FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter X Instagram Tiktok YouTube Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Restoration
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In
Editor's Notepad

What’s the Difference? Small Home vs. Tiny House

By Brian Pontolilo
  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles
Tiny. Tumbleweed's Linden is 131 sq. ft., is designed for a 20-ft. trailer, and sleeps three. The purchase price is $60,000, but the company claims that you can build it for under $30,000. Read more about it here.  

The internet is abuzz with tiny houses. Everyone from Treehugger.com to The New Yorker is covering this trend. There’s a documentary–TINY: A story about small living–available on DVD and on Netflix and other on-demand services. And there’s a television show, too, on the FYI network. If you’re interested in our take on the matter, we’re planning to cover the tiny-house phenomenon in Fine Homebuilding‘s annual HOUSES issue this spring.

In that same issue, we’ll also feature the latest winner of our Best Small Home award, an award we give every year. To avoid spoiling the surprise, let’s just say that while this year’s winning home is very small, it may be too big to qualify as a tiny house–as would the 1600-sq.-ft. house that won last year or the two 800-sq.-ft. winners from 2013 and 2012. To many, though, these homes would be considerably tight quarters.

Small homes have long been at the heart of Taunton’s design content in our magazines, books, videos, and websites–and small homes are personal for me. I live in an approximately 800-sq.-ft. home with my wife and teenage son. Sometimes our house feels too big, sometimes it feels tiny, but mostly it feels just right, because I have tweaked the floor plan and we have arranged the spaces to suit our lifestyle. I don’t think I’d ever want a bigger home. In fact, I imagine that someday when my son is on his own, my wife and I could manage with less space, assuming that it is designed well.

That idea–that thoughtful design is more important than size–is the mantra we’ve been chanting in our small-home coverage for decades. And that’s the point Sarah Susanka reiterated in an essay in last year’s HOUSES issue. Despite being credited by Wikipedia with “starting the recent countermovement toward smaller houses when she published The Not So Big House,” Sarah’s focus is actually smart design. A smaller house is often a by-product of that process, but not the motivation.

Curiously, the Wikipedia page on tiny houses treats small houses and tiny houses as one concept. And though many of the benefits of tiny houses hold true of small houses, at least when compared to more average-size homes, it seems there is a conceptual difference between the two. Please excuse me for being a bit tongue-in-cheek as I suggest that small(er) homes, appropriately designed and scaled for the owners, have a lot to teach the home-design and construction industries, while tiny houses represent a fringe movement that can teach us about the value of lifestyle and its relationship to home but that is unlikely to impact our industry at large.

Small is relative

Almost a decade ago, when the housing market crashed, rumors started to circulate about what our homes would look like after the recession. Perhaps I frequent too many optimistic, sustainable-building websites and conferences, but for a while I was seeing the new American home through rose-colored glasses (or perhaps, green-colored glasses). I assumed they’d be smaller, resource- and energy-efficient, low-maintenance, and healthy to live in, because we are wise and would learn from the catastrophic events that cut annual new-housing starts by more than half and drove many of our colleagues, partners, and friends out of business. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear so.

According to the latest U.S. Census data, the average new home is still a McMansion. At least, that’s what it looks like through these glasses that I just don’t want to take off. The Census Bureau reports that the average single-family house in 2013 was 2,598 sq. ft., an all-time high. The vast majority had more than two bedrooms, and 251,000 new homes had four or more. Most had at least a bath and a powder room, and 188,000 homes had three or more baths. Most had two stories.

Because we publish so many small homes and give out an annual Best Small Home award, we’ve had many discussions about where to cap the square footage of a home in order for it to qualify. If we simply work with the average, anything under about 2600 sq. ft. will work. But we’ve typically looked for projects about 600 sq. ft. smaller than that to publish as “small.” That was also the number we first chose as the limit for our award. It was Sarah Susanka who talked us up to 2400 sq. ft. I think she would have changed the award altogether, from “Best Small Home” to “Best Right-Sized Home” if we had let her.

I’m not sure “right-sized” is sexy enough to sell magazines. Sarah’s point is well taken, though; small is relative. For my family, 800 sq. ft. works. But add any of the following, and our house would be too small: another child, the desire to entertain inside, a medium-size or larger dog or other pet, or a new collection of anything that people commonly collect. Of course, I have family and friends who live in somewhat larger and much larger houses than mine, but because they also have bigger families, bigger gatherings, bigger pets, and bigger collections of all the weird things that people collect, their homes are still small.

