Why would you waste money on rent when you can build your very own house? Small home plans with cost to build, a clear step-by-step construction guide plus a pair of hands can make your dream a reality!
We collected a list of the most affordable cabins and tiny houses that you can build yourself (with a couple of friends on some stages).
Most importantly, these small house floor plans with cost to build come from a group of professional architects and designers “Pin-Up House” from the EU.
Consequently, all construction estimates are based on the actual building costs. Yes, they actually build most of the models with their own hands!
1. Stella Round Tiny House Plans
Get a set of home plans for $690.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $32,300) 327 sq. ft.
Why would one ever consider building the round tiny house? What would be the advantages of having such a floor plan?
What comes to mind right away are nomadic dwellings called Yurts – portable but sturdy round homes of ancient people.
First of all, the round shape of the yurts was extremely practical. Yurts can withstand strong wind from any direction better than any rectangular tents.
Second, light construction materials allow fast assembly, disassembly, and transportation. Fireplace in the middle assures even heating of the whole interior.
Naturally, the tiny house “Stella” is not designed for frequent nomadic relocations. A really nice feature is its central skylight. For people living in windy regions, this one-story house plan may provide a good solution.
2. Wood Cabin Plans Helen
Get a complete set of the floor plans for $590.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $41,800)
With a total floor area of 498 sq. ft., this cabin looks like a much larger duplex. The central part serves as an open kitchen and living room combo with plenty of light and space.
Keep in mind, the proposed outer walls finish with vertical siding is a bit questionable. In humid regions, horizontal overlapped boards would provide a bit more moisture protection.
A pretty spacious loft of 199 sq. ft. is a really nice bonus. The porch can be extended to the whole width of the house. A half bath for the 2nd level also can be added to the plan.
3. Campground Cabin Plans Luna
A complete set of the floor plans $190.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $5,500)
These Campground Cabin plans are as simple as they come. Can you sacrifice a part of the porch to make a bathroom?
Actually, the more logical thing would be extending the back wall another 3.5-4 ft and making a bathroom door in place of a window. Most of us prefer having a window on the wall behind the sink anyway.
If you’ll decide to move the back wall 4 ft. then it will increase the space to 210 sq. ft. from the original 155 sq. ft. Oh, no! It will increase the budget!
Well, add 25% to $5,500 (the original DIY cost to build) and get your new building budget of $6,875. Don’t forget that you’ll need a composting toilet for roughly $2,000.
4. Mini House Plans Nancy
A complete set of the floor plans $590.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $40, 900)
This 410 sq. ft. 2-story tiny house plan is perfect for small and narrow lots. The frontal rustic looking facade is reminiscent of European medieval towers. The inside staircase is steep as in bell tower of Notre Dame cathedral but at least it’s not spiral!
Of course, there are things that can improve the proposed concept of this two-story tiny house. If you like the general idea, contact the designer and give him your feedback.
5. Small Bungalow House Plans Mila
A complete set of the floor plans $490.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $27, 300)
This compact one-story tiny house plan “Mila” is designed for two. It may serve as a perfect country house plan for seniors out with reasonable DIY building cost.
The porch is rather small but can be extended and wrapped around the left wall if you like to take your evening tea outside watching sunsets.
A cozy home like this one can be visualized anywhere blending perfectly with nature.
6. Pod House Plans Aria
A complete set of the floor plans $390.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $19,200)
If you like shingle roofs and curved lines like parabolas then this extendable tiny pod house is for you!
Measuring only 14 ft in width, these home plans can definitely be a nice option for the owners of narrow lots with the limited construction budget. The loft provides a lot of storage space.
The parabolic cross-section provides some additional structural strength to the roof. In the case of extreme snowfalls or volcanic ashes fall-outs, this roof may hold a lot more weight than the regular one.
As your family grows, more rooms can be added on the back to this extendable tiny house.
7. Pod Cabin Plans Ava
A complete set of the floor plans $190.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $11,500)
Is it a tiny house or a cabin? It sure looks like a cabin but has all the indoors facilities, so you don’t have to fight raccoons with your flashlight on the way to outhouse in the middle of the night. It’s only 247 sq. ft.
With a rather low DIY cost to build, this tiny home plan is one of our favorites. Some may say that folding and unfolding your bed and table every single day can be annoying.
How about moving the bed to where the current storage area is? The entrance door can switch places with the window on the front wall and now we suddenly have room for both things to stay unfolded.
This wooden tiny house plan was originally designed as an alternative to other minimalistic designs, like container houses, for example. It is also designed to stand also on ground screws to prevent the house from accumulating water and excessive humidity.
The design allows for easy installation of other ecological solutions like sun collectors, for example, to accumulate electricity or water-saving tank.
8. Two Container House Plans
A complete set of the floor plans $529.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $41,500)
Living in a metal box is usually not what most of us dream about but the trend is still here making some architects from time to time put out a few floor plans like this one. These two 20 ft Shipping Container house plans boldly depict your future residence as a patio surrounded by a couple of standard containers.
