When you build or do anything for work or in life, you likely don’t go at it alone. You reach out to providers, you evaluate products and services to make what you have better. We have been very fortunate to work with some great companies in pursuing our dream Tiny House and our adventure lifestyle. You should all do your own searching and evaluation of what works for you, but here is our growing list of what we found to be the best of the best for us.
Trailer – the foundation
Dan and Tom at Tiny Home Builders are a great resource for everything around building a Tiny house. Not only do they offer a great trailer, we attended their workshop in person and debunked many myths and hesitations we had about building our own. Visit their site for a vast collection of tiny home links and learning materials.
Framing – the structure
Brandon at Volstrukt worked with us to make sure we had the best possible framing structure for what we needed. We are going to travel across the country with our home and needed it to be strong and light weight. Great support, flexible plans, and the ability to create a structure of pieces which we could simply put together in a matter of a day or two made this decision simple.
Kitchen – It is the heart of the home
We built our home around the kitchen. It is truly the heart of the home and we enjoy cooking and entertaining in it. We also knew that we were not going to compromise just because it was a kitchen in a tiny house. Subzero-Wolf is simply the best. Once you cook with the control of Wolf range, you are not going to cook with anything else. And the steam oven – wow. That is a game changer. Add the Subzero refrigerator and freezer drawers, and a full size dishwasher, and this kitchen will satisfy any chef.
Room with a View – Bi-Folding doors and windows
SUNFLEX came to the rescue when we thought we had nowhere else to go. They have confidence in their product, have solid engineering and a top notch customer care team. Bring the outside in. It made our tiny HUGE!
When it is time to go – Composting Toilet
We knew we wanted a compost toilet as we wanted the flexibility to be off grid. The choice was easy. Nature’s head is just the top rated product. Period. Larry is great to work with and stands behind his product 100%.
Comfort and efficiency – Radiant Heated Floors
Heat rises, so starting at the floor made perfect sense for us. Once you had a radiant heated floor, there are no alternatives. And if you want the best customer service and product, there is only one choice there too -Warmly Yours.
Atmosphere, heat, and cooking – The do it all wood stove
Okay, finding a tiny wood stove was not easy. Finding one that also offered an oven was even harder. But did we find a gem. And it provided an outside air inflow. The team was great to work with and helped us configure the right stove and piping for our Tiny. We love it.
Road Safety – make sure you can see all around you
Driving a Tiny House around, you can’t see a thing. Enter RearViewSafety. Their solutions are standard equipment on commercial rigs and they were excited to work with us to configure something specifically for our Tiny house. Check them out. And drive safe.
TV – Now you see it, now you don’t
We searched for a partner that would provide us with a way to hide our workspace monitor and TV when not in use. TVLiftCabinet.com has great TV lift technology that can be incorporated into the design of our workspace and are enthusiastic partners for our project. With a variety of motorized lift mechanisms available to us, we chose the 33” swivel lift to allow maximum flexibility in our home to both work and enjoy our TV.
Off grid solar system – cutting the cord
A key objective for us was to become independent of the grid, and we wanted to take advantage of the latest technology. We knew Tesla batteries were the best but the PowerWall was not available for Tiny Homes On Wheels. Enter Liam O’Brien. He designed and installed a state of the art Solar System with Tesla Battery modules out of a model S. He cuts through all the BS out there, demystifies any roadblocks, and delivers a system that works. His ingenuity, skill, and electrical knowledge is nothing short of amazing. A gentleman and a true pleasure to work with.
Where to stay when you travel – A winery of course
We are so excited about the many places we will visit. There are some places we will stay at for longer periods of time, but there will be plenty of time where we just need an overnight. The Cracker Barrel, Walmart, and other parking lots may sound convenient, but how about 800+ wineries, breweries, and farms, and another several hundred golf courses. And with a Harvest Host membership, you get to stay one night for free!!! Click on the logo or link above and use the HHFRIENDS15 Code to get 15% off.
How about a cold brew – refreshing and organic
We are excited about our partnership with recent startup RISE Brewing Company. We ran across them at a ski event out west and instantly fell in-love. Who doesn’t like a refreshing nitro cold brew coffee, and when it tastes good, is organic, and refreshingly smooth, it is a winner in our book. You can order it on line (click on logo or link above and get 10% off with code StockUp10) or ask for one when you see us.
Cappuccino, Espresso – a morning and evening ritual
You seen our coffee station and the one touch super automatic Gaggia produces some delicious espresso, cappuccino, and even a macchiato. The go to place for both beans (our favorite is the Lavazza Super Crema) and a variety of machines for every budget is Whole Latte Love. Their video library of reviews, comparisons, and how to is amazing. You could be captivated for hours. Their pricing, service and support is outstanding. Why not be your own barista?
The right clothing – makes every day a great day
We love the outdoors. Whether it is skiing, hiking, exploring, or just simply taking a walk. That is one of the main reasons we decided to adopt this lifestyle. Adventure into nature. Well, having the right clothing and equipment makes all the difference, and we are super stoked to be working with Haglöfs. Native to Robert’s country Sweden, they have always been a premier brand. From hiking boots, to the layers, back packs, pants, and jackets, they keep us dry and warm always. And with their Less Is More (L.I.M) series, not only is the name fitting to our Tiny Life, it is super light weight and comfortable. You should give it try.
Towing it down the road – it is about safety and comfort
Deciding on your tow vehicle, especially when you are pulling a 20,000+ lb house around, can be daunting. Do your research. When we did, it was clear that the go to resource is RVH. Their team members have been full timers for 20+ years and they will gladly share their experiences of what works and what does not. They will also custom build you the right rig for your needs, whether it is a full conversion, or some tweaks and updates, and whether you choose new or a used truck. Bottom line, if you outgrown a pickup, the guys at RVH are not only the best, they are also great people.
Need internet on the road? – just get the experts in your corner
The opportunity for this adventure, being full-time on the road, while still working, all hinges on one thing, access to the internet wherever we are. Not just access, but reliable high speed, capable of supporting video calls, file transfers, and the occasional streaming TV show or movie. But this technology constantly evolves and selecting plans and hardware can be overwhelming. Luckily we connected with Cherie and Chris at the Mobile Internet Resource Center. A wealth of information, resources, and honest to goodness helpful guidance and responses to our ongoing calls for help. This is what they do full time and it shows. Do yourself a favor, become a Mobile Internet Aficionado.