Just like the census data, which could add up to a really big house (2598 sq. ft. with 1 bedroom and 1½ baths for a bachelor) or a pretty small house (2598 sq. ft. with 4 bedrooms and 2 baths for a family of 6), my house is sometimes small and other times more than big enough. This leads me to tiny houses, because they are always small.

Tiny is a movement

As an editor at Fine Homebuilding, I have an unscientific theory of why small houses and tiny houses are so popular in the media. The theory goes like this: Most people think that their house and the individual spaces within it are small, regardless of its actual size. When they can’t find a place to store the Christmas decorations, their house becomes small. When their kids want to make a snack while they’re cooking dinner, their kitchen becomes small. When they’re shopping for a couch, their family room becomes small (and the windows are in the wrong places). And because everyone thinks of their house as small, they want to know how to make the most of the space they have. Here, we can help.

Think my theory is bunk? You’re probably right. But for all of the people “liking” and “loving” tiny houses on their favorite social-media sites, I wonder how many would every actually live in such a dwelling.

The poster children of tiny houses, designed and sold by the Tumbleweed Company, are miniscule. Tumbleweed offers four models with variations of each that range from 117 sq. ft. to 172 sq. ft. The floor plans typically include a kitchen, bathroom (not for those who like to take baths), bedroom, sleeping loft, and sometimes a small storage space. While I haven’t found a definitive size range that qualifies a home as “tiny,” in a conversation with Aaron Fagan, the author of our forthcoming feature, I remember him saying something about “not exceeding 250 sq. ft., depending on whom you talk to,” which makes the Tumbleweed models small tiny houses.

Tumbleweed’s simple designs include just what’s needed to live in a small, neat package. But design is not really what tiny houses are about, or at least it doesn’t seem so. Tiny houses seem to be about lifestyle, specifically, the idea of saving money on the initial investment in a home, on energy, and on taxes, among other things. It’s about saving time on cleaning, maintenance, repair, and the like. This is money and time that you can use instead to pursue your passions. And of course, many advocates of tiny houses promote the environmental benefits of using fewer resources and disturbing less land.

Though Tumbleweedhouses.com is the first listing in a Google search for “tiny houses,” you won’t have to look far to find a lot of other really neat completed projects, plans for sale, online information, and instructional DVDS. While you can buy a tiny house, part of the appeal is that it is an approachable do-it-yourself project that jibes with another value of tiny living: self-sufficiency.

You may not need a permit to build a tiny house in your area, but you could still run into zoning issues, as many municipalities have minimum-size requirements for legal dwellings that tiny houses don’t meet. Thus, the popularity of tiny houses as trailers: Besides the advantage of owning a traveling dwelling, this can be a way to skirt zoning woes.

It’s personal

While I am all for smart, small houses as described here as a trend in home building and design, my experience living in a small house makes me wonder how viable a solution tiny houses are for more than a few outliers. In the end, that’s a personal decision. But even with my reticence about tiny houses as a practical solution to our nation’s greatest housing issues, I do believe that the movement has a lot to offer those who value lifestyle more than things, and I look forward to learning more about that in Aaron’s article. I also think tiny houses are a lot of fun and have potential beyond primary residences: as in-law and guest apartments, attainable vacation homes and retreats, and emergency shelters–all niches that small homes have been fulfilling for some time now.

Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Pretty Good House

For anyone interested in a sensible and cost-effective approach to designing and building a home that is comfortable, healthy, efficient, and durable, this book is a fantastic starting point (really, it may be all you need!).
Buy at Amazon

Not So Big House

This book earned author Sarah Susanka a reputation as a small house guru, yet, that wasn’t exactly her goal. This book isn’t about building a small house, it’s about building a smart house, one that matches how we live, and prioritizing beauty and comfort over size.
Buy at Amazon

All New Bathroom Ideas that Work

Everyone wants their bathrooms to be beautiful, but few know the challenge of arranging all the fixtures, storage, and convenience of a great bathroom into one of the smallest space in our homes. This book has hundreds of ideas to inspire you.
Buy at Amazon

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

  • X
  • facebook
  • linkedin
  • pinterest
  • email
  • add to favorites Log in or Sign up to save your favorite articles

View Comments

  1. renosteinke | Jan 15, 2015 05:13pm | #1

    Where is the fine line we cross, when we part from meaningful description to buzz-work marketing pap?

    "Spacious" 3-bedroom tract homes of the 50's - the vary homes most of us were raised in- usually came in at just about 1000 sq. ft. Get the 'big' split-level at the end of the block, and maybe you had 1200 sq. ft.

    These are now to be called "small?" Huh?

    Knock that same home down to only one bedroom, and you're well on your way to a 700 sq. ft. home. How many bedrooms does a retiree want, anyway?

