Tiny House Podcast

Most people look at a parking lot and cringe. Our guest this week, Zane Fischer from Extra Ordinary Structures, looks at them and thinks to himself “how cozy!” He has perfected a construction method consisting of forcing dirt and sand and a bit of concrete into a very wide exterior wall form, aka “rammed earth”. And this has led him to appreciate modern and minimalistic aesthetics, even parking lots. But in direct contrast, it was his high tech of way of building a tiny house on the TV show “Tiny House, Big Living” that caught our eye. We were truly fascinated during this week’s chat where we had the opportunity to hear about how he uses a CNC machine to cut prefab walls for small structures that you can then “fill” with the insulation of your choice. They’re like ice cream sandwiches, and the ice cream flavor is your choice! We like ice cream. And, we like Zane. So, we think you’ll enjoy hearing about this revolutionary way of building tiny houses from the Creator himself.

#52 Alex Eaves Isn’t Just Pro-Reuse, He’s a Reuse Pro! by Bigfoot Podcast Network

#51 Freedom from the Matrix with Brad Kittel by Bigfoot Podcast Network

There's a man (and woman) who leads a life of danger To everyone he meets he stays a stranger With every move he makes Another chance he takes Odds are he won't live to see tomorrow Secret Agent Man Secret Agent Man They've given you a number and taken away your name (Johnny Rivers) Inspired by the simplicity and mobility of the tiny house movement, Jen and Bryan ditched their high life and great jobs for a life on the road in a van. Like so many of us, they were less than enamoured with the idea of spending 60 hours a week at a desk. So they decided to “Run Away”. And, what started as a short term excursion turned into their now nomadic lifestyle. This active and funny couple now spend their time building their business, Zenbox Design, managing their garage-to-ADU conversion on AirBnB, and spending time with their friends living their NEW version of “the high life”. If you’re looking for inspiration to go tiny that doesn’t involve living in a tiny house on wheels; this episode is for you!

Not so long ago, two people met, fell in love, and decided to travel around the country filming a documentary about tiny houses. (Isn’t that how ALL road trips start?) If you’re a sucker for a romantic story, intrigued by unique people, are interested in learning more about how to find successful avenues for legal tiny house living, wonder what Tony Hsieh of Zappos is like in real life, can relate to a story about a self described “pack rat”, and love unexpected stories about amazing and creative people; you should buy your ticket to this documentary-in-the-making, RIGHT NOW!

So many of us have many fond memories of a “simpler time” and Vina is no exception. She remembers her Grandparent’s coconut farm in the Philippines and those memories have shaped the simple way of life she now embodies. Dissatisfied with her job, and in an attempt to capture her philosophy around sustainability in her everyday life, she threw caution to the wind and started her own business, Sol Haus Design. Driven by a desire to maximize functionality with limited space she designed and then built her tiny house in 2013, married shortly thereafter, and now lives her version of a dream life on acreage in California. In this episode, listen in while we talk about her unconventional “neighbor”, their differences, their similarities, and their future. Regardless of the window, every one of hers features a lovely and woodsy outdoor view, and we can’t think of a more perfect setting in which to build an amazing life.

If you’re hankering for a Tiny House TO GO, then Sean’s Bento Box would most certainly fit the bill. In this week’s episode we’re thinking way outside the box and chatting with Sean Burke about his container house. If you think that moving a tiny house on wheels is a chore, just imagine how difficult it might be to move a steel shipping container onto and off of a flatbed! And while his house may not be a usual tiny house, his description of his creation and build process as “transformative” and the changes to his life sound oh so very familiar. An architect by trade, a new vegan, and a fun loving Northwesterner; Sean is a new guy on the tiny house block that we eagerly look forward to getting to know more.

