Everyone in my office tries to wear green to celebrate St Patty’s Day by having lunch of corned beef and cabbage and drinking anything green (except kale juice). That had me wondering if Ireland had some tiny house factories.
Yes, they do!
Tiny homes in Ireland have surged in popularity in recent years when a trend that first started in the US in the 90s took off in Ireland as a reaction against increasingly huge houses and unaffordable prices. Quickly catching on in other countries across the globe, the idea soon made its way over to Ireland where it’s since piqued many people’s interest.
A quick search found several nice-looking and modern tiny houses made in Ireland.
BIG MAN TINY HOMES
Founded by JP Simpson in 2018, Big Man Tiny Homes has been helping people custom-build their dream homes.
Realizing that tiny homes could hold the answer, he decided to start his own company and thus Big Man Tiny Homes was born.
“People now want a lot more freedom in their lives, and don’t want to be tied down to massive debts. Living big in small spaces is one way of making those dreams a reality,” he notes.
TINY HOMES IE
Based in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, TinyHomes.ie works with clients from the design process right up to the actual build and fit-out.
These unique energy-efficient homes offer a practical way of living. Each one is fitted with an advanced roofing product, double-glazed UPVC windows, 214mm thick walls, and a sliding patio door.
The interior is then fitted out to your tastes with a range of choices suited to your personal needs with optional add-ons such as additional storage/wardrobes, heat recovery ventilation, decking and clever space-saving furniture also available.
TIGIN TINY HOMES
There is a number of organizations and groups in Ireland that teach the tiny-curious the basic skills of tiny house construction, as well as how to navigate more nebulous things like permits and local regulations for tiny homes. Ireland’s Common Knowledge is one such social enterprise that offers workshops to teach people to build their own homes. Tigin Tiny Homes is a part of this movement.
Tigin—which means “small house” or “cottage” in Gaelic, is technically not a commercial tiny home factory. They are built in collaboration with Margent Farm, the home features hemp panels created with a mix of sugar-based resins that come from plant waste, as well as locally grown cannabis plant fibers.
The 215-square-foot Tigin features two levels, with the ground floor comprising a living room with a sofa bed, kitchen, bathroom, and workspace.
Yestermorrow, a school based in Vermont, also teaches all the skills needed to build a tiny house using sustainable materials.
Gary Fleisher, the Modcoach
