Welcome to Prefab Profiles, an ongoing series of interviews with people transforming how we build houses. From prefab tiny houses and modular cabin kits to entire homes ready to ship, their projects represent some of the best ideas in the industry. Do you know a prefab brand that should be on our radar? Get in touch!
About five years ago, architects Ignacio de la Vega and Pilar Cano-Lasso came to a realization. "We had various residential projects in the works with our firm, Delavegacanolasso, and realized how difficult the process was for everyone," de la Vega remembers. Their clients often wanted a final bill as soon as the work was underway—a near impossible number to know at that phase—and all the planning in the world couldn’t anticipate inevitable in-the-moment issues. Sanitary Wares
"We wanted to create something simple and elegant," he continues, "but we also wanted clients to know exactly what they were getting, the cost, and the timing from the very first meeting."
The duo created Tini Living, a prefab company with six models that provide a buyer with as much transparency as possible. The best part? The ADUs can be completed in 100 days, says de la Vega. Here’s more on what Tini Living has to offer.
The Tini XS model is intended to bring clients closer to nature.
What’s the most exciting project you’ve realized to date?
We’ve had several projects with all types of clients. Most of them are people who are very interested in design and the possibility of living in spaces that are directly connected to nature, so all of the design processes with them are very enriching and fun. But for obvious reasons, the most exciting project is our own home, Fresnos—not only because we live in it, but also because of its sustainability. We preserved 45 pine trees on the sloped terrain, and used a cantilevered structure to minimize the impact on the existing environment.
The 180-square-foot Tini XS model is the smallest option at $38,000. It has a compact kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.
What does your base model cost and what does that pricing include?
We offer a full range of standalone, prefab modules, and the extra small version, the Tini XS, starts at $38,000. It is best for up to two people, and includes a kitchen, bed frame, full bathroom, and a hot and cold air pump, among other details. The structure is about 180 square feet in total.
We are very transparent in terms of pricing, as we want the client to have as much information at the start of the process as possible. Because of this, we have spent significant resources on creating a customization tool, which makes it easy to go through our different models and personalize them to your needs.
The Tini S is about 250 square feet, with an open bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom.
What qualities make your prefab stand apart from the rest?
Our product is the perfect combination of design, quality, and price. We design the simplest and smartest solutions for every detail in these prefabs. They could work almost anywhere.
The Tini S has a shared living room and kitchen, as well as a bedroom and bathroom.
Where is the prefab currently available?
The standalone Tini XS to Tini M models are shipped worldwide. For bigger housing projects that involve the combination of several prefab modules, we currently work solely in Spain and Portugal. We will be launching shortly in France and Germany.
The company plans to ramp up its services in the U.S. starting next year, and is currently certified in California, New York, and Colorado.
Is your design currently pre-permitted in any U.S. municipalities?
Yes, we are currently certified as a fabricated home builder in New York, California, and Colorado. We are expecting to launch our U.S. website and team to service primarily New York and California early next year, and from there, we hope to expand quickly into other states where there is high demand for our type of modular home.
The Tini M bedroom is surrounded by windows. The initial structure includes a bed base with drawers, bedside tables, and a wood stove, and is a little less than 370 square feet.
Are there plans to expand to different parts of the world?
We are rapidly expanding to the rest of Europe, where our first projects in France and Germany will be finalized in early 2024, and we have a pilot project in Italy.
Our standalone modules, or accessory dwelling units, can be delivered worldwide. We have either delivered or have ongoing projects in Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, and Canada.
As we launch our standalone modules in the U.S. and develop a team to service this market at the start of next year, our goal is to offer the same single-family homes across Europe and the United States. We see tremendous potential, as there are few offerings in terms of design, cost, and practicality. Navigating each individual state’s regulations can be challenging, but our strategy is to first focus on states where we already have a high demand for our products or interest in pilot projects.
Buyers can choose corrugated steel cladding for the exterior.
How long can a client expect the process to take after they put down a deposit?
We start with a design phase that allows the client to make small adaptations to the home. Once these plans are finalized and we have local approval to start the project, we requires a 50 percent deposit.
We aim to be very competitive in terms of timing, and want to be able to build ADUs in 100 days and full single-family homes in approximately 150 days, with delivery taking around 30 days. Reducing these lead times gives our clients flexibility, and reduces economic burdens associated with traditionally built homes.
The Tini M features a living space beside a dining area and kitchen. The bedroom and bathroom are at opposite ends of the rectangular shape.
What aspects of an install do you manage?
We aim to take care of the overall process in order to make it as easy as possible for our clients. In order to do this successfully, we partner with many local architecture and engineering firms. For the on-site work, we engage local companies to work with our team of architects, who coordinate the process. We also work with a third party that ensures we are meeting all local requirements and standards at our building location.
The Tini L model is roughly 480-square-feet, and is pictured here with a wrap-around deck.
What aspects of the design can a client customize?
You can customize any model and see the final price, from the facade and kitchen finishes to the climate control. If the options shown on our site are not enough, the client can choose to have a meeting with one of our architects to review their needs in detail, which includes up to three revisions.
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