In what is no doubt his most revealing interview to date, Jay Shafer reminds us once again that the tiny house movement is ”not just about the house”. Listen in as Jay waxes poetic about attending art school, civil disobedience, truth, depression, nature, homelessness, money, love, beauty, business and how he fit his entire life into 120 square feet. Like so many of us, his life didn’t follow his expected path. Now, this self-taught icon in the tiny house movement finds himself challenged by his own limitations and facing the dichotomy of his driving desire to promote his newest designs. So, what’s in those mysterious zip lock bags? We’re not telling….

It doesn’t take a sunny day, or even a solar array, to light up Mile’s face. Just ask him about solar technology! This week the podcast crew ventures out to join Miles Heiner in the shadow of the beautiful St Johns Bridge, in a converted shipping container, to learn about solar technology. He doesn’t care if you need him for your tiny house solar system design, if you’re powering a cannabis farm security system, if you want more flexibility in your RV, need an off-grid-system designed for your South African mansion, or just want to pick his brain about what’s next in the wild world of sunny day power. He is ready, equipped, available, knowledgeable, energetic, and creative; and we just plain like him. And when you find your way to his shop you’ll get the added bonus of being able to peek in the windows of his neighbors; almost a dozen tiny houses under construction! Yay! Show notes: www.lightharvestsoloar.com

No one can say that Joe doesn’t know his shit because this guy literally wrote the book on it. And, for as much as we thought we knew about composting and composting toilets, as it turns out; we don’t know crap about it. Joe originally had only 600 copies printed of his first edition, and they sold out faster than his pile out back could compost his beloved pet. Poop or pee, urine or feces, he doesn’t care what you call it; just don’t call your “dry toilet” a composting one. Yes, composting humanure is perfectly legal. No, you can’t just pile it in the corner of your garden and HOPE it decomposes. And, yes, you’ll learn more about this very uncomfortable subject listening to this one conversation than you’ll ever want to know. We promise. Joe literally knows more about shit than almost anybody else on the planet. He didn’t set out to be the authority on all things poop related, but now that he’s sold almost 60,000 copies of his book, we’re thinking that maybe now he’ll reluctantly accept the title of The Kin

In the middle of a typical day in a typical family, Rene’s “Ah Ha!” moment led to her becoming a not-so-typical-one-woman whirlwind of tiny house change and advocacy. She started out with one goal in mind, to live a simple life. Nowadays, however, her days are anything but; divided between her family, her job, and her tireless work with planning and promoting the new Rockledge Tiny House Community. If you’ve ever thought you cannot advocate for tiny houses alone, that finding exceptions to the tiny house zoning rules in your tiny corner of the world is too daunting, we know you’ll be impressed and inspired by Rene and her progress.

Anita’s life has literally gone to the dogs. And cats! As a pet therapist, she spends her entire day offering furry friends therapies such as reiki, massage and more. Why are we featuring her on the show? Anita also lives in a tiny house. And a famous one. The Lilypad is one of the most beautifully appointed tiny houses we've seen. With east Indian inspired flair, Anita has created a true tiny oasis that she calls home. Anita recently, moved her tiny house from Portland, Oregon to Boulder, Colorado. It was a move packed (pun intended) with lessons learned. We check in with her on this move, what she's doing now that she's in her new location and what's next in her life.

Like Madonna, Cher, or Bono (or any other rock star who needs no last name) Kai really NEEDS no introduction. But, since we have to write an intro, write one we shall. Kai Rostcheck is a fun guy to chat with because he knows everyone, and everything, about the tiny house movement. He’s the creative genius behind TinyHouseDating.com and more than a few love struck tiny house enthusiasts have him to thank! He’s also a true tiny-house-data gold mine and knows the tiny house movement inside and out as a result of this tireless efforts spent in creating TinyHouseLending.com. After spending only 45 minutes comparing notes with this marketing genius we were left thinking “Already? That time went by FAST!” and we know you will to. And, yes, Perry’s cat is OK….

