tiny home business plans

How to Start a Tiny House Business

Tiny houses are all the rage. These uber-small homes have just enough space for a minimalist individual or small family. A tiny house business builds, sells and/or rents tiny houses to those looking for a place to live or stay.

You may also be interested in additional unique business ideas .

Learn how to start your own Tiny House Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Start a tiny house business by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Tiny House Business
• Form your Tiny House Business into a Legal Entity
• Register your Tiny House Business for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Tiny House Business
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Tiny House Business
• Get Tiny House Business Insurance
• Define your Tiny House Business Brand
• Create your Tiny House Business Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your tiny house business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Tiny House Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your tiny house business?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening a tiny house business.

The building materials are the primary expense. The construction of tiny houses requires an array of materials ranging from wood to nails, bricks, lighting, appliances, flooring and so on. An office for administrative functions will also be necessary. Your office needs computers, printers, desks, chairs and high-speed Internet. You will also need a team of tiny home builders to construct these cute little houses. Some tiny house builders buy the property upon which tiny houses are built. If you plan on purchasing such property before constructing the tiny houses, be sure to budget for these costly acquisitions of land.

What are the ongoing expenses for a tiny house business?

The cost of labor is one of the major tiny house business expenses. Your tiny house builders will require a wage of at least $12 to $15 per hour if not more. The construction foreman/manager will require a salary in the range of $45,000 to $100,000. You will have to hire a receptionist, administrator, marketing professional and accountant as time progresses. A receptionist and administrator will earn between $10 and $15 per hour. Marketing and accounting professionals typically earn between $35,000 and $55,000 per year.

You will need an office to conduct your tiny house business. This space will likely cost between $700 and $1,500 per month depending on its size and location. Utilities and high-speed Internet will cost between $150 and $250 per month. Budget in another couple hundred dollars per month for insurance. Constructing tiny homes requires building materials. The cost of these materials hinges on the number of tiny homes you plan on building. You will likely spend between $2,000 and $20,000 or more for each tiny house's building supplies. The exact cost hinges on the size of the tiny home along with its appliances and luxuries. If you plan on buying property and then building tiny homes on the land you purchase, your budget will be exponentially higher. Though tiny houses are small, the land upon which they are built can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $50,000 or more.

Who is the target market?

The ideal customer is an individual with an expansive budget and a desire for an upscale tiny home. In some instances it is possible to sell several tiny homes to a real estate investor who intends to “flip” those properties or use them as tiny house rentals/hotels.

How does a tiny house business make money?

Tiny house businesses make money by selling tiny homes to buyers. It is also possible to rent out tiny houses.

Tiny houses sell in a price range between $5,000 and $50,000 or more. The exact price depends on the size, location, and amenities within the house. These diminutive homes are quite appealing to a wide variety of audiences. If you decide to rent out your tiny home as a hotel of sorts, you can charge upwards of $100 to $200 per night. People are willing to pay good money for a brief stay in a tiny house in order to determine if this style of living is appealing and also to find out what all the fuss is over.

How much profit can a tiny house business make?

A tiny house business has the potential to make six figures right off the bat. The amount of profit your tiny house business makes hinges on overhead costs, the number of properties your team can build and the state of your local real estate market. Keep building and selling tiny homes and it is possible to turn your business in a multi-million dollar enterprise within half a decade.

How can you make your business more profitable?

If you have a tiny home on the market that few (or no) people bid on, consider renting it out. It is also possible to rent tiny houses as hotels. If you understand the intricacies of tiny house construction, you can make extra money by teaching others how to build these highly unique structures.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your tiny house business is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a tiny house business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Services Contract

Tiny house businesses should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project.  This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, service level expectations, and intellectual property ownership. Here is an example of terms and conditions that one company includes in their services contract.

Here is OSHA’s guide for the construction industry. There are particular regulations for building a home that may be relevant to building tiny houses too.

Liability Insurance

 It is recommended that you obtain liability insurance to protect yourself, contractors, and customers in the case of an accident.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Tiny House Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Tiny House Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a tiny house business

Be selective when deciding on marketing methods. Tiny home-seekers tend to be young adults in their 20s or 30s. Target the mediums this age cohort is exposed to and you will maximize your marketing dollars. Of critical importance is your website and social media content. Millennials and other youngsters will almost certainly surf the web on over to your website and Facebook, and Twitter pages. Your web presence should be polished. Regularly update your social media accounts and website blog with helpful, intriguing keyword-laden content. Guest blog on other relevant websites to gain exposure.

How to keep customers coming back

It is important to hold frequent open houses. Do not lose sight of the fact that investing in a tiny house is quite the difficult decision for the average home-seeker. After all, tiny houses are quite unorthodox. Learn all the nuances of your tiny homes for sale so you can explain how a prospective buyer can live in such a small space with considerable comfort.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

If you are interested in architecture, construction and/or real estate, this business is perfect for you. It is also quite appealing to those who pride themselves on staying up to date with the latest trends.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a tiny house business?

A tiny house business owner orders building materials, manages builders, secures plots of land, buys/sells tiny homes and establishes relationships with suppliers. Some tiny house business owners even handle the accounting and marketing duties until the business reaches the point where professionals can be hired to handle these responsibilities.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful tiny house business?

Knowledge of home construction with a particular focus on tiny house construction will certainly help. Those who are familiar with the real estate nuances of their area will have a firm grasp on the local codes that apply to tiny houses and the best places to build these homes. It will also help to be a savvy marketer. Though many tiny homes sell themselves, making target customers aware of your tiny homes for sale is critically important.

What is the growth potential for a tiny house business?

Tiny houses are as en vogue as it gets. Just about everyone wants to spend a night in a tiny house. Plenty of millennials are interested in these diminutive homes as permanent living spaces. Even baby boomers looking to downsize are interested in tiny houses. The potential for growth is exponential. If you build or acquire tiny homes in the next half-decade, they will almost assuredly sell at a profit. Capitalize on this trend now and you will be able to grow your tiny home company into a business empire across posterity. It is likely that tiny houses will remain popular far into the future as the population increases, space becomes more limited and traditional home values continue to soar.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a tiny house business?

Become familiar with your local building codes. Find out the specific regulations in your jurisdiction that pertain to tiny house construction, location and living. Hire your building team with care. Only select builders who understand the nuances of tiny home construction. If you aren't sure where to start and do not have experience with tiny houses, it is advisable to attend at tiny home workshop.

How and when to build a team

You will need a team of tiny house builders right away. You can't build all these houses yourself. Furthermore, it will help to hire a real estate agent or tiny home expert to help you show the tiny houses you have for sale. If you do not want to answer the phone calls of prospective buyers throughout the day, it will be necessary to hire a receptionist. Hold off on hiring a marketing professional, accountant and administrator until your business ramps up.

Read our tiny house business hiring guide to learn about the different roles a tiny house business typically fills, how much to budget for employee salaries, and how to build your team exactly how you want it.

Useful Links

Truic resources.

• TRUiC's Tiny House Business Hiring Guide

Industry Opportunities

• Franchise Opportunity
• Discover more Unique Business Ideas
• American Tiny House Association
• United Tiny House Association

Real World Examples

• Santa Monica Business
• Nashville Business
• Chattanooga Business

Further Reading

• Problems to Watch Out For
• Steps and Other Things to Consider

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

A software engineer built a tiny home for his mom and now he has a full-blown business selling DIY plans

• Dan Louche set up Tiny Home Builders in 2009 after he built a tiny house for his mom. 
• It offers a range of plans, with prices starting at about $200 for a 20-foot "Simple Living" plan.
• Customers can build their own tiny homes for as little as $10,000 in materials.

In 2009, Dan Louche's mom told him her health was deteriorating due to mold growing in her home following damage caused by a storm. 

He knew something had to be done, but couldn't afford to buy her a new home in Florida. While searching for an answer, the 47-year-old saw a PBS show about a woman who had built her own tiny home.

"I saw that and thought it would be an awesome solution," Louche told Insider. His mom wrote a blog about the construction and fit-out of her home.

He said that despite growing up in a family of contractors and having a background in engineering, he didn't have the expertise to build one himself.

"So I started researching and just really diving into it," Louche said. "Then I went out, bought a trailer and I started building that first house. It was never intended to be a business – it was really just trying to solve my mom's problem."

Through his experience he started to pick up skills, and he eventually decided he wanted to help others build their own tiny houses, so in 2010 he founded Tiny Home Builders .

Interest in building tiny homes appears to have steadily increase since 2020, according to Google Trends data for the search term "tiny home plans." So former engineer Louche may have made a smart business decision in selling plans to prospective builders. 

"I thought maybe there's someone else who might have the same experience or a need to build their own," Dan Louche said.

When Louche and his wife went to visit his mom at her tiny home, she was surprised by how livable it was and how it met all her needs. 

That was when he knew he could help others build their own, he said.

He has a blog where he documented his mistakes and tips for people who also didn't have much construction experience.

"We started to provide resources for people to help them build their own house," he said. "Initially we started selling some of those to try and make up some of the money we spent on my mom's house, but it ended up growing bigger and now it's a company." 

Tiny Home Builders offers a range of plans in different sizes.

There are five plans on offer: Tiny Living, The Element, Tiny Studio, Tiny Retirement, and Simple Living. Each comes in a range of sizes. For people just starting out, the company also offers a design and construction guide that summarizes the process of building a tiny house. "That gives you an introduction to the process," Louche said. "It doesn't give you the floor plan of a house, but it gives you some of the knowledge that you would need to go off and do it."

The plans offer instructions on how to build the homes and a cost estimate.

There's also a comprehensive material list with approximate prices for materials. They can range from $10,000 to $25,000, according to the company's website . Tiny Home Builders also offers two-day intensive workshop sessions to show people how to build the homes if they are ready to build their own house but don't have the knowledge.

One of the most popular plans is for the "Tiny Living" design.

One of the most popular designs is the "Tiny Living" plan that costs $347. It has a big family living area, bathroom, kitchen, and a sleeping area and is offered in six sizes from 12 feet to 32 feet.

"I recommend the smallest house be 16 feet long because it can have a full bathroom, a full bedroom, kitchen, and couch. That's all a single person really needs," Louche said. "The smaller the house, the cheaper it's going to be to build."

Customers can email the company for support during the construction process.

The company says it gets about 60 emails a day from people asking questions about the construction process.

"If we get a question two or three times we're putting together resources to help everybody else," Louche said. "We try to help everybody that we can because we want everybody to be successful and have a good experience." 

If two people are building a tiny home full-time, it can take as little as two months to finish.

The longest it's ever taken Louche to build a tiny home is a year, which was when he first started and while he was also juggling full-time job, he said.

It's mostly young people who buy the plans, Louche said.

The main customer base is people who don't have kids, or people just starting a family, Louche said. There aren't many families living in tiny houses due their size, he added. 

With a tiny house, you can have a home for the price of a car.

The cost is a big plus, but the challenge for people building tiny homes has been finding places to park them. Louche said some places such as California are passing laws to encourage ADUs, or Accessory Dwelling Units. "It means they can be parked in anybody's backyard. When we first started there was a lot of resistance to adoption, but we're seeing that as time goes on, that resistance is dying down," he said.

Tiny Home Builders also has an online marketplace to buy and sell tiny houses.

People can sell their used tiny homes or ones they have built using the plans on their site via the marketplace.  

" It's an extremely rewarding experience to help people build their own house. We want to make sure that we help people go through that process," Louche said. 

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Tiny House Business Plan Template & Guidebook

Everyone is trying to figure out how to start a business these days. If you're thinking about being an entrepreneur and building one from the ground up, you need a business plan. This article will guide you from start to finish as we go over the steps you need to take to write a business plan for your tiny house business.

Get worry-free services and support to launch your business starting at $0 plus state fees.

• How to Start a Profitable Tiny House Business [11 Steps]
• 10+ Best & Profitable Tiny House Business Ideas [2023]
• 25 Catchy Tiny House Business Names:
• List of the Best Marketing Ideas For Your Tiny House Business:

How to Write a Tiny House Business Plan in 7 Steps:

1. describe the purpose of your tiny house business..

The first step to writing your business plan is to describe the purpose of your tiny house business. This includes describing why you are starting this type of business, and what problems it will solve for customers. This is a quick way to get your mind thinking about the customers’ problems. It also helps you identify what makes your business different from others in its industry.

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

Here is an example of a purpose mission statement for a tiny house business:

Our purpose at Tiny House Builders is to provide our customers with affordable, sustainable, and comfortable tiny homes that meet their needs and preferences. Our mission is to become the leading provider of tiny homes in the region, offering a wide range of styles, sizes, and options to suit every need. We are committed to using only the finest materials and latest technology, and to providing exceptional customer service, with knowledgeable and friendly staff who can help customers understand their options and make the best choices for their needs. We aim to provide a comfortable, welcoming environment where our customers can learn about the latest trends and advancements in tiny home technology, and to deliver exceptional results that exceed our customers' expectations. We believe that everyone deserves to have access to affordable, sustainable, and comfortable tiny homes, and we strive to provide our customers with the best products and services available.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Tiny House Business.

The next step is to outline your products and services for your tiny house business. 

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my business?
• What are the products and/or services that I offer?
• Why am I offering these particular products and/or services?
• How do I differentiate myself from competitors with similar offerings?
• How will I market my products and services?

You may want to do a comparison of your business plan against those of other competitors in the area, or even with online reviews. This way, you can find out what people like about them and what they don’t like, so that you can either improve upon their offerings or avoid doing so altogether.

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your tiny house business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

A good marketing plan for your tiny house business includes the following elements:

Target market

• Who is your target market?
• What do these customers have in common?
• How many of them are there?
• How can you best reach them with your message or product?

Customer base 

• Who are your current customers? 
• Where did they come from (i.e., referrals)?
• How can their experience with your tiny house business help make them repeat customers, consumers, visitors, subscribers, or advocates for other people in their network or industry who might also benefit from using this service, product, or brand?

Product or service description

• How does it work, what features does it have, and what are its benefits?
• Can anyone use this product or service regardless of age or gender?
• Can anyone visually see themselves using this product or service?
• How will they feel when they do so? If so, how long will the feeling last after purchasing (or trying) the product/service for the first time?

Competitive analysis

• Which companies are competing with yours today (and why)? 
• Which ones may enter into competition with yours tomorrow if they find out about it now through word-of-mouth advertising; social media networks; friends' recommendations; etc.)
• What specific advantages does each competitor offer over yours currently?

Marketing channels

• Which marketing channel do you intend to leverage to attract new customers?
• What is your estimated marketing budget needed?
• What is the projected cost to acquire a new customer?
• How many of your customers do you instead will return?

Form an LLC in your state!

4. Write Your Operational Plan.

Next, you'll need to build your operational plan. This section describes the type of business you'll be running, and includes the steps involved in your operations. 

In it, you should list:

• The equipment and facilities needed
• Who will be involved in the business (employees, contractors)
• Financial requirements for each step
• Milestones & KPIs
• Location of your business
• Zoning & permits required for the business

What equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a tiny house business?

To run a tiny house business, you will need a few key pieces of equipment, supplies, and permits. These include:

• Tiny houses and trailers
• Transportation and storage equipment
• A permit to operate your business (depending on location)
• Business licenses and permits for business activities (if applicable)

You may also need to hire and train staff to manage the tiny house rentals and provide customer service.

5. Management & Organization of Your Tiny House Business.

The second part of your tiny house business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

This section will cover all of the following:

• How many employees you need in order to run your tiny house business. This should include the roles they will play (for example, one person may be responsible for managing administrative duties while another might be in charge of customer service).
• The structure of your management team. The higher-ups like yourself should be able to delegate tasks through lower-level managers who are directly responsible for their given department (inventory and sales, etc.).
• How you’re going to make sure that everyone on board is doing their job well. You’ll want check-ins with employees regularly so they have time to ask questions or voice concerns if needed; this also gives you time to offer support where necessary while staying informed on how things are going within individual departments too!

6. Tiny House Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

This section should be broken down by month and year. If you are still in the planning stage of your business, it may be helpful to estimate how much money will be needed each month until you reach profitability.

Typically, expenses for your business can be broken into a few basic categories:

Startup Costs

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a tiny house business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a tiny house business.

Running & Operating Costs

Running costs refer to ongoing expenses related directly with operating your business over time like electricity bills or salaries paid out each month. These types of expenses will vary greatly depending on multiple variables such as location, team size, utility costs, etc.

Marketing & Sales Expenses

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your tiny house business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

A financial plan is an important part of any business plan, as it outlines how the business will generate revenue and profit, and how it will use that profit to grow and sustain itself. To devise a financial plan for your tiny house business, you will need to consider a number of factors, including your start-up costs, operating costs, projected revenue, and expenses. 

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your tiny house business plan:

• Determine your start-up costs: This will include the cost of purchasing or leasing the space where you will operate your business, as well as the cost of buying or leasing any equipment or supplies that you need to start the business.
• Estimate your operating costs: Operating costs will include utilities, such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as labor costs for employees, if any, and the cost of purchasing any materials or supplies that you will need to run your business.
• Project your revenue: To project your revenue, you will need to consider the number of customers you expect to have and the average amount they will spend on each visit. You can use this information to estimate how much money you will make from selling your products or services.
• Estimate your expenses: In addition to your operating costs, you will need to consider other expenses, such as insurance, marketing, and maintenance. You will also need to set aside money for taxes and other fees.
• Create a budget: Once you have estimated your start-up costs, operating costs, revenue, and expenses, you can use this information to create a budget for your business. This will help you to see how much money you will need to start the business, and how much profit you can expect to make.
• Develop a plan for using your profit: Finally, you will need to decide how you will use your profit to grow and sustain your business. This might include investing in new equipment, expanding the business, or saving for a rainy day.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tiny House Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a tiny house business.

A business plan is a document that outlines the goals and objectives of a business, as well as the strategies and tactics that will be used to achieve those goals. It is important to have a business plan for your tiny house business because it helps to focus the efforts of the company, communicate the business's goals and objectives to potential investors, and provide a roadmap for the business to follow. Additionally, a business plan can be used to help secure funding from investors or lenders, who will want to see that the business has a solid plan in place before they provide funding.

How to write a business plan for your tiny house business?)

To build a business plan for your tiny house business, start by researching your industry, competitors, and target market. Use this information to define your business's goals and objectives, as well as the strategies and tactics that you will use to achieve those goals. Next, create a financial plan that outlines your projected income, expenses, and profit. This should include a projected income statement, cash flow statement, and balance sheet. Once you have all of this information, you can use it to create a comprehensive business plan that outlines the goals and objectives of your business, as well as the strategies and tactics that you will use to achieve those goals. A well-written tiny house business plan contains the following sections: Purpose, Products & Services, Marketing Plan (including Marketing Strategy), Operations/Management Plan (including Operations/Management Strategy), Financial Plan (including Financial Forecasts), and Appendixes.

Can you write a tiny house business plan yourself?

Yes, you can write a tiny house business plan yourself. Writing a business plan is a valuable exercise that can help you clarify your business idea, identify potential challenges and opportunities, and develop a roadmap for success. While there are many resources and templates available to help you write a business plan, the process of creating one is ultimately up to you.

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I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

Through meticulous research and firsthand experience, I uncover the essential steps, software, tools, and costs associated with launching and maintaining a successful business. By demystifying the complexities of entrepreneurship, I provide the guidance and support needed for others to embark on their journey with confidence.

