Tumbleweed - Lusby

[CrysRhain]

How do you get the water and work the bathroom and toilets and electricity?

[howtovideos100]

The styling on that house is nearly perfect!

[crewlla]

how would these houses work in a colder climate. I live in canada and the city in which I live in has weather that can be freezing cold -40 to -50 how would the tumble weed homes work for weather that is that cold.

[purple1316]

@crewlla I'm not the owner of the video or anything, but I have been doing some research on this particular model.. It says it can stay warm in -36 F and has a stainless steel fireplace to heat it... I imagine for your area, you can get an insulation that can protect you and your home in that kind of weather.

[Epitomeofastar69]

there are hitch locks. but what would stop somebody from taking your house while you're at work? D:

sheer good will of your neighbors or strangers? pffffft

[knicks3085]

Hey your stealing my house! COME BACK YOU BASTARD!!!

[SweetRosaEmma]

I need one of these when I go off to college...freedom!!!!

[cloakster]

Btw, I love Shafer's designs, but what's up with his house model names?

Lusby? Fencl? Weebee? Whaaa?

I think Jay just records the sounds a baby makes and says, "Oh yeah, that's the house name."

[shar110965]

This one is my favorite house, I love the design inside and outside, love the little porch where you can sit outside if you like, cute!!

[unruellie]

My freaking Dream house!!!! I would love to build my own

[funmartin1]

does anyone know if these amazing are owned by anyone in the uk?

would love to see one for real!

[petris112]

Can I have one?

[mspianomistress]

Buy one of these and a good truck to haul it.....Freedom!!!

[firefwi]

I can't believe the things people find to argue about. Im just sitting here enjoying these tiny houses which I had never heard of and find adorable, practical and earth friendly. I scroll down and see this argument... lol good grief people, have you ever heard the term 'pick your battles'. goosfraba!!!!

[blingbam404]

Ask yourself this question if you compare it to a camper... Would you rather live in a beautiful cozy tiny house or a camper thats bigger but looks like shit covered with tin on the back of truck and get the title of "White trailer trash"?

[SithRage]

This is all fine and good with the rubber duck and fruit transitions, but a 'real' handheld video tour would be 10x better, so we can get a feel for the place, rather than panning and scanning across still pictures. I like the concept tho.

[sophiaval2447]

Haha, Now everyone can afford to own a vacation home... anywhere you want!

[sophiaval2447]

Haha, Now everyone can afford to own a vacation home... anywhere you want!

[DelilahClark]

Would it be possible to adapt an existing backyard shed into a Tumbleweed House?

[rlrsk8r1]

@DelilahClark A wooden shed is usually framed similarly to a normal house, just smaller and usually not finished. While most are different dimensions than tumbleweed houses, the process of turning shed into house would be like gutting and remodelling a house with the gutting already done.

[ArcaneThingOfBeauty]

The homes are cute and like the idea! BTW, like the funky, snazzy interpretive jazz and the scene fade-ins/outs lmao!

[104BIO]

1. Where does the waste go when you goto bathroom?

2. What if you want to invite your girlfriend/boyfriend over for sleep overs?

3. What if you want to marry and have children? Where is the space?

4. What happen in summer? This tiny house look really hot.

5. How do you get electricity, gas, water? Do you have to live in a trailer park all the time?

[ImOfNope]

I just realized that when traveling and pulling your tiny house on the road, it probably would be a good idea to put break & turn signal lights on the back of the house somehow.

[TumbleweedHouses]

@ImOfNope Ah......but the house is on a trailer which DOES have signal lights.

[SovereignGraceSingle]

@ImOfNope One can buy portable running lights which attach magnetically at your local auto parts store. They are in expensive and easy to attach and remove when not needed. They attach to the same power hookup any kind of trailer would.

[Jozsus]

Do you have to have a permit to build it onto a trailer like that?

