In this inspiring full tour, James and Doreen take you inside their handcrafted, $39,000 off-grid passive solar home—built in just 9 months with 90% of the labor done themselves. This isn’t just another DIY project—it’s a fully custom, high-efficiency tiny home designed with natural materials, passive solar heating, and reclaimed finishes, all nestled on 35 acres in rural Colorado.
source.image: Tiny Home Tours
Whether you’re dreaming of building your own tiny home, interested in off-grid living, or looking for ways to drastically cut housing costs—this tour is for you. Why They Built It Themselves: Tired of high rent and city life after years in a converted bus. Wanted to stay close to family and put down permanent roots. Needed an affordable solution to create a forever home. Believed in using reclaimed, repurposed, and sustainable materials.
What It Cost: Total Build Cost: ~$39,000. Concrete Color Mistake: $3,000 (learn from it!). Well Installation: $17,000. 35 Acres of Land in Colorado: $100,000. Ongoing Monthly Expenses: ~$85 gas + $1,500 annual property tax.
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Key Design Features: Passive Solar Layout – Oriented for optimal sun exposure and thermal mass. Concrete Floors with Custom Linseed Finish – Holds solar heat for night warmth. Round Log Spruce Beams & Ponderosa Ceilings – All milled onsite. Shou Sugi Ban Charred Wood Siding & Copper Windowsills – Durable & low maintenance. Reclaimed Slate Shower & Tadillac Vanity – Handmade Moroccan-inspired bathroom. Homemade Masonry Heater Pizza Oven – 12,000 lbs of sand holds radiant heat for days. Custom Triangular Kitchen Layout – Max cooking efficiency with repurposed cabinets.