From assessing market viability and formulating business plans to selecting the right technology and navigating the financial landscape, I am dedicated to helping fellow entrepreneurs overcome challenges and unlock their full potential. As a steadfast advocate for small business success, my mission is to pave the way for a new generation of innovative and driven entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark on the world.

How to Start Up and Manage a Tiny House Rental

Are you considering renting out a tiny house but looking for advice on how to startup? Keep reading to learn how to manage tiny home rental property.

Demand for tiny houses is skyrocketing. This may be impacted by tough economic times. Though, recession presents an opportunity for real estate investors that don’t have the cash to buy full-size homes but do have the money to start a tiny house rental business. Importantly, this is an ideal opportunity for a traditional homeowner who can put one in the backyard.

Maximize your revenue stream while providing quality opportunities for others to try out the tiny lifestyle, on a short or long-term basis. Here are the top tips for managing a tiny home rental property.

1) Be Prepared to Purchase Your Tiny House Rental in Cash or Make a Hefty Downpayment

Banks are getting tighter than ever as defaults on loans rise due to COVID conditions. Consequently, we expect them to be very focused on loans that are seemingly safe and familiar. Chances are that a conservative view on lending won’t roll out the welcome mat for your tiny home investment property. Additionally, be aware that new  tiny house specific lenders  require a good credit score and a 20% downpayment.

The good news is that tiny homes are exceptionally low cost compared to other kinds of housing. Granted, you may want to invest a little bit more in your tiny house so you can stand out in what may prove to be a competitive rental market in the years ahead. In any case, make sure you have cash on hand to buy your unit, make a hefty downpayment , or purchase the materials required to build it.

2) Check to See if You Can Legally Permit a Tiny House on Your Land

You can’t have a tiny house rental without land to put it on. We’re guessing that you plan to place it on an existing parcel that you own or plan to acquire new land to accommodate your property. Whichever way you go, you want to make sure your land allows for tiny homes (site-built, modular, or movable).

Many zoning laws classify tiny houses on wheels as temporary structures and limit or outright prohibit their placement. And the same goes for short-term rentals in select areas. Though, some rural areas have unrestricted zoning or allow for extended RV camping. If you play loose with the law and rent out structures without the right permits, you could receive a code violation that could ruin your rental plans.

3) Consider Renting in Vacation-Friendly Areas

Implementing how to manage tiny home rental property tips is a lot more enjoyable when the property you’re managing is generating money. One of the best ways to ensure that outcome is to have a property in an area frequented by tourists.

Tourists, particularly those visiting woodsy or beach locations, love the allure of tiny house living as a break from their norm. We appreciate that you can’t move your land, but if you’re in the market for a new parcel, look carefully at places that attract travelers.

Surprisingly, many short-term tiny house rentals on Airbnb are experiencing fairly solid bookings despite the pandemic. But you also may want to consider being open to short or long-term stays.

4) Survey the Pulse of Your Community

You don’t need to be in a big vacation market to turn a profit as a tiny house renter. It may be that local demand is enough to sustain your tiny home as a long-term rental unit. Consider the pulse of your community. Is there a high interest demonstrated by local tiny house enthusiasts’ Meetup or Facebook groups? Is there a low vacancy rate on rentals and demand for more?

If the answer is no, you’ll want to rethink investing in tiny homes at your location. If the answer is yes, proceed with confidence! But if unsure, you could do some polling in local Facebook groups or an ad on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.

Also, for pricing decisions, look up the local cost of studio apartment rentals. Be sure to look at what amenities and utilities are included with the rent. From there, you can create a fair price point for a tiny house long-term rental. While for short-term accommodations, you can reference similar listings on VRBO or Airbnb , and further, you can consider variable pricing that adjusts the rental rate based on time of year, etc.

5) Ensure Your Tenant’s Living Space Is Transparent

A common experience we hear with tiny house landlords is that tenants move in and quickly start expanding their use of the land they’re on far beyond their house’s borders. To avoid any conflicts, make clear in your rental agreement how much land around your unit is available for use and any boundaries or rules. Being transparent ahead of time will save you a world of headaches down the line.

6) Supplemental Income Can Make a Huge Difference

Our last tiny home rental management tip is perhaps the least talked about but one that can move the needle in a big way. If you’re finding that your unit isn’t renting out enough as a long-term or short-term rental property, particularly during down seasons, seek alternate means of income.

For example, couples getting married might love to use your tiny house as a backdrop for a photoshoot. Similarly, film studios might like to shoot various pieces of media in or around your home.

Mastering Managing Tiny Home Rental Property Takes Practice

Reading how to manage tiny home rental property tips can go a long way when it comes to setting the stage for your success. At the end of the day, though, the best teacher on this front is experience.

If you’re passionate about the idea of being a tiny house landlord, jump in, learn as you go, make adjustments, and enjoy the ride! We’re confident it will be a fun one. For more helpful guidance on all short term rentals, like buying cheap land, listen to this Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast episode featuring the illustrious Airbnb Superhost, Kristie Wolfe.

Featured image: Tiny House Block in San Diego County, CA

By alexis stephens, a tiny house blog contributor.

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How To Start A Tiny Home Business

To start a Tiny Home Business, you need to formulate a detailed business plan which encompasses the market study, budget planning, necessary permits, sourcing sustainable materials, tracking latest tiny house trends and setting up a skilled team for construction and marketing.

• Last Update: November 23, 2023

• Steps in this Guide: 11

Are you looking for a way to turn your passion for minimalism and sustainable living into a profitable venture? Starting a tiny home business might just be the perfect solution for you. With the rising popularity of tiny homes and the increasing demand for alternative housing options, there has never been a better time to enter the market. In this blog post, we will guide you through the essential steps to get your tiny home business off the ground, from defining your niche to marketing your products or services. Whether you plan to build, design, rent, or sell tiny homes, we have the expertise and insights to help you succeed. So, let’s dive in and explore the exciting world of starting a tiny home business!

How To Start A Tiny Home Business: Step-by-Step

Step 1: business plan creation.

Create a comprehensive business plan that outlines the target customers, operational strategies, financial projections, and marketing and expansion plans. This will serve as your guide and tool to persuade potential investors towards supporting your business venture.

Step 2: Market Research

Understanding your customers’ needs and preferences and analyzing the potential market size, along with researching your competitors, provides valuable insights for making strategic business decisions.

Step 3: Legal Structuring

Choosing the appropriate type of business entity for your housing construction company, such as Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Limited Liability Company, or Corporation, is crucial. Registering your company with relevant government bodies and obtaining necessary licenses and permits is also important.

Step 4: Sourcing Supplies

Develop and nurture strong relationships with suppliers and distributors to effectively source building materials. Our goal is to consistently obtain high-quality materials at competitive prices, ensuring the best value for our customers.

Step 5: Building a Team

A skilled team of architects, engineers, and construction workers is imperative for constructing efficient and quality tiny homes, ensuring excellent craftsmanship and optimal functionality.

Step 6: Designing

Having a diverse portfolio of tiny home designs is essential to cater to the unique preferences of various customers. This entails offering a variety of layouts, styles, and interior options, ensuring that there is a perfect fit for every individual’s needs and desires.

Step 7: Setting Up a Workspace

When searching for a suitable workspace, prioritize finding a well-equipped area that can accommodate both office work and the construction of tiny homes. It should be spacious enough to handle all necessary construction tasks while ensuring the safety of workers.

Step 8: Marketing

To effectively reach potential customers, create an engaging website, leverage social media platforms, attend trade shows, and consider traditional channels like local newspapers.

Step 9: Building the Tiny Homes

Once the design selected by customers is finalized, initiate the construction phase by adhering to all regulatory requirements. Maintain a meticulous approach to ensure high-quality construction, leading to favorable reviews and potential customer recommendations.

Step 10: Sales and Customer Service

In the real estate industry, collaborate with agents or directly engage with customers to sell properties. By delivering exceptional customer service throughout the entire sales journey and beyond, foster a strong and devoted clientele.

Step 11: Financial Management

To ensure your business’s financial health and sustainability, meticulously track all income and expenses, fulfill tax obligations dutifully, and regularly assess financial performance to make informed decisions and maintain stability.

Starting a tiny home business may seem like a daunting task, but with careful planning and determination, it can be a rewarding venture. The key is to identify your passion, find a niche market, and create a solid business plan. By utilizing the unique advantages of a tiny home, such as lower overhead costs and the potential for eco-friendly operations, you can set yourself apart from the competition. Remember to focus on marketing, networking, and providing exceptional customer service to build a strong brand and attract clientele. With perseverance and hard work, your tiny home business can thrive and become a fulfilling and lucrative endeavor. So, take that leap of faith, embrace the tiny home movement, and watch as your entrepreneurial dreams come to life right within the comfort of your little home.

Building A Tiny House For Airbnb Rental

• 1. Building a Business Plan
• 3. Forming a Legal Entity
• 4. Tiny House on Wheels Rental
• 5. Stationary Tiny House Rental
• 6. Legislations and Restrictions
• 8. How to Market Your Tiny House Airbnb

I’ve spent more time than I care to admit perusing Airbnb’s website for dream stays all over the world. I’ve found some of the most incredible homes in the form of treehouses, airstream trailers and much more. When I look for an Airbnb, I tend to gravitate toward the ones with character and charm. You can forget asking me to stay in a cookie-cutter hotel that looks like something you’d find in a Holiday Inn–I want to stay somewhere with a more personal touch. When you have started your business plan, do not forget to form an LLC and choose a registered agent for your business. For example, if your business is based in California, you need to form an LLC in California and choose the right California registered agent .

Indeed, tiny houses would appear to be the ideal Airbnb rental for people like me who want a unique, cozy space. Keep reading if you’re interested in the perfect tiny house rental for Airbnb!

Building a Business Plan

Starting with a clear plan is always a smart idea. Whether or not you want to create a “real business,” planning out the logistics of your tiny house rental is key. Here are some business points to consider:

You want to look at how much money you are able to put in up front versus how much you want to charge each night. Some of the fees include:

• Renter service fee : Each time the tiny house is rented, Airbnb will take 3% off the total.
• Guest reservation fee: Guests are charged a service fee of 6%-12% when they reserve the tiny house.
• Security deposit: Customers pay the tiny house owner an amount to cover damages or lost keys.
• Amenities: If you offer extras like coffee or wine that needs to be purchased by the host for each new guest.

Forming a Legal Entity

Creating a legal business or limited liability company (LLC), prevents a tiny house owner from being personally liable if your Airbnb business is sued or implicated in any way. Other things to consider could be a business bank account, insurance, and taxes.

Tiny House on Wheels Rental

Will the wheels part of it be a factor? Probably not. If you’re putting your tiny home on Airbnb, it’s doubtful you’ll want your guests driving away with it–they can rent an RV to do that.

Seattle Tiny House on Wheels

Find it on Airbnb

This tiny home sleeps up to four people and has all of the amenities you could possibly need in an Airbnb. A full kitchen and cozy wood stove means that Airbnb guests can cook their own meals by the light of a fire. One of the things I like most about this house is the addition of a bookshelf to keep guests from falling out of the loft bed. The books are also a great form of entertainment that doesn’t need to be plugged in.

Stationary Tiny House Rental

With this type of house, you don’t have to worry about your guests taking off into the night with your home. If you choose to build your tiny house on your own property, this will make it easier to access and maintain.

Rustic Portland Tiny House

From a design point of view, this stationary tiny house is on point. The leather and reclaimed wood give it a modern, refined look. One fantastic feature is the staircase in lieu of a ladder. This makes the house more accessible to people who might have trouble accessing a loft.

Legislations and Restrictions

Some states and cities have specific zoning laws that might require a fee to allow for short-term rentals, so be sure to contact your local business administration authority. Additionally, if you’re planning on building your tiny house yourself, you need make sure your home is up to code. Some areas are more strict than others, so it’s always best to check with your local municipality!

As mentioned previously, a smart way to protect yourself and your personal assets is by forming a limited liability company (LLC). This might be a good move if you’re looking to rent out your tiny house on Airbnb more frequently.

Your Airbnb guests will already be impressed with your tiny house! Here are some extras that you can offer to your potential guests to help get great reviews:

• Snacks and drinks upon arrival: Who can say no to a mini chocolates? There’s no need to whip up a meal for your guests; just a small snack or a bottle of wine goes a long way on Airbnb!
• Things to do: A booklet of things to do or a map is always welcome for guests who are unfamiliar with the area.
• Wifi: For those on-the-grid folks who need their laptop for work or for entertainment!
• Tea and Coffee: Two very important things that many people need to start their day.
• Toiletries : No need to buy the expensive stuff, but a bar of soap or shampoo is always exciting to see in an Airbnb. Toilet paper should be a given.
• Wood: If you have a wood stove, supplying a few logs of firewood is super handy for guests who didn’t bring their own axe.
• Entertainment: A tiny house doesn’t have space for too many extra things, so you’ll want to provide compact fun in the form of books and playing cards.
• Personal Touches:  Lay out a  photo album for guests  that shows some stunning photography of the area, or provide a custom thank you note. It will make visitors feel glad they chose your rental!

How to Market Your Tiny House Airbnb

More and more tiny houses are popping up on Airbnb as the tiny house movement increases in popularity. When building and designing your tiny home, try to think of clever ways to make it stand out from the rest.

• Photos: Hi-quality photos that capture the charm of your tiny house are more likely to get bookings. No one wants to see blurry or dark photos!
• Writing: How you describe your tiny home will play a big role in the bookings you receive.
• Location: How close is the nearest supermarket? What kinds of attractions are nearby? Try to think about some reasons why people would want to book.
• Amenities/Extras: Think wine, coffee/tea, shampoo, small snacks…
• Claim A Name: Name your tiny house! Give it a title that will be easy for people to remember and talk about.
• Get Social: Create your tiny house a website or social media account on Instagram. People love to browse through tiny house photos! If you don’t have the time or skills to tackle this, work with a  home services marketing  agency and tap into their expertise to get the job done with ease and to develop a content strategy or start automated blogging .

Inspired to build your tiny house rental? This is a great opportunity to generate some extra income, as well as share your love for tiny houses with others! A little can go a long way, and this is certainly the case when renting out your tiny house as an Airbnb.

Other posts that could interest you

18 Creative Ideas for Your Tiny House Shower

How to Create an Amazing Tiny House Exterior: 3 Amazing Examples

The 5 Best Tiny House Manufacturers That Should Be on Your Radar

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Tiny Homes Business Plan Template

🏠 tiny homes business plan template: build your business to new heights 🚀.

Unlock the Potential of Your Tiny Homes Venture with Our Comprehensive Tiny Homes Business Plan Template!

Unlock the potential of your entrepreneurial vision with our in-depth Tiny Homes Business Plan Template! This template, crafted by Quality Business Plan and penned by Paul Borosky, MBA, is your strategic partner, guiding you to establish and grow a thriving Tiny Homes business.

📄 About Our Template

Our Tiny Homes Business Plan Template is a carefully constructed document specifically designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities of the Tiny Homes industry. This template is your comprehensive guide to a flourishing enterprise.

🌟 What's Included?

• Word Document Template: An entirely customizable and editable blueprint crafted to cater to your specific business objectives.
• Executive Summary: An impactful summary structure designed to engage and captivate the interest of potential investors and stakeholders.
• Company Description: A foundation for a thorough narrative that outlines your business's identity and distinguishes you within the Tiny Homes marketplace.
• Specialty Tiny Homes Industry Analysis (INCLUDED!) You can leverage critical insights with an included analysis of the Tiny Homes sector, letting you know about market trends, revenue trajectories, and untapped opportunities.
• Organizational Structure: A transparent delineation of your company's internal framework, detailing the hierarchy and chain of command.
• Marketing Strategies Tailor-made marketing solutions that are as innovative and dynamic as the Tiny Homes industry itself, designed to broaden your reach and stimulate business growth.
• Funding Request Guided help in crafting a convincing funding request to attract and secure necessary investments and loans for your venture.
• Financial Projections Detailed and comprehensive financial planning tools, including a 12-month profit and loss statement and a 5-year pro forma income statement.
• Excel Financial Model Customized for the Tiny Homes Industry A fundamental, adaptable Excel file that empowers you to modify revenues, costs, and labor projections, offering you control over your financial planning.

🛠️ Customization and Flexibility

Our template offers unparalleled flexibility, enabling you to tweak and refine each component to align flawlessly with your unique business model.

📈 Propel Your Business Forward

Commence your business journey with assurance, equipped with a Tiny Homes Business Plan Template that's more than mere words—it's a full suite of planning tools that prepare you for what lies ahead.

💼 Get Your Template Today!

Are you ready to rev up your Tiny Homes business? Click HERE to seize this invaluable tool and begin laying the groundwork for a prosperous Tiny Homes enterprise.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW!!

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"Free" Business Plan Templates

• Pretty Cool - Business Plan Structure
• Excellent - Industry-Related Research
• Awesome - Customized Financial Projections for your Industry
• Even MORE Awesome -Template Written by Paul Borosky, MBA.
• - Fill-in-the-highlighted-areas Format
• - Completed Pricing Strategy
• - SWOT Analysis Completed
• - Organizational Chart
• - Funding Request Section
• - Step-by-Step Tutorial for Business Plan Doc.
• - Step-by-Step Tutorial for Financial Projections Model

Quality Business Plan Templates

• Excellent - Industry-Related Research ($100 value)
• Awesome - Customized Financial Projections for your Industry ($300 value)
• Even MORE Awesome - Template Written by Paul Borosky, MBA.
• Plus... - Fill-in-the-highlighted-areas Format
• Plus... - Completed Pricing Strategy
• Plus... - SWOT Analysis Completed
• Plus... - Organizational Chart... Done!
• Plus... - Funding Request Section... Yes!
• Plus... - Step-by-Step Tutorial for Business Plan Doc.
• Plus... - Step-by-Step Tutorial for Financial Projections Model

Tiny Homes Business Plan Templates Includes:

• Executive Summary
• Company Description
• Tiny Homes related Industry Analysis INCLUDED!
• Organizational Structure.
• Funding Request
• 12-month profit and loss statement
• 5-year pro forma income statement
• Basic customizable Excel File
• Ability to change revenues, costs, and labor.
• 12 Profit and Loss
• 5 Yr Annual Projections.

Instructional Video:

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For Questions about my template BEFORE PURCHASING or having difficulty downloading it, feel free to call me at:

321-948-9588

Available Monday - Friday from 8 AM to 9 PM EST. (Usually)

IMPORTANT NOTE - I DO NOT OFFER FREE PHONE CONSULTATIONS AFTER PURCHASING THE TEMPLATE.

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The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Your Tiny Homes Business with Quality Business Plan’s Template

Navigating the complex world of business planning can be daunting, especially in a niche market like tiny homes. Quality Business Plan recognizes this challenge and offers a comprehensive solution through its Tiny Homes business plan template. This article delves into the benefits of utilizing this versatile and user-friendly tool.

Streamlined Documentation with the Word Document Template

Embarking on a business journey requires meticulous planning and documentation. The Word Document Template provided by Quality Business Plan simplifies this process. This component of the business plan template is designed to be user-friendly, ensuring that even those with minimal business planning experience can create a professional document. It's not just about having a plan; it's about having one that speaks volumes about your professionalism and attention to detail.

Crafting a Compelling Executive Summary and Company Description

The heart of any business plan is the Executive Summary and Company Description. These sections set the stage for your business and the direction it intends to take. Quality Business Plan’s template guides users through crafting an engaging and concise executive summary. It helps articulate a clear company description that resonates with investors and stakeholders, ensuring that your vision for a tiny home's business is communicated effectively.