    "Square footage" is misleading in any even. Not counted are the garages, storage areas, porches, decks, patios, sun rooms, and outbuildings that are featured in so many of the 'award-winning' designs.

    Also overlooked in the calculation are the massive space costs of stairways and halls - items prominent in many of the 'winners' as well. That 2000 sq. ft. multi-level might be more cramped in real terms than a 700 sq. ft. ranch.

    So, what's the point to all this hype about the virtues of being 'small?' Is it nothing more than an attempt by 'reformers' to put everyone on the defensive, to appeal to our cultivated sense of guilt?

    Build for the purposes of the occupant - and a pox on any artificial feel-good agenda.

  2. BrianP | Jan 16, 2015 08:28am | #2

    Renosteinke,

    Your point about the average size of midcentury tract housing is well-taken. Many of those homes had much more sensible designs than today's McMansions. It seems that in today's homes bigger is better, at the expense of good design.

    We talk about square footage of conditioned living space because that's the most expensive space to build. Garages, basements, decks and other outdoor spaces cost money too, but less, and are often what makes a smaller home more livable for our modern lifestyle.

    What's the virtue of a smaller house? To my mind, it's putting the cost savings of the extra sq. ft. into more important things like better air sealing, insulation, windows and doors; efficient and healthy mechanicals; durable materials where they matter most, etc. That does not describe the average home because those things come with a cost, and aren't easy to show off to your friends. But it can be attainable if we get over our hang up, or perhaps the real estate industry's hang up, with size.

    Thank you for your thoughtful response.

    BP

  3. Mtnlyon | Jan 29, 2015 10:31am | #3

    Thanks for the article Brian. I am a big advocate of going smaller for both social and environmental sustainability. Less people can afford houses today, and typical American houses are less sustainable than ever. I would differentiate small from tiny by whether or not it has to be built on a trailer because it is too small per zoning or IRC standards. I am currently building a "tiny" house 14'x7'8" but I have also designed a small 1000s/f house. Square footage gets tricky based on ceiling height. Ex. since I have a loft that brings the ceiling below 7' the area below is not habitable space, so what do I really count?
    In the 1950s the average new house was 950s/f, in 1970s it was 1500 s/f and as you point out we are now over 2500 s/f. All of this while according to the last US census 1 and 2 person households are the new normal, leaving a lot of climate controlled storage for stuff.
    With all respect for Susanka, she still uses Big as an adjective to describe her houses, as in "Not so Big." Jason Mclennan has said that large houses are just not environmentally sound and 450s/f per person is the biggest we should go.

  4. Hallie17 | Jan 29, 2015 05:01pm | #4

    I agree with both Brian's comment about the importance of shifting cost savings to better quality building and the resulting energy efficiency and Renosteinke's concern about Tiny Houses becoming just another marketing buzz word. One other consideration is the importance of location and how close community resources like shopping, workplace, and schools are to where you put the tiny house. I actually just wrote about this in my own newsletter. Here's the link if you'd like to read more on my take:
    http://www.icontact-archive.com/kx-OcOhTHqIzQscHSrrh4Jk8eyJSa3BF?w=3

  5. Luvcreole | Feb 20, 2019 12:36pm | #5

    Alright, where to start.... First of all, taking an average of all kinds of houses' square footage, coming up with just north of 2500 square, then using that to declare McMansions are back is simply either ludicrous, or seriously disingenuous. I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in the Washington D.C. Metro area, houses in the category of "McMansion" (every single family community built in the last 15 years) has well past 2500 square feet. "Smaller" McMansions average 5,000 square feet between three finished levels. The larger ones that came later with Master Bathrooms way bigger than their living rooms managed to see 6,000 - even 7,000 square feet of finished space!

    How in the hell do you even get 2,5XX square feet even being a "McMansion" at all? 3 Bedrooms now qualifies as "McMansion" now? More than one full bath? Am I dreaming this article? By those definitions, the starter home I spent my teen years in would be a "McMansion".... a duplex brick house built in 1959, with a non- eat in kitchen, three bedrooms (two of which combined had less than 200 square feet of space), and one small full bath that was tinier than a McMansion's walk in closets in their bedrooms!.

    Even now, we have an updated modern built "Split Level" house, with 2,200 square feet of finished living space, and a 1,100 square foot unfinished basement. It has 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, and a decent kitchen with an eat-in area. Unlike the average McMansion though, it has a REAL Living Room suitable for entertaining guests and family nights watching t.v. (just as in the days when Split Levels were still being built), not simply to showcase to visitors.

