Guide to Buying Prefabricated Tiny Houses on Amazon

There are lots of things you can find on Amazon. You can buy almost anything there like clothes, bags, shoes, books, foods, and even tiny houses. Yes, you’ve read that right. You can certainly find and buy tiny houses on Amazon and get them delivered to your door. Amazing, isn’t it?

Well, when you order one from Amazon, you won’t be able to move in as soon as your parcel is delivered because most of these houses are usually kits that require assembly and additional finishes to be able to live in them. Some may also require a foundation and electrical and plumbing hookups before you can live in it. Aside from that, you should also first check with your laws where you can place your tiny house before buying one.

If you’re curious about these, or if you’re looking into buying a prefabricated tiny house, we are here to give you a guide to buying one on Amazon.com.

Prefabricated Tiny House Kits

When you choose to live in a tiny house, you have different options to be able to own one. You can build one from scratch, find semi-DIY pre-built tiny house shells, find move-in ready tiny homes, or you can buy prefabricated tiny house kits which are available on Amazon.

A prefabricated tiny house kit is a prepackaged assembly of the tiny house and it includes every screw, precut wood, and windows needed for the building process. If you choose this option, it will give you a chance to be involved in the construction process of your tiny home. What’s great is that the amount of time you need to complete your tiny house is lower compared to building one from scratch because you just need to put the pieces together.

Pros of Buying a Prefabricated Tiny House

Here are some of the advantages you can get from buying a prefabricated tiny house kit.

  • Predictable costs: The costs associated with tiny house kits are more predictable because the remaining steps after buying a tiny house kit is the assembly of the house itself. Unlike building a tiny house from scratch that you need to organize your budget for different expenses such as cost of tools, design costs, material costs, and more which can quickly spiral out of control.
  • You don’t need much building experience: Prefabricated tiny houses are designed to optimize for DIY construction without needing any professional help or specialist construction tools. It means that even if you do not have much experience in building houses, you will be able to build a tiny house by simply following the instructions that come with the kit.
  • Saves time: A tiny house kit will save you a lot of time because the majority of the grunt work like selection and processing of materials have been done at the facility. It means that you might be able to move into your tiny house in just a few days depending on the complexity of the tiny house you will choose and your assembly speed.
  • More Earth-friendly: Factories usually mass-produce tiny house kits, so they are able to recycle any byproduct or waste generated from one production cycle which helps in reducing waste, compared to building a tiny house from scratch where you will generate wood shavings, extra sheaths, oversized panels, and more.
  • Customization and personalization: Prefabricated tiny houses come in different shapes and sizes with different options for design and personalization.

Cons of Buying a Prefabricated Tiny House

Here are some of the disadvantages that come with buying prefabricated tiny homes.

  • Design: Most of the tiny house kits you can buy look generic because they are bulk produced in factories. If you are looking for a tiny house on a budget, you might find it difficult to find a design where you can have much control over.
  • Flexibility: When assembling a prefabricated tiny house, you need to follow the architectural blueprint and instructions it comes with even to the smallest detail. Making some changes to the structure might lead to problems for the final product. Aside from that, the types of fittings such as windows, piping, plumbing, doors, and more that comes with the kit may also be limited.

Things to Consider When Buying a Prefabricated Tiny House

Here are some of the factors you should consider when you decide to buy a prefabricated tiny house.

The size of your family and your lifestyle

Deciding to buy a prefabricated tiny house depends on the size of your family and your lifestyle patterns. If you have a large family, living in a tiny house may not be ideal or comfortable. If you live with kids, they might need some space to run around, and if you live with teenagers, they might need some privacy to have their friends over.

The location of your tiny house

Another thing to consider is where you’d place your tiny house. It’s great if you have a personal land or outdoor space to place it. Aside from that, you should also consider whether the tiny house assembled from the kit you choose can be integrated easily with the available utilities like water and power hookups.

The building codes and standards in your area

When buying a tiny house, you should also be familiar with your local building codes because laws about acceptable structures vary state by state. Also, remember that any structure or home created from a small kit should be able to stand up to natural disasters. Therefore, you should choose tiny house kits that are up to HUD or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development standards.     

The type of tiny home you want

The type of home you want will influence the type of kit you will end up buying. On prefabricated tiny houses, you have the option of building on a slab, foundation, trailer or on wheels.

The materials you are using

You should also consider the materials you will be using because it has a direct impact on the durability of the final structure created from it. You should make sure that your prefabricated tiny house is made from quality materials which can withstand the harshest environmental conditions.

The utilities and appliances included in the kit

You should also know if the tiny house kit includes utilities and appliances. If it includes plumbing, you should know how it works. If it does not include plumbing, you should know if it has any instructions or recommendations on how to set it up. Same with the electricity, you should know if it’s going to be sourced from solar panels. Also, try to know if it comes with insulation. Since you’ll be spending lots of time in your tiny house, it’s important to make sure it’s comfortable.

Feedback of other buyers

When you buy from Amazon, you will be able to see comments and feedback from other customers. Sometimes, these reviews are helpful for you to know what they think about the tiny house you’re thinking of purchasing. But these reviews are often subjective and can vary for different customers. You can also try to reach out to buyers directly if you have questions.

Prefabricated tiny houses are indeed a great solution if you want to immediately have a tiny home to live in. They are very easy to assemble and are great-looking as well, just like a normal home is. We hope this guide will be able to help you find the best tiny house that will suit your needs.