In-depth Industry Analysis and Organizational Structure

Understanding the nuances of the tiny homes industry is crucial for success. This business plan template includes a tailored industry analysis, providing valuable insights into market trends and forecasts. The Organizational Structure section also helps you define your team's roles and responsibilities, establishing a solid foundation for operational efficiency and team dynamics.

Marketing Strategies and Funding Requests Made Easy

A well-defined marketing strategy is critical to the growth of any business. This template includes a comprehensive marketing section, aiding in developing effective marketing plans tailored to the tiny homes market. Moreover, the Funding Request section is invaluable for those seeking investment. It helps you present your financial needs clearly and convincingly, increasing the likelihood of securing the necessary funds.

Financial Projections and Excel Financial Model: Your Roadmap to Success

Perhaps the most daunting aspect of a business plan is the financial projection. Quality Business Plan’s Tiny Homes template eases this challenge with a detailed Excel Financial Model customized for the tiny homes industry. This model includes a 12-month profit and loss statement, a 5-year pro forma income statement, and the flexibility to alter revenues, costs, and labor projections. This helps present a realistic financial outlook and aids in strategic planning and budget management.

Final Thoughts: Empowering Your Tiny Homes Business Venture

In conclusion, Quality Business Plan’s Tiny Homes business plan template is more than just a document; it's a comprehensive tool that empowers entrepreneurs to create, plan, and execute their business ideas confidently. Its customizability, ease of use, and industry-specific features make it an invaluable asset for anyone venturing into the tiny home market. Whether you're seeking funding, planning your marketing strategy, or setting up your organizational structure, this template is designed to guide you every step of the way. Embrace the opportunity to transform your tiny home business idea into a thriving reality with Quality Business Plan’s expertly crafted template.

Date: 12/23

Starting A Tiny House Community: It Takes A Tiny Village

Imagine not worrying about paying rent, growing food on your property, having enough outdoor space for your dog and kids to play, and knowing your neighbors deeply enough to call them friend. If that sounds too good to be true, you’re in the right place!

Tiny house lovers are taking things to the next level by upgrading to entire neighborhoods. Shared social experiences, reduced cost of living, time outside with loved ones, freedom, and authentic connections are just a few reasons why people may want to start a tiny house community of their own.

Hi, I’m Ryan

Over the last decade, I’ve uprooted my life in the corporate world and exchanged it for a tiny lifestyle. My tiny house has given me benefits that have changed my life. Tiny communities bring you all the benefits of living in a tiny house, but allow you to experience them in a community with others.

Why Live In A Tiny House Community?

In the isolated social culture of our media age, people long for honest connection. Something I love about tiny house culture is it gets back to communal life that used to be commonplace.

Today, a lot of our work is individualized and, thus, our lives are too. Tiny house communities are a way to get back to that down to earth, harmonious way of living. They put you in close proximity to your neighbors, allow you to depend on each other for resources, involve outdoor activities, and create spaces to bond.

You Truly Know Your Neighbors In Tiny House Communities

I think people today are craving the kind of camaraderie that tiny house communities foster. It’s one of the main reasons communities fill up so quickly. The culture in a tiny house neighborhood is drastically different from inner-city or suburban life — it’s much more personal.

You Have Financial Freedom In Tiny House Communities

Living in a tiny house has reduced my cost of living substantially, which makes it a huge pull for tiny communities. For one, you aren’t responsible for monthly rent or under the control of a landlord if you’re a part owner. Additionally, your utility bill is going to be much lower than if you lived in a traditional home.

It’s also common practice in these communities for people to share on food costs, cook meals for one another, host neighborhood potlucks, or share produce they’ve grown themselves — reducing money spent on food overall. Neighborhoods also regularly host activities collectively, which are open to everyone, so there is less need to spend on entertainment.

Life Happens Outdoors In A Tiny House Community

Tiny House Villages Are Eco-Friendly

Environmental consciousness is a given in tiny house communities. Tiny homes require fewer materials to build and less energy to power, heat, and cool compared to traditional single-family homes.

Additionally, shared resources and meals, the utilization of communal spaces, solar panels, and a tendency to depend on one another for daily needs like carpooling and borrowing supplies reduces the carbon footprint of members in tiny house communities.

How To Start A Tiny House Community In 8 Steps

Starting your own tiny house community takes more than just a bunch of friends with a dream. You’ll need donors, the right location, an understanding of building laws, and more to start your village off on the right foot. You’ve got to start somewhere, so let’s dive in!

1 Set Goals For Your Tiny House Community

People start tiny house communities to:

• House their own extended family
• Create an intentional living community
• Rent tiny homes out as Airbnbs
• Give tiny homeowners long-term parking
• Build energy-efficient housing alternatives
• Offer alternate housing in a housing crisis

If any of these reasons sound like the intention you have in mind for your tiny house community, think about what that means for the planning and design process. You aren’t going to design or plan for each of these reasons in the same exact ways.

2 Find A Location For Your Tiny House Neighborhood

Choosing the ideal location is important when considering how to start a tiny house community. You want to foster a positive environment. A community forms via the bonding of likeminded people, so you want to grow your village in a city where you naturally connect with the type of people who live there.

Do some in-depth research on different cities and towns, and what life looks like there to scope out the ideal location for your community. Think about the type of people you hope to attract and scope out places where the social culture matches your intent. Again, keep your intent in mind to help inform your research.

3 Read Tiny House Building And Zoning Laws In Your City

You also can’t just plop a tiny house community anywhere — there are rules for where these neighborhoods are actually allowed to be. Reading the fine print of building and zoning laws is vital if you want to set up a community like this.

City building laws are more involved, and many of them aren’t quite up to date when it comes to accommodating tiny homeowners. However, just because you can’t find tiny house-specific laws in your city, doesn’t mean building a tiny house community is prohibited where you are.

I’d suggest consulting an expert like a local build and design company in your area to help you understand the fine print for laws in your city before breaking ground. Or, check out our state builder’s directory to find information on tiny house building laws in each US state.

4 Gather Support To Fund Your Tiny House Village

Unless you’ve been saving awhile already, you’ll need to rely heavily on funds from other people to get a project like this off the ground. This can come from donors, investors, or simply encouraging your community residents to come together to split the cost of the project.

The co-housing movement is growing rapidly as today’s housing prices are steadily increasing. There are several legal structures in place to support the co-housing movement and make it possible to split costs with your peers. Some co-ops will also have a labor system where residents put in their time, labor, and skillsets to benefit the intentional living community and help reduce overall costs.

You’ll also need to budget wisely. You have to know how much you need in order to spell the costs out accurately for community members. This can get dicey, because projects like this span huge price ranges. Again, this goes back to your purpose and planning. You would need to budget a tiny neighborhood for your relatives in an entirely different way than a community you’re building to rent out tiny houses.

The best way to get a ballpark idea of your tiny home community cost is to find someone who has done something similar. Scope out projects that mirror your vision. Then, identify what you’re willing to spend on your project — is the cost of these similar projects comparable? You may need to amend your vision to get the support you’re seeking.

Consider the following costs when planning a tiny house community:

• Tiny house shells
• Design services
• Building services
• Land use permits
• Building permits
• Landscaping
• Water infrastructure
• Electrical connects
• Vehicle management
• Waste management

I’ve worked in the tiny community for over a decade, and too often I see people put all their eggs in one basket only to have their project fall off the map. Without proper planning, people often just decide they can build their dream tiny house village for an unrealistic amount of money, and it’s simply not possible.

Wise planning, however, can actually bring your vision to fruition! Your dreams are attainable if you pair the passion and idealism with practicality from the early planning stages.

5 Get Permits Your Tiny Village As A Neighborhood

The next step is to figure out what permits you need to get your tiny house neighborhood legally registered. Consider land permits, building permits, and the subject of registering your community as a neighborhood or RV park through your municipality.

You’ll also need to register the tiny village as a legal rental property, neighborhood, RV park, or whatever designation fits best. This is a process you can complete through local government agencies. Depending on how you’re registering the village, you’ll likely seek out the department of transportation or department of community engagement.

6 Build Your Tiny House Community

Once you’ve jumped through all the proper hoops to get your tiny house community set up, you can start building! Again, there’s a lot to consider when you’re ready to break ground.

Consider your budget and what that means for the building process — are you going to DIY the tiny houses and utility installation yourself? Or are you planning to hire a professional design and build team? Defer to our builder’s directory to find tiny home builders in your state.

Your design dreams are also a huge part of bringing your tiny house community to life. We’ll look at some example community layout ideas later in this post.

7 Find Your Tiny House Community Members

A tiny house community without community members will not stand. To start a tiny house neighborhood, you’ll need residents to live in your village, so get the word out! Posting online or creating a website for your tiny house community is a valuable way to find people who might want to live there.

Common Membership Options

• Co-op housing
• Communal housing
• Renting to tenants
• Selling land plots and houses
• Selling land plots for tiny homeowners to park

With co-op housing, each member of the community owns part of the project and decisions are made together like a team or family unit. While the co-op method may sound utopian, it can be hard to execute in the modern world. If the community doesn’t agree on core decisions like how to spend savings or use resources, the whole project can break down quickly. Psychologically, the co-op method is more likely to go smoothly with a smaller group.

Most of my friends who own tiny house communities have gone the renting and leasing routes because it’s easiest for them to manage effectively. It’s also the easiest way to get devoted investors, because investors know tiny home communities with a monthly rent will fill up and are more inclined to commit.

Most tiny house communities create an application process to approve renters and residents. That process can be as general or in depth as you see fit, but having some sort of screening process before accepting members is wise so that the character of the community matches your heart’s intent for the project. Check out Sunset Meadows in Trenton, Texas , for an example of how to set up applications.

8 Move Into Your Tiny House Neighborhood

When your tiny house community is all set up, it’s time to move in and start your new life with your neighbors! Enjoy a communal life in your outdoor hammock, reading in your tiny house loft , and playing outside with neighbors and pets. Lean into the idyllic existence that mirrors how humans were meant to live.

Starting A Tiny House Community: Potential Setbacks

If you want to learn how to start a tiny house community, you might face some setbacks along the way. Addressing those obstacles early on helps you get in front of them to make your development process as smooth as possible. Let’s look out how to conquer any challenges you may face building a tiny house village.

Legislative Restrictions On Tiny House Communities

The most common obstacle that could get in the way of the tiny house community you desire is issues with building or zoning laws. Depending on where you live, you’ll undergo a different process to get a community approved.

You may have to present your project to a planning committee to get it approved entirely, or simply follow the building laws already in place and make sure your community does not break any zoning or building laws. If a tiny home is not legal in your jurisdiction, you may want to consider joining an existing community to avoid the headaches, or seek another locale.

Tiny Home Villages Face Disapproval From Those Who Live In The Area

When creating your own tiny house community, you may face backlash from current homeowners in the area who do not understand what tiny homes are. There’s a stigma around RV parks, and pre-existing neighborhoods don’t always want them nearby.

But just because a tiny house community may be coded or zoned as an RV park, that does not mean the concerns residents in surrounding subdivisions have will be present. Regardless, you may face pushback from the community who fears and misunderstands your tiny home village, so just be aware of that.

Setting Up Utilities In A Tiny House Community Takes Work

You may also face challenges setting up utilities on the land you’re using for your tiny community. It can be a hard process, especially for someone without construction experience. But don’t lose heart! I built my own tiny house from start to finish without having any construction experience of my own. It took a while, but I was able to learn from experts as I went.

You’ll need to answer these basic utility questions that apply to the location of your neighborhood to inform what kind of utilities you need.

Basic Utility Questions

• Is there a water supply nearby you can connect to?
• Will your tiny houses need water tanks?
• Are your tiny homes mobile with RV hookups?
• Are you required to connect to the city septic line?
• Will you need to install a septic tank?
• How will you get electricity?

Tiny House Community Design Ideas

One of the most important elements when it comes to starting your own tiny house community is the design. Check out these tiny house village plans to help you create the neighborhood that works best for you and your residents.

Tiny Home Community Plans For Twelve Families

This layout is set up to include 12 tiny houses centered around a communal space in the middle. The communal space can be used for lots of different activities like group meals or game nights. Each house has its own driveway connected to the house.

Tiny House Neighborhood Layout For Families

Ideal for multiple families who want to live together in a tiny home village, this layout includes 12 homes which each surrounding their own cul-de-sac. This is helpful if you still want to maintain a sense of privacy while living in your tiny house community. The homes also surround a central community building.

Tiny House Community Design With Parking Lot

If you are seeking a tiny house neighborhood that is welcoming to visitors, you may want to include a parking lot in your plans. This tiny house village layout is set up similarly to an apartment complex, with each building next to the other and a parking lot with covered and uncovered parking in the middle of the community.

Tiny House Village Layout With Covered Patios

This tiny home neighborhood has each of the 12 tiny homes fairly spread out, leaving room between them for larger yards. It also includes a covered outdoor space on each side of the street which you and your neighbors could use for community cookouts, bonfires, or picnics.

Tiny House Neighborhood Map With Parking Lot And Swimming Pool

If you’re seeking a tiny house community layout that spreads each house out substantially while also having a spacious area for community activity, this might be the layout for you. The community area on the far-right side of the plot has room for a swimming pool and two covered patios to bring the community together and connect with one another.

Tiny House Community Blueprint For 44 Tiny Homes

Not all tiny house villages are meant for just a few residents. Many developers have dreams of creating tiny house neighborhoods that closely mirror subdivisions. This community layout has room for 44 tiny houses as well as a yard and parking spot for each home.

Tiny House Village Design Surrounding A Lake

A communal, intimate feel is the focus of this layout. All of the tiny houses face each other and are angled around a lake at the village center. This setup also includes a community center which can be used for a vast number of purposes that best serve your tiny community.

Tiny House Neighborhood Plans

This layout is set up the way a traditional neighborhood might be setup, except with parking lots at the end of the street instead of next to each individual home. The tiny houses sit across from one another to foster casual camaraderie amongst the community.

Tiny House Village Map For Eight Families

If you are seeking a tiny house community that still feels private and separate, consider this layout. The setup allows each resident to have room for their own backyard, front yard, and parking space, just like in a traditional subdivision. The only differentiating factor is the size of the homes.

Tiny House Community Blueprints With Lake

This setup also has an interconnected, communal feel. All of the homes face each other in a circle to cater to that feeling. The only difference between this setup and the previous lake layout is the community center is in the middle of the community, while the lake is off to the side.

Tiny House Communities You Can Join Today

If you aren’t ready to start you own tiny house community, consider joining one that already exists! Find a tiny house community in your state or find a tiny house community near you !

• Why do you want to build a tiny house community?
• What steps do you need to take to develop your tiny house community?

17 Comments

Wisconsin is NOT friendly to tiny home communities. Its rather sad, but if I had the money, I’d like to buy land and start one of these communities. People who are neat and quiet and want this type of life.

Nice 👍 Tiny homes 🏡 are perfect to have affordable Maintenance and consistent to do important Maintenance of peaceful in a quiet nice Country area.

I live in Southern California and would love to find a tiny house community in Temecula , Ca 92591! A community for seniors that want less responsible and lives a minimalist lifestyle….less expensive but good quality of life! Can u make that happen here? So many more people have tuned in to this style, . Whom would I have to speak with in order to get this established asap! Please & Thank You!

Please help me find the right Steps in order to find a a tiny house community in Riverside County, Temecula, Ca 92591!

I have decided that tiny living is for me in my next life chapter, But I am also wanting my house to be on a foundation not wheels, Can you please provide me with a list of Tiny House Communities in Florida, to place it on once completed.

Looking to open up my tiny house community very interested and it’s been on my heart for years my name is Richard Martins I please just need some guidance I have a lot of knowledge on building with zoning codes I just moved to a new area and I have the property needed for it I just need some help and to get in touch with people that want to live in the community with myself thank you so much for your time

This was an awesome read as i want to set up one in Pennsylvania. I would have liked to hear how to go about creating the bylaws for the community as well.

I’d like to start a tiny home community through my nonprofit, for the homeless. Any ideas about funding or how to get started?

We own about 100 acres of land in north Florida with a large pond and 5 acre island that is accessible by a land bridge. I’d like to be able to set up a tiny home community with each lot being lakefront. I just don’t know where to start!

Looking for tiny house parking in the Houston, TX area. Any info is appreciated.

7/11/23 🤗 I love your work and ideas and the quality of what you publish Ryan. I am a lawyer so naturally I think like one and my primary specialties, among other subjects, have been over the past > 45 years in 3 key areas: Insurance defense /risk management and various involvement in land use planning, developing and “Cluster Housing” where the blueprints and plats and drawings can sure resemble (in much more detail, of course) some of your tiny house community graphics.

(And more of my interests over 50 years: co-housing – I personally lived for a while in a giant “student boarding house operated by the Methodist Church in Gainesville, FL when in college, “intentional housing”- almost like the old “communes” but now much “classier and safer”, and affordable housing. AND I LOVE TINY HOMES, manufactured housing, RV’s, Skoolies, ADU’s etc., etc.)

Why am I writing? Because I have NOT yet read your Tiny House Community article BUT when I do I hope I see sections about insurance for both the community and homeowners—there are all kinds of special programs and ideas for proper and affordable insurances, the involvement of architects, utility planning in partnership with municipalities, land use planning, lighting and other electrical planning, “catastrophe”, “succession planning” for residents and those “governing”, alcohol and drug rules, injury and aging planning”, issues pertaining to kids for a variety of reasons, “conflict resolution planning”, landscaping experts, plans for forging proper relationships with politicians and local governments, the involvement of land-use planning and zoning lawyers and even Lobbyists to get plans approved, ordinances, statutes, codes and ordinances changed, PR and advertising /marketing people if you’re going big, etc.

(With the help of proper professionals, even driveways, street lights, traffic lights and “signage” may need to planned to code and approved.

You may want a day care or businesses operating in homes where licenses may be needed, may want community internet, you will need garbage and fe-cycling services, need “governance”- planning and on-going, need liaisons with “the outside world”, need security, sidewalks. [There may be rules for most of the ideas here and for very good reasons.])

The idea is not so much to “go corporate”, per se, but to convert the world to the idea that smaller can be better and your goals should be to make the rest of the world or community around you know that you are going to be a good neighbor, be safe, secure, non-threatening, “not a cult”, attractive, welcoming, and that they should join you or at officially, “tolerate and think kindly” of your community so that you will make your residents and prospective residents feel the same way.

Thank you for considering all of my ideas here. I’ve had a long time thinking about them and started at 20 being on the U of F President’s —then Stephen C. O’Connell— committee for affordable housing. (And (NO, I am not advertising for a job or on behalf of any law firm or lobbyist. But I do think there should be “tiny house community” law firms that specialize in coordinating all of the above.)

Roughly how much land does the eight home configuration with parking in on the side take up?

https://thetinylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Tiny-House-Neighborhood-Plans.jpg

Hi I live in Philadelphia & I just finished building a 24 foot trailer Tiny House & I love would to build a community of all tiny houses.

I am interested in building a tiny home community 6-8 homes

I want to start a tiny home community with homes on permanent foundations and 400-500 square feet. Curious what the estimated cost would be develop acreage to accommodate 20 -30 tiny homes on 10 acres with a common area consisting of a a club house and 2 Pickleball courts

What program did you use to draw the different style communities with or who should I look for to draw my idea of a village on the parcel that I own? I had a designer who did a preliminary drawing, but then he got busy and I haven’t been able to get him to adjust the changes in the original drawing he did for me.

