Starting over. What is it really like to 'restart' your life, and live in a tiny house by the ocean
Hi, I am Tony Cutting and I am the digital marketer behind Kiwi Tiny Home. Firstly, I must give a big shout out to Julian Farguhar for shooting that wonderful cinematic video of Gem (my dog), my house and I based here just five hundred metres from my home Marae at Hongoeka Bay.
The following information is to provide those who are interested with more details of my tiny home. I can honestly say that I love my Tiny House and lifestyle.
I have previously lived in a five-bedroom executive home on two hectares in the beautiful and sort after suburb of Peka Peka, Kapiti Coast. However, things change, we adapt and hopefully thrive.
I built “Yana” (My Tiny Home) two years ago with my cousin Ryan Reti and son James Cutting. Ryan is an expert with iron, roofing etc which was extremely helpful, he designed the cool flashings (Around doors and windows) and made sure we were completely watertight. The rest of the build we sort of learnt as we went, made quite a few mistakes but they ended up easy to fix. What helped was the valuable information from the suppliers of materials who provided valuable tips and information along the way.
A little more about me - I have been a desk jockey most my life… but that too has changed for the better. Building your own home is a very uplifting experience and the building bug has stayed with me since then.
My Tiny Home Specifications
Steel Frame house sitting on 8 metres by 2.8 metre deck which is connected to 8 metres by 2.4 metre trailer. Total width with cladding is now 3.1 metres externally and 2.6 metres internally.
R Board thermal break underfloor and around all walls as well as across main steel frame beams in ceiling.
Exterior Cladding is Colour Steel
Interior is lined with Insulation Batts and then 9mm Ply (Two different Colours) darker in upstairs bedrooms lighter colour downstairs.
Two 9kg Gas bottles are used to heat water and cook gas hob in kitchen.
Windows and doors are UPVC.
Oven is 2000kw standard oven which can only be used with generator running due to the house being off-grid.
12-unit battery bank charged by Victron Energy inverter/system for power which is generated via nine very large solar panels (three situated in middle of tiny house rooftop and six others on Container rooftop. - The Container is used for storing my building tools, gardening tools etc
Photos below show more detail about furnishings, fittings and appliances inside my house.
Thanks very much for taking the time to read this article.
Nga mihi nui
Tony Cutting
for Kiwi Tiny Home
