Orange company sees a big future in tiny houses

Whether it’s the dream of an off-grid life, a way to enter the competitive housing market, or looking for the ultimate working from home set-up, more and more Australians are seeing the potential of tiny houses.

So too, is Orange-based construction firm, Tiny Build, who are fielding a growing number of inquiries from the Central West and further afield.

For those who may be unaware, a tiny house is a small, portable dwelling — usually on wheels. Their limited square meterage and moveability, make them affordable dwellings with the added benefit of often being less restricted by planning laws.

Internet searches for tiny houses have increased ten-fold in the past decade and YouTube channels dedicated to tiny house living draw an ever-growing audience. New Zealander Bryce Langston’s channel “Living Big in a Tiny House” boasts 4.3 million subscribers and his videos have attracted more than 660 million views.

This growing interest attracted the attention of local frame and truss business, Buildpak, who saw the potential in bringing their expertise to the tiny house market.

“Nathan, my business partner, he probably first saw the opportunity,” Glen Reddel, director of Buildpak and Tiny Build, said.

“Obviously, because we are involved in the housing industry supplying frames, trusses and windows, we saw the need with the housing shortage and the rental shortage… and young people trying to get into the market. We saw this as an opportunity, so that's how we got started.”

Founded in late 2019, it was not the most auspicious beginning for Tiny Build, with the pandemic essentially shutting down opportunities to display their model home at country shows and field days, before they’d barely begun.

But internet searches for “tiny houses” actually peaked during the lockdowns of 2020 and that interest is now translating into a boom for the local builder.

“Since everything has opened up again and we've been able to get out to the shows, it has really taken off,” Glen said

“So over the last 12 months, from when we came out of lockdown, is when it has changed.”

Interest has come from all over eastern Australia and even as far north as Darwin, said Glen, from people with varied needs, whether it be holiday homes or a backyard granny flat.

“Probably the biggest inquiry we've had, is from families trying to get accommodation for their children to give them a kickstart in the market,” he said.

“The other one is people using them for Airbnb or their own managed accommodation on their property — that has been a lot of the inquiries, instead of cabins or building a structure, having these tiny homes on their property. 

The potential for home office space has also had people contacting Tiny Build.

“Home businesses, home workshops, art studios, massage studio – we have a masseuse who is looking at doing that,” said Kristen Sherlock, sales and marketing with Tiny Build.

Glen said the versatility and affordability of tiny houses, along with the fact they can be transported just about anywhere, means the market is essentially Australia-wide and there is a lot of potential for expanding the local manufacturing business.

“We are getting more and more inquiry and interest every day,” he said. “It is growing, definitely growing!”