Tiny houses are gaining popularity in Germany as an alternative to traditional housing. Two recent projects show different approaches.
A resident of Rhineland-Palatinate invested about €90,000 in building a 30 sq m home in a village with 180 inhabitants. She took a loan of €120,000 for the plot and construction, planning to pay it off before retirement and then save on utility costs. The building permit was obtained in two weeks through a simplified procedure. The house is made of natural materials: wood, wood wool, and clay plaster, with only the strip foundation being concrete.
Lisa, a 31-year-old climate technician and single mother from Hemer, built a tiny house of 80 sq m from more than 40 tons of solid wood with hemp insulation. The do-it-yourself construction cost €96,000, but due to delays and material errors, the final cost rose by €30,000. The project is featured in the ZDF documentary series "37°Leben: Challenge Hausbau", airing on July 12.