The 9 BEST Tiny House Plans (All Are Awesome, and Some Are FREE!)

We can’t blame you if the tiny house movement has swept you away! From the charming home designs to the lifestyle benefits, tiny houses provide an opportunity to become a homeowner in a way that is nothing short of a dream.

But that dream costs money. How much does a tiny home cost, exactly? Well, a professionally built tiny house on wheels (THOW) typically costs $45,000-$125,000.

If you don’t have that kind of cash, though, you should know that a DIY tiny house is much cheaper than buying a custom tiny home for sale. Plus, you’ll likely learn useful skills along the way!

Oh, and so you know, a typical DIY tiny house build costs approximately $15,000-$50,000.

How does that sound?

Building a DIY tiny house is possible, but every dream needs a plan. So to make it happy, you’ll need a house plan, materials lists, and other practical pieces to bring your tiny house design to life.

Fortunately, here at the Wayward Home, we do the painstaking research for you!

So whether you dream of a unique style cabin in the woods, a two-story tiny house, or a budget-friendly starter home, we’ve got you covered. Do you want plans for foundation-built tiny homes? Or free tiny house plans? Because we’ve got everything. You subscribe to this tiny house blog, right?

Tiny House Foundations: What You Need to Know

Before we get into our favorite tiny house plans for sale, here’s a quick word about tiny house foundations.

Tiny homes are as unique as the people build them, but whether you are interested in owning a structure to serve your growing family or entertaining the idea of blending architectural styles to create a tiny house no one will ever forget, one thing is certain: your tiny house needs a foundation.

Some argue that a trailer is the foundation of a tiny house on wheels. And if that’s what you’re building, very cool.

We’ve got plenty of THOW floor plans you might like, so keep reading!

But if you don’t plan to move your tiny house- or move it often- it could be worth considering a tiny house plan on a more permanent foundation.

So, what are your options?

Well, if you want to save yourself a battle with the city over the wheels issue, it could be a good idea to skip the trailer and build your tiny house on one of the options listed below.

Here are a few examples of permanent foundations for tiny houses:

• Basement
• Crawlspace
• Concrete slab

And here are a few semi-permanent foundations for tiny houses:

• Skids
• Piers

Of course, you’ll have to buy land for a tiny house before you begin construction on anything permanent, so be sure to confirm your plans in writing with any governing body before embarking on such a project.

Remember, just because you live out in the country doesn’t mean you can get past all the rules!

Alright, are you ready to see some tiny house plans?!

Tiny House on Wheels Floor Plans

Your family has dreamed of lowering its carbon footprint by building a DIY tiny house for a while now. But you’re not reducing your square feet of living space for nothing! Plus, you deserve a tiny house with all the taste and charm you can imagine. But while you might be sold on the idea of a compact structure with features like a bath or a walk-in closet, you’ll need some detailed tiny house plans to make it happen.

SimBLISSity Tiny House on Wheels

This husband-wife team behind SimBLISSity Tiny Homes has been building houses that are striking in both form and function. Plus, they have years of experience.

So anyway, if you crave a cabin-like feel or a tiny house plan with minimal square feet that features big windows, and rustic charm, here’s one that’s been designed and tested by professional tiny house builders.

SolHaus Designs Tiny House on Wheels

Do you love the natural feel of the Aspen but need a home better suited to you and your partner’s work-from-home lives? If so, the search is over because Vina Lustado of Sol Haus Designs built Sol Haus which features a dedicated office area!

With one loft bedroom and a simple bath, this plan will allow you to stay focused, thanks to the desk built into the end cap of the home.

You are giving up square feet to create memories, so how about a tiny house plan that includes a front porch? Perfect, because, additionally, the Sol Haus plan comes with a deck that includes an awning!

Luxury Tiny House Plans

OK, but where can you buy luxury tiny house plans?

We decided to save this one for last, but we’d never leave you hanging.

How does a spa bathroom (with an actual bath!), loft bedrooms, and windows galore sound? How about an open-air living room? If that sounds like the tiny house for you, the search ends now. Meet Hazel.

Hazel is a tiny house plan created by New Zealand-based tiny home designer Shaye Boddington. You’ve probably fallen in love with her tiny home, Hazel, after seeing it on YouTube. 

Remember the tiny house with the plant wall, the living roof, and the porch with the hammock?!

We should mention that most of Shaye’s tiny home floor plans are in metric, but don’t worry, the Hazel model has an imperial set for those living in the USA!

