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Having your own space is a special feeling. Consider that plywood treehouse you assembled during your childhood, where you’d hide out with friends. Or think about your first apartment, where you could finally curl up on the couch and watch TV uninterrupted. Yet these sorts of moments can feel next to impossible these days — you can thank skyrocketing home prices for robbing you of a place of your own. Somehow, though, there’s something oddly comforting in knowing that you can head to your phone or laptop and order a house on demand. In fact, house kits are rising in popularity thanks to retailers like Home Depot and Amazon.
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At first glance, a house kit costs a pretty penny: This one from Home Depot, the Huntington Plus 150 sq. ft. Steel StudFrame Kit, comes in at $12,997. But when you compare that to how much you’d be plunking down for a condo or single-family home, that price tag is looking pretty darn good in comparison. Of course, a house kit like this one doesn’t have all the amenities you’d find in a typical house, like a kitchen and a bathroom. But if you’ve got a cozy backyard where you want to create your own space, this might be the perfect fit.
The Huntington is designed to provide extra space beyond the confines of a traditional home. It consists of a DIY system that provides you with a preassembled framing kit to place on a concrete slab. A steel frame serves as the sturdy framework for a space that could be adapted into anything from a peaceful yoga studio or quiet home office to a storage facility or kids’ playhouse. It can also be insulated to function in all seasons, which is a major plus. Measuring 150 square feet, the house kit could feel kind of like having your very own studio apartment… right in your own backyard.
Of course, there are plenty of downsides to purchasing one of these. It doesn’t come with doors, windows, electricity, and finishes, and buying one requires you to assemble it on your own or hire someone else — and you probably know contractors don’t work for free. Therefore, if the idea of assembling a new bookshelf freaks you out, this certainly will do the same thing times a million. But if you’re a DIY aficionado, maybe you’re willing to give it a whirl. (The website says it should take about four to six hours to assemble the steel frame on its own.) Perhaps most critically, you must already have the land to put it on — I’m guessing your landlord won’t be cool with you setting up shop in your apartment building’s parking lot.
So what separates this house kit from a traditional shed in your backyard? Well, a few things, the most notable being the galvanized steel frame, which is built to withstand almost anything. And when it comes to the rest of the thing, you choose your own siding and roofing materials, allowing you to take a “choose your own adventure” type of perspective on creating your own space. But hey… at least delivery is included!
Terri Huggins is a lifestyle writer, personal finance writer, and race and culture writer who is convinced she’s figured out the trick to living life with no regrets: do what you love, give love, lead with love. When not writing, she can be found working out via Zumba or pole dancing, reciting her favorite affirmations, and covering her adorable kids in kisses. You can learn more about Terri and how to lead with love in your own life by following Terri on social media or signing up for her monthly uplifting email newsletters.
When it comes to pandemic housing trends, 2020 and 2021 became the years of Accessory Dwelling Units. These free-standing, flexible spaces sprung up in backyards across the country, providing extra square footage for new WFH arrangements, as well as distance learning solutions, multigenerational living possibilities, and so much more.
So, it’s no surprise ADUs became one of COVID-19’s most popular additions. But it turns out these structures also add a whole lot of value to homes, according to a new study from home services platform Porch.com that explores the current state of the ADU housing market. In America’s biggest cities, a home with an ADU is priced a whopping 35 percent higher on average than a home without one, the study shows.
An ADU significantly increases property values because it’s the most flexible square footage you can add to your home, says Jeremy Nova, cofounder and creative director of Studio Shed, a maker of turnkey modern sheds and backyard studios.
In addition to driving up your property value, ADUs can also be revenue generators, too, Nova says, because they’re ideal for short-term and long-term rental units. The detached space provides privacy for both renters and homeowners.
ADUs can run the gamut. Some are custom-made backyard dwellings under 200 feet that serve as backyard offices or fitness studios. Other guesthouse-style ADUs are double that size and require plumbing and electrical permitting. According to Porch.com, there are an estimated 1.5 million ADUs in the United States, and they’re growing at a rate of 9 percent (or around 100,000) per year.
ADUs are also being looked to as an affordable housing solution. In California, for instance, entrepreneur Preston Rutherford is planning to install 1,000 new ADUs through a partnership with a Bay Area-based company called Abodu that can deliver a pre-fab ADU in less than 30 days. The ADUs will operate on a solar mini grid, with backup generators kicking in if there’s a cloudy streak.
