The small house movement is a global phenomenon. People from around the globe are stressed to the gills by large house payments and ever growing work weeks. Despite its immense natural beauty, New Zealand is no exception.
I found an article about a New Zealand family who built a tiny house. This article was originally published at stuff.co.nz. Bevan Thomas, a resident of Christchurch, NZ, built his tiny house from scratch. He fell in love with the movement as a way to help both the environment and the millions of people who don’t want to or can’t be tied to a halve million dollar plus mortgage.
Bevan’s story is different than most who pursue a tiny lifestyle. He spends much of his time living on a yacht with his wife and three children. His time on a boat filled him with the wisdom that less space doesn’t have to mean sacrifice.
The tiny house he constructed uses beautiful wood siding and even better floor. Windows are abundantly placed throughout the structure to give it an open feel. 14 foot tall ceilings also give a feeling of being in a much larger home. At almost 23 feet long, this is a luxurious tiny house. He managed to squeeze in two small bedrooms in the upper living area, a full kitchen, and a bathroom with shower.
Having completed his project, Bevan is now looking to sell his tiny house in hopes to build more. He is asking for $75,000. This price seems a tad high by American standards, but if countless hours of House Hunters International have taught me anything, it is that New Zealand and Australia are cheap places to live.
Bevan helped setup the Christchurch Tiny House Facebook page. They are up to almost 600 likes. They also had more sixty people attend their first meeting. This is a great example of the grassroots efforts being spawned by the tiny house movement. People helping others learn and grow is the name of the game.