photo courtesy of Chris Magwood
Photo courtesy of Chris Magwood
Okay, I have to say I am pretty excited to be asked to announce this! Here is your chance to own a tiny house built using 100% sustainable products and to have the labour thrown in. This means that you will get one of those awesome eco houses that we all dream of (at least I do), for about the same cost of a non-sustainably built home.
Photo: Courtesy of Chris Magwood from a student build
HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE WHO IS READY TO GET IT DONE!
Seeking a Tiny Home Client
The Endeavour Centre is a not-for-profit sustainable building school based in Peterborough, Ontario. Each year, Endeavour completes a building with its full time students, and this year they will be focusing on constructing an off-grid tiny home built with healthy, sustainable materials.
Endeavour is seeking a client for the finished tiny home. The client would be involved in the design of the home, the selection of materials, systems and finishes. Financially, the client would be paying for the hard costs (plans, materials, etc), while Endeavour would provide the labour side of the equation at no cost.
Endeavour is seeking to build a tow-able tiny home in the 200-250 square foot range, but would also be open to discussing a tiny home destined for a permanent foundation.
The home would incorporate renewable energy systems, non-toxic and locally sourced materials, composting toilets, rainwater harvesting and a non-fossil fuel heating option.
Endeavour expects the material and system budget for the home to be in the $30-40,000 range for the completed home.
If you are interested in collaborating with Endeavour on this project, please contact Chris Magwood at chris@endeavourcentre.org.
Tiny House Ontario 
I am very interested in owning a tiny home. I currently take care of my parents they moved into my home because it’s close to a hospital. My mom has dimentia and my dad diabetes. It would be nice to have my own space again to call my own
Yes, I can imagine that you would like this. In the situation where you are considering building in your own back yard in a house that you own, you need to check with your municipality what the maximum footprint is for a SHED in your yard, also check the height. I am assuming that you not bother with running water and septic since you already have this in the main house. If you decide to go ahead – you will have to be very mindful because it won’t be legal to do this – unless you live in a municipality that allows “garden houses” and those areas that do allow this, it is VERY expensive for the permits and there are very specific things that you have to comply with.
Are applications still being accepted for this project? Thanks 🙂
I am not sure Jen, I wrote the article some time ago. The contact information is there for the Centre, please refer your questions to them.
Kind regards and best of luck,
Laura
I’m going to mention this to my husband, though we were likely going to wait at least a year or two. The school in Peterborough had caught my eye before. I considered going there to learn how to build straw bale earthen homes before I had my baby. If we went there to have the house built, I’d end up joining the program!!
Looking into this, studied all winter long had a Back operation.So was a good time to hit the books and web sites… I have a camper to brake down and use everything that was in it… good shape enough… but trailer is Old and rotting away, frame is Great. (was on the road last year). Also have a small old camp that is being tore down and reused in the build… I got 5 acres and 55 acres here in New Brunswick… got everything we need, we think… LOL… But yeah Money is a hard thing 😦 and we have none. But going to start it alone this summer 😦 and hope people show up here and there … I am doing tire building / Log … sheds/ Greenhouse and the camper over the next few summers… Greenhouse and making this 5 acres here more livable… then starting on the other property. 😀 Exited, Worried, but just going to try and have fun… Blood, sweat and tears… right? 😀 LOL
Hello and thanks for sharing your site. Very exciting and informative indeed.
I would like to know what is used (usually) for the BLACK & GREY water systems and what is utilized for potable water with Tiny Houses?. Typically there is not enough INDOOR space for these items, so what is the set up for them?
Thank you very much. We would love to join the many Tiny Homes community somewhere in Ontario as we are in Ontario presently!.
Hi Dwight,
Please don’t think I am being rude but the answers are broad here. This sort of a question is best answered by typing in “black water tiny house” and then “grey water tiny house” in the search window on Google. Read the first few articles on each. Then, once you have a general understanding and have more specific questions I am happy to give it a go.
Kind regards,
Laura
Fair enough Laura. I knew that was an option, but I was thinking you may have done it already and was interested in HOW and WHAT you had done. I should have been more explicit.
Thanks for replying. I am finding your “story” in the Phases very interesting. I commend you for pursuing what I’m sure was a dream all along. Kudos to you, and thanks again!
Regards,
Dwight
What I did at THO was to use a bucket for waste in the “in-house” I collect rain water for washing (myself, the dishes and house cleaning) and use only vinegar and baking soda for washing as well as mild biodegradable dish soap and bar soap.
The toilet waste is being put into a four year cycle in a spot I have dedicated to this. All the toilet waste is dry because I use coconut coir to soak up the fluids.
My dishwater and shower water is poured out in the area around my house.
At THO I don’t use any chemicals, so I don’t worry much about it. The soil is thin here. Soil mixed with limestone and then 80 feet of limestone escarpment before it hits the water table. I don’t worry at all about drainage nor about polluting the ground water because my topography allows this.
Potable water is stored in a non BPA 5 gallon jug. I use this for rinsing the dishes, cooking and drinking. I use about a gallon a day. This is stored in my cloth porch in my case. When it is below zero I bring smaller containers of water one gallon each and keep one on my counter an the others under the bed and bring them down as they are needed.
Not sure if this helps.
Kind regards,
Laura
Oh yes! If I lived anywhere near beautiful Ontario, AND if they could build a wheelchair accessible totally off grid sustainably built tiny house, I would be one of the first to apply!!!
I am not sure where you are Cat, but if you are in the financial position to apply and have a site, then there is no time like the present to apply. It seems to me that this is a great opportunity and making a house accessible would be just a design aspect. These are professional builders, so I am sure they could figure a way around your needs.
❤ L
I have a place in B.C. is that to far?
Hi Eric, I would say if you are in the position to move ahead on it, to apply. I am sure they will choose the best application.
If I had the right spot to put one, I’d be all over this!
What kind of property do you need to put up one of these houses? Are there taxes on it? Can you do this anywhere in Ontario or only in certain regions?
Hi Kevin, they cannot be put everywhere. They are fine in the unorganized townships. If you are interested I suggest that you do some homework. Where to start would be by calling the building department in the area that you live.
This is a dream for me and if I had the money I would be honored to be part of this project. I wish you all these best and I’m happy for the person who receives this wonderful gift.