The need to build a compact house may arise for various reasons. For example, such a small structure is perfect for placement on a summer cottage that is not used for permanent residence. In a small house you can conveniently change clothes, put your things and spend the night.
Of course, ready-made cabins are sold on the market, but the quality of their execution often leaves much to be desired, and the cost is definitely overpriced. For the same money you can put together a great little house on your own.
There is nothing complicated about building a compact structure yourself. Follow the guide and everything will definitely work out.
Any construction must begin with planning, without which construction will take much more time, money and effort. There is a possibility that the finished structure, built without a plan, will not meet your needs and expectations.
For a small house it is not necessary to draw up detailed documentation with many drawings. Even a simple sketch indicating the main dimensions, communications and other design features will be sufficient.
Preliminarily think through the order of the internal organization of the future small house. Will it have only one room, or will there be enough space for a small kitchen and a small bathroom? At this point, focus on your personal preferences and capabilities.
For example, many prudent owners use a very interesting technique: they raise the ceiling and arrange a sleeping area in the attic. This solution allows you to significantly save useful space.
It is recommended to pay special attention to the experience of the Japanese. Even on a few square meters they manage to place everything necessary to create a comfortable and cozy environment, because even a mini house is still a house in which it is definitely more comfortable than on the street.
The following guide will give instructions on how to build a fairly simple small house. Approximately 75% of the space will be occupied by living quarters, and the remaining space will be used to accommodate a storage room and dry closet.
If things are very difficult with free space, you can make separate entrances to the mentioned premises from the street. If there are no such problems with free space, and you don’t want to constantly go outside, arrange an entrance to the technical room from the living room.
If desired, make your own changes to the plan. For example, instead of a pantry, you can arrange a mini-kitchen with a table, a couple of folding chairs or small stools and a compact stove.
After approval of the plan, proceed directly to construction activities. Start by laying out the foundation.
Foundation
For the construction of a small house, a simple foundation made of blocks is perfect. Western private developers came up with a very interesting solution. They create a foundation block with four channels. A reinforcing bar is inserted into each of these channels. The rods themselves are driven into the ground. As a result, the block is securely attached to the ground.
In the project under consideration, the foundation will consist of six such blocks. You will place four blocks in the corners of the future building, the remaining two - under the internal partition.
You can make the blocks yourself from concrete or buy them ready-made.
Dig a hole 200 mm deep with sides corresponding to the dimensions of the blocks.
Fill the hole with a 20 cm layer of sand and gravel mixture. Pack the pillow thoroughly.
Install blocks and introduce reinforcement in accordance with the previously given recommendations.
Cover the blocks with a layer of roofing felt.
Make sure that the blocks are installed evenly and proceed to further planned activities.
Floor installation
First step
Mount the bottom trim. Make it from timber with a cross-section of 15x15 cm. To connect the strapping beams, use a convenient fastening option. You can, for example, connect them using the tongue-and-groove method with additional reinforcement with glue and bolts.
Second step
Place a platform pre-assembled from a 15x5 cm board on top of the frame.
Third step
Cover the platform with plywood.
Fourth step
Turn the resulting box over and place insulation inside it.
Fifth step
Sew the insulation with a double layer of plywood. Lay plywood 1.2 cm thick along the box, and 0.9 cm thick across it. As a result, the floor will have a thickness of 2.1 cm. Use PVA glue to fasten the layers of plywood.
Sixth step
Sew the platform with roofing felt on all sides.
At this point the floor is ready. If you wish, you can additionally decorate it with other material to your taste.
Linoleum is perfect for finishing the floor.
First step
Treat timber and boards intended for wall construction with an antiseptic.
Second step
Assemble the frame of the planned dimensions.
Third step
Arrange the top harness.
Fourth step
Cover the entire structure with plywood.
Fifth step
Attach windproof film to the outside of the walls. At the same time, this material will serve as waterproofing.
During the construction of walls, do not forget to leave openings for installing doors and double-glazed windows.