[epicuniversal]

Very Nice! :)

[bulgogi123ify]

how do you bathe or use the bathroom? PLEASE ANSWER

[tucsonlex]

Nice house, but, I agree, too much money! There are places in this country that you can buy a small home, on a lot, for around $50,000. But I do love the small house idea. Gotta say, hate the music on this video. Not dislike, really hate. Sorry.

[citygirl2469]

I hope you realize that if you just plan to live in this permanently on land you are living in a glorfied children's playhouse. You can build a log cabin for half the 50 thousand or if its the eco thing there are many cheap eco houses you can build that are a liveable size. If you are planning to live on the road. This would not be too cheap. I have done the research as I want to live full time RV or trailer someday. Its not as practical. Its not environmentaly friendly to get 5 miles a gallon.

[Kathilisi]

This is brilliant. I wish I'd come across your site years earlier. Instead of renting a horrible little flat (which was still bigger than this house, but less practical) I could have lived in my own beautiful tiny house during my student years. It's not really big enough if you're starting a family though - kids just need more space.

[JamoMacky]

Omfg what a hole. My house. Is 9000 sq foot! I couldn't live in there it's smaller than my dressing room!!!!!!!!!

[Gregd8888]

Your parents also paid for that house, not you. stfu you spoiled faggot.

[barisax25]

@JamoMacky and yet, I bet he STILL has a better quality of life than you do.

[saxonsteve]

@JamoMacky YOU'RE A F&$KING SPOILED BRAT!!! I CAN'T WAIT TO BUY MY OWN LITTLE HOUSE!!!

[Struckgold]

Amazing how the fit a full jazz band in there.

[scopein79]

Does anyone know if this is legally considerated as a trailer with a charge or as a caravan?

And if it is officially a trailer, is it legit to carry a charge wider than the trailer itself (notice the house being wider than the trailer)?

[IHandJl]

Yeah I like jays better 2. He could prob. Also have some house pets in his too.

[nuffzed202]

a small walk thru tour wud of been better, like wat jay had done.

[bajikorvi]

haha the music is so funny

[Horseshowchamp]

i want itt!! it's awesome :)

[pgm98387]

All nice and great...but would a bank give you any financing???

[oLookaChickenPromo]

@pgm98387 Why would there be a need for financing?

Save your pennies :p Won't take long to get the money to build one.

[unruellie]

@pgm98387 Since its not technically considered a home (since its on a trailer) they wouldn't really consider it a "mortgage" but you can still get a personal loan for it.

[Godess1971]

I ordered a book and soon as i get done with school Im building one with my own designs. jay rocks

[DaddyDoctor123]

how much could i buy one of these houses for. when i move out and get done with college, i think i just might get me one of these.

[moroccantreasures]

make it solar, sustainable off grid and large enough with pull out bunks wall beds or something for a family of five in a kit and I will be interested.

[ramcam6]

Maybe the costs are high because he joined DirectBuy. You could imagine paying $5,000 for a membership then 8% markup then shipping. The cost of your first item would be sky high, eh?

[TumbleweedHouses]

Our homes are solid homes with insulation, double paned windows, a fireplace, and beautiful wood finishing, hand made cabinets and more. The prices are very fair for the quality. Take a look at airstream trailer costs.

Most people have no idea how much the materials cost and how many hours it takes to build a home like this.

The total material cost is about $18,000 - $20,000. You can buy the plans and build it yourself if you're looking to save money.

[NevaehBeatez]

@TumbleweedHouses How much would this cost if it was the building alone? Without utilities? Just the building.

[Cstrife234]

@TumbleweedHouses There's are really nice houses. I'd rather build my own from cob, though.

[dbertobis]

@TumbleweedHouses Your houses are just splendid. And if by following your dreams you managed to also make a living out og it, it is great. I wish we could have this in Italy too. Compliments Jay, good thing

[falloutblair1]

whats up with the fruit and ducks....

[Glaucon4]

Fruit is a lead into the kitchen pics. Rubber ducks are a lead into bathroom. Had to watch it twice before I caught that.

[cdltpx]

These are heavy though why not just take an airstream camper body and revamp it to suite your needs? You can find airstream shells under 4k these are light and strong.