I AM INTERESTED IN BUILDING A TINY HOME COMMUNITY PLEASE CONTACT ME THANK YOU 404 438 9450

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How To Start A Tiny House Building Business

You've stumbled upon the idea to build a tiny house building business and now you're ready to take the next steps.

There's a lot to think about when building a business, so we put together a guide on how to get started, launch, grow and run your tiny house building business.

We also provide you with real-life case studies and examples of founders running successful tiny house building business (and how much💰 they're making today).

Start A Tiny House Building Business ➜ avg revenue (monthly) $295K see all tiny house building businesses ➜ starting costs $29.7K see all costs ➜ gross margin 6% time to build 360 days average product price $45000 growth channels SEO business model Subscriptions best tools Canva, Instagram, MailChimp time investment Full time pros & cons 37 Pros & Cons see all ➜ tips 2 Tips see all ➜

💡 Introduction To Starting A Tiny House Building Business

Is starting a tiny house building business right for you.

There are many factors to consider when starting a tiny house building business.

We put together the main pros and cons for you here:

Pros of starting a tiny house building business

• Flexibility

You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own.

• Meaningful business connections

You never know who you will meet as a tiny house building business. This could be the start of an incredible business opportunity!

• High customer retention rates

Once a customer invests in your product, they've invested their time and energy to utilize your product/service which is highly valuable to them. Typically, your product or service becomes indispensable to your customer.

• Control of workload

With starting a tiny house building business, you have the unique ability to choose how little or how much you want to work. You also have the freedom to decide which projects you want to work on, and can turn down the ones that do not interest you.

• Gain exposure and experience

This career allows you to gain experience working for multiple different businesses - which will benefit your resume and also keep things interesting for you!

• Unlimited income potential

With starting a tiny house building business there is no cap as to how much income you can make. The stronger your business skills and the more energy/time you put into your career, the more you'll make.

• Daily physical activity

Tiny House Building Business's typically involve a much greater degree of movement than other lines of work. Most days, you will spend your day walking, running errands for your business, and performing a multitude of tasks. This can have a positive impact on energy levels and your overall health.

• Amazing perks and discounts

Working in the tiny house building business comes with its perks! As a seller for these products/services, you typically also get to enjoy industry perks and discounts.

• Predictable income stream

Your businesses income stream tends to be predictable based on the number of customers you have signed up. This makes financial planning and outlooks much more seamless!

• Higher likelihood of getting referrals

This business is all about referrals, which can be a a very impactful way to attract and retain customers. It's critical that you have a great referral program in place that incentivizes your customers to tell their friends about your product.

• Simple business model

A tiny house building business has the advantage of a simple business model, which makes launching and building the business more seamless.

• Control your own destiny

Starting A Tiny House Building Business allows you to control every aspect of your life and make your own dreams come true every day.

• Greater Income Potential

With this business, the sky is the limit in regards to your income potential.

• Express your opinions

With starting a tiny house building business, you can express your opinions and knowledge to your audience, which allows you to build your own reputation and identity.

• Travel Opportunitites

There are many travel opportunities that come with starting a tiny house building business You will need to travel a lot to see and experience some of the destinations you are selling.

• You can work from anywhere!

Not only can you start your tiny house building business from home, you can also run your business from anywhere in the world. This is the entrepreneur dream.

• You establish yourself as an expert

With starting a tiny house building business, you establish yourself as an expert in your niche, which builds your credibility. In return, customers are more likely to trust you and refer you to other friends and family.

• Can build solid foundation of clients

It's unlikely you will have one-off customers as a tiny house building business. Typically, you have a solid foundation of clients that use your product and services regularly.

• Low maintenance customers

In this industry, customers are known to be very appreciative and low maintenance. This can help with your stress levels and allow you to focus on growing your business.

• Results and revenue happen quickly!

Unlike other businesses, it can be relatively quick to start seeing results and revenue. As long as you follow all the steps to validate your idea before launch, you are likely to see quick results and ROI.

Cons of starting a tiny house building business

• Motivation of employees

If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.

• Longer Sales Process

A tiny house building business can be a big time and money investment for your customer, so it's important you plan and predict a longer conversion funnel and stay in communication with potential customers.

• Low margins

The gross margins for your tiny house building business are typically around 6%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability.

• High employee turnover

In the tiny house building business, employee turnover is often high, which can be quite costly and time consuming for your business. It's important to try and avoid this as much as possible by offering competitive pay, benefits, and a positive work environment.

• Niche Market

A niche business is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it can be the key to your success. However, it can be more challenging and time consuming to find the perfect niche market and target audience.

• High overhead expenses

With starting a tiny house building business, there are overhead expenses that come with selling a physical product. You will want to make sure you strategically budget for these overhead costs. We discuss this more in the startup costs section below.

• You may need to charge sales tax

If you are selling your products in various states, you may be required to charge sales tax. Although this may not impact your financials specifically, it can be a headache to create a process and procedure for this. To learn more about sales tax, check out this article

In this business, customers can cancel their membership or subscription for your services - which can make revenue forecasting challenging and unpredictable. It's important to focus on your churn rates and trends so that you can prevent this as much as possible.

• Time commitment

With starting a tiny house building business, all responsibilities and decisions are in your hands. Although this is not necessarily a negative thing, work life can take over at times. This can place a strain on friends and family and add to the pressure of launching a new business.

• Impatient customers

You may offer an engaging user experience for your customer, but customers expect a lot and may be impatient if they aren't pleased with your product or service.

• Be prepared to get out of your comfort zone!

Although this is exciting for some entrepreneurs, it can be a big challenge for others! You may find yourself in uncomfortable social and business situations, jumping into tasks and responsibilities you aren't familiar with, and pushing yourself as far as you can go!

• You might struggle financially (at first)!

If you bootstrap your business or choose not to pay yourself (or pay yourself less than you were making at your corporate job), this can be financially taxing. It's important to adjust your lifestyle and set a plan for yourself so you don't find yourself in a stressful situation.

• Difficult to scale

With a tiny house building business, it can be challenging to find ways to scale. Check out this article that discusses scaling your business and the challenges that come with it.

• Learning Curve

When you start your own business, you no longer have upper management to provide you with a playbook for your roles and responsibilities. You should know the ins and outs of every aspect of your business, as every decision will come down to you.

• Equipment Breakdowns

Over the years, your equipment can get damaged, break down, and may need repairs which can be expensive. It's important you prepare for these expenses and try to avoid damages/wear & tear as much as possible.

• Technical issues can be frustrating

Technical issues are common in this business. If you struggle with the technical side of things, you may want to consider outsourcing this responsibility to save yourself the time and frustration.

• More challenging to earn passive income

It can be more of a challenge to make passive income in this business. Often times, the amount of revenue you bring in is limited by the amount of time you have in the day.

Big Players

• Tiny House Talk (73.1K Alexa Ranking)
• Tiny House Listings (91.5K Alexa Ranking)
• COOL Houseplans (164K Alexa Ranking)
• Customized House Plans Online (165K Alexa Ranking)
• Boxabl (212K Alexa Ranking)

Small Players

• Boxabl - Revenue $10M/month
• Tiny Away - Revenue $295K/month

Search Interest

Let's take a look at the search trends for tiny houses over the last year:

How To Name Your Tiny House Building Business

It's important to find a catchy name for your tiny house building business so that you can stand out in your space.

Here are some general tips to consider when naming your tiny house building business

• Avoid hard to spell names: you want something easy to remember and easy to spell for your customers
• Conduct a search to see if others in the space have the same name
• Try not to pick a name that limits growth opportunities for your business (ie. if you decide to expand into other product lines)
• As soon as you have an idea (or ideas) of a few names that you love, register the domain name(s) as soon as possible!

Why is naming your tiny house building business so important?

The name of your business will forever play a role in:

• Your customers first impression
• Your businesses identity
• The power behind the type of customer your brand attracts
• If you're memorable or not

It's important to verify that the domain name is available for your tiny house building business.

You can search domain availability here:

Find a domain starting at $0.88

powered by Namecheap

Although .com names are the most common and easiest to remember, there are other options if your .com domain name is not available. Depending on your audience, it may not matter as much as you think.

It's also important to thoroughly check if social media handles are available.

As soon as you resonate with a name (or names), secure the domain and SM handles as soon as possible to ensure they don't get taken.

Here's some inspiration for naming your tiny house building business:

• Progress Pro check availability
• Theatre Trading Co check availability
• Poor check availability
• Teeny Tiny check availability
• FineTiny check availability
• Teenchy Diminutive Spot check availability
• Select check availability
• The Fair Little check availability
• Little Little Group check availability
• Big Diminutive Trading Co check availability
• Teenchy Two Bit check availability
• Slim check availability
• The Modest Household check availability
• StockyBuild check availability
• Petite Place check availability
• HandsomeHouse check availability
• Physique Group check availability
• Halfway Hall check availability
• The Little Little check availability
• The Little Lilliputian check availability
• Rugged check availability
• Century Theater Group check availability
• Body Boost check availability
• Empty Mansion check availability
• Home Trading Co check availability
• Quiet check availability
• Lilliputian Collective check availability
• CompactBuild check availability
• Old Microscopic Trading Co check availability
• Magnificent Physique check availability
• Midget Pro check availability
• The Boarding check availability
• Hot Hemicycle check availability
• RoundHouse check availability
• Hull Haus check availability
• Funny Tiny check availability
• Teenchy Tooth check availability
• Halfway Haus check availability
• The Lighter check availability
• Big Bantam Place check availability
• StoutBuild check availability
• Hull Hemicycle check availability
• Teeny Midget check availability
• Pound Bantam check availability
• Teeny Co check availability
• DesignBuild check availability
• TeenchyTiny check availability
• Tiley Tiny check availability
• The Slender check availability
• WayHouse check availability
• HullHouse check availability
• Big Put Up check availability
• The Thick check availability
• The Masculine Shape check availability
• The Open Home check availability
• Miniscule Group check availability
• The Victorian check availability
• The Court check availability
• Old Midget Co check availability
• Fine Minuscule Group check availability
• Fair check availability
• Successful Make Spot check availability
• The Steady check availability
• The Teenchy Minuscule check availability
• Theatre Spot check availability
• Bid Boost check availability
• The Teenchy Small check availability
• Outs House check availability
• Last Petite Pro check availability
• Handsome Home check availability
• HugeHouse check availability
• White check availability
• Excessive Progress Group check availability
• Pound Small check availability
• Spacious Sign Collective check availability
• Boarding Theatre Collective check availability
• Pricey Tiny check availability
• Open Household check availability
• Untidy Tiny check availability
• The Modest Family check availability
• Teeny check availability
• Last check availability
• Grand check availability
• The Poor Miniscule check availability
• The Big Microscopic check availability
• Teeny Place check availability
• And Form check availability
• Build Up Place check availability
• SimilarBuild check availability
• Style Put Up Spot check availability
• The Green check availability
• The Comfortable check availability
• HeavierBuild check availability
• The Tiny Theatre check availability
• Teeny Trace check availability
• TeenyTiny check availability
• Weeny Tiny check availability
• The Lodging Sign check availability
• The Halfway Sign check availability
• Slimy Tiny check availability
• Fine Business Firm Collective check availability
• Thick check availability
• Town check availability
• Handsome Hall check availability
• Big Teeny check availability
• Psyche Tiny check availability
• The Design check availability
• Larger check availability
• Last Little Spot check availability
• Gradual Frame Co check availability
• Broad Broaden check availability
• Magnificent check availability

How To Create A Slogan For Your Tiny House Building Business:

Slogans are a critical piece of your marketing and advertising strategy.

The role of your slogan is to help your customer understand the benefits of your product/service - so it's important to find a catchy and effective slogan name.

Often times, your slogan can even be more important than the name of your brand.

Here are 6 tips for creating a catchy slogan for your tiny house building business:

1. Keep it short, simple and avoid difficult words

A great rule of thumb is that your slogan should be under 10 words. This will make it easy for your customer to understand and remember.

2. Tell what you do and focus on what makes you different

There are a few different ways you can incorporate what makes your business special in your slogan:

• Explain the target customer you are catering your services towards
• What problem do you solve?
• How do you make other people, clients, or your employer look good?
• Do you make people more successful? How?

3. Be consistent

Chances are, if you're coming up with a slogan, you may already have your business name, logo, mission, branding etc.

It's important to create a slogan that is consistent with all of the above.

4. Ensure the longevity of your slogan

Times are changing quickly, and so are businesses.

When coming up with your slogan, you may want to consider creating something that is timeless and won't just fade with new trends.

5. Consider your audience

When finding a catchy slogan name, you'll want to make sure that this resonates across your entire audience.

It's possible that your slogan could make complete sense to your audience in Europe, but may not resonate with your US audience.

6. Get feedback!

This is one of the easiest ways to know if your slogan will be perceived well, and a step that a lot of brands drop the ball on.

Ask friends, family, strangers, and most importantly, those that are considered to be in your target market.

Here's some inspiration for coming up with a slogan for your tiny house building business:

• Spot Of The Firm
• From Partially To Hale
• Order Of The Frame
• Build For People Who Want More.
• I Like The House In You.
• For That Deep Down Body Tiny.
• From Old To Original
• Truly Build.
• Dear Tiny, Built For You
• Build - See The Light!
• I Love House.
• Upper Flats Are What We Do
• Public House, Built For You
• Tiny Online.
• Work Hard, Sustain Harder
• Teeny Midget, Dear Minuscule
• New Domes Are What We Do
• Body And Rowdy
• Big Household, Big Bedroom
• Own Sign, Lower Firm
• Heavy And Twenty
• Tiny The Only Way To Fly.
• Everyone Wants A Tiny.
• Can You Feel Build?
• Welcome To House Country.
• Build Makes You Sexy!
• Define Is What We Do
• Powerful Establisheds Are What We Do
• Build - It's Like Heaven!
• House - Australian For Beer.
• Build, To Hell With The Rest.
• The Joy Of House.
• Go Farther With House.
• I Wish I Had A Build.
• Biting The Hand That Feeds Build.
• Range Of The Build Up
• I'd Sleep With Build.
• Design Grows Are What We Do
• Do You Have The Tiny Inside?
• Own House, Let's Get To Work
• Lower Reformatories Are What We Do
• Same Underpins Are What We Do
• Temple Is What We Do
• Work Hard, Capitalize Harder
• House For All Time.
• Tinies With Art
• House. It's What's For Dinner.
• House, Let The Good Times Roll.
• Builds With Reason
• Work Hard, Store Harder
• Would You Give Someone Your Last House?
• Builds With Industry
• From Weak To Muscular
• New Fortresses Are What We Do
• Crunch All You Want. We'll Make Tiny.
• You Too Can Have A Build Like Mine.
• Build, I Want It All.
• Work Hard, Instill Harder
• Direct Of The Petite
• Lower And Mediocre
• Builds With Ability

Learn more about starting a tiny house building business :

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start a tiny house building business? -> Pros and cons of a tiny house building business

Need inspiration?

-> Other tiny house building business success stories -> Examples of established tiny house building business -> Marketing ideas for a tiny house building business

Other resources

-> Tiny house building business tips

🎬 How To Start A Tiny House Building Business

How Much Does It Cost To Start A Tiny House Building Business

If you are planning to start a tiny house building business, the costs are relatively low. This, of course, depends on if you decide to start the business with lean expenses or bringing in a large team and spending more money.

We’ve outlined two common scenarios for “pre-opening” costs of starting a tiny house building business and outline the costs you should expect for each:

• The estimated minimum starting cost = $62
• The estimated maximum starting cost = $59,311

Raising Money For Your Tiny House Building Business

Here are the most common ways to raise money for your tiny house building business:

Business Accelerator

Accelerators are organizations that offer a range of support and funding opportunities for startups.

Typically, this means they help enroll startups in programs that offer mentorship, office space, and resources to grow the business.

These programs are typically 3-4 months and involve intense education and mentorship - most importantly, the startups also offered capital and investment in return for equity.

Here are some of the most popular and well-known startup accelerators in the U.S:

• YCombinator
• 500 Startups

Here are some tips on how to get into an accelerator program:

• Have an MVP (Minimal Viable Product) in place
• Make sure you have actual customers and an overview of how your business is doing (revenue, site traffic, growth metrics)
• Build a team
• Crush your interview - this is a critical piece in the process. Know your business and metrics inside out and most importantly, be able to portray what makes it so unique.

VC funding is a traditional and long process, but an effective way to raise money for your business.

The term "VC funding" refers to venture capital firms investing in businesses in exchange for equity.

The VC's (venture capitalists) are an individual or small group investing in your business and typically require substantial ownership of the business, with the hope of seeing a return on their investment.

VC's are typically the best approach for businesses with high startup costs - where it would be very difficult to raise the money on your own or through a loan.

When deciding whether to take this approach, it's important that you have a few things in place first, and know what you're getting yourself into:

Determine if your business is ready

Having an idea is not enough to get VC funding.

Typically, VC's will check to make sure you have these things in place prior to closing any deal:

• An MVP (Minimal Viable Product)
• A founding team with all proper documents in place (articles of organization, business formation)
• A validated idea with actual customers buying your product/service

Get everything in place and build a pitch deck

A VC individual or firm will be expecting a fine-tuned presentation that gives an overview of your business.

Here's what you should consider including in your pitch deck:

• Management team, their previous experience + current roles in the business
• Market challenge and solution
• Company financials - including a P&L statement, cash flow statement, and projections
• Company progress
• Investment amount - how much do you need and why?

Research the right VC to fund your business

Research the types of VC investors out there and what niche they focus on.

Then, put together a list of target VC's you want to approach and your strategy around setting up meetings.

Be sure you have everything in place (as discussed above) before setting up any meeting!

Make sure the terms and expectations are right for your business

Committing to VC funding is a big deal and a decision that should not be made lightly.

Although the money and experience from VC's can help your business quickly grow, you are also giving away a stake in the company, and the money comes with strings attached.

Be sure you do your due diligence in finding the right investor - one that truly believes in the growth and success of your business.

What Skills Do I Need To Succeed In Starting A Tiny House Building Business?

As a tiny house building business, there are several essential skills and characteristics that are important to identify prior to starting your business.

Let’s look at these skills in more detail so you can identify what you need to succeed in your day-to-day business operations:

Self Motivation Skills

Self motivation and discipline skills are critical in order to become successful in this field.

It's likely that you will find yourself starting and running your tiny house building business from home, which could mean there are more distractions for you.

Here are the basic skills needed for self motivation & discipline:

• Becoming a self starter: It's important that you are capable of independently completing a task without the help or direction of anyone else
• Listening and following directions : When you are given direction by others, it's critical that you are able to follow directions and ask the right questions in order to get your job done
• Taking the initiative in problem solving: Instead of taking the easy route, you'll need to learn to troubleshoot issues on your own as much as possible.

Customer Service Skills

Friendly communication with customers and the ability to address service issues is a critical part of the job.