Arrangement of the roof structure
The roof structure must be such that in the future, when opening the door, the roof overhang will not be affected. To comply with this rule, the slope of the roof slope must be 25 degrees.
First step
Install the rafters. To do this, use 10x5 cm boards. To fasten the boards, use corners and screws.
Second step
Mount the roof ridge. To make it, use a 15x5 cm board.
Third step
Additionally, fasten the roof rafters with ties 10x2.5 cm.
Fourth step
Attach 0.9 cm thick plywood to the rafters.
Fifth step
Lay your preferred roofing material over the finished base. Flexible tiles work well. This is a relatively lightweight material with good performance properties. At the same time, the roof of a small house will have a small area, so you won’t spend a lot of money on finishing material.
Doors and double glazing
To create a healthy microclimate in a room, even if it is very small, you need to install windows. It is better to provide places for placing double-glazed windows at the stage of assembling the frame.
To determine the optimal total window area, divide the floor area of your small house by 5. Divide the resulting value by the number of windows you need.
If you are planning to equip your small house with a bathroom and kitchen, think in advance about the order of furniture placement so that the windows do not interfere with the normal use of the house in the future, but are a useful addition.
If possible, windows should be placed in a south-east direction, since there is very little sunlight on the north side, and low western sun rays are bad for the eyes.
You can buy doors ready-made or make them yourself. It is enough to assemble the frame, fill the voids with thermal insulation (mineral wool is perfect), cover the frame with plywood and upholster it with the desired material.
Wall decoration
External
Proceed with the exterior wall decoration.
Internal
Proceed with interior decoration.
- Secure a layer of thermal insulation material.
- Cover the insulation with a layer of vapor barrier.
- Cover the walls with clapboard.
At this point the wall decoration is ready. After this, it is recommended to start arranging the ceiling and making a porch to your taste. It is better to carry out these activities before the construction of the roof structure begins.
Furnish and technical equipment of a small house according to your taste.
Ceiling finishing
- Cover the ceiling with a vapor barrier material.
- Secure the insulation material.
- Cover the ceiling with insulating layers with clapboard.
You can lay boards in the attic. At this point, focus on the specifics of your situation, taking into account exactly how you will use your attic.
Necessary communications
If necessary, install electrical wiring, sewerage and water supply into the house.
For heating a small house, both an electric heater and a gas convector are well suited. Such gas convectors use liquefied gas as fuel. To ensure the most efficient heat distribution, the system should be equipped with a galvanized steel reflector.
A gas convector must be equipped with a smoke exhaust pipe. The chimney is carefully insulated to prevent fires. To protect the chimney from snow, rain and various debris, install a special protective canopy on its street end.
This completes the small country house. You did an excellent job without involving third-party specialists, which allowed you to save a significant amount of money, and you were convinced that there is nothing complicated in the construction of such structures - you just need to follow the manual in everything and adhere to the advice of professional builders. You can start using the house you built yourself.
Happy work!
Video - DIY small house
Experts say that a modern, comfortable home does not have to be large. In fact, 28 m is quite enough for a person to live a normal life. 2 . It turns out that a family of four will feel comfortable in a house with an area of slightly less than 120 m2 2 . And such a house can rightfully be called small.
As a rule, small house projects are one-story. But at the request of the customer, it is possible to complete a full second floor or attic.
In order to accommodate all living rooms in a relatively small area and ensure comfortable family living, the size of technical and utility rooms is reduced. Although the space is organized according to the same principles as in any other project. But there are features that are due to the need to strictly save usable space.
Large house project: fight for every square meter
- When designing small buildings, architects minimize the use of internal partitions. Thus, rooms with different functionality are combined into a single space. For example, the living room, dining room, kitchen are grouped into a day area and separated purely visually - using design techniques. The design of a small house allows you to rationally use every square meter of usable space. At the same time, additional rooms remain isolated.