Sure the little house looks great but looks fade up keep comes to mind when I see wood is fire ,termites, poor insulation, uv damage.

[northwestmike]

This is what I'm thinking. I have a friend who totally gutted an Airstream and installed laminate flooring. Made a stealth & lightweight camper for the whole family.

[cdltpx]

What I would like to do is get an airstream attach a porpulsion unit to it but do so junk yard style. Go to salvage yards looking for a good diesel front wheel drive car and attach the two.

[xxx777aaa]

youre an official fucking genius! add a greenhouse upper level!

[HairyBogTrotter]

Basically a mobile home for yuppies, yes?

[northwestmike]

No, basically a home for environmental extremists. Notice that there is no room for children in these things. Because, you know, having a family is so awful for the environment.

[Lifecomesfromwithin]

I laughed so hard!!!!!! ;p I totally get where you're coming from!!!!!!! Yes, we're supposed to try to not exist as much as possible.

[Glaucon4]

You have it backwards. It's not anti-family. It's filling a need for people who live alone and realize they don't want a cavernous McMansion and a strangling mortgage (on a single income). There is no room for children because the people buying these things don't have them. Nothing to do with the environment. No judgement on families. Go check out the website before criticizing a whole group of people.

[northwestmike]

There is no room for children in these homes because the people who build, market, and buy these homes don't believe in having children. They equate having families (and those who have children) with being anti-environment. You obviously haven't seen the marketing materials and videos for these homes.  They are marketed as some kind of progressive social statement. Americans don't have to live like lonely old spinsters or anti-social Unibombers to be socially & environmentally responsible.

[Glaucon4]

My apologies. You're right. I went to the website and haven't seen the marketing materials & videos. I was going by the general feel of the people who were posting there. As for children/family, I love both but too much of a good thing isn't good. We are breeding like cockroaches and there will be malthusian consequences, if some of us don't decide to stop reproducing. The ironic thing is that this view is counter-evolutionary. My line will die out but the breeders will produce more breeders.

[pletcgm]

Not everyone wants children!

[northwestmike]

These homes don't even *allow* you to have children if you want to, and they are marketed in a way as to suggest that people who *have* children are somehow wrecking the Earth. Its as though people who dont live childless in a shoebox are irresponsible. Competitive liberalism and activism need to stop. If we go down this path, we'll all be drinking our own p_ss, eating our own sh_t, and living in coffins afraid to squish a worm. It's okay to have an actual house. It really is.

[Eaglesfaninca]

Okay, well he is not trying to FORCE his beliefs on anyone, if you don't like it... Don't buy one... Btw, he is married and about to have a kid. But maybe you can point out this "competitive liberalism and activism".

Other than being environmental, it is cheap to own, and easy to maitain.

You my friend need to lay off the Rush Limbaugh or whatever it is that you are watching. It is making you paranoid of your fellow man.

Great Homes Jay.

[northwestmike]

@Eaglesfaninca Ha, just like a self-righteous liberal to assume Rush Limbaugh is somehow involved! Actually, I hate talk radio, I'm a lifelong vegetarian, & I'm currently installing solar on my house. But I don't like competitive activism ("I drive a Prius", "I recycle more than you do", "I have a smaller house than you do"). I don't want to live in an America where families are guilt-tripped and required to live in shoe boxes (like factory farmed chickens). Retrofit existing homes instead.

[Eaglesfaninca]

Why are you assuming I am a liberal? You must watch Fox news then (I just include Fox News when i say Limbaugh). Either way I was only pointing out you obvious paranoia.

Again where is the competeive activism in this video? I think it appeals more to the simple people who don't want to be in debt up to their eyeballs. Plus you would save a lot of time maintaining it. It probably takes 1/2 an hour to clean the whole house.

I was not attacking you in any way either btw.