Here are some customer service skills you may want to consider prior to starting a tiny house building business:

• Professionalism: The way you act, present yourself, and respond to situations all leave an impression on your customer. It's important to stay professional at all times when handling customer requests or issues.
• Problem-solving: When issues arise, it's important that you are able to think quick on your feet and address the situation with a calm and clear solution
• Friendly-manner: This is an obvious one, but customers truly appreciate someone that can respond in a quick, efficient, and friendly manner.
• Proficient in writing: These skills include the ability to write well-crafted emails, service tickets, and any other programs used by the business (ie. chat functions, SMS texting)

Business Savvy Skills

When starting a tiny house building business, there are a few fundamental business skills you will want to learn in order to be successful:

• Leadership and training skills: A great team starts with YOU. Make sure you have all company policies and training procedures in place prior to hiring your team
• Decisive and self-confident: Over the course of your career, you will need decisions that could impact your business significantly. It's important you are able to think clearly and rationally about these decisions.
• Ability to understand the financials : You don't need to be an accountant, but it is important that you are able to clearly understand and define metrics such as expenses, revenue, profit, margins, COGS, etc.
• Strategic Thinking : Setting clear goals and benchmarks, identifying opportunities, risks. Ability to effectively communicate these insights to your team.

These are a few of many business savvy skills you should have (or work on) when starting a tiny house building business.

For a full list, check out this article here .

Advice For Starting A Tiny House Building Business

We've interviewed thousands of successful founders at Starter Story and asked what advice they would give to entrepreneurs who are just getting started.

Here's the best advice we discovered for starting a tiny house building business:

Jeff Yeo, founder of Tiny Away ($295K/month):

There is no perfect time, perfect business model, nor perfect product. The single most important factor is to get it started. Otherwise, the idea would always remain an idea. Period.

Read the full interview ➜

Write a Business Plan

Writing a business plan from the start is critical for the success of your tiny house building business.

Because this allows you to roadmap exactly what you do, what your overall structure will look like, and where you want to be in the future.

For many entrepreneurs, writing out the business plan helps validate their idea and decide whether or not they should move forward with starting the business.

You may want to consider expanding upon these sections in your business plan:

• Executive Summary : Brief outline of your product, the market, and growth opportunities
• Overviews and Objectives : Overview of your business, target customers, and what you need to run your business
• Products and Services : Specifics on the products and services your business will provide
• Market Opportunities : Analysis of customer demographics, buyer habits and if your product is in demand
• Marketing : Outline of your marketing plan and how you plan to differentiate yourself from other customers
• Competitive analysis : Analysis of your competition and the strengths and weaknesses therein
• Operations : Hierarchal structure of the company and what it will take to run the business on the day-to-day
• Leadership Team : Detailing roles and responsibilities of each manager based on their specific skill-set
• Financial Analysis Understanding of all expenses, operating budgets, and projections for the future.

Learn more about how to write a business plan here

Determine Which Business Bank Account You Need

There are hundreds of banks out there, and it can be overwhelming to find one that's right for your business.

Here are some factors you may want to consider:

• Location - Is your bank close enough that you can easily make deposits or get cash?
• Low Fees - Make sure to understand any and all fees associated with setting up and maintaining your bank account. Ask for a list - banks usually try to keep this hidden and in the fine print.
• Online Banking Services - Make sure you can easily navigate through your online portal and you have easy access to everything you need.
• Line of Credit - What do your options look like (even if you don't need this now, you may need this down the road).
• Every bank has something that differentiates them from the rest, so make sure whatever that is applied to your needs and values.

Check out this list of the 13 Best Banks for Small Business in 2020 and what makes them so unique.

Setting Up Your Tiny House Building Business (Formation and Legal)

When it comes to setting up your business, you may find yourself in a place where you have to make some financial and legal decisions.

The first thing you'll want to decide on is whether you want to be an LLC, S-Corp, or C-Corp.

These three options are found to be the most common when starting a small business, and all serve to protect your personal assets and also provide you with certain tax benefits.

• LLC : All income and expenses from the business are reported on the LLC personal income tax return.
• S corp : Owners pay themselves salaries + receive dividends from profits.
• C Corp : C Corps are separately taxable entities that file a corporate tax return (Form 1120). No income tax is paid at the corporate level and any tax due is paid at the owners individual expense.

Depending on where you're conducting business, you'll also want to consider securing the proper permits, licenses and liability insurance.

Learn more about securing the right permits and licenses ➜

Need to start an LLC? Create an LLC in minutes with ZenBusiness .

How Do I Pay Myself As A Small Business Owner?

Most entrepreneurs start a business to do something they love- but at the end of the day, you still have bills to pay (maybe now more than ever).

But it's important to strike the right balance - if you pay yourself too much, you could be putting your business at risk.

There are two common ways to pay yourself as a business owner:

1. Owner's Draw

Many entrepreneurs pay themselves through an owner's draw. This means that you are technically sean as "self-employed" through the eyes of the IRS and are not paid through regular wages.

At the point that you collect money from the draw, taxes typically are not taken out - so make sure you are prepared to pay these taxes once you file your individual return.

As an owner who takes a draw, you can legally take out as much as you want from your equity.

This type of compensation is suited for Sole props, LLCs, and partnerships. If you’re an S corp, you can pay yourself through both a salary and draw if you choose.

If you decide to pay yourself a salary, you will receive a set and recurring amount. This will be taxed by the federal government and the state you reside in.

The reality is that it can be really complicated to set your own salary, so we have some tips for you to consider:

• Take out a reasonable amount that allows you to live comfortably but also sets your business up for success
• Consider the number of hours you are working weekly + the type of duties you are performing.
• Set your salary based on your industry-standard, location, and profits (or projected profits)
• Look at your P&L statement : Deduct your own pay from that amount. This is important so you can first tackle important business expenses, and then pay yourself from the amount leftover.
• Pick a payroll schedule (and stick to it)! In the US, it's most common to pay yourself and employees twice a month.

To learn more about how to pay yourself and what is a reasonable amount, check out this article .

How To Price Your Tiny Houses

One of the most challenging aspects to starting a tiny house building business is determining how much to charge for your tiny houses.

When businesses under-price their product, this can be extremely detrimental to their bottom line and reputation.

Often times, businesses under-price their products to drive demand and volume, but that last thing you want is for customers to view your product/service as "cheap." Additionally, this can have a big impact on the type of customer you attract, which can be difficult to recover from.

On the other hand, when businesses over-price , this tends to be just as damaging to the business.

When customers buy, it's likely that they will explore the internet and look at other competitors to ensure they're getting the best value + deal. This is why it's so important that you research your competition and understand where you land in the marketplace.

Here are some factors to consider when pricing your product:

Understand your customer

It's important that out of the gates, you identify the type of customer you want to attract and how much they're willing to pay for your service. One great way to do this is by surveying your customers. Here are some important items you'll want to takeaway:

• Customer demographic: Age, gender, location, etc.
• Buying habits of your customer: What they buy + when they buy
• Level of price sensitivity with your customer

All of these segments will help you identify the type of customer you're attracting and how to price your product accordingly.

Understand your costs

When pricing your tiny houses, it's critical that you first identify all of your costs and consequently mark up your tiny houses so you can factor in a profit.

The actual cost of your tiny houses may include things like:

• The actual cost to make the product (ie. raw materials, supplies, manufacturer).
• Shipping + overhead fees
• Operating costs to run your business

You may want to consider creating a spreadsheet with every single expense involved in operating/owning your business. This will give you an idea as to what you need to generate in order to at the very least, break-even and will help you price your products to factor in a profit.

Create revenue goals

When determining the price of your tiny houses, you'll want to create goals for revenue + how much profit you want your tiny house building business to make.

This process is simpler than you may think:

• Think about your breakeven cost (by completing the above step).
• Create a revenue goal based on your break-even cost
• Evaluate the # of items you plan to sell in a given period (make sure this is a realistic number)
• Divide your revenue goal by the number of items you plan to sell

This figure will help determine your estimated price per product in order to meet your revenue goals.

Evaluate your competition

The last piece in determining how to price your tiny houses is by simply looking at your competition.

The best way to do this is by finding like-minded businesses that offer product(s) with similar perceived value. Then, you can compare prices of the different businesses and determine where your tiny houses fits best in the marketplace.

All of these factors play an equal part in pricing your tiny houses, so it's important you evaluate each one individually to come up with an accurate price that will help optimize your business from the start.

Gross Margin Calculator: How to Calculate The Gross Margin For Your Tiny Houses

Our calculator is designed to be simple and easy to use.

The goal is to help you set realistic expectations and understand what is considered a healthy gross margin for your tiny house building business.

Calculate your gross margin and profit margin here .

What Type Of Customers Will Buy Your Tiny Houses

It's important to first establish who you will be selling to, whether it's to businesses or consumers.

Typically, in this industry, products are sold to B2C markets (business-to-consumer).

Let's take a look at what this means for your tiny house building business:

B2C (or business to consumer) is a transaction where businesses sell their products or services to the consumer directly.

In this market, consumer behavior is the primary driver for your business decisions - so it's important that you truly identify who your customer is, and what their buyer habits are when building your product/service.

The advantage

B2C is that you are able to cast a very wide net when targeting your customers. Your product may interest a large number of consumers or a specific niche.

The disadvantage

B2C is that consumers hold all the power - so if your website is not the most user friendly, or does not rank in the top search results on Google, chances are, your customer is going to shop elsewhere.

When building your tiny house building business, it's critical that you hone in on who your target audience is, and why they need your product over your competition.

Here are some items to consider when identifying your buyer persona:

Design A Prototype

Turning your idea into a reality can feel like a daunting task - but it's critical that you have an idea of what your product will look like (even if it's just a sketch) prior to finding a manufacturer.

Here are some common ways you can design your prototype:

• Draw Your Initial Design on Paper
• Form pieces of fabric together
• Consider Taking A Generic Product And Putting Your Own Brand On It
• Try Making the Product Yourself
• Consider Building A Prototype With A 3D Printer

To learn more about how to design and prototype a product, check out our latest guide here .

Jeff Yeo, founder of Tiny Away dives deep into the process of designing and prototyping their product:

Tiny houses, for the uninitiated, are generally defined as dwellings that are under 400 square feet in size. Regulated as caravans in Australia, these tiny houses should not exceed 4.3 meters in height and 2.5 meters in width to ensure the safety of other road users when it’s on the move.

The very first tiny house on wheels that we built was assembled using 6 pieces of prefabricated panels. Then, we found this method of production and assembly to be relatively quick and hassle-free, but we were not satisfied with the fact that each panel was heavy and required the use of a crane to lift the panels onto the trailer base. And with the usage of heavy machinery, meant that we would need a bigger space to ensure that it could maneuver around the trailer base efficiently and that eventually translates to higher operating costs in terms of rental, not to mention the comparatively higher risk for our workers.

It was of course our very first tiny house ‘prototype’ and so we ran with it, but at the same time, dived deeper into the design and building aspect of tiny houses in our bid to continuously improve on the quality and build. It was also at this juncture where we hired staff who were trained in spatial design to look into maximizing the ‘tiny’ interior spaces that we had in our houses.

Version 2 came shortly after, where each panel weighed significantly less and could be handled by 3 to 4 people and it was designed in such a way that each panel could be joined to one another with relative ease, further cutting down on the assembly time and space required. And this is the version which we decided to put into production when we expanded in Australia.

The next step would then be the transportation of our panels. With the help of our spatial designer, further thoughts were put into how we should be flat-packing these into shipping containers so as to utilize the space efficiently and the final result - the panels required to build up 4 tiny houses can be packed into a single 40-footer container!

Fast forward to a couple of years later, Tiny Away has experimented with a total of 8 different tiny house models, with our tiniest being a 4.8-meter tiny house with a loft and a fireplace and our biggest and most luxurious model at 7.2 meters long, complete with a rain shower!

We also held our very first large-scale tiny house festival in Sydney, just before the COVID outbreak, and had the honor of having John and Zack from the popular Netflix series, “Tiny House Nation” and Bryce Langston, a famous tiny house expert YouTuber from “Living Big in a Tiny House” fly in to share their vast experiences in the world of tiny houses.

This event also saw us exhibiting 4 of our tiny house models to a crowd of more than 9,000 festival-goers over 2 days.

After tracking various aspects of our tiny house business over the past 3+ years, we concluded that in terms of cost efficiency and returns, the two (pictured above) of our 6-meter models fared the best in terms of the cost to build, versus rental yield ratio, and hence pushed forth to scale further, utilizing these tiny houses.

🚀 How To Launch Your Tiny House Building Business

Build A Website

Building a website is imperative when launching your business, and with the right tools in place, this can be a simple task to check off the list (without having to hire someone).

• Pick a domain name that's easy to remember and easy to type
• Choose a Web Hosting Plan (ie. Shopify, Squarespace)
• Make sure you choose the right theme and design
• Implement the proper page structure (ie. about page, contact page, pricing etc)

To learn more about how to build a stellar website with little stress, we give you all the details on this step-by-step guide .

Once you have chosen the domain, web hosting, and platform, it's time to get started with the design phase.

Themes are a great way to produce the fundamental style and identity of your website - this includes everything from your font design to your blog post styles.

One of the best ways to get started is to simply explore the various themes (free or paid depending on what you're looking for) and test them on your site.

If web-design really isn't in the cards for you, you may want to consider outsourcing a web designer to help bring your vision and brand to life.

Traditional Launch Strategies For Your Tiny House Building Business:

There are various different ways you can launch your tiny house building business successfully.

Here are a few different strategies to get customers excited about your tiny house building business:

• Set up a Facebook page for your business. This is a great way to establish an online presence
• Host an event in a fun location with drinks & food. This is a great way to get exposure in the local community.
• Get Press! Pitch your story to the media and you may just land in an amazing publication
• Live sales to get customers excited
• Send a hand-written letter in the mail with a discount on your services to the local community/neighborhoods.

Jeff Yeo, founder of Tiny Away dives deep into the process of launching the business:

The tiny house movement was a trend that started in the US quite some time back. It initially started because some could not afford the hefty monthly mortgages associated with traditional real estate. But as time went by, the movement evolved beyond financial considerations and moved more into becoming an eco-conscious way of living. And it was this trend that is sweeping across the globe right now.

This movement, however, is a relatively new concept to most, especially when our business added another facet to it by combining it with eco-tourism, and hence getting our launch strategy right was of utmost importance.

Because it is human nature to avoid things that are unfamiliar to them, we decided that credibility building and increasing our reach and exposure was the way to go to make sure people understood our business.

We then put a portion of our bootstrapped funds into holding a press launch, inviting press from established media and social media influencers to our launch, where we shared the inspiration behind our business, showcased our very first tiny house, and took any questions that were thrown at us from the guests, which by the way is an amazing indicator of the kind of FAQs we would be getting from the general public.

The response from the reporters was amazing, which I think is partial because the business or industry that we are in is pretty niche, and yet at the same time, because of how the buzzword these days is sustainability, we were able to capture the eyeballs (or interest) of many. And soon after the articles were published across various media titles and channels, we began receiving lots of interest in our business.

🌱 How To Grow Your Tiny House Building Business

Consider Working With Instagram Influencers

Partnering with like-minded influencers (within your industry) is one of the most effective ways to grow your social media organically.

Industry influencers already have an established and loyal following. With one post, your product immediately establishes a connection with a brand new audience. It's that powerful.

When finding influencers to promote your product, do your research and make sure that their following will actually be interested in your product.

It's easy to be blinded by any influencer with a huge following, but if those followers don't resonate with your product, there may not be any value there... so make sure you do your research!

Evan Marshall, founder of Plain Jane discusses how "micro-influencers" have impacted his business:

Influencer marketing has been huge for us. Our approach is pretty simple. We give out samples of our products and ask people to post about us on social media aka a micro-influencer strategy.

We really like this approach because we get authentic stories and content. We cannot really control the messaging so the product has to speak for itself. We don’t really take product photos at all. Our customers take the photos and we ask to reuse them.

With any influencer strategy, you have to be very sure you’re targeting the right people and engaging with them. You can make sure you’re targeting the right influencers by looking through their posts and then looking through the profiles of their engaged followers.

It takes more time per influencer but the payoff is certainly worth it. Make sure their followers look like your existing customers.

It takes a ton of time and work to grow a social media following this way but it’s worth it. Other accounts have tried to grow themselves through botting or other manipulations. As a CBD company, we didn’t want to give Instagram any reason to shutdown our account so we’ve done everything through content and real engagement. It’s not magic to make this happen. You just have to post consistently and then reply or like every single comment you get. It takes months but it works

Improve your SEO

SEO is not just about driving traffic to your site, it's about driving the RIGHT traffic to your site , and ultimately, converting leads into customers.

One of the most important aspects of SEO is understanding what your customers are searching for, otherwise known as "keyword research."

Here are some tools that can help you choose the right keywords for your tiny house building business.

• Google Ads Keyword Planner invaluable for discovering search trends.
• Google Search Console is very helpful once your website is up as it shows you what words/phrases are generating traffic.
• Ahrefs and SEMRush are paid tools that allow you to look at results of your competitor's website.

Publish Great Content

Finding keywords is an important piece of the puzzle, but Google also ranks your site based on the actual content you produce, as this is what your customers are reading and engaging with.

There are various different "forms" of content that you may want to consider diversifying on your sites, such as blog posts, articles, studies, and videos.

So let's discuss what google considers "good content:"

• Length - This will vary depending on the page, however, generally having a sufficient amount of content helps search engines recognize that your site is a good source for a specific topic
• Engagement - The longer people stay on your website to read your content, the higher Google will rank your website. It's important to have informative and "thick" content that keeps people reading
• Avoid Duplicating Content - Google will recognize this and may consider your content to have low value
• Ensure pages load quickly - This will also help with engagement and time spent on your website
• Shareability - Create content that people want to share, and is easy for them to share, especially to their social media accounts (ie. "click to tweet" is a great example of this).

Another element of creating good content is creating consistent content.

If (and hopefully you are) publishing content frequently, it's important to stick to a schedule - this helps build brand trust and easy user experience with your customers.

Planning out your content with a content calendar is key to staying consistent.

Here are a few great content calendar tools that can help you:

• If you prefer to keep it simple, your average spreadsheet is just as useful!

Backlinks are an important piece to SEO, as they allow for other websites to link to your content.

Search engines recognize that other sites are essentially "verifying" your content and essentially rank you higher because of this.

Of course, some links are more valuable than others and can affect your site in different ways.

For example, if a highly valuable and credible site like the New York Times links to a page on your website, this could be remarkable from an SEO perspective.

Aside from organically getting mentioned from other sites, there are other ways that you can increase and earn backlinks:

• Create infographics with relevant data that people want to share
• Promote your content on different sites/look into "guest blogging"
• Contact influencers/journalists/bloggers and ask them to mention you!
• Write testimonials for other sites in exchange for a backlink
• Leverage existing business relationships

Learn more about the fundamentals of SEO ➜ here and check out Neil Patel's 3 Powerful SEO Tips below

Build A Blog

One of the most effective ways to build brand awareness and grow your business is through consistently blogging.

We've outlined some useful tips for you to consider when creating content:

Consistency and Quantity

Quality is important, but it should be the standard for any content you publish.

What’s more important is consistency and quantity.

Consistency is as simple as committing to publishing and sharing a certain number of posts per week. For me, that’s three per week right now.

This kind of commitment is key, because one day, a random post will blow up, and you will have never expected it.

Oversaturation

The easiest mind trap is to think "I’m posting too much", and “I need to give my readers/audience/this platform a break”.

This is nonsense.

There is no such thing as oversaturation. Well, there is, but it is just someone else’s opinion.

For every person that tells you you are posting too much, there is another person that wants even more of your content.

You should ignore people’s opinions on how much you post.

Patience & Persistence

Keep posting, keep trying, and keep putting out good content on the regular. Your time will come, and when it does, it will change everything.

The only thing you have control over is your content.

You can’t control how people will react to it. You can’t control pageviews, likes, or shares.

