A Tiny House Built to Affordably Accommodate A Family in An Expensive City

Charming and Affordable Laneway Home

This tiny house is a lovely, affordable laneway home in a perfect location close to schools and shopping. Not only does it look great from the exterior, but it also feels spacious and modern inside, with practical storage solutions, making the tiny space feel uncluttered and bright. The family laneway house is lived in full-time by a family and was built by laneway housing specialist Lanefab Design/Build. The company was responsible for both the design and construction of this beautifully designed and built tiny house. From the outside, the home looks just like any other home in the Vancouver neighbourhood, except it's a bit smaller than most conventional houses.

Smart Space for a Growing Family

The home has two bedrooms in 800 square feet of living space which is just enough room for a couple and their son to live comfortably. The couple had the laneway home built in the backyard of one of their parents' homes because property and home prices in Vancouver are extremely high. So this gave them an affordable solution to owning their own home and having their own space. The parents' home and property were ideal since it's on a corner lot, plus they had a large backyard which provided the space for the home to be built. There's also a park across the street for the couple's son to play at.

Open and Inviting Living Spaces

The main level of the home is an open room consisting of the living room, kitchen and dining area. There's also a nice patio out the huge glass doors that also open the home up to the outdoors. There's also a garage which offers space to store items and park their car. The kitchen is set up along one wall keeping it open to the living room. They installed beautiful stainless steel appliances and white cabinets for a seamless look. There is also a nice small window above the sink which adds more natural light and a nice view while cleaning up or cooking. The living room is spacious enough for a large sectional sofa which would be perfect for a family to enjoy. The dining table seems to be expandable and has bench seating with storage as well as two chairs that can be used for more seating in the living room if needed. Upstairs, are the bedrooms with a balcony off of the master bedroom and a nice bathroom with a bathtub and shower.

Innovative Design Solutions for Urban Living

The company had to be careful to work within the city's height and massing constraints, so they managed to fit the bedrooms and bathroom under the gabled roof space. They also dug the foundation of the home a foot and a half into the ground to create more space. The company also has a wall system they've developed that was used on this home. The home was built using their prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPs), which are insulated and provide structural support. Then they also did the 2x4 wall construction as well to create a tight envelope which results in a very energy efficient home.