- The bedrooms of family members, bathrooms, and dressing rooms form the night zone and are located in such a way as to maximally protect the personal space of the residents of the house from strangers. If the house is two-story, then the night zone is located there.
- They try to design the utility area, consisting of bathrooms, a boiler room and other utility rooms, to a minimum size.
- In order to productively use non-residential space, they strive to limit the number of corridors and passages.
- If the house is two-story, there should be two bathrooms. In order to reduce costs when installing utility networks, they are placed one above the other. In a one-story house, the bathroom is placed so that it has a common riser with the kitchen.
Pros of small house projects
- The construction of a small house does not depend on the configuration and size of the land plot.
- Construction of such a house will also cost much less.
- Short design and construction times.
- Relatively low utility costs and easy home maintenance.
Small house projects: results
A carefully thought-out design of a small house allows you to rationally use every square meter of usable space. Thanks to this, the customer receives modern, comfortable housing for relatively little money. Therefore, we recommend choosing professional small house projects from Dom4m.
If we consider the main trend of private suburban construction, we can observe an increase in the popularity of projects based on houses with an area of up to 50 square meters. m. Such houses are mainly built for winter and summer holidays, as well as as an alternative to main housing in towns and villages. The increase in popularity is associated with the low budget of such projects, as well as low costs for heating, electricity and general maintenance of the house.
Project of a miniature house with an attic and a terrace 
Ready-made project of a miniature house covered with shingles
A sleeping place can replace a sofa in the living room. However, if the house area is more than 30 sq. m., then the bed for sleeping is installed in a separate room.
Projects with an attic
Such projects may have several zoning options, it all depends on the layout. In the attic there is a sleeping area and a dressing room, and on the ground floor there is a living room, kitchen and bathroom. Projects of houses with an attic are not much more expensive than one-story houses and allow you to create a separate closed area.
Two-story projects
A miniature two-story house can confidently be called a full-fledged home, since a competent layout will allow you to create a studio with a living room, kitchen on the first floor and a bedroom with shower and dressing room on the second floor.
Energy-saving qualities of mini-houses
Energy-saving mini-house project 
Classic mini-house project Such projects can be called budgetary and attractive in all respects, since the optimal and less expensive way for their construction is selected.
High tech
Those who like to keep up with the times can turn their attention to. Cottages in this style are small, however, they will give the impression of spacious and modern housing. The strict contours of the house box look quite interesting. 
Typically house designs up to 50 sq. m. are decorated with panoramic windows, which visually increase the size of the house and let a lot of light into the room.
Industrial
The architectural style is quite similar to high-tech, however, it may differ in colors and decorative elements. In the industrial style there may be aluminum inserts, and deep gray tones to match the color of concrete predominate. In principle, this style is similar to modern, but it still carries individuality. Most mini-houses are built in the Art Nouveau style, but this does not mean that such buildings will look bad in the Baroque style with gilding and forging elements.
Types of building material for construction
Most mini-house projects are an order of magnitude cheaper than cottages of similar size.
They are an excellent construction option. Today housing is very expensive. Maintaining it is also a costly process. That is why people are looking for a way out of the situation, giving their preference to small buildings for permanent residence, because a small house is just as functional and comfortable, and much less money is required for its construction and maintenance.
Currently, a very popular architectural trend that allows you to build a mini-house. This is a unique style of minimalism, in which the rooms are multifunctional, there is no corridor or it is reduced to miniature sizes. In such a house, everything is thought out very carefully. There are many, so the designs of small houses for permanent residence are impressive in their diversity. An oversized building can be constructed in a variety of shapes.
Construction of mini-houses using ready-made projects
Today, the easiest way to build a small house for living is using a ready-made project. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the cost of developing project documentation. Finished projects allow you to quickly build a house that will be comfortable for the whole family. To select an option, you just need to contact a construction company that specializes in the construction of turnkey houses. The company’s specialist will offer the most advantageous building option that would satisfy all the desires and requirements of the future owners. By contacting a company of professionals, each customer is guaranteed to receive what they dream of, because the masters:
- will inspect the site where construction is planned;
- listen carefully to the wishes of the owner and his family members;
- will select the best construction option that will fit perfectly into the building, while maximizing its usable space. With a professional approach, all the client’s wishes are taken into account;
- They will carry out preliminary construction calculations, allowing you to determine whether the cost of constructing the building is affordable for the customer;
- will carry out all types of work on a turnkey basis.
