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HQ Long Island City, NY Showroom North Adams, MA hello@minimasshousing.com
HQ Long Island City, NY Showroom North Adams, MA hello@minimasshousing.com

FAQ

We periodically update this section to reflect the most commonly asked questions by our community.

2000sf Fixer Upper vs 400sf New Home

YES, you can buy a property with an existing larger home on it for nearly the same cost but have you considered what it will cost to renovate and maintain? This cost tends to exceed the cost of the property.

Item Old Home New Home
Cost Same Same
Maintenance High/Ongoing Low/No
Sustainability Low High
Energy Efficiency Low High
Renovation Yes No
Space More Less (is more)
Build/Renovate Time More Less
Infrastructure Yes Maybe

The cost of a home varies based on several different conditions and market driven factors. While it appears you are getting more bang for your buck when buying an older larger home, there tend to be a lot of time and cost consuming issues. In fact, you can easily spend more time and money on renovating an old home to bring up to code, update infrastructure, and accommodate modern lifestyle needs than building a new one. In the long run, a new home will be far more efficient, sustainable, will take less time to complete, and is headache free.

What can I do with a Tiny Home?

The possibilities are endless when it comes to how you want to use these houses to satisfy the end user. They can be vacation homes, long terms rentals, short term BnBs, getaway homes, office spaces, garden sheds, and pool houses to name a few. The question is, what do you need extra space for?

What is a Tiny Home?

Tiny Homes are, per Appendix Q of the international building code, homes that are 400sf or less. This code has already been adopted by some States as of January 1st 2020 and adjusts parts of the residential code to make Tiny Homes feasible.

Is a Tiny Home legal in my State?

It is expected that Tiny Homes will be legalized across the US by 2021. To check if this is legal in your State please visit (insert link) or ask your local municipality.

Is miniMAX only providing Tiny Homes of 400sf or less?

No, miniMAX is currently providing homes of up to 1200sf for an individual unit sale. We can provide larger homes to fit your market but only for multiple unit sales.

What is an (D)ADU?

A Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit is a second home, typically in the rear yard of a property to create additional income and an affordable living space.

Where can I build a Tiny Home?

Check whether your State allows Tiny Homes by code. In some cases, the State may not have adopted the Tiny House code but some municipalities and even cities have by laws that allow them.

Why should I buy a small home when I can buy a larger home for nearly the same cost?

There are lots of homes for sale for about the same cost that are larger but older and usually result in very time consuming and costly renovations especially pertaining to updating plumbing and electrical. The larger the home is, the greater the cost to renovate and maintain. Be sure to assess the cost and compare. Larger is not always better.

Can my Tiny Home be off grid and self-sustainable?

The short answer is YES it can. Our experts will assess the system best suitable for you based on your location and size of home. While the solar, septic, and well will add to the cost you will not have to ever worry about utility bills or maintenance.

What are the benefits of a Tiny Home?

Less is more. Tiny Homes are easy to maintain and up keep. They easily fit on just about any property size. Choosing the appropriate model and layout that works for you can mean optimizing your lifestyle without the excess space and clutter.

I’m interested in a small accessory home office space, is that considered to be an ADU?

No, a small structure up to 120sf with no plumbing is considered a shed and can be built without permits in most cases.

Is it possible to DIY the assembly?

We don’t recommend it unless you are an experienced builder. The kit of parts comes with a detailed instruction manual. You may also elect to have the shell built by a builder and finish the interior just the way you like it.

Where do you deliver homes?

We deliver the (shell) kit anywhere in the US. We deliver the (shell + interiors finishes) kit in NE US and (shell + interiors finishes + furniture) on a case by case basis.

Do you design custom homes?

Yes, only for sale of multiple units of 5 or more.

Do you provide Financing?

We are currently working on these details with a lender who can help you finance.

What if I don’t see a material I’d like to use on a home?

No problem, feel free to suggest an alternative and we’ll let you know if it can be done.If the alternative is acceptable, you will be responsible to source the material and make sure it is delivered to the site by the day of scheduled install. The price of the home will be adjusted accordingly.