10 Small House Plans With Big Ideas (2024)

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With rising real estate costs, many people are getting priced out of purchasing a traditional home. In addition to offering a more affordable housing solution, tiny houses come with a number of other appealing benefits. Some small house plans can be built on a trailer, providing the possibility of mobility without having to find or build a whole new home. Additionally, the environmental impact of the utility usage of a tiny house is typically lesser than that of a traditional home.

While you could search real estate listings for available tiny homes, you may not be able to find one that offers the layout and design features you desire. Consider giving one of the small house plans below to a trusted contractor—or follow the plans to build your new home yourself—and create the tiny house of your dreams!

1. Adirondack Cabin With Loft Plans

Photo: Etsy.com

With a heated interior of 650 square feet, this 2-bedroom, 1 bath cabin is the perfect size for a guest house or a weekend getaway cabin. Build Blueprint’s plans for this 20-foot by 26-foot Adirondack-style home include a materials list, electrical and foundation plans, elevation plans, and other construction details, and comply with North American building codes. We love the cozy loft space that’s tucked under the roof’s peak.

Get the Build Blueprint Adirondack Cabin with Loft plans at Etsy for $95.

2. Barndominium Plans

These downloadable barndominium plans can help you build a small, 1,200-square-foot home with a spacious open living room and kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full-length front porch, and an attached carport. If you’re looking for small house plans with a garage, you (or a contractor) could make a few modifications to the plans to close in the carport.

Get the PaytonMcGarvey10 Barndominium Floor Plans on Etsy for $100.

3. Small Cottage Plans

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Enjoy tiny house living with this charming 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom cottage. This small house layout offers 900 square feet of space, 9-foot ceilings, a fireplace, an attic, and a crawl space. Everything you’ll need to build the house is included in the plans, such as materials lists, elevations, floor plans, foundation and roofing plans, door and window schedules, and complete dimensions.

Get the Build Blueprint Small Cottage Architectural Plans on Etsy for $95

RELATED: 15 Charming Tiny House Communities

4. Modern Bungalow Plans

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If you love modern homes, then these one-story tiny house floor plans might be for you. The downloadable file includes two sets of detailed blueprints with both imperial and metric units to help you build this 1,820-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom home with an open-concept kitchen, dining room, and great room.

Get the Panaroma House Plans Venus Modern One-Story House Plans on Etsy for $45.

5. Tiny Cabin Plans

While you could purchase a DIY home kit, these tiny house floor plans enable you to build a more unique and memorable home with greater customization options to match your preferences. The file includes two different layout options to build the home with either one or two bedrooms. Although the home has a fixed width of 24 feet, the length can be adjusted to match your lot size and desired amount of living space. When built following the plans exactly, this home offers 1,088 square feet of floor space.

Get the Architect Chin Daffodil House Plans on Etsy for $160.

6. Tiny House With Attic Plans

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These downloadable plans include all the files you’ll need to build this inviting one-story tiny house with additional attic space. The 749-square-foot house has an open concept living room and kitchen, one bedroom, and two bathrooms on the main level. A small covered front porch is also incorporated into the design, where patio furniture, outdoor decor, and more can be placed.

Get the Plan Library Modern Tiny House Plans on Etsy for $18.

RELATED: How Much Does a Tiny House Cost?

7. Contemporary Tiny House Plans

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If you’re looking for small house plans with porches, these contemporary tiny house plans may be right for you. The expansive front porch spans the entire width of the house, offering plenty of space to sit and enjoy the great outdoors. The downloadable plans include the original AutoCAD file, elevations, floor plan with dimensions, foundation plan, door and window schedules, roof framing plan, and more to help you build this 1,300-square-foot home with two bedrooms and one-and-a-half bathrooms.

Get the FreeHouseplans Modern Tiny House Plans on Etsy for $24.99.

8. Modern Cottage House Plans

Photo: etsy.com

These professionally drawn tiny house plans come with drawings, designs, and more to help you build this simple (yet attractive) 1,377-square-foot modern cottage. With its open kitchen design, two bedrooms, one bathroom, and spacious back deck, this tiny house could quickly become the place you call home.

Get the Wooden Arch Design Modern Cottage House Plans on Etsy for $34.

9. Sugarbush Cottage Plans

Photo: etsy.com

With these small house floor plans, you can make the lovely 1,020-square-foot Sugarbush Cottage your new home—or home away from home. The construction drawings included in the file meet the code requirements and architectural standards for most jurisdictions. This two-story house offers two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living room, and an eat-in kitchen.

Get the Classic House Plans Sugarbush Cottage Plans on Etsy for $25.

RELATED: These Are the Smartest Home Improvements for Small Houses

10. American Cottage Plans

Photo: etsy.com

If you’ve been searching for the best place to buy a tiny house, why not build your own with these small home plans? The American Cottage design is a modern small home with two bedrooms, plus an optional loft. The 18-page plans include the materials lists, floor plans, elevations, and everything else you’ll need to pass onto your builder to construct this 875-square-foot home.