[Information4us]

Im a moral liberal n fiscal conservative I guess Im more Libertarian than anything I take Limbaugh in small strides That being said this does not meet the needs I have for a main house but damn great design for hunting I will be buying the book and then a set of plans I have no problem with people having different views as long as their views do not effect me I actually applaud different views It would be boring if we where all like me By the way I am not a vegetarian but I like vegetables. HAHA

[barisax25]

@northwestmike While I believe that the desire to procreate shows deep, personal weakness, the fact of the matter is that these homes are marketed towards people with no children because there is NO WAY you could build a house big enough for a whole family on the back of a trailer. But thanks for calling people without kids "spinsters" and "unibombers".

[northwestmike]

@barisax25 Ah, you couldn't resist showing your true colors, liberal elitist swine. Thank YOU for suggesting all people who have children have a "deep personal weakness." That must include your fucking parents. Were it not for their "deep personal weakness," you wouldn't exist. Maybe the world would have been better off?

[barisax25]

@northwestmike First of all, the "personal weakness" statement was simply a quote from a tv show called Glee, and secondly, if you're this much of a narrow-minded , hateful person, I feel sorry for your kids. Also, thanks for turning a video about a man building a tiny house into a political battlefield. And lastly, I'm not sure if you know--Jay is expecting a child and will probably raise him or her in his tiny house, which renders your original assertion incorrect.

[ByeByeBelly]

so adorable!

[eventide925]

How do you prevent someone from hooking up your house and driving off with it?

[unnaturaltragedy]

If I had one of these on a permanent piece of land I'd lay bricks/cinderblocks/planters all around the house so its covering the wheels and the trailer bed so one would have to go through a ton of work to steal it, and it would look nice too.

[eventide925]

That makes total sense! Thank you for the innovative idea: Security by beauty. =)

[Starbat88]

You can take off the wheels and put locks on them so no one can put their own wheels on and take it.

[rlrsk8r1]

@eventide925 take the wheels off when stationary the way people do with mobile homes. That's what this is after all, a lil bitty mobile home. I want one so bad too.

[barisax25]

@eventide925 install a boot on the tire! or a car alarm.

[SovereignGraceSingle]

@eventide925 At you local auto parts store you can buy a device which locks out your hitch's ball socket. It's a ball that locks in place.

[lz4broc]

so, where would you put the house? I assume one would need a permit to live in a home that they can drag around by truck.

what about the Sewer? Electricity? Gas? Water? hookups... the thing does not look like a RV.

[AndreaMNarciso]

How much is it to live in one? where can you BUY one? just wondering

[YesOkayYNot]

Personal property tax?

[cingle2004jp]

Tubleweed house, what's it like

[Ataraxia27]

how are you pulling that thing on the road without tail lights?

[GGGG760]

I would imagen weaken up becouse you felt a bumb and you look out your window and your on the freeway holly shit you stole my house with me in it you idiot!!!!

[carterk77]

I hadn't thought of the house being stolen- excellent point! Otherwise I love the little house!

[Grannycat]

I have two questions - anyone want to help with them? How stable would they be in a tornado or hurricane? And what is to prevent a baddie from hitching up a truck to my house and stealing it when I'm at work some day?

Love the concept. Wonder how well thought out are the details.

[ipouponu]

Well, since it's mobile I think you could avoid the hurricanes anyways... Not much anyone can do about tornados.

[DeathByMullet]

I am 6'4" and wondering If i would be hitting my head every 2 minutes. Would love to have one of these.  Their website is down, anyone know the cost?

[saprater25]

I would love, love, love to have one of these homes and have visited the Tumbleweed website regularly. Only problem is financing in this economy. Most banks won't take a risk on a home they believe has little equity or resale value.

[veelalynne]

I would love to have something like this! I lived in a studio apartment that wasn't much bigger for years. I currently live in a four bdrm 3 bath tri level. I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to downsize again. Mortgages suck.

[swampwiz]

I love the music - who is that?

[bonjovidevotee]

Wonder how these would do in really cold weather? The hardest part around here would be finding an area where zoning would actually permit a house of this size. I'd love to put my money into retirement instead of my mortgage!

[SnarkPark]

It's portable - built on a trailer. So zoning would not be an issue. It's essentially an RV.