    With the basement finished, the house can grow to 6 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, and gain a modest sized Family Room (as compared to the ginormous basement mancaves McMansions often support). All in a space of 3,300 square feet. Hardly McMansion territory... but large enough for a family of 6 to live comfortably in. (2 Parents, 4 kids, one spare bedroom as a guest room).

    It is clear to me America has some issues which probably are well past working out, as this article is showing. No sense of balance, we just have to go redefining everything to push people to extremes via guilt. There is room to improve on the houses of the 1980's and earlier, to grow them up to better suit the needs of the modern family in ways older, smaller homes would struggle to do. Our home is an example of this, and is far cheaper even in the inflated bubble prices of today than any McMansion is by at least $200K. And this is with almost 1/2 acre of land for a yard!

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

More Editor's Notepad

View All
  • Remembering Larry Haun
  • 9 Tips for Building a Better Deck
  • The 2017 Builders' Show Preview
  • Checking out the 2016 National Hardware Show
View All

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

FHB Podcast Segment: Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Building Codes

Could a building code update make your go-to materials obsolete?

Featured Video

A Modern California Home Wrapped in Rockwool Insulation for Energy Efficiency and Fire Resistance

The designer and builder of the 2018 Fine Homebuilding House detail why they chose mineral-wool batts and high-density boards for all of their insulation needs.

Related Stories

  • FHB Podcast Segment: Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Building Codes
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Roofing on Commercial vs. Residential Buildings
  • Preservation and Renewal for a Classic
  • A Postwar Comeback

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Video

View All Videos
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Building Codes
  • FHB Podcast Segment: Roofing on Commercial vs. Residential Buildings
  • A Drip-Free, Through-Window Heat Pump
  • Insulation for Homes in the Wildland Urban Interface
View All

Design and Planning

View All Design and Planning Articles
  • With Swedish Arts & Crafts Precedent
  • Natural Simplicity
  • A Grand Rescue on the Coast
View All Design and Planning Articles

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 332 - July 2025
    • Custom Built-ins With Job-Site Tools
    • Fight House Fires Through Design
    • Making the Move to Multifamily
  • Issue 331 - June 2025
    • A More Resilient Roof
    • Tool Test: You Need a Drywall Sander
    • Ducted vs. Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 330 - April/May 2025
    • Deck Details for Durability
    • FAQs on HPWHs
    • 10 Tips for a Long-Lasting Paint Job
  • Issue 329 - Feb/Mar 2025
    • Smart Foundation for a Small Addition
    • A Kominka Comes West
    • Making Small Kitchens Work
  • Issue 328 - Dec/Jan 2025
    • How a Pro Replaces Columns
    • Passive House 3.0
    • Tool Test: Compact Line Lasers

Fine Home Building

Newsletter Sign-up

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox.

  • Green Building Advisor

    Building science and energy efficiency advice, plus special offers, in your inbox.

  • Old House Journal

    Repair, renovation, and restoration tips, plus special offers, in your inbox.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters

Follow

  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
  • Fine Homebuilding

    Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X
    • LinkedIn
  • GBA Prime

    Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.

    Start Free Trial Now
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
  • Old House Journal

    Learn how to restore, repair, update, and decorate your home.

    Subscribe Now
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2025 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Homebuilding receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

  • Home Group
  • Antique Trader
  • Arts & Crafts Homes
  • Bank Note Reporter
  • Cabin Life
  • Cuisine at Home
  • Fine Gardening
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Green Building Advisor
  • Garden Gate
  • Horticulture
  • Keep Craft Alive
  • Log Home Living
  • Military Trader/Vehicles
  • Numismatic News
  • Numismaster
  • Old Cars Weekly
  • Old House Journal
  • Period Homes
  • Popular Woodworking
  • Script
  • ShopNotes
  • Sports Collectors Digest
  • Threads
  • Timber Home Living
  • Traditional Building
  • Woodsmith
  • World Coin News
  • Writer's Digest
Active Interest Media logo
X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Online Learning

  • Courses
  • Project Guides
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • X
  • YouTube
  • instagram
  • facebook
  • pinterest
  • Tiktok

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

This is your last free article.

Don't miss another expert tip or technique from building pros. Start your free trial today.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in

Privacy Policy Update

We use cookies, pixels, script and other tracking technologies to analyze and improve our service, to improve and personalize content, and for advertising to you. We also share information about your use of our site with third-party social media, advertising and analytics partners. You can view our Privacy Policy here and our Terms of Use here.

Cookies

Analytics

These cookies help us track site metrics to improve our sites and provide a better user experience.

Advertising/Social Media

These cookies are used to serve advertisements aligned with your interests.

Essential

These cookies are required to provide basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website.

Delete My Data

Delete all cookies and associated data