A total space of 504 sq ft is 20% above the usual footage of the tiny house, so don’t expect to avoid paying real estate property taxes (US).
Adding larger windows and sliding doors would be one obvious solution for natural light lovers. On the other hand, double-pane windows and doors may significantly raise up the construction cost.
Containerized homes come in many different flavors nowadays and often end up to be more expensive than the traditional ones.
9. 40ft Container House Plans
A complete set of the floor plans $290.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $25,500)
For some reason, this 40 ft Shipping Container House looks less “containerized” than the previous one. Can it be because of the lighter wall colors and large sliding doors?
Anyway, with a total floor area of 581 sq. ft. it beats the previous two-container home in building costs and the footage.
The abundance of natural light will make your life in this container home more enjoyable. With this kind of light, you may even start painting or drawing instead of staring at the TV or computer screen.
Containerized homes like this one are the easiest to build as a growing number of container dealers offer affordable modification services in case your local welder charges arm and leg.
10. Basic Cabin Plans Karen
A complete set of the floor plans $390.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $22,700)
This is a very cute cabin with a sleeping loft, kitchen, bathroom, and a porch. It even has gutters! The plan is pretty basic.
If you think that only a single person will be able to enjoy this 264 sq. ft. house go to Japan and see their standard apartments or capsule hotels!
11. Cabin with Screened Porch Plans Isla
A complete set of the floor plans $690.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $29, 300)
Yes, you absolutely can put a family of 3 into this tiny home! For couples without a child, the second bedroom can be used as an office or walk-in closet.
The design of this tiny home creates a relaxing country mood – right away you start imagining the flower beds around it and a bunch of blooming fruit trees by the porch.
12. Chalet Plans Dorothy
A complete set of the floor plans $490.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $27,500)
With its dark brown siding and somber architecture, this 573 sq. ft. chalet looks reminiscent of historical buildings. Imagine a brook with a water mill under the raised part and a willow tree – this can be a perfect project for Airbnb.
Of course, you may paint the walls with much lighter colors and make windows larger. The loft makes a perfect sleeping area for kids. The central block creates an impressive open space for the whole family.
Overall, it’s a lively plan with a lot of things that can be adjusted. For example, why not move the bathroom to the side where the bedroom is?
If increasing the budge is not a problem then adding the second bathroom would be the logical thing. Most importantly, you don’t want to fall down the stairs in the middle of the night during your bathroom trip, do you?
13. One Room Cabin Plans Madison
A complete set of the floor plans $390.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $29, 000)
One question that most of us would ask about this tiny home design is: “Where would you get these funny curvy posts for the porch?” What kind of lumber store carry them?
This is a really good question and when we’ll get an answer we’ll post the name of the store here. In the meantime, regular 4×4 or even 2×4 posts will do just fine.
The floor plan of 592 sq. ft. is super-simple and surprisingly large. You may try dividing the large bedroom into 2 rooms if needed.
14. Chalet Cabin Plans Ellie
A complete set of the floor plans $390.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $11,300)
No, this is not a playhouse! It’s a real thing where one can sleep, eat, and even host parties on the porch! No bathroom is not a big deal – you can attach one to the back of the house.
Seems like the loft or attic is pretty roomy and very cozy. The porch and the livable space are the same – 269 sq. ft. – nice design!
15. Small Two Story House Plans Judy
A complete set of the floor plans $390.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $20,400)
If you are a lover of the slanted posts, then this porch may give you enough satisfaction. Even the wall is slanted too!
As a result, this two-story house is super cute and almost whimsical. We really like the mudroom by the entrance which is a rather rare feature of modern tiny home plans.
The total square footage of 335 sq. ft. puts this two-story house into the tiny homes category. The roof has two gables on each side and the second floor provides enough space to sleep for up to 6 people.
The first level combines the living room and kitchen, bathroom, and storage. The stairway leads to the upper level with 2 bedrooms.
16. Small House Plans With Porches Gloria
A complete set of the floor plans $790.00 (with estimated DIY cost to build of $39, 500)
Gloria is 470 sq. ft. house with a gable roof and a pair fully covered and partly fenced 118 sq. ft. porches. The main room combined with the kitchen (145 sq. ft.) is located downstairs. Two bedrooms are on the second floor.
Resembling an Amish barn, small house Gloria is designed in a traditional style that can easily blend into any rustic country environment.
“How to Build a Tiny House” Book
Here is an excellent guide that will help the beginner to get the grasp of the main tasks related to the process of building your own small house or cabin.
This Tiny House Construction Guide will Teach You:
- All step-by-step processes from foundation to the roof including connecting your house to public utilities;
- How to choose the most suitable material for building your small house;
- Learn how to fix things in your small house;
- Understand the basic tiny house typology;
- How to plan correctly go through all the construction stages;
Besides small house plans under 1000 sq. ft. are you interested in buying a small rustic house plan designed by a reputable architectural firm from the USA? Take a look at these 11 affordable small homes
New: Stylish prefab and custom shipping container homes from 15 containerized home builders! Take a look!
Did you like this collection of small house plans? See more small plans and designs here.