[thatguyashe]

They would do fine. One of the creators lived in Iowa. They have winters close to Wyoming winters. Burr. You can also buy the plans and build it yourself or higher a contractor. You can as as much insulation as you want in the ceiling and walls. And it's not considered a house but rather like and RV. It's not meant to be taken off the trailer. I'm planning on buying the lusby and moving back to the land. I want to start a small house community on 10-20 acres of land. We all live off the land.

[VideoGuyNC]

Actually - that is one of the plus points for these "tiny houses." Often zoning does NOT effect these tiny home-owners because most of them build them or buy them on trailers so that they are not fixed structures, and thus NOT subject to residential codes. Also, in some areas, (mostly very rural) - buildings under 200sf are NOT subject to normal codes. Check with your local building inspections department for speciffics. In this economy - smaller IS better!

[RseAbv333]

i love this! thought I doubt my 6'1 300pd husband would lol

[mycarishome]

Hey I'm a big person and I could live in a tiny house or RV easily. Hey, if I can live in a station wagon, an RV would be a palace to me! LOL

[Kittko]

Jay/Chris, how long have people taken to build thier own Lusby on average? What can you tell the county about plans for grey water if you have to have it on a foundation to live on the land, if you have a composting toilet? Has anyone out there financed a tiny house through a normal bankloan? PB,Berkeley

[UcanbeGOD]

To say that the prices of these houses are steep is, well, true BUT you can only be in one room at a time people! LOL Mansion or loft or cardboard box. It's like when people buy huge mirrors for their home, you can only look at a little of the mirror at a time.

[Charles2337]

Forget a tent or a trailer. I'll take this camping.

[alzathoth]

I saw this home and was intrigued. I think the only thing i'd change, is to put the kitchen in where the lower bedroom was. This would 'unify' the wett wall, save money, and give the great room more space.

I'm thinkin of buildin, and looking for a suitable trailer.

great job jay!

[cityishgirl]

I saw this on CNN today and was so excited. This is completely the wave of the future what with uncertain economic times ahead, cost of oil going up, etc.

I am in my 40s, work in a low income profession (teaching), and have been wondering how I'll be able to afford to pay off a home in time for retirement. Now I know exactly what I am going to do.... get a cheap piece of land somewhere and save up for one of your tiny houses.

I have such respect and admiration for your work. Thank you!

[BananaHurricane]

I agree with you. I'm 23 and I've always wanted to live simply in a small house. I'm going to do the same thing and buy an acre of land somewhere and set one of these babies up.

[RedneckZ284]

Bad idea, I'm 22 and I decided to buy a Park Model Home, if you look them up, they're a lot more spacious, and some come fully furnished, free shipping and all. Message me and I'll give you more info..somebody saved me a few bucks, so I'll pass it on.

[TumbleweedHouses]

We appreciate the feedback. I wish I could tell you it cost less. From experience, we know that the estimate is accurate. At Tumbleweed, we design top quality Tiny Homes. We believe the difference between our product and one a few thousand dollars less isn't enough to justify cutting a few corners.

You can build for less by buying a used trailer, using single pane windows, formica counter tops and sheetrock. Also, you can purchase less expensive applicances. These are a few examples.

[alaadamy2]

I truly enjoyed this video of the Tumbleweed home-Lusby. Living in a era of ever soaring housing prices and in some areas limited building space, your product is definately something that brings hopes to me and many others who have almost given up on the dream of affordable home ownership. Again thanks!

[shoobedoorocketship]

I had no idea it was that much! i was thinking more like 10k. actually 10k is steep. its a very charming house, but i am sure it can done at a much lower price.

[TumbleweedHouses]

You can purchase the plans to build one yourself and definately save some money. This is a quality house, and the materials cost approximately $20,000 alone. I wish they cost less, and of course, doing the work yourself and finding salvaged materials can save money.

[UcanbeGOD]

Do you have a crew to help with labor or are you a one man crew? I would love to own one of these, is it possible to build these with little or no help?

