Send us Fan Mail

Michael Bartz built his tiny house on wheels in Canada. He built the trailer too.  It took him four years and now he lives in it with his partner and their three cats. 

This is a bonus episode where we compare notes between building a tiny house in Canada and in Australia. The weight limits, regulations and seasons are all so different that it can lead to really different tiny house designs. But there are also lots of things in common… as we find out! 

Hear about how:

• To assess tiny house projects that you see in Canada or North America and how they might differ from a successful design here in Australia. 
• Michael felt when designing, building and living in a tiny house on wheels. 
• Michael approached the stress of living illegally in a tiny house on wheels. 
• This tiny house project sits within a greater project for Michael of reducing his carbon footprint and how he is now continuing that work through his podcast: In Over My Head. 

Helpful links from this episode:

• In Over My Head Podcast: https://www.inovermyheadpodcast.com/
• Be UNCLUTTERED interview with Michael Bartz - hear about how he found a place to put the tiny house, and myth busting for tiny house living: https://www.beuncluttered.com.au/episodesBU/Tiny-Home-living-with-Michael-Bartz 
• Fred’s Tiny Houses: https://www.fredstinyhouses.com.au/ 
• Tiny House University - How To Build A Tiny House: The Australian Online Course

Music for Candid Tiny House is by Scott Buckley. 
Shannon Schultz 2022 ©

Send us Fan Mail

Jim wanted to be able to stand up in his bedroom loft, so he commissioned Fred’s Tiny Houses to come up with a design that included a pop-up roof that can be elevated when his tiny house is parked; and lowered when it is being transported. Inspired by a tiny house that he saw in Byron Bay, Jim engaged a local registered builder to undertake this project on a 7.2 meter Flat Top Trailer.  

In this interview Jim talks about:

• His decision to choose a tiny house on wheels as a single person.
• Off-grid living and the lack of bills.
• Internet access in a tiny house on wheels.
• How he found the property that he lives on. 
• Working with a builder to make his tiny house idea into a reality.
• His removable awning and deck.

Helpful links from this episode:

• Blog article with photos and video tour of Jim's house. 
• Builder: Tim Allen Construction 
• Nature’s Head composting toilet.
• Construction Plans for Jim's tiny house. 
• Fred's Tiny Houses Trailer 7.2meter Flat Top Option C
• Tiny House University - How To Build A Tiny House: The Australian Online Course.

Music for Candid Tiny House is by Scott Buckley. 
Shannon Schultz 2021 ©

Send us Fan Mail

Anna & Rowan built their tiny house on wheels in Canberra and moved it up to Newcastle where they now live. They built on a 7.8 meter Protruding Wheels Guard trailer and have recently added a deck and verandah that more than doubles the living area available in their tiny house. 

Hear about their:

• Concerns in getting their tiny house insured as DIY builders;
• The formal valuation of their tiny house - compared to how much they spent;
• Transporting their tiny house through a tight spot;
• The best and worst aspects of DIY building a tiny house;
• Maintaining their relationship throughout the stressors of building and managing decision-fatigue;  and 
• The problem with getting ‘help’ on a build-site, as well as much much more. 

Helpful links from this episode:

• Blog article with photos of Anna & Rowan’s tiny house on wheels.
• Video tour of their tiny house on wheels. 
• CIL Insurance.
• Kaboodle Kitchen.
• Tiny Towing. 
• Fred's Tiny Houses Trailer 7.8meter Protruding Wheel Guard. 
• Tiny House University - How To Build A Tiny House: The Australian Online Course.

Music for Candid Tiny House is by Scott Buckley. 
Shannon Schultz 2021 ©

Send us Fan Mail

Lou built her 7.2m long tiny house on a Fred’s Tiny Houses flat top trailer in the Northern Rivers area in NSW with the help of her partner and a retired tradie friend. An award-winning travel writer, Lou had no prior experience building, designing or using power tools. That all changed when she set about creating her dream tiny house on wheels. 

Hear about her:

• Experience designing on paper & building for the first time;
• Choice of materials and making changes to her design along the way;
• Designing the lighting and window choices;
• Financial budget breakdown of all the big-ticket items in her tiny house;
• Advice she would give to anyone embarking on their own tiny house journey. 

Helpful links from this episode:

• Blog article with photos of Lou and her tiny house on wheels.
• Video tour of Lou’s tiny house on wheels.
• Follow Lou on Facebook: @noimpactgirl & her blog: www.noimpactgirl.com
• Windows Supplier: https://midcoastwindows.com.au/
• Kaboodle Kitchen: https://www.kaboodle.com.au/
• Acacia bench tops from Bunnings.
• Joiner who made the staircase: Matt @ http://www.esotericxs.com/
• Wood list:
  • Western Red Cedar external cladding
  • White Gum bench top and handrail
  • Recycled Blackbutt floorboards
  • Merbau vaneer 
  • Birch ply stairs
  • Poplar ply ceilings 
  • Falcata plywood
• Fred's Tiny Houses Trailer 7.2m Flat Top, 2400mm wide 
• Tiny House University - How To Build A Tiny House: The Australian Online Course.