And with that, let’s move on to plans for tiny homes built on foundations!

Tiny House on Foundation Plans

Tiny homes on foundations are great because of the possibility to maximize space and abundance while not alarming conservative neighbors. Basically, when you put a tiny house on a foundation, it looks more like a normal house.

Do you picture a brick tiny house? Or one with garage space? With a permanent or semi-permeant foundation in place, it’s easier to include traditional home elements. So if you want to create a miniature traditional house with a standard bedroom and bath, here are some tiny house plans you might enjoy.

Contemporary Tiny House

If you like the Uber-modern look, you’ll love this contemporary-style tiny house featured on HousePlans.com. We selected it for several reasons.

• It includes a two-car garage.
• It has 1.5 bathrooms.
• The plan has a bedroom that is not a loft (in case you don’t like loft bedrooms!)

With 834 square feet of living area, this contemporary masterpiece isn’t exactly tiny, but it is a much smaller footprint than most luxury homes. So we thought it deserved a place on our list of best tiny house plans!

Cape Cod/Craftsman Tiny House

Not a fan of the modern look? If you are looking for a tiny house design that is a little more traditional, how about this cape-cod/craftsman-style tiny house?

This house offers 414 square feet of living space and includes a covered front porch with room for your family to gather.

We like this set of tiny home plans because it includes electrical and mechanical plans. There is also the option to add a comprehensive materials list to give you or your tiny house builder all the support needed.

Tiny house living is not (necessarily) about square feet, having a sleeping loft for a bedroom, or even living in the smallest space possible. Rather, the tiny house lifestyle is an opportunity to take your unique collection of desires and work them into a manageable life.

Basically, just because you downsize doesn’t mean you can’t have a traditional bedroom because tiny houses with downstairs bedrooms are a thing!

You can also have a garage and a bathroom with an actual bath as long as you plan for it in the construction phase.

Living in a tiny house should offer all the room you need while keeping an eye on your carbon footprint. And let’s face it; small house plans make it easier to enjoy a quality life while caring for the planet!

Backyard Cottage Tiny House Plans

This backyard cottage has an L-shaped kitchen and combines the bedroom and living room into one. So if you don’t mind an open-concept interior, this could be the perfect tiny house ADU or studio space. Oh, and don’t worry, there’s a full bath in this plan too!

Free Tiny House Plans

Are you looking for tiny house plans that are FREE?

We thought you might be. Because who can resist a good deal on a tiny house?

Before we share these tiny house plans with you, we have just a quick note of caution.

Remember that any random yahoo can design a tiny house on SketchUp and start charging for it on the internet.

That’s why you will only find tiny house plans with actual photographs in this article.

If we’re going to recommend it, we’re going to make sure someone has actually built the darn thing. Again, you subscribe to our tiny house blog, right? Excellent. We heart you.

Now, let’s get to those free tiny house plans, shall we?!

First up, meet Ana White.

Ana lives in Alaska (where it’s tough to get cute furniture!), and she rose to fame building her own. And in-between teaching people how to build lawn chairs, planter boxes, and DIY shelves, she built a tiny house!

This is Ana’s original Quartz Tiny House, and because she’s awesome, she shares the plans for free. In fact, she even made us plans that include a bathroom, which the original Quartz Tiny House didn’t have.

You can find the free Quartz Tiny House plans (with a bathroom) here.

Does that make you believe in humanity or what? Let’s all give Ana a virtual high-five.

OK, ready to change gears?

If you have ever dreamed of living in a seasonal studio retreat, you need to know about the Small House Catalogue and its free tiny home plans.

This Zero-2 Free Tiny House Bunkie Plan doesn’t have a bathroom, but it will provide the shelter you need to stay warm while camping or finally writing that novel that you know is going to be so good!

If the word “bunkie” doesn’t sound like your vibe, then be sure to check out this next one.

This other free plan by Zero-1 is the A-Frame tiny house of your glamping dreams.

It even comes with a porch. (But, again, not a bath, so plan for that!)

What Did You Think of These Tiny House Plans?

Whew! So what’s the plan now? Do you need an ice bath to recover from all this tiny house awesomeness?

Here at The Wayward Home, we want to do everything we can to help you plan for a better future because we are already living the tiny house lifestyle, and spoiler alert: we love it!

If you haven’t had a chance, please subscribe to our tiny house blog before you go, and we’ll plan to see you next week. You know, once you’ve recovered from that ice bath! 😉

Good luck going tiny!