By contacting a specialized company, each customer receives a finished house with... No headaches, no searching for construction crews, no buying materials. All that remains is to periodically monitor the construction, check the provided reports if desired and, of course, enjoy the comfort of your own home. Small houses for permanent residence, photos of which can be viewed on the Internet, are comfortable and elegant buildings.
Advantages of building a small house according to a ready-made project
Construction of a small house according to a ready-made project allows you to:
- build a small house with all necessary communications for permanent residence;
- conveniently place the rooms, while creating comfort;
- Significant savings on construction itself. Maintaining such a mini-house will also not be difficult;
- make individual changes to layout. Ready-made projects allow you to make your home special.
A small house is an excellent construction option for both retirees and young people. This is the best option. A small country house for permanent residence has everything you need and is equipped with communication systems.
Construction of a frame mini-house for permanent residence
Different materials are used to build a small house. Today it occupies a special place. Small frame-panel houses appeared quite recently, but quickly gained popularity. The construction of a frame house is special. The building is erected on a specially installed frame, which can consist of wood or metal. Special sandwich panels are attached to this base.
A small house does not require pouring a solid foundation, because it has little weight. Such houses are distinguished by their strength and endurance. The house, which is intended for permanent residence, is insulated with a special material that perfectly retains heat even in the harshest winter.
The external one can be very different. Thanks to her, the house acquires individuality.
Construction of a frame small house has its advantages:
- fast construction. The time required to build such a house is several weeks;
- the ability to build in difficult places with moving soil;
- construction can be carried out year-round;
- significant savings in construction and maintenance;
- the ability to build buildings of various shapes;
- completely fireproof, because its construction uses modern fire-resistant materials;
- environmentally friendly. Modern materials used in construction meet hygienic standards and have no impact on the environment and humans.
The small frame house is equipped with communications. It is very comfortable and cozy to live in.
Wooden small house for permanent residence
Today, building a small wooden house using a ready-made design is as easy as building a frame house. But there is an opinion that it is unsuitable for permanent residence. Many people think that it is cold in such a house in winter, but this is not the case at all. Modern construction makes it possible to build one that will be very warm and comfortable, because wood conducts heat several times worse than brick or foam block. This natural material, like stone, has the unique property of accumulating heat. very simple, without putting much effort into it.
In summer, such a house will be comfortably fresh and cool. The advantages of building a wooden house are obvious. Firstly, it will have a special atmosphere. Secondly, it will be environmentally friendly, thirdly, warm and comfortable. Ready-made turnkey construction projects can significantly save money on the construction of buildings.
Small brick house for permanent residence
Small houses can be built from bricks. This is a traditional material used to construct structures. Construction of even small sizes requires a solid foundation. Such a building takes much longer to build than its modern counterparts, but, nevertheless, many people prefer brick. Over the decades, the material has proven itself to be reliable and durable, which is why it is not so easy to abandon it.
A mini-brick house can be designed in different ways. The main requirement for developing a construction plan is to create a convenient layout.
What goals do people pursue when building small houses?
Today, small houses are in great demand. What makes you build small-sized housing?
- Small houses are the best construction option for retirees. Maintaining such a structure is much simpler and more economical. In addition, retirees are no longer as vain as the younger generation. They simply don't see the point in building a big house.
- Small cash outlay. Building a house requires significant investment. Young people have not yet managed to save the necessary funds, which is why they give preference to the construction of small buildings. In addition, you can build such a structure on credit, which will not be so difficult to repay.
