Build a Tiny House Course

Learn how to build a tiny house with our DIY short courses in Sydney.

The tiny house movement has made its way to Australia.

This intensive course is hands-on and practical running over 6 days where you and a team will build a tiny house on wheels using recycled materials.

Learning to build a Tiny House from recycled materials is an endeavour that harmoniously combines environmental stewardship with personal empowerment, creativity, and financial savvy. This unique approach to housing is not just about constructing a smaller living space; it's about embracing a sustainable lifestyle, fostering self-reliance, and challenging conventional norms about what a home can be.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this Tiny House course, you should understand:

• The tools needed to build a tiny house
• The laws and regulations that may apply
• Trailer weight restrictions and any towing considerations
• Sourcing and using recycled materials
• How to use tools and equipment to actually build a tiny house!

Course content

What will be covered in this Build a Tiny House course

Day 1: Introduction, foundations and subfloor

Following a detailed introduction and OH&S overview, our instructors will lead you through the design for the Tiny House being built during the six-day course. You’ll be taught about the considerations when selecting a trailer on which to build a moveable Tiny House, including size, weight and towing restrictions. You’ll then prepare the trailer for building upon and begin attaching the subfloor framing and laying the floor of the Tiny House.

Day 2: Walls

You’ll learn how to build light timber frame walls and the theory necessary to convert your ideas into construction plans including stud spacing, calculating window and door openings, lintels, corner framing.

Together as a group, you’ll cut all the timbers for the wall frames, join each wall frame together, standing the walls on the trailer. Then square the house, add cross-bracing and secure the walls to the trailer.

Day 3 & 4: Roofing and loft framing

These are 2 big days! You will learn how to marking out and cut rafters then you’ll construct the roof of the Tiny House, sheet metal roofing, ridge capping, guttering and ceiling considerations.
Instructors will explain the importance of waterproofing and selecting the right roof insulation. By the end of these two days, the Tiny House will be an open frame with a waterproof and insulated roof.

Day 5: Exterior wall cladding

It’s important that your Tiny House be weatherproof and this is a key focus of Day 5 & 6. You’ll be working with salvaged corrugated iron and recycled weatherboards to attach the exterior cladding of the Tiny House. As well as learning how to install windows into the house frame and finish off window and door openings.

Day 6: Exterior trims and finishing off

By today, the Tiny House shell is complete. Today the door to the Tiny House will be hung and our instructors will show you how to install external trims around windows, doors and roofs. In the afternoon instructors will provide you with further learning resources for carpentry.

Intended audience

Who is this Tiny House course for?

This course is for anyone who wants to build their own tiny house. 

Course venue

The Bower, Summer Hill

7 Prospect Road, Summer Hill NSW 2131

Course materials

What materials are needed for this course?

All materials required for this course are provided.

Additional information

• This course is both theoretical and practical and will involve the use of power tools and some lifting and moving. Although the course does not preclude those unable to lift and/or operate machinery, you should discuss any injuries or physical limitations with course facilitators at the information evening.
• As this course requires significant investment in equipment, hire space, materials and personnel, it is priced accordingly. The purchase of materials and equipment requires a minimum number of enrolments. If the minimum numbers are not met four weeks prior to course commencement, the class may be postponed or cancelled. If the course is cancelled, the deposit of $500 will be refunded. The deposit is not a guarantee that the course will proceed. If the course goes ahead deposit is non-refundable after the cut off date unless in special circumstances as per Sydney Community College cancellation policy on the website.

Should you have any questions about this course or what is involved in enrolment, please give Sydney Community College a call on 02 8752 7555