She Built a $60k Tiny Home with Her Dad

A 30' x 12' tiny home that feels wide, warm, and practical.

Every room is tuned to daily life and memory — built side-by-side with her dad.

Living room & dining — cozy and flexible

The living area centers on a couch with a pull-out for guests and an open dining nook for meals.
The living room has a couch with a pull out for any guests.

Swapping the couch placement opened the entry and made the space feel more inviting for visitors.
Opposite the kitchen, the living room area sits where the pull-out couch provides a guest spot while the loft stays primary sleeping space.

A wood-burning stove anchors a cozy corner and was treated to a custom finish to soften the brass trim.
Over in the corner is a wood burning stove used as a statement piece to help it feel warm and cozy.

The fireplace mantle doubles as hidden storage for seasonal items and houses personal art, including a poppy painting by her great-grandma.
That poppies painting by her great grandma sits on the fireplace mantle.

Kitchen — the triangle that makes cooking flow

The layout follows the triangle rule: stove, sink, and refrigerator placed for easy, two-person cooking.
The kitchen follows the triangle rule with the stove, sink, and refrigerator arranged for easy food prep and flow.

A three-burner propane cooktop handles cast-iron cooking and was chosen to reduce electricity use ahead of planned solar.
On one side of the kitchen sits a three-burner propane stove top that works well for cast iron pans.

A versatile toaster oven replaces a microwave for reheating and small baking tasks.
A toaster oven up on the counter handles many functions like toasting, baking, and reheating popcorn.

There’s generous counter space, under-cabinet lighting, and a full-size refrigerator tucked under the loft to keep the living area open.
The refrigerator is as full size as you can really get for a tiny home and is tucked underneath the loft to keep the space wide and open.

Bathroom & laundry — full-size features under the loft

The bathroom sits beneath the loft and includes a full-size walk-in shower designed to fit the lower height.
As you walk past the fridge into the bathroom, we're currently below the loft and behind me we have a full-size shower.

Custom, glue-in shower panels were cut to exact dimensions to work under the loft’s odd heights.
A company in Utah made a fully customizable shower system cut to the exact dimensions needed and installed as a glue-in system.

The layout stacks a full-size washer and dryer opposite the toilet, and the toilet sits tucked beneath the stairs.
Across from the shower are the washer and dryer stacked with the toilet on the opposite side of it .

A dry-flush toilet was chosen so the system didn’t need septic hookup at the previous location.
The toilet is currently a dry flush system that does not hook into a septic because the previous location didn't allow for that.

Loft bedroom — standing room, storage, and skylight

The loft is tall enough to stand in and was intentionally sized under height limits to ease moving.
The loft is pretty spacious and pretty tall, and the build measured about six inches shorter than originally planned which ended up being better for move height limits.

A family quilt tops the bed, and the mattress lifts on hydraulics for under-bed storage.
There is a quilt made by her grandma on the bed and the bed lifts on hydraulics for storage underneath.

A skylight sits at the head of the loft for stargazing once the house moves out of the barn.
Back in the loft is a skylight where normally you would be able to look up at the stars when not parked under a hay barn.

Two small windows — called "the eyes" — bring nature into the sleep space, and plans include a built-in headboard and a safety railing.
On the opposite side of the loft are two small windows she calls her eyes to bring the outside in, and future waves include a built-in headboard and a loft railing for safety .

Build, move, and the team behind it

The project started as a father-daughter build that taught confidence and hands-on skills.
The whole building process with her dad put in her head that she can chase her dreams and that they will happen.

They welded I-beams, framed, and put down flooring while working around jobs and the dad’s business.
They went and got the I-beams, built a frame, and learned welding, then started flooring and went from there.

Construction began in October 2021, moved out to the farm in June 2022, and had enough finished for move-in by November 2022.
They started building in October of 21, moved it out to the farm in June of 22, and by November of 22 it was finished enough to move in.

Moving the completed house between states required hiring specialists for a final transport and careful oversight.
Moving the tiny home from Idaho to Washington all said and done cost right around $7,000 and they hired a transport company for that move .

Budget, utilities, and why tiny fit her life

She chose tiny living to escape high rent, stay near animals, and live in the country rather than the city.
She chose a tiny home because rent is really expensive, she has animals, and she prefers country living.

The build cost landed around $50–60k (not counting her dad’s labor), with careful shopping on marketplace sites and reclaimed finds.
In the end she estimates spending around $50 to $60,000, excluding her dad's labor costs.

Heating and cooling rely on a Mr. Cool mini-split that was chosen for DIY install, pre-charged lines, and energy savings.
A Mr. Cool mini split unit has kept her comfortable for the past three years and was chosen because it was easy to install with pre-charged lines and good DIY instructions .

Under-stair exterior access keeps the tankless water heater, security system, and wiring for future solar all in one low-maintenance bay.
A door on the back accesses under-stair storage housing the tankless water heater, the security system, and wiring planned for future solar.hou