Get the Build Blueprint American Cottage Plans on Etsy for $95.

The prices listed here are accurate as of December 1, 2022.

10 Small House Plans With Big Ideas (2024)

FAQs

What is the cheapest small home to build? ›

The cheapest homes to build cost $75 to $275 per square foot on average and include barn-style houses, modular homes, shipping container homes, and tiny houses. The cheapest way to build a house is to construct a small home with prefab components, cost-effective materials, and basic finishes.

How to build a beautiful small house? ›

  1. Combine spaces, but define them. The trend toward great rooms connecting the kitchen to the living room and/or dining room has remained for some time. ...
  2. Find a happy medium for ceiling heights. ...
  3. Create separation between rooms. ...
  4. Get organized. ...
  5. Keep the roof simple. ...
  6. Let in the light. ...
  7. Use bright colors.

What is the most efficient house layout? ›

Simple rectangles or squares, 2 rooms deep, with the important rooms (bedrooms, living areas, kitchen) on outside walls. All rooms having windows on two sides for cross-ventilation and light. You can still have a somewhat open floor plan, but I wouldn't go overboard with that.

What is the smallest house design? ›

The One SQM House | Van Bo Le-Mentzel

“One SQM House” designed by a Berlin-based architect Van Bo Le-Mentzel, is probably the smallest in the world. This wooden house measures exactly one SQM flipping the structure changes the function of the space (Into a resting space).

What is the cheapest style house to build? ›

Ranch-style homes are not only popular but also one of the most cost-efficient home styles to build. These homes typically come in a rectangular shape, though many resemble “T” or “S” shapes. The ranch style's simple layout reduces complications in construction.

What is the cheapest shape of house to build? ›

The cheapest way to build a home is to design a simple floor plan. Sticking to a square or rectangular floor plan makes the building and design more straightforward. Plus, building up is generally cheaper than building a sprawling one-story home.

What is the easiest house to build yourself? ›

All in all, building a prefab home could be a great choice. In addition to easy installation and low costs, prefab homes are often more eco-friendly as using pre-made pieces prevents material waste. Additionally, due to their modest size and enclosed design, prefab homes are usually more energy-efficient.

What is the easiest house structure to build? ›

As geometry class taught us, squares are the easiest shape to deal with. So if you don't mind keeping things simple, constructing a square or rectangular floor plan can save you big bucks. Rather than constructing an elaborate home, add square footage by building upward, not outward – it's generally cheaper.

What is a bad home layout? ›

Bad layouts include a staircase that's facing the door, adjoining bedrooms, and no views from one room to another. Keep in mind that you'll likely sell the home at some point, and a bad layout could make it more challenging to sell.

What room is used the most in a house? ›

The kitchen is like any other room in your home in that it's yours — make it what you want it to be. You know that your family and friends will gravitate to it and usually spend more time in there than other public spaces.

What style of house sells the most? ›

The Ranch House is America's Most Commonly Sold Home

The ranch house offers space and, occupying just one floor, cradle-to-grave accessibility. Plus, it is plain enough to be affordable – and resalable.

What are the four basic house designs? ›

A residential home designer has four basic designs to choose from when designing homes: the one- story or ranch, the one-and-one-half-story, the two-story, and the split-level. Each of these individual styles has strengths and weaknesses that should be considered before making a design choice.

What is the cheapest house in the world? ›

The home was previously sold for $4,092 in 2022 as per the New York Post. World's cheapest home in Michigan. With the expenses involved in purchasing a house hitting the roof, a ramshackle house was recently set down for only $1 in the United States, making it "Worlds Cheapest Home" in the heart of Pontiac, Michigan.

What is a small house called? ›

cabin cottage hut lean-to shed shelter.

How much does it cost to build a small simple house? ›

The average cost of a tiny house is a reasonable $30,000 – $60,000, although they can cost as little as $8,000 or up to $150,000 depending on the amenities you choose to include. It's typically cheaper to build a tiny house than to buy one prebuilt, but don't get too caught up in the savings.

Why are barndominiums so cheap? ›

Barndominiums have a quality that often makes them very customizable, which is that typical barndominiums are often constructed from a metal building. Metal structures are usually less expensive to construct than traditional buildings, which is one reason why they are used so much in commercial construction.

What is the most affordable housing option? ›

Here are 13 housing alternatives to help cut the cost of living and bring balance to your budget.
  • Living in a Mobile Home. ...
  • Moving into a Tiny Home. ...
  • Living in a Shipping Container Home. ...
  • Living as a Live-In Caretaker. ...
  • Being an On-Site Property Manager. ...
  • Renting Out a Room in Your Home. ...
  • Move in with Friends or Family.
Nov 10, 2022

Are brick houses cheaper to build? ›

Price. Brick houses generally cost more than wooden ones, but they also have a higher resale value. For first time homeowners and people on a budget, choosing wood can get you closer to your goal of owning a home.

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