With everyone spending a lot more time at home the past 18 months, ADUs have emerged as a premium feature offering owners a lot of flexibility, says Rebecca Thomson, regional vice president of Coldwell Banker Realty in Chicago.
“Quarantining in bubbles meant these spaces could be used for in-laws, empty nesters who found their kids moving back, friends and even those who needed a home base while Airbnb’ing their way across the globe,” she says.
ADUs can have a direct impact on value because you’re increasing your living space, which will increase the value of the overall property, says Amy Foote, a licensed real estate broker in Chicago with Compass.
However, homeowners should be careful of two things when adding an ADU: zoning issues and an increase in property taxes, Foote says.
“If you’re considering adding an ADU, be sure to thoroughly research the zoning in the area to make sure an ADU is allowed,” Foote says. “Additionally, keep in mind that any increase in market value will have a direct impact on your property taxes.”
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Name:Denise Bayron Location: Oakland, California Size: 280 square feet Type of Home: Tiny house, ADU Years lived in: 2 years, renting
Denise Bayron is a knitwear designer and sewing pattern maker, but also an expert when it comes to turning a tiny house into a functional and inspiring home and creative workspace. She’s so good it, she actually won Apartment Therapy’s Small/Cool contest in the Tiny category in 2021. “Living in a tiny house is the right choice for me,” she explains in her video tour. “It feels the most normal because I was raised in New York City where everyone lives in a small space.” This home — all 280 square feet — isn’t even the smallest home she’s lived in! The last place she called home was 180 square feet.
Denise’s Small/Cool Winning 280 Square Foot Oakland Studio | House Tours
Not only is her home lovely in terms of the way it looks, with neutral colors inspired by nature and natural textures, it’s also incredibly functional and organized. Some of the ways she maximized her small home’s space: She created a sleeping nook with a bookshelf that serves as both storage and a divider. She utilizes all the space under her bed for things like laundry, shoes, and even exercise equipment. She installed a long shelf high on a wall to make the most of vertical space. And perhaps most interestingly, one of the things she did to keep her small home feeling good is embrace negative space — there’s no art on the walls and no TV. “When I move through my space and I see intentional space between items, my eye is able to rest, and then psychologically I am able to rest,” Denise explains.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Describe your space: I wanted my home to feel like a light-filled atrium. My first goal was to create a functional layout by selecting the larger furniture pieces as a foundation. Then I added accessories and my plant buddies. What makes it special is that it is both a home and a studio. It is cool because of the location. It is tucked behind a larger house in the middle of a bustling city. It feels like an oasis with a tiny, glass house tucked in a garden. This home has become a gathering place for the people I love the most. I’ve been able to host friends around a fire even during the lockdown.
How does your home reflect you? My home reflects my desire to live sustainably, as 90 percent of the furniture was purchased secondhand.
My sofa was the most amazing find! I bought it (new in the box) off of Craigslist from someone who purchased it from West Elm but was unhappy with the color. Can you believe it?
Did you DIY anything in your space? I put up the shelves above the desk alcove for maximum use of the vertical space. I managed to get them up there while standing on a 6-foot ladder and balancing the shelves on my head.
I knit the blanket that is at the foot of my bed. I also designed the macrame plant hanger in the bathroom. My “favorite” is always the most recent project I’ve made. Right now it’s the cable-knit pillow on the sofa, which is one of my pattern designs.
How do you make your small space work for you and feel bigger than it really is? The large table, when folded, is only 8 inches in depth. When open, it is a large surface for drafting and cutting fabric. It also doubles as a dining table when friends come over. The shelving unit alongside the bed functions as a credenza, storage for my knitwear samples, and also forms a little bed nook for privacy.
My platform bed has a foot of clearance underneath it so that I can store my shoes, laundry, and even an elliptical under there! Further, I have a collection of custom-made hats. I hang them on the wall where they serve as decor while making use of the vertical space!
This house tour’s responses were edited for length and clarity.
Adrienne loves architecture, design, cats, science fiction and watching Star Trek. In the past 10 years she’s called home: a van, a former downtown store in small town Texas and a studio apartment rumored to have once been owned by Willie Nelson.
