Tiny houses are all the rage in the Atlanta area. In fact, the third annual Georgia Tiny House Festival in early March was so big it had to be moved to the Atanta Motor Speedway.
Throughout the area, enthusiasm for living small −and possibly even building your own tiny place − is in high gear.
The tiny house community of Little River Escape in Cloudland, Georgia, defines a tiny house as "a residential structure that is typically sized under 600 square feet." The community accepts two sorts of tiny houses: the Tiny House on Wheels, which can fit on a trailer and has maximum dimensions of 8' 6" wide, 13' 6" tall, and 40 feet long, providing a maximum area of about 340 square feet; the second option, a Park Model RV (PMRV), is usually 340-560 square feet and feels a bit like a bright one bedroom apartment.
"These can be up to 14 feet wide, but require permitting and tractor-trailer truck for moving," according to a note on the site.
Unfortunately, getting tiny homes from the drawing board to Atlanta-area vacation spots and neigborhoods can be a bit difficult. The city doesn't have a formal definition of "tiny house," for example, and still restricts new residential construction that's less than 750 square feet.
As for prices for these little housing gems in North Georgia, there's no telling. Depending on size, location and where (and how) the home was built, the range is substantial.
Which isn't to say tiny homes in the Atlanta area aren't fun and appealing. They are and they tend to be a good value too, whether owners employ them as “she sheds” (the alternative to the man cave), guest rooms, offices or proper places to live (on or off the grid).
To get an idea of the range of designs and the variety of prices, check out these five tiny home options being sold on-site or by their builders within an hour or so of Atlanta:
Deluxe Lofted Barn Cabin shell
Mansfield, Georgia, 384 square feet (1 bedroom, 1 bath), $9,046
These cabin shells are constructed by the building division of Read Auto Sales, about 47 miles from Atlanta, and are intended to be finished by their eventual owners. The company offers financing and delivers and sets up cabins free of charge within 50 miles of Mansfield.
Credit: Contributed by Julian Jackson/EXP Realty Atlanta
Credit: Contributed by Julian Jackson/EXP Realty Atlanta
Atlanta, 650 square feet (2 bedrooms, 1 bath), $33,580
Built in 1920, long before Atlanta's size restrictions on new construction, this Westside fixer-upper features hardwood floors and a charming front proch. It sits on about a tenth of an acre and has an unfinished basement.
Credit: Courtesy of Tiny House Listings
Credit: Courtesy of Tiny House Listings
Ellijay, Georgia, 144 square feet (1 bedroom, 0 bath), $27,500
This structure is being sold as a potential tiny home or property addition. It includes built-in storage, screened windows that open and shut, a closet and a front porch, along with water and electrical hookups. Ideal for use as a guest room or office on your property or as a hunter's cabin, the buyer is responsible for lifting and moving the building.
Credit: Contributed by River Ridge Escape
Credit: Contributed by River Ridge Escape
Cloudland, Georgia, 397 square feet (1 bedroom, 1 bath), $41,500
This is one of the tiny homes in the private community atop Lookout Mountain, just over an hour from Atlanta. It features custom cabinets and access to Lake Lahusage.
Credit: Contributed by Jennifer Blackmon/Tiny House Listing
Credit: Contributed by Jennifer Blackmon/Tiny House Listing
Bostwick, Georgia, 400 square feet (1 bedroom, 1 bath), $45,000
Perfect for a lake or mountain retreat, this Amish-built cabin is mobile and can be moved with a commercial truck (like a Ford F-550). But it still boasts features like tongue-and-groove interiors and and a large deck.
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