The tiny home and portable home movement is no longer just a fad. More and more people are seeking a simpler – and perhaps less expensive – way of life. Downsizing your dwelling isn’t just a great way to reduce your environmental impact, it also can cut down on your expenses, such as heating and cooling, mortgage, insurance, etc.
Tiny homes aren’t always easy to find, and when you do find them, they’re not always eco-friendly. Sure, they are all smaller, which means less energy used and materials consumed. If you’re looking for solar power, composting toilets and other eco-friendly green living features, though, you might have to hunt a little harder.
Until now.
The ESCAPE Homes line of tiny homes that are transportable blends modern design, sustainable features and a forward thinking vision to appeal to the fast growing demand for tiny homes.
Tiny homes aren’t just for full time living, though. Many people are choosing tiny homes with alternate uses in mind, such as;
- separate offices outside of your main living area at home,
- guest houses that can be put on your property to house family and friends, or
- portable vacation homes that always have everything that you want right where you need it.
Tiny homes can even be modified for accessibility.
Travel ready homes
At first glance of an ESCAPEHomes product, the clean, modern architecture lines with plenty of windows and natural light are evident. With good reason. Dan Dobrowolski is the owner of not only ESCAPEHomes, but also of Canoe Bay, a resort in northern Wisconsin. The Prairie-style cottages in his Wisconsin resort were styled by John Rattenbury, a former associate of Frank Lloyd Wright, along with designs by Kelly Davis of SALA Architects.
Those distinctive cottages were the inspiration for the design of ESCAPEHomes’ line of travel-ready homes. In fact, you can stay in an ESCAPE Classic Cottage at Canoe Bay, just for the sheer thrill of it, or to determine whether a tiny home is the right fit for you.
Though the tiny homes can be classified as an RV, most of ESCAPE’s product line look far removed from any traditional RV that you might be thinking of. These tiny homes look like a fancy house designed by a modern architect that would feel right at home in most neighborhoods.
For instance, ESCAPE’s Park Models look like wood cabins ideal for a summer retreat or a place to hunker down for the winter in the great outdoors. With prices that start at $57, 400, these portable homes have all of the classic features of traditional brick and mortar dwellings, such as sunrooms, full sized bathrooms, vaulted ceilings, panoramic windows, modern fireplaces or screened porches.
Of course, with a small footprint, you might not be able to have every option available, but you can pick and choose what makes the most sense for your individual needs, especially when you know how many people might actually be calling the tiny dwelling home.
Handmade homes, crafted in the United States
All of ESCAPE’s product lines are handmade in the United States in a climate controlled environment. Eco friendly materials used include;
- kiln dried sustainable wood,
- American made tile,
- 7.4R value per inch closed cell foam insulation and
- Low-E windows.
Unless otherwise requested, these tine homes also feature full size appliances.
Would a tiny home keep you warm – or cool – in your environment? It’s a valid question, and one that you should definitely ask if you’re setting up shop in extreme environments. ESCAPE prides itself on being based in northern Wisconsin, where the winter temps are pretty severe with heavy snow, ice and wind and where the summer temps can get pretty hot, too. Their models have stood up to the harsh weather, but the folks at ESCAPE can talk with you about your specific weather challenges.
Have tiny home, will travel
Looking for something, well, a little smaller? If you want a tiny home to take on the road more frequently, ESCAPE Traveler is well suited for roving travelers. The 24 feet by 8.5 feet by 13.5 feet RV has 269 square feet starting at $65,400. Want to see one in person? You can make an appointment to visit one at Canoe Bay.
Not quite roomy enough? The ESCAPE Traveler XL is 6 feet longer than the traditional ESCAPE Traveler, and offers a first floor bedroom with queen bed, in addition to all of the other features of the ESCAPE Traveler.
ESCAPE Sport is a bit more industrial than the other ESCAPE models. The 170 square-foot tiny home RV features a rugged, simple design that makes it well suited for camping, tailgating, hunting and traveling to other destinations where you will stay for several days. The tiny home RV can sleep up to 4 people and has its own trailer that can be used with a pick-up truck or many SUVs. It measures 20 feet by 8.5 feet by 8 feet and weighs 5,000 pounds. Introductory pricing starts at $39,600.
Off the grid
Off the Grid options are available for additional add-ons with ESCAPE’s line of RVs. A Solar Energy System is a small portable box that has a solar charger, pure sine wave inverter and 3.2 KWh of lithium battery storage. If you’re connecting to a local power grid, there is a 6.5 KWh unit that can be utilized. Roof top, 500w solar panels are included, with the opportunity to purchase more.
Both composting and incinerating toilets are other eco-friendly options offered. ESCAPE offers the Separett Villa 9200 composting toilet, the Incinolet incinerating toilet, or a traditional toilet.
Gray water hook-up for irrigation and fresh water hook-ups for rainwater can also be added on.
Thinking of buying a tiny home? Keep in mind that financing can be unusual when trying to pay for a tiny home with anything but cash. It’s not like getting a traditional mortgage. RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) certified RVs, which ESCAPE’s tiny homes are classified as, make financing easier at a bank or credit union. There are other online options for tiny home financing, as well as financing through the seller.
Have you ever considered living in a tiny home? What does or doesn’t appeal to you about ESCAPE’s tiny homes? Share your thoughts with us below.
Images courtesy of ESCAPEHomes