Hands-on with the SOLO+ 75: Tiny house build from start to finish

Indrek Kuldkepp, the founder and CEO of Avrame, undertook a personal challenge by constructing his own SOLO+ 75 house.

When developing the new SOLO+ tiny houses, Indrek was resolute in ensuring that the construction process mirrored the straightforward, efficient, and functional nature of the design. This is the key to making it achievable for anyone.

Watch the video or read the blog post to see how the process looked like for him.

Hey, it’s Indrek! You know, the guy behind Avrame. And guess what? I decided to get a taste of my own medicine. I built a SOLO+ 75 tiny house myself! When you tell people that building your own tiny house is easy, you’d better make sure it actually is, right? So, I jumped in headfirst, with a hammer in one hand and coffee in the other, and got to work.

Why did I build it myself?

I’ve been seeing people all over the world putting together their SOLO+ cabins, but I wanted to feel it firsthand. What’s the best way to know your product works? Eat your own dog food, as they say. So, I did. The goal? Prove the concept!

What did I learn?

Building this cabin was surprisingly easy. I mean, if I can do it, so can you. The plans are super straightforward, and once you get that material list to your local store, they basically hand you everything you need. Easy, right? I wasn’t kidding when I said it’s like a house recipe.

In many parts of the world, you don’t even need a building permit for something like this. Unfortunately, in Estonia, we do, but hey, it’s no biggie.

A few tweaks along the way

Of course, I couldn’t resist making some changes. I mean, it’s my house after all.

The original plans had the dormer on one side, but I flipped it to the other because of how my plot is laid out. You can do this kind of thing, too. Just move the parts around, and it will still work!

I also skipped the knee wall to gain more floor space. I consulted this matter with the structural engineer, who agreed it was solid enough in my plot. Of course, if you’re in a hurricane zone, maybe you shouldn’t try this at home.

I did put OSB sheathing inside instead of outside, as in the original plans. Why? I went for a standing seam roof. If you prefer roof shingles, then the OSB sheathing should remain on the outside.

I used 6 inches of polyurethane foam for insulation. It will keep the house warm even in Estonia’s cold winters.

One of my biggest takeaways?

It really is that easy. The step-by-step guide works, the material list is golden, and sourcing everything locally saves a ton. You don’t need to be a master builder to get it done. I’m beyond happy with how it turned out, and my mom is, too.