RAPID CITY, S.D. - With home prices going up, the idea of tiny homes comes to mind. But do tiny homes mean a smaller price tag? Maybe, compared to a conventional home. But one thing is for sure, tiny homes aren't for the small minded. Tiny homes take planning and imagination.
21-year-old Kira Zoller of Rapid City, who graduated with a degree in interior architecture and design with a focus on alternative living, is truly living the tiny homes lifestyle. She attended school at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, CO.
"It is unlikely I would be able to buy a home in Rapid City, straight out of college, even in the next year or two or so. And with the housing prices going up, I did want a place that I could call my own so I don't have to do renting. And this was a really good option, a really affordable option for me as a young person and also coming out of school," says Kira Zoller, tiny homeowner.
So Kira set out to find her tiny home on a Facebook group. She got a home loan and a builder in Kansas to deliver it to her on a custom trailer. Her home is 10 ft. by 18 ft. or 180 sq. ft. in addition to a bedroom loft.
"Being one person, I don't need a lot of room. And a big appeal was that the doors, the windows, a lot of the stuff that was used to build it was stuff from old projects. So it's all recycled and reclaimed. So that was really appealing to me because I don't think I need everything new and fresh and straight off the block," says Kira.
When she originally got her tiny house, it was decorated farmhouse/ranch style. Being an interior decorator by degree, Kira revamped her tiny house to fit her style – modern and colorful with a yellow ceiling. She says tiny homes can range from $50,000 to $100,000 with hers being on the ‘tinier’ end of the spectrum.
As far as winter preparation, Kira says her tiny house came insulated, but she had to get creative with snow solutions. One technique she used was spray foam to seal the cervices on the exterior metal sheeting. She’s still working on making it more aesthetically pleasing, she says. Her tiny home is also snow-load appropriate as it was inspected by a private contractor for her own peace of mind and local compliance. It is the landowner, her mother, who took care of the local ordinance compliance with Pennington County for the WeeCasa resort and tiny houses.
Another benefit of her tiny home - "If ever decide to move, I can take my tiny home with me,” she says.
Another factor that made this all possible was that Kira's mother, Joleen Zoller, decided to join her daughter in their tiny little dream of a tiny homes resort on their land off of Highway 16, across from Reptile Gardens. Having worked through many county rules and regulations, it continues to be a work in progress.
"So it's a very, very expensive project. It's a long, long process; getting quality contractors is super hard. I've been through many, but I think if you're committed to it, which I am so invested in, I think this land is going to be amazing when we get it all done. It's a really long journey, but it is worth it. It's going to be really cool," says Joleen Zoller, landowner, property owner, WeeCasa Tiny House Resort.
The best part has been working with her daughter and seeing her develop into an amazing property manager, says Joleen.
And Kira is committed not only as a tiny homeowner, but also as the property manager of the local WeeCasa Resort that currently has four tiny homes for short-term and extended stay with plans to expand to 25 tiny homes.
"I think that tiny homes are definitely something we'll be seeing a lot more of in the future and if people want to get a taste and a feel for the tiny home lifestyle and see what they think before they take the plunge to buy their own tiny home or, whatnot, WeeCasa is a really good option," says Kira.
For more information, visit WeeCasa Tiny House Resort's website.
