeling.

It does make me
a little bit nervous

how that's gonna fit
driving down the highway.

We have to go all the way
from Wisconsin to Oregon, too.

Yeah, that's gonna be a long
trip with a house that big.

So the bamboo tiny house,
I just don't know

if that kind of layout
and that floor plan

is really gonna work best
for us. Yeah.

There's the beach house.

I mean, it was just gorgeous,
but there was no oven.

I don't know if I can
deal with that.

I do love
do-it-yourself projects,

but I think there might just
be too many with that one.

So does that mean we're going
with the big and spacious tiny?

I think that's
what that means.

Oh, my goodness.
Okay. I love that one.

- One word-- porch.
- Porch. Yes.

I mean, that is perfect.

Let's compare this
weather to Milwaukee. Yeah.

50, warm.

- This is beautiful.
- Oh, my gosh.

It's really great just getting
to explore different areas.

- Oh, I love it.
- This is awesome.

So the asking price
was $60,000,

but we were able to get it
just under that

for our budget
at $57,000.

It came with the option
to rent it right where it sat.

$495 a month
is a great deal,

and the area
is just gorgeous.

I mean, we can drive out
and see the mountains.

It's not a far trip
to get down to the city.

We moved in two weeks ago.
And overall, it's been awesome.

All right.
Well, look at this.

Look how much stuff
we can fit in here.

- This is great.
- We got a little bit
of space in here.

Yeah, just a little bit.

This house has really redefined
what tiny means for me.

I mean, I really thought
we would feel very enclosed

all the time and always feel
like we have to be outside,

but I actually
want to spend time here.

I want to sit down on the couch,
and I want to make a meal,

and I want to spend as much
time in here as possible.

So are you okay with so much
white being all around you?

I think I got enough
wood accents.

- Good.
- I think I got enough.

This house just really clicked
a lot of boxes for us.

It had the big kitchen I wanted,
the really white modern feel.

It also had
Jadon's deck.

The porch
is just awesome.

I mean, the builders also
included a Plexiglass barrier

that looks amazing,
goes around,

just makes it a really
great spot to hang out.

The work set-up
is great.

There's more than
enough room for me

to put a laptop
and a monitor here.

I mean, it's perfect.

Welcome to
the tiny house.

- Oh, thank you.
- Thank you.

I can't believe you guys
actually did it.

- I know.
- Well, I'm glad
you guys could make it.

I honestly can't say
I ever really

thought that my sister would be
living in a tiny house,

but, you know,
now that you are,

it's so much fun to visit,

and it's really fun to tell
other people about it, too.

But when are you
coming back to Milwaukee?

We're just gonna spend
a few months more here,

tow it back to Milwaukee.

We'll be there
another half year,

and then we'll see
where the world takes us.

Every year, we'll get to spend
half of the year back home

reconnecting with family,

but then every winter getting
to go somewhere different,

explore a new town, a new city,
a new part of the country

where we haven't spent
a lot of time.

It's just
really exciting.