So the only metric you should focus on is how much content you can put out in a week, month, etc.

Where to share your blog content

Mailing List

I know it sounds obvious, but the best places to share your content is on your mailing list. It is guaranteed traffic and it is a great way to get rapid feedback from your most loyal readers.

Send newsletters often. I have done once a week since starting, and I’m moving to twice a week soon.

Work on increasing your mailing list as well. Look into ways to increase your conversion rate to your mailing list. I added a flyout popup thing to my site and now I’m collecting ~30 emails per day.

An email newsletter is one of the most powerful assets you can have and it is worth its weight in gold.

Reddit is one of my favorite places to promote content.

It is a very scary place because you will often get banned or heckled, but it can really pay off.

Create social media accounts for your blog, the main ones I use:

Twitter Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

Set up Buffer and share all of your blog posts to all of your accounts. All of these little shares really do add up.

Automate this as much as possible. I automated all of my social media for Starter Story.

Facebook Groups

When I started out, I put together a spreadsheet of relevant Facebook groups for my niche, and I would post to these groups whenever I had a big story I wanted to share.

Grow Your Email List

The more engaged list of emails, the more engaged customers, which ultimately leads to more sales.

One of the best ways to start growing your list is by providing your customer with something free (or discounted) in return.

This could also be anything from:

• Fascinating case study
• Video series
• Free week of the product
• Discount on the product

Learn more about how to grow your email list and improve email marketing ➜ here .

Dylan Jacob, founder of Brumate states their email collection tactic that is proven to work:

We use Spin-a-Sale for this (you spin a wheel for a discount code in exchange for subscribing to our email list). This has been the best email-collecting tool we have found because the customer truly feels like they won a prize rather than just a coupon code.

Even if a customer doesn’t convert right away, if we have their email we have a 19% chance of converting them into a future customer whether that is through future promotions, new releases, or simply just sending an email at the right time for a purchase to finally make sense for them.

We also have a return customer rate of over 14%, so one out of every 6 people we convert will end up buying from us again with an average order value of over $60.00.

Add an exit-intent popup to your online store

A great way to double, or even triple, your email opt-in rate and to grow your list is to add an exit-intent popup to your site, and offering a discount or content upgrade for subscribers.

Here's an example of what that might look like:

One thing that I spent years NOT doing, that I now kick myself about, is adding an "exit intent pop-up" to our site, which lets people enter a sweepstakes to win a Xero Shoes gift certificate.

That one idea has added over 100,000 subscribers to our email list, which is one of our most effective marketing channels.

Improve Your Email Marketing

Different types of emails

Here are the most common types of email campaigns you can send to your customers and their benefits:

• Welcome emails - the perfect way to provide information from the start with a clear CTA. Make sure to tell your customer everything they need to know about your product or service.
• Newsletters - a great way to give customers updates or send out your latest content
• Product launch emails - the quickest (and easiest) way to increase sales is by selling to current customers. Make sure they're the first on the list to know about your new product
• Promotional emails - promote discounts, deals coupons etc. Try and make this feel exclusive and for a limited time only
• Abandoned cart emails - give your customers a reason to complete their purchase!

Here's a great resource for finding curated email designs, for all types of email campaigns!

Abandonded Cart Flow

The abandoned cart workflow is one of the most effective strategies for turning your lead into a customer, and a powerful tool to have if you're an e-commerce business.

Think about all the times that you went on a shopping frenzy only to add items to your cart and then either forget or realize nows not the right time to pull the trigger.

Then, minutes later you receive an email saying "Hurry up! Your cart is waiting - and we want to provide you with 20% off your order."

Maybe that's the special touch (and discount) you needed to pull that trigger.

Implementing this workflow can automatically trigger this for your business every time a customer abandons their cart.

Here's a great example of an abandoned cart email from Brooklinen :

Things they do well:

• Showcase 5-star reviews from other customers
• Offer a small discount + free shipping
• Great design + clear call to actions!

Experiment With Pay Per Click Ads (PPC)

Pay-per-click (PPC) is a performance-based marketing method that allows you to show specific ads for services or products oriented to a very defined target, with the goal that the user visits your website or landing page.

Here are some tips to consider:

• Consider connecting the ad to your corresponding landing page so that the audience receives the necessary information after clicking on the ad.
• Conversion Tracking: When running PPC campaigns, be sure to run the ads with conversion tracking.
• Focus on quality keywords, even if there are few as this will save you time and money. When assessing the performance of a keyword, it's important to track the expense, conversion, and cost per conversion, as well as the ROI.

PPC advertising can be a very important lead generator as long as it's done properly. Your PPC campaign is intended to drive traffic to your website and help the business scale.

Additionally, if the campaign is not having the desired results, you can make the necessary changes immediately to improve them.

Ryan Schortmann, founder of Display Pros talks about their investment in PPC Ads:

My name is Ryan Schortmann and I’m the founder of Display Pros. We are a custom trade show display booth company offering easy to use portable display “kits” for small and medium businesses wanting to get into the trade show game.

It did not take long to come to the realization that to compete at any reasonable level, we were going to need to take the plunge and invest in Pay Per Click ads and display.

From experience, I know that it is important to give Google’s hivemind some time to settle in before each campaign starts seeing consistent results (this is largely dependent on budget).

A certain amount of PPC budget must be viewed as a “marketing research” expense and then you can look at the analytics data and make informed decisions on where to refine, tweak or plain scrap an idea.

Google Shopping was an entirely new concept for me. You can’t assign keywords to products so at first, I was asking myself “How the hell do you refine these?”. Then I found some good reading material and courses and learned of some advanced methods that the pros are using. It turns out you can utilize negative keyword lists combined with the priority setting on each shopping campaign to “shape” the keywords that are coming in and how much you are spending on them.

To learn more about PPC Ads and Google Shopping, check out this video to learn everything you need to know!

Social Media Advertising

Social Media Advertising is one of the leading ways to get the word out when it comes to tiny house building business.

There are various different Social Media platforms available to you. Some may be more critical for your marketing efforts than others, however, it's important to have an understanding of what's out there and available to you.

Let's talk about a few of the main platforms and what makes them unique:

• Facebook Advertising - more than 2 billion monthly users. Facebook is the best for lead generation + capturing email addresses for e-commerce businesses.
• Instagram Advertising - approximately 500 million monthly users and has a higher audience engagement rate than any other platform. Instagram ads are best for linking to a product page or landing page and reaches the 18-29 age group most effectively.
• Twitter Advertising - Small businesses typically use twitter ads to drive brand awareness, but the platform is meant more for organic engagement (and is not as heavily used for paid advertising)
• Pinterest Advertising - 175 million monthly users and most effectively reaches the female audience. Pinterest is great for promoting products without "promoted". The promoted pins have a way of blending right in.
• LinkedIn Advertising - 227 million monthly users and is geared towards the B2B market and generates the highest quality leads. Great platform for recruiters, high-end products and services that will help businesses

It's important to first define your goal/objective so that you don't waste time and money into the wrong platform:

Here are some different questions to ask yourself as it relates to your goals:

• Do I want to simply drive brand awareness?
• Do I want to drive users to my website to gather information?
• Do I want to increase sales and get my customer to take action?

From there, choose the platform that targets your audience best and start experimenting!

Learn more about social media advertising ➜ here .

Founder Andy Hayes talks about mastering FB ads and the pixel:

The biggest bang for your buck will likely be mastering Facebook and it’s platform - which we all know is pay for play, so you’ll have to come up with a small amount of budget to start for marketing.

We’ve spent countless hours (and paid numerous coaches) before we cracked the code that works for us on Facebook, but it is working really well for us now.

Some of the most important things to know when it comes to FB Ads:

• Start with retargeting (that’s showing ads to people who already know you but did not purchase). Master this - and start building information on your Facebook Pixel - before you do anything else
• Once you have that down, try working with the 1% “Lookalike” audience to prospect for new customers. This may take awhile because your pixel audience is small, so try layering on interests - 1% Lookalike and your largest competitor, for example. Don’t use interest-only targeting until you master this.
• Great photography and videography is key, as is smart copy. Research what’s out there in your industry and constantly test - what works for one company may not work for other people.
• Make sure you have good offers. For example, we have a $5 trial for our subscription, which converts affordably - if we promoted our subscription with the standard $30 front charge, it wouldn’t be as cost-effective.

🏃🏼‍♀️ How To Run Your Tiny House Building Business

How To Retain Customers For Your Tiny House Building Business

Retaining customers is one of the most effective ways to grow your tiny house building business.

Oftentimes, it's easy to find yourself focusing on generating new customers, vs retaining your current ones.

Look at it this way - you are 60-70% more likely to sell a new product to an existing customer than you are a new customer.

That's not to say that finding new customers and revenue streams is not important, however, the easiest (and most inexpensive) source of new revenue is right there in front of you.

Here are some ways you can retain customers for your tiny house building business:

• Responding to comments on social media
• Send discounts (or freebies) to loyal customers
• Provide valuable content, for free
• Write a hand written thank you note
• Provide awesome customer service and build relationships with customers

To find out more tips and tricks on retaining customers, check out this article ➜ here

Jeff Yeo, founder of Tiny Away dives deep into the process of attracting and retaining customers:

I think the fundamentals of the business need to be solid before everything else will fall into place nicely. In our case, since we are in the experiential tiny house eco-tourism space, the primary objective for us would be to create that perfect experience for our tiny house guests that they cannot get anywhere else.

We hit the sweet spot when we used photographs for our listings that were taken by guests themselves or social media influencers because those shots are what ‘flicked the switch’ for our guests

And to do that, we curated the land sites on which we would be placing our tiny houses, which can range from anything to the tunes of an animal farm, a fruit orchard, a vineyard, or just places with exceptional scenery. The land site either had to have activities for our guests to partake in, e.g. learning how to ride a horse, hot air ballooning, feeding alpacas, harvesting nectarines, wine tasting, or on the other extreme, be amidst a wide-open field where guests can kick back, take in the views and indulge in a digital detox, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Once that was in place, we looked at:

1) Leverage booking platforms. Leveraging brand exposure from well-known accommodation, of course in addition to having our own. Airbnb was driving the most number of bookings for us. Coming from the marketing perspective, the ROI of this channel is higher than placing ads as it is in a way performance-based. We only pay when bookings are made whereas, for ads, a click-through might not eventually end up with a booking.

2) SEO. Concurrently, we ran SEO campaigns to increase our brand visibility and drive traffic our way

3) Convert traffic into paying customers. Now, with all the traffic coming in, the next step would be how to convert them into paying customers and the quickest way to draw them in would be attractive visuals of our tiny houses on the land sites that they sit on which led to the creation of our Instagram account, where the majority of our target audience ‘lives.’

4) Asking for reviews. Consumers nowadays are really tech-savvy and most, if not all, would do their own research before committing to purchase so we also spent time reaching out to guests who have stayed over at our tiny houses to review their experience or leave testimonials.

5) Social media influencers. This user-generated content strategy was further bolstered by working with social media influencers in the travel space where we invite them to stay over, take beautiful pictures and videos of our tiny houses, and also share their itinerary of activities during their stay with us.

6) Collaborations with brands. We also did brand collaborations with other local brands whose vision is aligned with ours or are complementary via cross-marketing so that it becomes a win-win for both brands and in the process, do giveaways or have promotions exclusive to the other brand so that even more people get to try out our getaways.

7) PR. And last but not least, we continued using the power of PR to establish our credibility in Australia, which has seen us appearing in various established media channels and titles like Channel 7 News, Channel 9 News, Sunday Telegraph, Sydney Herald, Time Out, etc.

Ultimately, regardless of which channel or strategy you use to attract or retain customers, the key is to be on your toes and monitor the results, analyze them, and continuously fine-tune the strategies to ensure they are relevant and timely to maximize your marketing dollars and ROI.

Diversify Your Product Line

Adding new products to your business is a great way to expand into new markets and grow your business.

It's important to note that adding new products and diversifying may not be in the cards for you right this moment, and that's okay. You can always consider it down the road.

Here are some reasons you may want to considering adding/diversifying your product

• Meeting the needs of your customers
• Establish yourself as a top provider in your industry and stay ahead of the game with competition
• Resistance to downturns/trends fading
• Create new revenue streams

Provide Great Customer Service

Providing exceptional care and creating relationships with clients is a great way to build your reputation and retain customers.

Whether you are an online business or a physical business, it's highly important to communicate with customers and make them feel like they are the priority.

Just remember: customer service represents your brand, values, vision and YOU as a person.

Authenticity

As a brand, you want to deliver an experience that authentic, honest and transparent.

Don't make the mistake of giving your audience less credit than they deserve.

Be Authentic

If you go around chasing every trend and only focused on yourself and money, you’re going to lose very quickly.

There have been many times where we have been tempted to do this but stayed true.

Sure we sacrificed sales, but we kept our integrity, played the long game and people saw and appreciated that, and really began emotionally investing in the brand.

Build a Referral Program

Word of mouth is one of the best ways to get the word out about your business and acquire new customers. Especially when you are starting out, it’s important to build a solid referral program to encourage existing customers to help you find new ones.

A great way to do that is by offering a reward (ie. credit on your service or cash) to customers that refer you to their friends and family.

A fantastic referral program will help with clout, credibility, and establishing yourself in the space.

Word of Mouth

The most tried and true way to grow a tiny house building business is through word of mouth - some entrepreneurs would say it's more important than all social media.

Why you should focus on word of mouth:

• Consumers trust word of mouth above all other forms of marketing
• 92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising
• 64% of marketing executives indicated that they believe it is the most effective form of marketing

Learn more about word of mouth in our guide: 30 Ways Founders Grow Their Business ➜

We put together the best resources on the internet to help you start your tiny house building business.

• Email tools such as MailChimp
• Social media tools such as Instagram , Twitter , YouTube or Tiktok
• Design tools such as Canva
• Customer service tools such as Zendesk
• Productivity tools such as NetSuite
• Stock images tools such as Pexels
• Crm tools such as Zendesk Sell
• Platform tools such as Canva
• Tiny House Design & Construction Guide

How To Start Your Own House Cleaning Company: Go From Startup To Payday In One Week (Fast Track to Success Book 1)

Web Resources

• How To Start Up And Manage A Tiny House Rental - Tiny
• Making A Living With A Tiny House Based Business
• How To Start A Tiny House Company
• How To Start A Successful Tiny House Career

Case Studies

• On Building A Construction Technology Company Selling Foldable Homes
• We Make $1.8M/Year Renting Tiny Homes To Travelers
• 37 Pros & Cons Of Starting A Tiny House Building Business (2024) 1 of 6
• 42 Trending Tiny House Building Businesses [2024] 2 of 6
• 8 Tiny House Building Business Success Stories [2024] 3 of 6
• 14 Marketing Ideas For A Tiny House Building Business (2024) 4 of 6
• How Much Does It Cost To Start A Tiny House Building Business? (In 2024) 5 of 6
• 2 Tips For Starting A Successful Tiny House Building Business (2024) 6 of 6

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How to Profit and Develop a Tiny Home Community at the Same Time

For those developers out there, a tiny home community is a great way to make a profit if done correctly. As builders of tiny homes, we know a thing or two about managing tiny home communities and have a few tips to share with you. Here are 5 strategies to remember when considering whether to develop a tiny home community.

#2. Start small and expand as finances permit. While you will want to start with an overall site plan for your property, consider purchasing only a handful of tiny homes to ensure the demand meets the supply. Furthermore, you will have to put a lot of your initial revenue into marketing to build your tiny home community. Hence, we would suggest starting with a small tiny home community and expanding as you go.

#3.  Be prepared to get your hands dirty. As with any start-up business, you will need to spend several hours working the business yourself. As the tiny home community grows, you will be able to hire more staff. To start, however, you will need to get your hands dirty, whether it’s managing the books, making beds, mowing the lawns, etc.

#5. A strong, happy staff can help ensure a profitable tiny home community, and any venture for that matter. We recommend building and nurturing a strong staff and work environment. When your employees are happy, they will go out of their way to help your clients, which in turn improves their experience and your ratings. You will have less turnover and spend less time training new staff. Furthermore, you will eventually be able to trust others to manage the business while you move on to new ventures.

A tiny home community, like any hotel or resort destination, can be an extremely profitable development. With careful planning and patience, you will be able to manage your costs and eventually generate enough revenue where you will be able to hire qualified staff that will help you manage the company. In the short term however, you may need to put in just a “few” hours. Trust us, we know.

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Tiny house plans designed by experts.

Well, we'll be the first to admit that we don't know it all. ‍ But we have spent the last 9 years of our lives pouring into the tiny house movement and community. We started and ran the worlds leading tiny house company, Tiny heirloom, where we designed and built 100 custom tiny homes. We also co-hosted a 4-Season TV show with HGTV called Tiny Luxury , and now, we provide the community with high quality resources and education through this platform, Tinyhouse.com. We want you to have an easy start to tiny living. So, we have partnered up with our friends at Tiny Easy, a tiny house design team, to give you access to in-depth tiny house plans to help you kick-start your tiny house journey.  These affordable, beginner-friendly tiny house plans give you the information you need to understand how a tiny house should be designed and empower you with tools and planners to take charge of your journey towards living in your own tiny house, all for a ridiculously low price point. Enjoy!

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Custom Tiny Homes  

Here at Tru Form Tiny, we specialize in building custom tiny homes and tailoring them to your unique needs and preferences. As the leading tiny home company in the industry, we take pride in our craftsmanship and attention to detail. With our expertise and passion for creating exceptional living spaces, we are confident we can help you design your own tiny house and achieve your dream of owning your very own tiny home!

Why Choose Us? 

At Tru Form Tiny, we understand that choosing a home is an important decision. That's why we are committed to providing top-of-the-line, personalized service to each and every one of our clients. Our team consists of experienced professionals who are experts in the field of tiny home construction. We use only superior-quality materials and innovative techniques to ensure that your custom tiny home meets the highest standards of durability, functionality, and aesthetics. If it’s been your dream to move into a tiny home and embrace sustainable living, we’ll help you get there in no time at all. 

The Tru Form Tiny Difference 

What sets us apart from other tiny home companies is our hands-on approach and attention to detail. We work closely with our clients throughout the entire process, from design to completion, to ensure that their vision comes to life. Our team takes the time to understand your lifestyle and needs, so we can help you design a tiny house that is not only functional but also reflects your unique personality. 

Quality Assurance 

As the custom tiny home designers you can trust, Tru Form Tiny takes quality seriously. We put each custom tiny home through rigorous quality-control checks to ensure that it meets our high standards of construction and safety. We use sustainable materials and eco-friendly practices, so you can feel good about your home's impact on the environment. Our commitment to quality is also reflected in our warranty, providing you with peace of mind as you move through the construction process with us. 

Transparency 

Tru Form Tiny values honesty and transparency in all aspects of our business. That's why we provide our clients with detailed cost breakdowns and timelines, so you know exactly what to expect throughout the construction process. We also offer regular updates and open communication, so you can feel confident that we’re working together to bring your tiny home to life with care and transparency.

OUR DESIGNS:  READY FOR YOUR CUSTOMIZATION

As tiny home builders, your satisfaction is our priority! Design your tiny house for free using our floorplan! We have compiled a selection of finishes and options for you to choose from. Click on one of the buttons below to get started and we will guide you through each design aspect of our units for your customization .  

Need more space? Design your own Villa Max , our most popular choice for a Park Model.

Have your Tiny Home RV designed just the way you want. Customize to fit your lifestyle and budget. Start large and design your tiny house now!  