Music for Candid Tiny House is by Scott Buckley. 
Shannon Schultz 2021 ©

Send us Fan Mail

Bree and Lucas DIY built their beautiful, fully-equipped 7.8m long tiny house in Bree’s parents’ back yard on weekends over a two year period, while they both worked full time.  

Hear about their:

• Experience using the light-weight wood paulownia as exterior cladding;
• Creation of a design that reflected their values and met their (sometimes divergent) needs;
• Overcame significant building setbacks;
• Outsourced some aspects of the building;
• Financial budget for the tiny house. 

Helpful links from this episode:

• Blog article with photos of Bree and Lucas and their tiny house on wheels.
• Video tour of their tiny house on wheels.
• Follow Bree & Lucas on Instagram @Dream.Plan.Do.Repeat
• Rangehood design and installation: https://www.custominstallations.com.au/
• Gaps for sealing exterior cladding.
• Oil for bench-tops. 
• Spoonflower wallpaper.
• David Linton - carpenter in Maleny.
• Paulownia and the materials density list.
• Fred's Tiny Houses Trailer 7.8m Protruding Wheel Guard. 
• Tiny House University - How To Build A Tiny House: The Australian Online Course.

Music for Candid Tiny House is by Scott Buckley. 
Shannon Schultz 2021 ©

Send us Fan Mail

Deon and Marine DIY built their 7.2m long tiny surf house in Northern Beaches, NSW. Keen to build a tiny house on wheels that supports their surfing lifestyle and their eco values, Deon and Marine learnt on the job and adapted to their changing circumstances.  

Hear about their:

• Experience building their tiny house while off-grid and outside;
• Finding a place to build and live in their tiny house;
• Sourcing custom fittings to suit their unique dimensions;
• Insurance hurdle jumping;
• Injuries sustained;
• Design considerations, and
• Financial and weight budgets and calculations. 

Helpful links from this episode:

• Blog article with photos of Deon & Marine and their tiny house on wheels.
• Video tour of their tiny house on wheels.
• Follow Deon & Marine on Instagram: @tinysurfhouse & @hang10distillery 
• CIL Insurance
• Youi Insurance
• VSB1 
• Over-height 4.6 meter route guidance map.  
• Fred's Tiny Houses Trailer 7.2m Flat Top. 
• Tiny House University - How To Build A Tiny House: The Australian Online Course.

Music for Candid Tiny House is by Scott Buckley. 
Shannon Schultz 2021 ©

Send us Fan Mail

Luke and Jess DIY built their off grid tiny house in record time, and lived in it for two years in Brisbane, QLD. 

Hear about their:

• Journey building without previous experience and with family support; 
• Transporting their tiny house interstate;
• Living together in their tiny house;
• Council regulation considerations;
• How their tiny house chapter has helped them leap-frog into their next chapter in life. 

Helpful links from this episode:

• Blog article with photos of Luke and Jess and their tiny house on wheels.
• Video of this interview.
• https://oceancrusaders.org/
• https://fredstinyhouses.com.au/tiny-house-trailer/
• Tiny House University - https://www.tinyhouseuniversity.com.au/courses/how-to-build-a-tiny-house

Music for Candid Tiny House is by Scott Buckley: https://www.scottbuckley.com.au/
Shannon Schultz 2021 ©

Send us Fan Mail

Candid Tiny House is a series of honest interviews with people who have built a tiny house on a Fred's Tiny Houses Trailer in Australia after taking a Workshop or Online Course with Fred.  

Mine these interviews for tiny house building tips that are grounded in reality and experience. 

Hear stories of everything that it's taken to build each tiny house on wheels, including: 

• the financial costs & the savings; 
• the things they wish they knew before starting out on their tiny house building journey;
• the injuries & the community support; 
• the setbacks & triumphs; and
• the compromises & innovations.

Instead of presenting a shiny tiny house ideal, we take a gritty and realistic look at the enormous feat it takes to build a tiny house on wheels. Each client sets out to make a home that is a successful road vehicle as well as being a comfortable place to live in year-round.

See a tour or video component of each interview on the Fred's Tiny Houses You Tube channel.

Enjoy photos of each episode and read a short article on each tiny house story on the Fred's Tiny Houses Blog.

Be inspired by all the people who have walked the path before you.

Access an informed community of conscientious tiny house builders and see the results of their efforts on Fred's Tiny Houses YouTube channel, then start your build well informed and better equipped for the journey ahead!

Season 1 (E1-6) starts on Friday 24th September 2021.

All the interviewees are in Australia and we focus exclusively on information that is relevant to Australia.

Shannon Schultz is your host on Candid Tiny House. She talks to people every day about their tiny house projects at Fred's Tiny Houses and enjoys getting real about tiny houses and everything that is involved in making them and living in them. She picks up the technical stuff from Fred (her husband) and loves catching up with clients to celebrate their journey and their tiny house successes! :-)

Music for Candid Tiny House is from Scott Buckley: https://www.scottbuckley.com.au/
Shannon Schultz 2021 ©