Knotty Pine Cabins to start selling tiny homes on wheels

A growing number of Edmontonians are seeking out smaller and smaller homes micro homes, in fact.

The homes, which can be as little as 100 or 200 square feet, have been gathering attention online and through shows like Tiny House Nation for several years, but are still relatively new in practice here in Edmonton.

Edmonton-based Knotty Pine Cabins began assembling small lodges and guest cabins in 2007 (a 12' x 12' structure starts at $9,700), before gradually moving into larger, more regular-sized houses.

But now the company is returning to its tiny-home roots, says company vice-president Alana Depelteau.

They've developed several micro-home prototypes, small enough to fit on a flat-deck trailer.

"It's almost like a mobile home but the look is more like a real home," Depelteau said on Wednesday.

"It's laid out like a standard home, but very very small. everything's on a small scale there's a tiny little kitchen and then the couch will flip into the kitchen table."

Once they go on sale, the micro-homes will be sold as packaged materials, with assembly required. The company also leaves electrical and plumbing up to the buyer.

Depelteau said the prototypes have been designed to stay on the trailer, keeping them easily movable, but noted buyers could also plant their home on the ground if they preferred.

Now, she says, people are calling the company every day wanting to find out more about the micro-home options available.

Many of the callers are snowbirds, she said people who want a summer home in the south or out of town, but on a budget.

But an increasing number of people are also looking to move into a small space on a full-time basis both in and out of the city.

"There's a lot of people that are in the city that just want to get out of the city and they want to downsize. I hear that word a lot from a lot of our customers"

For now, Depelteau says, the number of micro-homes in Edmonton maybe limited by zoning requirements, which canspecify a minimum footprint,preventinghomeowners from going too small.

But the city'sAndrew Sherstonesaid the Edmonton Zoning Bylaw does notcontain any regulations pertaining to minimum footprints for structures, only maximums.

Knotty Pine Cabins plans to start selling its tiny homes on wheels soon.

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