The 5 best home kits under $50K: Top houses from a box

Features 

• 600 square feet, plus 600 square feet of loft space
• 30 feet long
• Bed and bath capabilities depend on the purchaser
• Price: $32,815

This kit home yields a spacious cabin suited to any setting. It’s rugged, made with a mortise and tenon timber frame, and it can be configured into anything — a guest house, a workshop, a cabin, or even an art studio. It’s customizable in four different sizes: 20×30 ft, 20×40 ft, 24×30 ft, and 24×40 ft. 

As per the Father’s Day sale prices, the 20×30 ft kit costs $23,149 for the frame alone and $32,069 for the complete pre-cut kit with a weather-tight shell. You receive a pre-cut post and beam frame, rafters, and a floor system for the frame-only option. In the complete pre-cut kit, you get the frame kit plus siding, roofing, doors, and windows. The three-season and four-season kits are for places that experience inclement weather. The three-season option prepares the cabin for interior finishing with a complete pre-cut kit, a vapor barrier that protects against moisture, insects, and rodents, and an insulated floor system. The Vermont Cabin would cost $32,815 with the three-season pack.

The four-season pack would cost $44,899 and include everything in the three-season, plus high R-value roof and wall insulation, thermal pane doors and windows, and pine interior sheathing. For one structure, you have the flexibility to choose from kits that range from $23,149 to $44,899 depending on your needs and budget. In every option, you receive a rough-sawn post and beam frame, the plans for the project, organized pieces that match the plans, and all of the needed hardware to assemble the home. 

Even though the Vermont Cabin took the top pick, it wasn’t the only model from the Jamaica Cottage Shop that caught my eye. The shop specializes in versatile, affordable, rugged homes, selling pre-cut kits with the frame only, the complete pack, the three-season pack, the four-season pack, and the fully assembled version. You can choose what you need based on your budget. If the Vermont Cabin is out of your price range, check out the Vermont Cottage series which has smaller overall sizes, but the same feel for a lower price.

The company ships up to 300 miles from their Southern Vermont factory. Their smallest 8×12 ft Cross Gable tiny home costs only $2,769 for the frame-only kit and $7,609 to arrive at your door fully assembled. Their solar cabin is 14×20 ft and has four-season insulation, plumbing, electricity, and a wood stove all included in the Father’s Day sale price of $49,027. You can also purchase the plans alone for each home for around $100.   

Pros

• Easy-to-follow DIY plans
• Wide range of offerings to suit every price point
• Designed to be installed on a concrete slab, but you can purchase a floor system if you’re installing it on a basement
• Easily configurable plans on the site

Cons

• This model cannot be assembled offsite and delivered to you, though other models can
• Father’s Day Sale prices only last until June 20
• Stairs are not included (ladder only) and the stair system kit costs an additional $2,255
• The loft weight rating is 10 lbs per square foot, so you have to be mindful of that