- Low maintenance costs. Modern projects allow you to have luxurious, but small apartments, which are much cheaper to maintain.
- Can be built even on a small plot. The small house is beautifully located even on a compact plot of land.
- An excellent option for initial construction. Many land owners first build a small house and then build it later. The oversized house can later be used as a guest house or can be converted into a bathhouse.
- Many options for mini-houses are mobile, that is, they can be transported from place to place.
Small houses are not a miserable existence and not a deprivation of all the benefits of civilization. Taking a closer look at them, you can see beauty and grace, originality and extravagance. This is a wonderful and comfortable living environment. The correct layout of small houses for permanent residence allows you to create a unique atmosphere and increased comfort.
Our company employs only experienced architects. They are always ready to adapt new products and fashionable trends in the construction industry to the individual needs and preferences of the customer. Considerable work experience and a professional approach to business ensure their competent planning, taking into account every nuance. They are able to endow a newly built house with features characteristic of its owner, so that the building has a special charm and unique charm. In addition, our professionals will accompany the project at every stage of its implementation and solve all difficulties that may arise on the way to the ideal home.
If you are in doubt about what kind of house you want, refer to our portfolio. In it you will find projects of small country houses of various types and you will be able to decide which one appeals to you the most. All photographs presented on our website are real projects of small-sized houses made by our specialists. Among them there are houses with swimming pools, gardens and garages. Economical options with low cost and luxurious designs of small houses, the implementation of which requires a considerable budget, are presented. We can prepare plans for one house for you, or develop landscape design for the surrounding area.
It is very important for the image of our company that every client remains as satisfied as possible with our cooperation. Therefore, we are ready to make changes at any stage of work, even at the last. Changing documentation and redoing drawings is much easier than living for many years in a house in which not everything suits you. Therefore, feel free to contact us when creating projects of small houses, we always listen to every, even the most insignificant, wish of the customer.
At every stage of work, we communicate with the client not only about changes. We also introduce him to all the documents we are preparing and show him the technical characteristics of the project.
When preparing small house projects, our specialists always visit the construction site to make sure that it is suitable for the planned work. The quality of the soil, the possibility of its subsidence are taken into account, climatic conditions and the amount of precipitation per year are assessed. Depending on these data, decisions are made on ceiling heights, roof density, and wall thickness. Experts also determine which building material would be most appropriate to use in given conditions.
Projects and prices of small houses depend only on the customer, his ambitions and material abilities. The cost of our work lies in the speed of order fulfillment and the complexity of working on it. The more individual additions and non-standard features the client wants to see in his project, the more expensive it will cost him.
When creating projects for small garden houses, we try to pay special attention to the functionality of such buildings. After all, modern technologies make it possible to fit everything you need for a comfortable stay on a small number of square meters. A competent layout of the area and built-in furniture is all that is needed for such a house. Typically, such projects have one floor, although the attic space can be turned into a full-fledged second floor of the building if desired.
Specialists in the architecture of small houses who work in our company know how to rationally use every square meter. They allocate a minimum amount of space for utility rooms, allocating the main space to the rooms in which residents will spend the most time.
Features of designing small houses
Working on a small house project is in many ways similar to designing other buildings. This mainly concerns the preparation of various types of documents. But there are nuances that distinguish this category of orders, namely:
- To ensure that the rooms in such a house do not seem cramped, it is advisable to combine them. The most popular technique is to combine the kitchen, dining room and living room into one functional space. You can divide it into small zones with partitions, but more often this is done only visually, with the help of pieces of furniture and design skills.
- In any case, the bedroom should be isolated, as should functional rooms such as the bathroom and toilet. If the attic does turn into a living space, it is better to move the bedroom there.
- A minimum amount of space is allocated for all utility rooms.
- In a small house, the presence of large corridors and passages would be inappropriate, so their square size, as well as their number, is reduced to a minimum.
Building a small house is the best solution if you are short on funds, want to minimize utility costs, have a small piece of your own land, or want to build a home in a short period of time.