Real People. Real Small. Real Living.
We are real people who love to design, build, and live well. And we love sharing what we know with others.
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About
Our Story
Our story started when we met in architecture school at University of Oregon - Go Ducks! We ended up building a life together that’s centered around family, design, learning, and a WHOLE lot of DIY.
Over the years, Quin has built a career in the world of building—through architecture, urban planning, building safety, and municipal facilities/construction. He’s always been curious about how things are built, why they work, and how to make them better (and has accumulated a truly impressive number of tools along the way).
Mary’s path went from architecture to nonprofit work. She serves as Executive Director of Apple Seeds, a teaching farm that reaches more than 20,000 kids each year, focused on nutrition, health, and food insecurity. With both of us having careers in service work and municipalities, it strongly influences how we think about education, access, and sharing knowledge.
When we decided to design and build a small home for ourselves, we chose to be deeply involved in every part of the process—researching materials, planning the execution, and forecasting budgets. These plans, spreadsheets, and guides grew out of that experience. Our hope is to make building a small, well-designed home feel more approachable by sharing what we learned along the way.
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Why
Our Plans Give You Everything you need to
- Choose a great builder for your project—or get started if you’re building it yourself
- Begin the building permit process with your local department
- Plan your specific budget
A Good Plan Matters
- Plan Matters:Efficient use of space is the most important thing in a small build
- Great flow to make daily life smooth and delightful
- Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Use of Resources with less waste
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FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a building permit using these plans?
These plans are sufficient to pull permits for single house projects in most cases. Applying for building permits includes filling out your local building form, attaching the construction plan set for submission, and also adding a site plan that is unique to your project.
Are these plans stamped by an architect or an engineer?
These plans are not stamped. In most municipalities, houses of this sizel do not require a stamp. When a stamp is needed, it needs to be from an in-state licensed architect or engineer.
Can I build as many of these as I want?
This sale is just for one structure to be built. If you want unlimited use, please contact us at hello@buildsmall.co
What happens after I purchase a set of plans or the building guide?
You will get an email with the pdf attached. Each set of plans will have one license to build per plan with a number as well as your name on it. After your purchase, your name is stamped on the pdf and then emailed to you.