There is nothing tiny about the monumental family effort that is takes to keep Tennessee Tiny Homes and Tiny Happy Homes up and running. This week we interview Joe, another tiny house pioneer, and the leader of the crew which includes his mom, wife, brother, and his beloved rescue dogs. Joe waxes poetic about the struggles of managing a business with a creative mind, keeping his tiny house prices low and the quality high, and maneuvering the mind-numbingly complicated RVIA standards. We loved Joe before, and have admired his made-famous-by-TV houses from afar, but we have a whole new appreciation for him now.

Kevin Cavenaugh is a locally famous builder. He’s soon going to be even more famous. His developments, which have become more unique, more successful and more innovative, have caught attention of other developers, the media and investors. Kevin’s latest development ideas are taking aim at solving the housing crisis in America. He’s not alone, as previous Tiny House Guests are doing the same. But Kevin’s approach is one of the most interesting ideas we’ve seen in awhile. And he has millions behind him. Will it work? We think so. Take a listen.

There is simply nothing tiny about Sarah Carter’s adventurous life. After backpacking around the world this 23 year old downsizing junkie moved onto a tiny small sailboat in the San Francisco Bay harbor. She’d never slept or cooked on a boat but that certainly didn’t stop her from taking a risky dive into boat living. At a dinner party for her nearby boat neighbors, she met the love of her life, quit her job, and now they’re planning to sail around the world together. What could be better than taking your tiny house, and your newfound love, with you to Japan? Sarah Carter’s story is so fascinating and we came away from this interview aghast at her bravery and adventurous nature. Her conservative parents would really prefer that their 23 year old daughter live in a house next to them and let’s hope they don’t suddenly take an interest in podcasts. They just might also be aghast to learn what she’s up to now! After backpacking alone around the world, getting arrested in Japan, riding in shady taxi’s in Camb

Fresh off of Steve Harvey’s stage, still bouncing from his party with Lil’ John, and waiting for his next flight to somewhere; Zack Giffin finds time in his jetset schedule to chat with the podcast crew. Somewhat reluctant to talk much about tiny house type, but really enthusiastic to talk about the environment, Zack puts the passion in passionate. He tells us about his early days spent ski bumming with friends near his hometown of Gold Hill Colorado, and what led him to carpentry, minimalism, and then finally building his own tiny house. His ski sponsor then made a movie about his tiny, ski, adventures and that led him to where he is now; the most well known tiny house carpenter in the world. When you’re done hearing this week’s episode, you might be a bigger Zack fan than Michelle is! On this week’s podcast we chat with Zack Giffin, the KING of one liners like these: “Downsize your life upscale your adventure” “Tiny houses, A return to sanity” “There is long rooted stigma that drives our population to not

Alek Lisefksy might be surprised at his fame but if you’ve ever seen his tiny house, “The Tiny Project”, you certainly won’t be. This week we got the chance to lasso him between projects and chat with him about his design, his present and past relationships (Oo La La!) and how they have been impacted by his decision to go tiny, his new collaborative project, and his brand new life and space in Texas. Looking for a space to park your tiny in Texas? He might end up being your neighbor! If you think you’re excited about your tiny house, just wait till you hear Alek. This guy puts the “passion” in passionate; and then some...

In this episode, we talk with RVIA Certified Tiny House builder Tiny Idahomes owner, the venerable Jesse Collinsworth. In this episode, our roughest ever we chat with Jesse about poop and pee (of course), living off grid, RVIA certification, customer service and what it takes to be a premier Tiny House builder. Jesse takes his job seriously. You can tell his heart and soul are in the business by the sound of his voice. He says there’s nothing that scares him when it comes to pushing the limits of what a Tiny House can be. His builds demonstrate that. Listen in as we cover the gamut...including someone dying in their Tiny House.

Sustainable Builder Eli Spevak is a man on a mission. His projects are almost always about small living spaces, affordability, community, and twisting around or creatively using land use regulations to create interesting living communities. Everything from large shared housing projects to tiny houses, Eli is making his mark in the Tiny House Movement. While Eli seems low key, he’s actually a mover and shaker, interacting with land use planning officials, community leaders and other people focused on the increasing housing crisis.