+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Home Newsletters Next Share

The maker of this $118,500 tiny home on wheels that was designed to work from home in during the pandemic saw a huge spike in interest this year

Brittany ChangDec 6, 2020, 20:13 IST

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny.Build Tiny

New Zealand-based Build Tiny created Cyril, a tiny home on wheels for clients who wanted a work from home setup and amenities for their cats that were adopted during the country's coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown.
Build Tiny saw an increase in domestic demand "with urgent need" during the coronavirus pandemic, the company's director and designer Gina Stevens told Business Insider in an email interview.
The home has a bathroom, kitchen, living room, lofted office, and lofted bedroom.
In terms of pet amenities, the interior has a cat door in the bathroom and a cat bridge that connects the two lofts.

Build Tiny created Cyril, a tiny home on wheels for clients who wanted a work from home setup and amenities for their cats that were adopted during the initial coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown.

According to Gina Stevens, director and designer of New Zealand-based Build Tiny, the tiny home on wheels took a total of 13 weeks to construct.

"The design for the tiny house was completed during the 'Level Four' full lockdown we had here in New Zealand," Stevens told Business Insider in an email interview. "It was in March at the start of the pandemic where there was a lot of uncertainty, so the need for a home office was top of mind."

Read more: California's housing crisis is so dire, a startup just raised $3.5 million in VC funding to drop tiny houses in people's backyards

The clients booked Build Tiny with interior requests like an office loft with a footwell, tall kitchen bench tops, a bi-folding front door, and a cat bridge, all of which can now be found inside the little mobile home. Keep scrolling to see how all these amenities look:

Advertisement

“Both of our clients already had the flexibility to work from home before the pandemic, so the home office was always on the cards, but one of them is now working exclusively as an illustrator from home, so it's being well-used,” Stevens wrote.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

“Both of our clients already had the flexibility to work from home before the pandemic, so the home office was always on the cards, but one of them is now working exclusively as an illustrator from home, so it's being well-used,” Stevens wrote.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Build Tiny saw an increase in domestic demand "with urgent need," Stevens wrote.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

According to Stevens, the country was already seeing a housing issue before people started flocking back home to New Zealand during the coronavirus pandemic.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

As a result, people started looking for immediate housing solutions.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

"We have always had a very high level of inquiry, and are always booked out roughly nine months in advance, making it hard to accommodate the needs of people in this situation," Stevens wrote. "It can be heartbreaking, but we do have to turn people away that aren't able to wait to work with us."

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

"We have always had a very high level of inquiry, and are always booked out roughly nine months in advance, making it hard to accommodate the needs of people in this situation," Stevens wrote. "It can be heartbreaking, but we do have to turn people away that aren't able to wait to work with us."

Build Tiny has also been receiving daily questions about international shipping, but the company has been putting these people in touch with other builders local to the inquiries instead.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Build Tiny has also been receiving daily questions about international shipping, but the company has been putting these people in touch with other builders local to the inquiries instead.

Advertisement

The increase in demand for Build Tiny's homes should come as no surprise given tiny home trends amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, both tiny home rental companies and makers have seen a surge in interest.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

Some tiny home builders have even seen demands double during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a blog on Mashviso, a self-described "real estate investment data analysis" company.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Some tiny home builders have even seen demands double during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a blog on Mashviso, a self-described "real estate investment data analysis" company.

Now, back to Cyril.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

Stevens estimates the total cost of the tiny home on wheels, which was officially completed in October, to be a little more than $118,490, not including the solar equipment or solar storage.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Stevens estimates the total cost of the tiny home on wheels, which was officially completed in October, to be a little more than $118,490, not including the solar equipment or solar storage.

The home was named after the clients' grandfather, who was also a "tiny house enthusiast," according to Build Tiny.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

The structure of the tiny home consists of a steel frame and corrugated aluminum cladding.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

The home's trailer sits at a little over 26 feet long, almost 9 feet wide, and almost 14 feet tall.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

Cyril is wider than most of Build Tiny's homes, therefore making room for features like the L-shaped kitchen, larger bathroom, and two lofts for two different purposes.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

The home features amenities for both human occupants and the clients' two cats that were rescued during New Zealand's coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdown.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

These pet amenities include a cat door and a wall-mounted bridge that allows the cats to travel between the bedroom and the office lofts.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

When the team first started designing the tiny home, the clients hadn't rescued their cats yet, according to Stevens.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

But after the clients adopted the two cats, Build Tiny started redesigning the plan to include the cat bridge and cat door, the latter found in the bathroom.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

The bathroom also includes a shower, storage units, a composting toilet, and a sink.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

"People found it really curious that there was a tall window placed in front of the toilet," Stevens said. "There is a perceived lack of privacy, but for some people, our clients included, having a view while you do your business is a great thing."

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

"People found it really curious that there was a tall window placed in front of the toilet," Stevens said. "There is a perceived lack of privacy, but for some people, our clients included, having a view while you do your business is a great thing."

If the owners want to clean off outside, there's also an exterior shower.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

Beyond the bathroom doors is the kitchen.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

The cooking area includes a refrigerator, a oven, a four-burner gas stovetop with a range hood, and a sink.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

In terms of kitchen storage, there's a pantry, built-in cabinets, and storage shelves that run on the walls above the kitchen unit.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Food made in the kitchen can be eaten at the bamboo-topped breakfast bar, which sits at the shorter "L" end of the kitchen.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

Part of the breakfast bar can also be folded down for more space.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

To enjoy food outside, Build Tiny also included a removable exterior countertop that can be accessed from the inside of the tiny home when the windows in front of the kitchen are opened.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

To enjoy food outside, Build Tiny also included a removable exterior countertop that can be accessed from the inside of the tiny home when the windows in front of the kitchen are opened.

Advertisement

The living room, which sits below the office loft, includes a couch and coffee table.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

The upstairs office loft can be accessed with a removable ladder that sits in front of the living room.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

Cyril's office loft comes with a long shared desk and two floor chairs with a footwell area, all in front of a window for natural light.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

The second loft, above the kitchen and accessible with the staircase, was created to serve as the bedroom.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

The staircase needed to access the bedroom has integrated storage units to maximize the tiny space.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Upstairs, the loft has a queen bed and several storage units, including a wardrobe.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

The office loft also has room to sleep additional people if needed.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Cyril also has room for a washing machine and fireplace …

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

... although there's already a gas heater for warmth.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

When it's time to dry any clothes from the washing machine, the owners can use the ceiling-mounted drying rack that can be lowered to the ground-level when it's needed …

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

When it's time to dry any clothes from the washing machine, the owners can use the ceiling-mounted drying rack that can be lowered to the ground-level when it's needed …

Advertisement

... and tucked away out of sight by the ceiling when the clothes are done drying.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

All of the tiny home's amenities are powered by a "full off-grid lithium solar setup," according to Build Tiny.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

It also has a 16-amp connection point when the home doesn't have to stay off-grid.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

The clients are now living full-time in the tiny home with two cats and a soon-to-be dog.

Cyril the tiny home on wheels by Build Tiny. Build Tiny

Advertisement

Next Story

I paid $20 to ride Amtrak's famed high-speed Acela train for the first time during the pandemic and it was the perfect alternative to flying

Copyright @ 2024. Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.For reprint rights. Times Syndication Service.