• Instantly know the cost of your decisions.
• "Submit" for a formal quote, and summary of your choices, sent to you through email.
• Once your unit is designed we will contact you to schedule your build and to confirm financing. Answer our financing questionnaire to see if you qualify.

customize a payette

EXAMPLE FLOOR PLAN:  24' PAYETTE

3 EXTERIORS AVAILABLE

20', 24', 28' LENGTHS

• Quaint galley kitchen in 2 sizes
• Upstairs loft
• Great room entrance .
• Units 24 ft and larger include a downstairs bedroom & 2nd loft.
• Bedroom or loft can be omitted in the design process.
• Ladder or stairs
• 3 ft or 5 ft bathroom
• 3 exterior styles

customize a kootenay

Example floor plan:  24' kootenay.

22', 24', 28' LENGTHS

• Full size peninsula kitchen
• Drop-down deck
• Large upstairs loft
• Kitchen entrance (22' has great room entrance).
• Main floor bedroom option on 28' model
• 24ft & 28ft have a 2nd loft option.
• Ladder-only for 22 ft models (stair option for larger units)

customize a verve

1 EXTERIOR AVAILABLE

16', 22', 28' LENGTHS

• Single level studio layout
• Galley style kitchen
• Urban/Modern design
• Lux includes bathroom bump out, drop down deck,  wood awning, table, conversion couch & additional cabinetry.

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The Only Tiny House Design Software For Business & Personal-Use.

3D Tiny House Designer helps you design & build tiny home easier by simplifying the design, customization & plan creation process into a simple design software purpose-built for tiny homes.

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Empowering Businesses & Personal-Users & DIY'ers Worldwide: Design Tiny Homes Faster & Easier With Our 3D Easy Designer!

Who's 3D Tiny House Designer For?

Our online tiny house designer is perfect for personal projects or businesses looking to design tiny homes with user-friendly software purpose-built for tiny homes!

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One-Click Plan Export For Talking With Builders OR Use To DIY.

Easily Customize Your Tiny Home!

Easily Plan & Create With Our Tiny Home Design Specific Tools:

Start from scratch or use a template..

Personal users/DIY'ers pick from Tiny Easy's metric and imperial design templates, while businesses create custom templates for their staple designs

Use Exterior Tools to shape the exterior.

Purpose-built tools like; trailer/foundation, shell, roof, doors and windows & more to help shape the exterior.

Use Interior Tools to shape the interior design & layout.

Customize furniture, cabinetry, lighting and more in just a few clicks. - No 3D modelling needed.

Use Technical Tools to add electrical & plumbing.

Complete your design with additional tools like electrical, plumbing and room tags for effective communication.

Export pdf tiny house plans with one click!

Instantly generate pdf plans and blueprints with dimensions with just one click. - No drafting required.

Extra Tools for: Businesses, Builders & Designers

Fast Take Off Export To Communicate With Your Team

Get instant material estimations with a click, add your pricing & estimate your cost in minutes.

Download the smart spreadsheet, fill in your wastage & unit costs to produce an estimated cost in minutes.

One-Click Render Tool To Market & Pre-Sell Your Designs

Create marketing ready renders in seconds instead of weeks or hiring a freelancer.

Easily customize your renders with a few clicks and sign clients with confidence when they see your tiny homes!

Watch a tiny house design from start to finish…

Our tiny home online builder helps businesses and personal-users/DIY'ers design faster and easier!

Our customers say it best!

Dave Wilkinson

Salty Builds - Founder

"Game Changer"

Prior to using the tiny home designer, I would spend hours and hours designing in Sketch-Up. I had some base files which I could use as a starting point but any alterations would take me hours. From there, I would get a contractor through Fiverr to generate drawings and plans. It would take weeks, but now can be done in an hour or two.

"It's completely changed my workflow and now I can spend more time building and talking with clients. It's EPIC ."

Nordic & Spruce - Head of Sales

"Completely transformed how I work with my clients"

I'm loving your software! It's incredibly easy to use and has completely transformed how I work with my clients. Your software helps make my process more professional! I just sold a deal for 6 Weekenders with the help of the generated plans. The intuitive plan set is fantastic to show my clients. It's just nice to automatically have things where I would logically expect them to be. Thanks for everything!! - Jeff.

"I never want to go back to what I was doing…Your software helps make my process more professional".

Taylor Dewis

Tiny By Taylor - Founder

"Ridiculously User-Friendly"

3D Tiny House Designer for Business made my workflow 10X faster compared to when I was using SketchUp. Having objects pre-built and being able to re-size them at a click of a button is a game changer. I can produce detailed construction plans for my team with just one click, reducing any time spent for drafting.

"Since using 3DTHD Business, the time difference is insane, from 1 day to just two hours per revision - simply put: 10x faster."

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If you've ever been interested in learning how to start a small business from home, now might be the perfect time. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever before are working from home and launching their own startups.

Although starting a business from home has its perks, like starting any business, there is a lot to go through in order to set yourself up for success. In this guide, we'll break down everything you need to do, step-by-step, to learn how to start a home business.

ZenBusiness

How to start a home business in 9 steps

So, if you're wondering how to start a small business at home, you'll find that the process requires planning, preparation and the documentation to make it official (and legal).

Although it may seem overwhelming — as starting a business often is — if you take things one step at a time, you'll find that the process becomes much more manageable. Plus, when you're starting and running a business from home, there are a number of details you don't have to worry about, like finding an office or retail space.

1. Decide on a successful idea

The first step in starting a business from home is determining exactly what kind of business you want to start.

Of course, there are a number of different home business ideas out there — and within certain industries, home businesses are far more popular (and feasible) than others. As an example, according to the SBA, a business in the information industry has a 70% chance of being home-based, closely followed by businesses in the construction industry, at 68.2%.

So, how do you decide on the perfect (and profitable) idea for your home-based business?

In essence, this part of the process is a process in itself. After all, deciding what type of business you're going to run will influence all of the other steps from here on out.

With this in mind, to make this important decision, you can consider the following:

What skills or talents do you have? Thinking about the skills, talents and passions you already have is a great way to start brainstorming the best business ideas . For example, if you're good at sewing, you might consider starting a seamstress business, or you might consider making and selling your own apparel.

How can these skills or talents translate into a business idea? Unfortunately, not every talent or skill will translate into an actual business idea. For instance, you might be a great soccer player, but it may not be feasible to start a soccer coaching business.

Can this business idea actually be run from home? It's not only important to find an idea that plays to your talents, but also one that can be run from home. If you're a skilled cook, you may be able to start a private chef business where your home serves as your office, but you may find it difficult (with laws and regulations) to start a catering business from home.

Once you've gone through this exercise and have an initial idea for your home-based business, you'll want to ensure that it's worth investing in. To make this evaluation, you'll want to do a few things:

Conduct market research: First, you'll want to perform some research to ensure there's market demand for your product or service. Through this process, you'll also want to consider who your competitors are, what your value proposition is and what your target market looks like.

Consider startup costs: Before you decide to run with any given idea, you'll want to think about how much it will cost to start this type of business from home. If you're going to start a freelance writing business, your startup costs may be very low — especially if you already have a computer and internet access. On the other hand, if you're planning on starting an Amazon selling business, you might need to invest more in terms of inventory, packing and shipping, etc.

Test your idea: There are a variety of ways you can test your idea to decide whether it's a worthwhile investment. If you're starting a service-based business, you might offer your services for free to test the market. On the other hand, if you're planning on selling a product, you might test it out with a select group of people or advertise it on a crowdfunding platform to gather responses before moving forward.

Ultimately, people arrive at their successful home business idea in all sorts of ways. Scottie Yang, a Tempe, Arizona-based business owner, decided to go all-in on his home business after he lost his job. After a career in television and video production, he switched gears to start his own clothing company called Heights Apparel, which creates clothing specifically for men who are above-average height.

"Once I got a taste of getting to work from home, it made it really hard to want to go work in an office every day," Yang says. "I love the flexibility. I love not having to deal with office politics."

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

2. Write a business plan

Once you've decided on a profitable home business idea, your next step will be to write a business plan .

Writing a business plan can often be one of the most time-consuming parts of learning how to start a small business at home, however, it's essential to the potential growth and progression of your operations.

In this way, your business plan should contain all of the information you need to prepare you to run your business from home. Although there are different methods for writing a business plan, generally, you'll want your business plan to include:

An executive summary .

An overview of your business.

A market analysis .

A description of your product or service.

A marketing and sales plan.

A financial plan and projections.

By going through this process, you'll have an opportunity to expand upon the considerations you made in the first step — thinking about the way your business will operate in more detail. Along these lines, you can think of your business plan as a roadmap for how you'll grow into a profitable home business.

Moreover, your business plan will also help you later on when you need to apply for funding or seek investors to start or grow your business. Showing potential investors or lenders that you have a funding plan for your business and have considered all of the risks is essential.

This is also a great time to do more research if you aren’t experienced in the field you’re starting your home business in. Yang was doing research on his business three years before he even started it.

"Because of my lack of experience and knowledge, I began researching the concept in 2015. I did tons of research," he says. He officially formed his LLC in 2018 and started selling online in 2019.

For Yang, his research centered around understanding the challenges and pitfalls of the business.

"I'm 6'7'' myself, and I grew increasingly frustrated with the [clothes] options available to me, and the large amount of additional money I had to spend in order to get pieces of clothing to fit my frame the right way. It really has an impact on how you feel."

This lack of clothing options revealed a gap in the market that he decided to capitalize on.

3. Choose a name and business entity

After you've written your business plan, you'll want to officially decide on the name of your business .

You'll want to choose something that's memorable, but also something that makes it clear what your business is or does.

Once you have a name in mind, you’ll have to make sure it’s actually available to use. There are a few places you can check this — including your secretary of state's website or business bureau website, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and by doing a simple Google search.

This being said, extending your search beyond your state is especially important if you plan on launching an online component to your home business, as you'll want to make sure that a potential domain name is available for your business's website.

In addition to deciding on a name, you'll need to choose a business entity type to define your business structure. The business entity you choose for your home business will affect how your business is taxed and the legal risk you’re exposed to, as well as whether or not you need to officially register your business with the state.

At this point, you might decide to consult an attorney or online legal service to ensure you're choosing the right entity type for your unique business. The chart below can help you determine which of these options will work best for your business:

If you choose to structure your home business as a sole proprietorship or a general partnership, you won’t actually have to register your business with the state where you’ll be operating.

Therefore, because you won’t be registering with a specific business name, the name of your business will default to your legal name. In this case, if you'd prefer to start your home business with a different name, you can file a DBA, or “doing business as,” with your state in order to operate your business under that name.

» MORE: Best business credit cards for LLCs

4. Register your home business

If you decide to form your business as an LLC or C corporation, you'll need to register with your state to start and run your business from home legally.

The exact process that you'll need to follow to complete this registration will be unique to your state. Therefore, you'll want to consult your local Secretary of State or business bureau for guidelines on how to complete your business registration.

This being said, regardless of whether or not you have to register with the state, you'll want to register your business with the federal government by applying for an employer identification number. This number (also called an EIN) comes with a number of benefits, making it a worthwhile choice whether or not you’re technically required to obtain one.

In short, this number will be useful for hiring employees, opening a business bank account, filing business taxes and more. You can easily apply for an EIN online with the IRS.

5. Get a business license

Once you've completed your necessary registration with the state and federal governments, the next step in learning how to start a home business is getting a business license.

As a home-based business, your business license requirements may differ from other types of businesses. Nevertheless, the licenses and permits that you need will also vary based on the state where you're located.

Generally, when you're starting a small business from home, you'll want to look into the following types of business licenses:

Home occupation permit: Most home-based businesses will require a home occupation permit to operate legally. Essentially, this permit shows that by running your business out of your home, you're not adding significant traffic, noise, or harmful environmental conditions to your area.

Property use and zoning permits: When you're starting your business from home, you'll want to check into local zoning ordinances that apply to home-based businesses in your area. Some residential areas have strict zoning regulations that may limit or even prevent home-based businesses from operating. You'll want to check with your local or city government office to find out what regulations might apply to you.

General business licenses and permits: On top of the two previous permits that are more specific to home-based businesses, you'll also want to consider any general business licenses you need to operate legally. Along these lines, you might need a business operating license, professional or trade license, sales tax permit and more.

Overall, even if you're just starting an online consulting or freelance business from your home, you shouldn't assume that you don't need a business license. In addition to consulting local and state business resources, you might also work with a legal professional or service to ensure that you've taken all the necessary steps to run your business from home legally.

6. Separate your business and personal finances

At this point, you've taken the steps necessary to make your home-based business official and legal. Now, you're ready to take the steps to learn how to run a business from home legally — starting with managing your finances.

Although you may be a one-person operation, it's essential to separate your business and personal finances, especially when you're just starting out. As we mentioned briefly above, one of the downsides of some of the most common business entity types for home-based businesses is that you're personally responsible for your business's debts and liabilities.

For this reason, it's even more important to ensure that you protect your personal assets by separating your finances — plus, keeping your finances separate will be crucial for bookkeeping, tax filing and general organization. You can start small and simple here by using free accounting software to help you keep your business finances in order. As your business grows or if you find yourself overwhelmed with the bookkeeping process, you can explore online bookkeeping services to help with this task.

Open a business bank account

In addition to applying for an EIN, one of the best ways to separate your finances is to open a business checking account .

You'll use your business bank account to manage any money coming into your business, as well as for paying suppliers, services, or employees.

There are a variety of business bank accounts to choose from — however, you might start with the bank where you have your personal account, or look for a free business checking account .

Since you're running your business from home, you may want to focus your search on a business bank account with online and mobile banking, mobile check deposit and free ACH payments.

Apply for a business credit card

After you've opened a business bank account, the next step you can take to separate and start managing your finances is to get a business credit card . A business credit card can help you establish business credit and can be used for any transactions related to your business — which will make filing your taxes much easier to navigate.

Once again, there are a variety of options for business credit cards — so you might start by looking at the bank where you opened your checking account — or narrow down your search by your rewards preferences — such as cash back or travel points.

Choose accounting software

Finally, the last important piece of learning to manage your finances as a new home-based business is to choose accounting software .

Although you may not think you need an accounting software platform, successful home businesses often use one of these automated systems to make bookkeeping and taxes much easier. Plus, if you're concerned about cost, there are options for free accounting software, as well as specifically designed home-based business accounting software options.

7. Secure funding

One of the benefits of starting a business from home is that you can eliminate some of the costs associated with renting an office space or opening a brick-and-mortar location.

In some cases, you might not have any business startup costs at all. This was the experience that Alexis Haselberger, a time-management and productivity coach, had when launching her business.

What surprised me most was how easy it was to get started; as a service-based business working from my home, I had virtually no startup costs. Even without investing money into her business to start, Haselberger was able to gain clients from big-name companies like Google, Lyft, San Francisco State University and more.

However, depending on the type of business you're launching, you may need to secure financing to help cover some of your startup costs. If you’re starting a business that requires a lot of inventory or equipment, you will definitely have some initial costs. Luckily, about 44% of home-based business owners are able to start their businesses with less than $5,000 — but if your home business requires more capital, you'll want to explore your options for financing.

Typically, it's difficult for newer businesses to access traditional financing methods, so you might start with a simple business credit card or line of credit , as well as consider more creative forms of financing — like working with friends or family or starting a crowdfunding campaign.

8. Set up your office

Next, you're ready to move from starting a home business to actually running a successful home business.

The first thing you'll want to do to set yourself up for success in this regard is to set up your home office. Although there are a number of benefits to starting a business from home, there are also some drawbacks — namely, that you'll be working in the same place that you live.

For this reason, it's important to designate a specific home office space in order to promote productivity and separate your work from your home life.

As Yang said, it's easy to get distracted with other things. You will need discipline to start a home business, since no one will be monitoring your work — it’s really up to you. But once you successfully make the shift, the pros can vastly outweigh the cons.

Therefore, to set up your home office, you'll want to do things like:

Choose a designated space.

Invest in the right furniture, tools and technology.

Decorate your office in a way that works for you.

Take steps to minimize distractions.

Once you have the space you need to start running your business from home, it will be much easier to get going from there.

9. Set up tax accounts and learn about deductions

Understanding business taxes can be one of the most difficult parts of running a business — and as a home-based business, you may have unique tax obligations. We've already talked about how to obtain an EIN (if needed) and the different ways you can be taxed, depending on your business entity. As a business owner, you'll need to get set up to pay self-employment taxes quarterly, to both the federal and state government. If you have employees, you'll need to establish payroll withholding accounts, and if you collect sales tax, you must set up sales tax accounts with your state.

You'll also want to consider some key home office tax deductions you can enjoy when running a profitable home business. If you use your office regularly and exclusively for your business, you'll qualify for the home office deduction (in most cases). You can claim this deduction by calculating your square footage (the simplified way) or calculating specific home office expenses on Form 8829 (the regular method).

Taking advantage of this deduction can help you save money come tax season.

Use our guide to learn more about home business tax deductions.

Start Your Dream Business

Tips for running a successful and profitable home business

Even if you've technically completed all the steps necessary to start a home business, the learning process will continue as you begin your day-to-day operations. Therefore, once you've gotten to this point, you might consult these tips to successfully running a small business from home.

Consider investing in business insurance: Although insurance might not be one of your initial priorities, investing in business insurance can be crucial to mitigating your risks and protecting your personal assets. At a minimum, you'll want to look into general liability insurance for your home-based business.

Create a business website and social media profiles to promote your business online: One of the best ways to establish and promote your business's presence is to create a website and social media profiles. These online resources make it easier to interact with customers — giving customers an opportunity to learn about who you are and what your business does, as well as reach out for more information.

Always be marketing your business: Marketing is always essential to a business, but even more so when you're first starting out. You can start your marketing strategy by referring back to the plan you developed as part of your overall business plan. As you learn more about your customers and what works and what doesn't, you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

Determine when it's the right time to hire your first employee: Finally, when your home-based business grows to more than you can manage on your own, you'll want to consider hiring your first employee. Being an employer, however, will mean that you need to meet additional requirements for insurance, taxes and more. Therefore, you'll not only want to ensure that you complete all of the steps necessary to hire an employee, but that you can afford and it's the right time to do so.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

On a similar note...

How to Start a Home-Based Business and Work From Home

8 min. read

Updated April 30, 2024

Did you know that 50% of U.S. entrepreneurs start their business at home? And for good reason. A home-based business can provide a quicker startup path, greater flexibility, and lower startup costs. 

However, you still have to follow the same startup steps as every other business to succeed. Plus, there are additional considerations because you work from home.

This guide will cover the specific steps for starting a home-based business.

We will not go in-depth on steps that apply to all business types and recommend checking out our full startup guide to dig deeper.

1. Questions to ask before starting a home-based business

• Can you focus and stay motivated?

When working from home, you’ll be dealing with far more distractions—household chores, pets, TV shows, and that comfy bed calling for you to take a nap.

• Do you have a support system?

Whether it’s a mentor, family, or some other form of support—you should have someone who can help when you get stuck. Ideally, this person will have remote business experience and better relate to your situation.

• What are your goals?

Why are you starting a business? Why does it have to be from home? What is your long-term vision? You may need to rethink starting a remote business, depending on your answers. 

• Is your home suitable for running a business?

You need to determine if your current home setup is built for running a business or if you need to make changes to create a suitable workspace. 

• Can you balance work and personal life?

