Downsizing might look good on social media, but do we really want to have to deal daily with the lack of privacy, comfort, and space to move around properly? If the answer to that is in the negative, Brad the Builder is here to help.
Brad the Builder is not some random Brad who builds stuff, if you'll allow the joke. It's an Australia-based builder with some 35 years of experience in the field, specializing in anything to do with downsizing and sustainable but tiny living. More precisely, they do anything from houseboats, solar trailers, sheds, and tiny homes, both standard-size and park models.
With the recent boom in popularity that tiny homes have been enjoying, we're also getting an increasingly higher number of options, both for models and builders. A future tiny house owner is spoiled for choice even if they're on a budget, because this segment of the market continues to thrive. Tiny houses are yet to reach more affordable rates even with the higher competition, but baby steps and all that.
Brad the Builder offers models that cater to all needs and all budgets. One of the latest additions to their already impressive lineup is the model we're going to have a look at today, which promises to allow you to "live tiny but luxuriously."
Photo: Brad the Builder
That's a big promise to make and one that seems to go against everything tiny living stands for. The builder approaches it with a combination of attention to detail, quality work, a carefully designed layout, and plenty of glazing. We'll explain.
This tiny house is a park model unit, which means it's large enough to require a special permit for transport and isn't designed to be as mobile as smaller units. Being built on top of a trailer means it can still be moved around if need be, but as a rule, park tinies are designed to be… well, parked most of the time. They still have the upper hand on brick-and-mortar homes in terms of mobility, though.
The unnamed new model sits on a fully galvanized trailer equipped with electric brakes and a VIN number. It's a triple-axle trailer that offers a length of 11 meters (36 feet) and a width of 2.4 meters (7.9 feet), while the height of the tiny on it is 3.6 meters (11.8 feet). This allows Brad the Builder to create a very homely, cozy, and quite fetching home inside.
Photo: Brad the Builder
Unlike a smaller tiny house that has to pack everything in a very compact space, this unit can "afford" to lay it all out in a single-level layout, offering airy and cozy spaces that resemble the actual rooms in a house.
It's designed for a two-person occupancy, even for full-time residency, but could be specced to fit a family of four just as easily, thanks to the large living room that can fit a queen-size bed. In that case, there'd be little privacy for those two members of the family because of the open-plan design, but that's tiny living for you. Compromise is the name of the game.
The layout includes a full-size kitchen with all the appliances and all the space necessary for full-time living, including a pair of pantries and enough counterspace to allow two people working on them side by side. There's also space for a residential fridge and freezer, and a standard gas oven with a four-burner range. The dining area would have to take up a chunk of the living room space but its arrangement is left up to the future owner.
Photo: Brad the Builder
The bathroom is located centrally and serves as a divider between the daytime areas and the bedroom. In most tiny houses, entertaining spaces often spill into sleeping areas, with the only exception being tinies that have lofted bedrooms (and no standing height in them). Brad the Builder proposes a workaround to maintain privacy, as any guest would have to go through a set of pocket doors and the bathroom to reach the main bedroom.
The bathroom is large for a tiny house and features a laundry station, a sink with a storage-integrating vanity, a standard flushing toilet, and a large glass shower. Like every space in the house, this one too features windows and, where these would infringe on privacy, large mirrors.
The bedroom at the end of the house is not just isolated for privacy but bathed in light from two sides, thanks to the second sliding glass door found here and large windows on the opposite side. Again, unlike what you'll find in most tinies, this space also features storage options in the form of two large wardrobes and matching cabinets.
Photo: Brad the Builder
Brad the Builder says that this unit "is a perfect blend of comfort, functionality, and sustainability," and photos provided seem to confirm that. The unit comes with R3 insulation, mini-split for heat and AC (and a pair of ceiling fans), instant gas water heater, and RV-style hookups for water and electricity. It can be rigged for solar if you want to cut down reliance on the grid, but any kind of autonomy will cost you extra.
The frame of the home is pine timber treated to be termite resistant, and the entire structure is clad to be fire resistant and has waterproof membrane paint.
Prices for a park model like this one start at AUD95,000 for the base spec, which is approximately US$63,000 at the current exchange rate. For a tiny home described as a "testament to modern living solutions, offering everything you need within a compact space," it's also one of the few park model tinies we've covered that comes anywhere near the "affordable" descriptor.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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