[ClamLuvr]

It is a little funny how Jay tries to make his houses seem new and revolutionary. And people get caught up in the excitement of something "new". Wow, people can be so naive!

Try searching on the internet for "Atlas Mobile Home Museum" and check out the photos at that web site. The wooden travel trailers built between 1892 and 1925 look suspiciously like Jay's houses.

[Neelefe]

I love this house. Can you do a walk through tour on a built one and post it at Youtube. thanks!!

[JRodriguez757]

This is the model I want. The webstite says the price is aprox 49,000. Not bad, not to mention the money you'd save on utilities. I'm saving for this house as we speak...hopefully it doesn't go up in price too much.

[Watthiman]

$50,000 for 120s/f house made of pine is not bad in your opinion? That's about $450 a s/f. To put this in perspective, I just built a 6000 s/f house in a wealthy community for $160 a s/f. (about a million.) Extremely highend builders charge $200-$400 for houses that start at a few million. I've never even heard of ANY builder charging $450 a s/f. I could build this house for you for about $120s/f.

Brick,stone,stucco exterior. We just built a 6000s/f house $999,999 which is about 160 a

[TumbleweedHouses]

You're hired! If you can build this house for $120/square foot please contact Tumbleweed directly. At the Tumbleweed website, you can purchase plans and build it youself if you'd like to save money. For this house, the materials cost about $20,000. Part of the problem with the building industry is that they look at price/square foot, and each additional square foot costs less and less to build. That's why we have so many 6,000 square foot homes. As the house gets smaller, the cost/foot increases

[MustaphaIsBored]

I think the idea is great & certainly interesting.

I am however having a hard time accepting your estimate, for the parts costs. I am an experienced builder/renovator & your estimate + final price seems steep, for such a tiny house.

Why not create a typical "parts/supplies/quantities" listing, with itemized prices & be done with such inquiries, once for all!?

It would address the questions of the skeptics & provide a realistic scenario for the would be house builders.

[lala412]

People aren't thinking about that fact that most square feet, in large houses, are empty space. I looked at your website and have watched the video several times - you have gorgeous stuff in that house, it has to be quality materials. I'm not surprised at the cost, especially after looking at the cost of RVs - I was actually relieved, because a class B (van) RV with a decent floorplan and equipment will run 100,000, so I would spend MUCH less on your house than I would on the van!

[RedneckZ284]

I can get a fully furnished log cabin with a loft, 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, free shipping, everything included, change my floor plans, everything for less than $50,000. It's called Park Model Homes, most sell for under $50,000, the one I bought even has a screened in front porch, I only paid $33,000 just last week, they even helped connect the electricity and plumbing.

[rlrsk8r1]

@TumbleweedHouses You could also reduce the cost per square foot in these houses by just making them sheds on trailers and not building the interior partition walls, cabinetry or loft. It's the relationship between perimeter and volume.

[ClamLuvr]

JRodriguez757, $49,000 is not bad for 120 feet? I built a 900 square foot house for $25,000. Some of the lumber was salvaged. But hey, we live in a throwaway society. It is easy to find high building materials if you look around a little. I also helped my brother build a 1200 square foot house with two car garage using all new materials. He spent $120,000 for the house, land, well, and septic.

[bknegsnlzy]

I'll say-I found 200 dollars worth of some sort of exotic wallnut in front of a builders house-he said just take it

[TachikoAiba]

If I could, I'd move into a Lusby (this model) tomorrow. For those of us who practically live in one room anyhow, it wouldn't be much of a downsize.

More importantly, though, people are saying that these are very well made. Which can't be said, probably, of most full sized new homes going up these days.

I don't think I could live in one of their smaller models, but this one looks like it'd be just fine. Only... every time I see it I just want to decorate the blasted thing. XD

[jackbarry99]

I agree. I have toured Jay's Epu house, in Sebastopol, in Northern California.. It is a "snug as a bug in a rug" feeling, with great design, and craftsmanship.. I will have one in my S.F. backyard, some day, for guests.

jack barry

[boxer75010]

I really like this house! What more do you REALLY need?