As a business owner, work-life balance is not guaranteed. Long hours spent pouring through your numbers, finishing orders, etc. Balance can be even more difficult for home-based businesses where your office is always just a step away.

These questions are specific to starting a home-based business. They don’t cover your other considerations when becoming a first-time entrepreneur. 

For additional guidance, check out what to do before starting a business .

Dig deeper:

5 myths about working from home

Don’t let these common misconceptions about working from home set your new business up for failure.

Tips to run a successful home-based business

Learn what experienced entrepreneurs recommend you focus on when starting an at-home business.

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2. Identify a business idea that works remotely

There are specific qualities that make for a good business idea. The idea solves a problem, shows clear market demand, and fits your goals.

However, even if an idea meets the criteria above it doesn’t mean it will work as a home-based business. Here are additional qualifications you should consider:

• Digitalization: Can the business be operated entirely online or with minimal physical interaction? 
• Independence: Can the business be run independently without needing a large team or physical infrastructure?
• Scalability: Can the business be scaled up without significant physical infrastructure? 
• Supply chain: Does the business require minimal physical inventory or a supply chain you can manage remotely?

Remember, you must conduct thorough market research and speak directly with your potential customers. An idea may look good on paper and meet the requirements to function remotely, but it won’t be viable if there’s no demand.

Check out our complete guide on idea validation for more information.

Online business ideas

A fully online business can be a great option to start from home. Here are a few options to consider.

Subscription service business ideas

While we may be past the gold rush for this business type—the right subscription service could still capture consumers’ attention.

• 3. Write a business plan

Writing your business plan will help you think through every aspect of your home-based business. It’s where you:

• Describe your product or service .
• Document your research .
• Create a financial plan .
• Outline marketing and sales efforts .
• Provide an overview of your operations , business structure, and team .

You should address everything in this list to create a complete business plan. And since you’re starting from home, pay special attention to:

• Operations: 

What does the day-to-day look like, and can it work in your home office, garage, or shed?

• Financials: 

How does being remote impact startup costs, and how do you intend to scale to achieve profitability? 

Is that possible from home, or must you invest in another space?

• Product/service description: 

What about your product or service allows it to be sold from the comfort of your home? Is there a competitive advantage for doing so?

While having a detailed business plan is essential, it can be helpful to start with a one-page plan . It’s quicker, easy to update, and provides a working overview of all the above components.

Plus, you can always expand it into a more traditional plan later. 

Need help to write your plan? Check out our business planning guide for step-by-step guidance.

Dig deeper: How to build remote work into your business plan

• 4. Understand the legal requirements

A home-based business has to follow all of the same legal requirements as every other business, including:

• Choosing a business structure
• Registering your business name
• Applying for a state and federal tax ID
• Obtain the right licenses and permits

There are also some unique legal considerations you’ll need to account for:

• Home business permit: 

Some local governments require home-based businesses to obtain a particular home business permit.

• Zoning laws: 

Check your area’s zoning laws to ensure that running a business from home is allowed.

• Homeowners Association (HOA) rules: 

If you live in a community with a homeowners association (HOA), check the HOA rules to see if there are any restrictions on running a business from home.

• Business insurance: 

While not a legal requirement, you should have some business insurance. Some home insurance policies do not cover home-based businesses and may need to purchase additional coverage.

5. Figure out your startup costs and finances

Starting a home-based business is often more cost-effective due to eliminating rent and other associated expenses. 

Depending on your business, you may have virtually no startup costs . But that doesn’t mean you can skip out on budgeting and forecasting . 

At a minimum, you should account for:

• Your home office setup
• Technology and equipment
• Legal expenses
• Marketing/advertising

Remember, the startup costs for a home-based business can vary widely depending on the nature of your business and your circumstances. Creating a detailed budget and forecasting revenue and expenses is essential for sufficient funds.

Lastly, don’t wait to separate your personal and business finances . You may find it tempting to intermix funds when working from home, but this will make performance harder to track and potentially lead to legal issues. All it takes to get started is opening a business bank account . 

Dig deeper: Do you save money by working from home?

• 6. Set up your workspace

You need to choose a dedicated space to run your business. Somewhere with minimal distractions and a way to separate your work and home life. 

Ideally, this room can become a dedicated office. The reality is not everyone has that much extra space. If so, you must set strict boundaries for how and when to use the space.

Once you have a space in mind, make the necessary adjustments to turn it into a productive work environment. Here are a few things to consider:

• Introduce bright, natural lighting: Proper lighting reduces eye strain and helps create a pleasant working environment. Natural light is best but experiment with different light tones to find what works best for you.
• Get creative with storage: Utilize storage solutions like floating shelves, vertical file cabinets, or desks with built-in storage to maximize space and organize files and supplies.
• Prioritize comfort: Invest in a good chair with proper back and arm support, and consider a stand-up desk to alternate between sitting and standing.
• Upgrade your equipment: At a minimum, you need a high-speed internet connection. You’ll likely need additional tools and services to run your business, but these entirely depend on your business idea.  

How to set up a home office on a budget

If you’re trying to avoid overspending on your office setup, here are a few tips for making a useful space without overspending.

Home office essentials for entrepreneurs

What are the necessities for a working home office? Here are a few areas worth investing in.

7. Manage your time 

Improving your time management and focus will be an ongoing process. But, there are a few ways to set you, and any employees, up for success. 

• Use project management tools:  

Utilize online tools like Trello or Asana to organize tasks, set deadlines, and monitor progress.

• Set clear expectations:  

Communicate tasks, deadlines, and expectations to yourself and your team. Setting deadlines and making regular updates help keep everyone on the same page.

• Encourage regular breaks:  

Short breaks throughout the day can improve productivity. Encourage your team to take regular breaks to clear their minds and recharge.

• Regularly communicate:  

Use communication tools like Slack or Zoom to stay connected with your team, contractors, or vendors to facilitate collaboration.

• Avoid multitasking:  

Focus on one task at a time to ensure quality work and avoid mistakes.

Try this work-from-home checklist

Follow these steps to optimize your time when working from home.

How to stay productive when working remotely

Are you struggling to focus on your business while at home? Here are ten ways to increase productivity.

How to manage and motivate remote workers

Are you bringing on remote workers or contractors? Learn how to help them stay productive and find motivation outside of an office setting.

9 tools to manage your remote team

If you’re struggling to track work and communicate with your growing remote team—check out this roundup of tools.

Learn more about what it takes to start a business

By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to starting a home-based business. But there is far more you can learn about starting a business.

Check out the following guides to learn how to promote and grow your burgeoning business:

• How to start a business from scratch
• How to market your business
• How to put the right team together
• Set up your business finances

Kody Wirth is a content writer and SEO specialist for Palo Alto Software—the creator's of Bplans and LivePlan. He has 3+ years experience covering small business topics and runs a part-time content writing service in his spare time.

Table of Contents

• 1. Questions to ask before starting
• 2. Identify an idea that works remotely
• 5. Figure out your finances
• 7. Manage your time 
• More about starting a business

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A big impact on Spokane’s housing shortage could come in a tiny form

A big impact on the housing shortage could come in a tiny way.

As housing prices have soared in recent years, some lower earners may think the dream of home ownership will remain out of reach.

But the city of Spokane is offering a new option – buyers will just have to think a little smaller.

“Now you could create a development where lot sizes are essentially as small as the house is,” city planning director Spencer Gardner said. “Within the development, you can have houses that are as close together as you want and sell them as their own lot.”

Signed into law at the beginning of this year, the unit lot subdivision ordinance allows a typical single-family residential property to be divided into as many lots as can fit with few limitations.

Small subdivisions are a different attack to the housing crisis than other city provisions.

Building Opportunity for Housing also became law earlier this year and allows developers to build rentals that have up to six units on a typical residential lot.

The provision was preceded by the pilot program, Building Opportunity and Choices for All, or “BOCA.”

“The part that we did not address through BOCA was this homeownership question,” Gardner said. “We don’t want to orient our market only toward rental properties. So our goal with unit lot subdivision is to increase the opportunity for people to start building equity and own their homes.”

Home ownership remains the best way to build generational wealth and has long been the cause of racial wealth gaps, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Spokane’s unit lot subdivision got its name from similar ordinances in other parts of the state like Seattle, which has one in place, Gardner said. But Spokane’s program is different.

“I don’t know that other cities’ unit lot subdivision codes are quite as flexible as ours,” he said.

The new code has been widely supported, according to Gardner.

“We have taken the housing shortage very seriously. We’ve really let our council and mayor lead the way on finding ways to provide housing to the people that need it,” he said, adding this includes the administrations of both Mayor Lisa Brown and the previous mayor, Nadine Woodward.

“The former mayor was definitely involved and supportive of the changes we were making,” he said. “And the current mayor has indicated support for what we’re doing as well.”

During the outreach period when the city heard from builders, Gardner and his team learned that builders wanted to have the freedom to build smaller houses on smaller lots to meet lower price points.

Matt Goodwin is one such developer.

The locally owned franchise, Anchored Tiny Homes, is owned by Goodwin, his wife, Natalie Wright, and a silent partner. Since May 7, the company has been marketing to customers to build them small residences.

“We had about 100 inquiries in our first week,” Goodwin said Monday. “We had six site visits last week, and we have, I think, 15 site visits this week – the calendar seems to be filling up.”

Gardner said the unit lot subdivision code does not discriminate on what kind of structures qualify. They can be “stick-built” homes, meaning they are constructed on-site like a typical home, or “manufactured homes,” which are prebuilt and placed on the property, like a trailer home.

Anchored Tiny Homes specializes in stick-built homes.

Customers can choose between 15 floor plans. The tiniest, a 384-square-foot studio, costs about $75,000. The largest, a roughly 1,200-square-foot home with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, costs about $180,000.

“And that’s the all-in cost. We do permitting, we do the surveying, we do the electrical, we do everything for you,” he said. “It’s a real house with upper to midlevel finishes and fixtures that are very attractive and look very nice.”

So far, Goodwin said customers consist of about 80% of people wishing to build an accessory dwelling unit on their property for a family member – usually an aging parent or a young adult.

The other 20% of customers consist of investors who want to rent out the home or developers wishing to build tiny home communities.

“People either can’t or don’t want to pay $400,000-$500,000 for a home. But a tiny home that’s around $100,000, comes with all the bells and whistles and the quality of a real home.”

This was the mindset of Chase Altig, a resident of Spokane who bought a tiny home for his family.

A company, Tiny Homes of Spokane, placed a 398 square-foot one-bed, one-bath manufactured home on  their small Loon Lake property about two weeks ago.

“It’s 390 square feet, one bed, one bath and a loft,” he said. “That should be totally adequate for my two daughters, my wife and myself.”

Everything included, the home cost the Altiges about $100,000. And spending about $40,000 on the small property, Chase Altig is pleased with his investment.

He learned of the Marysville company through his career as a residential lender. He said he knew of Carriage Houses Northwest and other companies because of the work they’ve done in cities like Seattle and even Spokane under old city codes.

The unit lot subdivision was based on previous codes that go back to 2014, Gardner said.

But the old rules forced developers to offer access to the street for each lot and mandated a minimum lot size – neither of which are applied under the unit lot subdivision ordinance.

Despite giving developers unprecedented flexibility for residential projects, the city has not seen many companies taking advantage of the new code.

“It’s a new ordinance. Nobody knows exactly how it’s going to play out or what the overall process is,” he said. “But somebody’s going to see it as an opportunity, then I’m sure people will follow on their coattails.”

Guy Boudreaux sees potential. He owns another Spokane tiny home company, Space Elevators.

Though he will also work with customers who want an extra dwelling unit on their land like Anchored Tiny Homes, Boudreaux has a different attack. He plans to take matters into his own hands by developing residential lots himself.

Last week his company submitted plans to the city to develop four residential properties in the Chief Garry Park neighborhood.

Boudreaux has submitted plans to the city as part of a planning meeting ahead of the official permit process.

If approved, he will divide a 0.16-acre property on East Boone Avenue into three lots. On East Cataldo Avenue, he plans to divide a 0.33-acre lot into nine lots. And at a third site on East Sharpe Avenue, he has plans for two adjacent lots. Both of those 0.16-acre lots would be split, one into five lots and the other into six.

“Our goal is to basically buy up as many lots as possible and be able to, you know, fly under the flag of that unit lot subdivision scenario,” he said. “I feel great about it.”

In 2024, the company’s goal is to erect 30 stick-built, tiny homes. But if the company doesn’t meet its goal, Boudreaux still would be confident in the growth of his company.

“It’s a perfect storm,” he said. “I think after COVID, people started thinking about where they wanted to put their priorities. They didn’t want to put it in a house they really couldn’t afford to keep up with the Joneses, but instead are buying these homes and doing more traveling, for instance.”

Boudreaux predicts a shift in the preferences for homebuyers.

“Ultimately, people want just enough, but they also want the feeling of living in a quality space. I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon,” he said.

“I think the 5,000- and 7,500 -square-foot homes are a thing of the past for a large percentage of the populace.”

Closing the Gap

Small businesses are the backbone of any local economy and are the clearest indicator of neighborhood health and vitality.

Comcast Business Mobile Introduces New, Unlimited Plans

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Philadelphia, PA

Comcast Business today announced that it has made Comcast Business Mobile more affordable than ever with the introduction of a series of new mobile plans designed to drive greater value and performance for small business customers.

The new Comcast Business Mobile plans can save customers money on their wireless bill. Comcast Business Mobile – exclusively available to Comcast Business Internet customers – is designed for business with flexible data options including Unlimited data, and nationwide 5G coverage.

“Today’s complex, fast-paced world calls for solutions that small businesses can rely on, with the flexibility to evolve as quickly as they do,” said, Colleen McKelvey, Sr. Director of Product Management, Comcast Business. “With Comcast Business, today’s small businesses get flexible and reliable advanced connectivity solutions that work together – from the company with 99.9% network reliability alongside offering an internet backup solution, advanced WiFi, and advanced security to help protect against cyberthreats. When combined with Comcast Business Mobile, reliable connectivity goes wherever business takes them.”

Business connectivity requirements are constantly evolving, and no two businesses are alike. For that reason, Comcast Business Mobile offers unlimited data options for the evolving needs of each business. Customers have the flexibility to mix and match data options for each line. Calls, texts, and roaming within the U.S. and to and from Canada and Mexico are also included with unlimited plans at no extra charge.

With an all-in-one connectivity provider, combining Internet and Mobile, small businesses can realize greater simplicity and savings – spending less time managing vendors and more time tending to their business. We’re proud to extend these savings further with our latest Comcast Business Mobile plans.

Comcast Business Mobile customers also have access to the recently announced, WiFi Boost. As consumers increasingly want to enjoy experiences on the go, Xfinity Mobile and Comcast Business Mobile have tapped into the nation’s largest and most powerful WiFi network to deliver customers even more speed on the go.

WiFi Boost is made possible by Comcast’s fiber-based network which has been built to deliver an exceptional Internet experience, ubiquitously, to the more than 60 million homes and businesses and across more than 23 million WiFi hotspots in Comcast’s footprint. It is a culmination of years of research, technological breakthroughs, and massive investments, including more than $20 billion since 2018 alone, in development and infrastructure.

Comcast Business Mobile is available exclusively to Comcast Business Internet customers in all of Comcast Business’s service areas. To sign up for Comcast Business Mobile, visit: https://business.comcast.com/learn/mobile

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Green Bay City Council approves downtown high-rise, holds off on tiny homes for veterans

• The council asked city staff to resolve some unanswered questions before it acted on a request to build a "cottage court" of 21 tiny homes for veterans in an east-side neighborhood.

GREEN BAY - The Green Bay City Council considered two contentious housing proposals during its meeting Tuesday, but approved only one.

Concerned neighbors of both projects provided close to three hours of passionate comment to the City Council during a meeting that turned the spotlight on the region's need for thousands more housing units at almost every price point.

"I'm personally and professionally aware of the housing crisis in this community and country," Mayor Eric Genrich said at the meeting's start. "My hope is we do what we can tonight to meet that need."

The council approved New Land Enterprises ' plans to build an eight-story, $55 million high-rise in the center of downtown Green Bay and pledged to work with stakeholders in the building next door to resolve their concerns.

But it asked city staff to resolve some unanswered questions before it acted on Veterans 1st of NEW 's request to build a "cottage court" of 21 tiny homes for veterans in an east-side neighborhood whose residents strongly oppose the plan.

Milwaukee developer's luxury apartments approved in downtown Green Bay

New Land can proceed with its plan to convert the city-owned surface parking lot at 221 Cherry St., commonly known as the Adams Street parking lot, into an eight-story high-rise building complete with enclosed tenant parking, first-floor commercial space for a restaurant, and a package of high-end amenities that includes a third floor rooftop pool.

The group plans to build a J-shaped building oriented toward the Fox River with a mix of apartments that includes eight townhouse-style units along Cherry Street and eight multi-floor penthouse units. The city agreed to sell New Land the property for $1 and provide at least $8.5 million in tax incremental financing assistance to the project.

New Land encountered several concerns during community meetings including the loss of 120 parking spaces close to downtown businesses and the building's impact on its closest neighbors. Members of Spring Lake Church and the housing nonprofit Gateway Collective, two owner-tenants of Baylake City Center, the building next door to the parking lot, said the luxury high-rise would force them to undertake costly renovations to move their entrances.

Discussions between key stakeholders and city officials leads to hope for 'win-win-win'

On Tuesday, Spring Lake Lead Pastor Jack Guerra said recent conversations between city officials and Baylake City Center tenants had identified "ways we can work together" to get answers to the tenants' concerns and address issues like parking spaces for people with disabilities. And city staff said they've already started to review plans that would see Baylake City Center tenants reorient their entrances away from what will be a large building wall and toward Adams, Washington or Northland streets.

"I believe there is a win-win-win in this. Our goal, as your goal, is to bless downtown. Let's work work together to make downtown Green Bay better," Guerra said.

The City Council did add one condition to the development agreement before approving it: New Land would be required to provide an easement to the city for the five feet of the property it doesn't plan to build on. The aim is to ensure New Land, Baylake City Center and the city can partner on a plan to activate the space between the two buildings.

Supportive housing cottage court for veterans delayed to get answers to 'real legal issues' after late clarification from Brown County

More than 20 people spoke about Veterans 1st of NEW's request to develop a cottage court of 21 tiny homes on 3½ acres in the 2800 block of St. Anthony Drive in the Schmitt Park neighborhood. One resident said the proposal had "torn apart" the neighborhood association's board and damaged an outstanding neighborhood in five months' time.

Opponents continued to question everything from the qualifications of Veterans 1st of NEW to the legality of Brown County's December vote to donate the land in question to whether the site overlaps with a potters field of unmarked graves from the 19th century.

But the council decided to refer Veterans 1st of NEW's request back to city staff to get legal clarification on a couple of issues, including a late clarification from Brown County's attorney that said the county-approved land donation to Veterans 1st for a project that exclusively provides housing and services for veterans, not veteran-preferred housing as previously discussed.

"I'm not suggesting the county has put us in a bind with that last bit of news, but it creates some real legal issues that are unclear to all of us," Genrich said. He later added the city, county, neighbors and Veterans 1st need "clear understanding" of the county's explanation.

Council members also said they hoped doing more work on some of the issues, including the location of the potters field, might get more support from the neighborhood.

Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier .

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

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Turkey's Erdogan says fiscal policy will not stoke inflation

Turkish fiscal policy will not add to inflationary pressure as the country begins to experience some disinflationary relief in the second half of the year, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.