Tiny Home and a Tiny Footprint in Toronto

Pricing

Tori and Meghan mention that “the exorbitant price of real estate in the greater Toronto area forced us to look at alternative options. Knowing that most traditional houses were too large for us, we decided that a Tiny House would suit all of our needs while carrying a much smaller price tag in comparison to a condo or apartment.”

Minimaliste Tiny Homes does provide Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) certification, though not all clients require this certification. Jean-Phillipe mentioned that “we always build by the same standards, but the RVIA stamp is mostly required by insurances companies or financing institutions. It does demonstrate that the builders follow regulations, making sure that the tiny houses meet the standards for safety and quality. That being said, we think that the RVIA certification is overrated; most of the things they are checking is electricity, propane and plumbing. We think that there is much more to take into consideration when it comes to the integrity and quality of a tiny house. We suggest that people ask more questions to the builders about the specifications of the tiny houses they make, instead of taking the RVIA stamp as a proof of quality.”

Characteristics of The Ébène

The Ébène has a beautiful exterior that combines the Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique of preserving and waterproofing wood through charring the wood with other natural cedar finishes. As with other tiny homes, the interior space is designed to be flexible. The living room can easily be transformed into a larger dining room when company arrives for dinner. When asked about the favorite part of their tiny home, Meghan said that it was “hard to choose, but I would say our kitchen and our living room, as those are two places we spend most of our time. And Minimaliste did an amazing job bringing our vision to life.”

For the two adults and two miniature Dachshunds that share the home, the lofted king-size bedroom above the living room includes built-in cabinetry for closet storage spaces. The full-sized, high-tech kitchen is complete with a convection oven, a ceramic glass cooktop, a microwave, and a refrigerator/freezer combo. There is even a large pantry for kitchen storage options.

The bathroom has a shower and tub surrounded by sleek Muraluxe wall panels and a side-by-side high efficiency, Bosch Series 300 washer and dryer—ENERGY STAR qualified to save energy and money. The second lofted area is placed smartly above the bathroom, with a ladder for easy access that doesn’t reduce interior space.

Tiny Home, Tinier Footprint

While energy efficiency gains in modern-day, sustainable construction continue to advance, tiny homes are inherently more sustainable because of their smaller space. With less interior space, less “stuff” is necessary to purchase to fill up the home. Due to the reduced square footage, less energy will be required to heat, cool, and power the home.

Once you have settled on a design that you love, however, you will be able to say, like Tori and Meghan, that “living in a tiny house has been an amazing experience, and I look forward to waking up every morning in my house.”