1. Free Consultation
We start by listening. How will you use the home — full-time living, a place for an aging parent, a rental, a weekend escape? Who will live there, what do you own now that has to fit, and what does your budget really look like? We will also ask about your land (or the land you are considering), because the property drives almost every decision that follows.
2. Feasibility Study
Before anyone draws a floor plan, Cowboy Tiny Homes checks what your property allows. That means zoning and setbacks, lot coverage and height limits, HOA or deed restrictions, utility availability and tap fees, septic and well feasibility on rural land, floodplain status, access for construction or delivery, and which code path fits — IRC, IRC Appendix Q, ADU rules, park model or RV standards. The result is a short list of what you can build, where it can go, and a realistic budget range.
Why this step matters: the most expensive mistake in tiny home building is designing or buying a home that cannot legally go where you want it. A feasibility study costs a fraction of that mistake.
3. Design & Renderings
Next comes the fun part. Our design package includes floor plans, exterior elevations, a roof plan, site plan, electrical layout, exterior and interior renderings, and 3D perspective renderings. You will see your home from every angle and walk through it in 3D, and we revise until it feels right. Small homes reward careful design: we plan storage, natural light, cross-ventilation, furniture and door swings so the finished home feels bigger than its square footage.
4. Pricing & Agreement
With drawings in hand we price the build line by line — structure, finishes, mechanical systems, site work and allowances — and put it in a written agreement with a clear scope, schedule and payment milestones tied to completed work. If the number is higher than you want, we show you where to adjust before construction, not after.
5. Permits
For foundation homes and ADUs we prepare permit-ready drawings and help you through plan review, answering reviewer comments and coordinating engineering where it is required. For tiny homes on wheels and park models, we help you understand the placement rules at your RV park, community or property.
6. Construction
Construction follows the approved plans, with inspections at the required stages and regular updates so you always know what is happening. Changes are documented in writing with their cost and schedule impact before work proceeds.
7. Handover
We walk the finished home with you, complete any punch-list items, make sure final inspections are signed off and hand over documentation for appliances and systems. Then it is time to move in.
Design-Only Clients
Prefer to hire your own builder or build it yourself? Steps one through three — and permit drawings in step five — are available on their own through our tiny house design services.