Huot program betting big on tiny house

LACONIA — Last year, the students in the Huot Technical Center’s building construction and plumbing and heating classes spent all year building a tiny house. The project generated a lot of public interest, both in Laconia and when the finished project joined three others at the New Hampshire State Home Show in Manchester.

After the show, though, the home was taken over by the NH Lottery, which used it as a prize for a special scratch ticket. This year, Huot teachers and the Lakes Region Builders and Remodelers Association have decided to build another tiny house, but to sell it themselves to fund another student project for next year.

For $55,000, the person who buys the finished product will be able to drive away with a trailer carrying the 192-square-foot home, with an 80-square-foot loft. The exterior is clad in red cedar with a pine trim, the interior wears light white oak panels. The roof is corrugated black metal, the windows are made by Pella. The home contains propane heating and hot water systems, a shower, a range, a refrigerator and hook-ups for water and septic.

Building a tiny house, said building construction teacher Matt Towle, is, “one of the biggest productions for the program in many years.”

The technical school program, which welcomes students from six local high schools, had been taking on projects of increasing sophistication – garden sheds, then bobhouses – leading up to the tiny house.

Tiny houses, usually built on mobile home trailers, have captured the imaginations of people who are interested in a low-impact, high-activity lifestyle. They’re attractive to the technical center for a different reason: they require nearly all of the skills needed to build a conventional home, but can be worked on inside of the school’s shop.

“It’s a manageable size for us,” Towle said.

Just because it’s small doesn’t mean it’s easy.

“It’s a lot more challenging than some would think,” Towle said. “It doesn’t just involve a guy swinging a hammer, it involves someone who appreciates good structure.” In addition to carpentry, students learned about insulation, gas fitting, roofing and plumbing. “There’s so many factors to this.”

The students had a lot of expert help throughout the process, thanks to a partnership with the Lakes Region Builders and Remodelers Association. The trade group’s members provided all of the materials for the project, as well as a stream of professionals who served as guest instructors.

One of those was Ray Boelig, of Ponders Hollow Custom Hardwood, who helped show a group of students on Friday, April 20, how to apply a coat of stain to the flooring. Boelig said that some of the students he’s encountered at the Huot are still exploring construction as a possibility, while others are actively pursuing a career in the trade.

“It’s refreshing,” he said. “The fun part is, when we have a task to do, if it’s something they haven’t done before, they fall all over each other to do it first.”

The builders association needs this partnership as much as the Huot needs their support and expertise. Brenda Richards, executive officer of the association, said there are an array of jobs waiting for graduates of the program.

“It’s huge. I know that our membership, that’s the number one need for trade professionals: help.” In the Lakes Region and across the country, the average age of trade professionals is moving closer and closer toward retirement. “They have a need for trained workforce coming back in.”

A handful of those incoming tradespeople were working on the house on April 20, including Carter Auger, a Laconia senior who plans to open a home repair business.

Auger said, “It’s probably one of the best experiences you can have, building a tiny house, because you get to do a little bit of everything.”

Bradley Weeks will graduate from Laconia High School this year. He’s already well on his way to a career as an electrician, having clocked 400 hours as an apprentice with a local contractor.

“There’s a shortage right now, you can make great money. It’s a great alternative to college,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, it seems like a great path for me.”

Brandon Patten, a senior at Inter-Lakes, grew up in a family of builders. He’s striking out in a new direction and has plans to become a plumber. With the tiny house, he’s gained a new level of understanding of how the many systems in a building come together.

“There’s many things (Towle) has taught us on the tiny house that you don’t learn on a shed,” such as how to hang and insulate windows, how to lay a nice hardwood floor, Patten said. “There are things he’s been able to show us this year, that before he could just tell us about them. It makes a lot more sense now.”

Last year’s tiny house was appraised for well more than this year’s current asking price. When it sells, the proceeds will be used to fund a similar project for students next year, and as such the program will become self-sustaining.

“We’re not trying to make money on this,” said Richards. “We’re hoping that a buyer would see the value in this program and not see just a tiny house. We hope they will see this as what it is and allow the program to continue.”

To inquire about the tiny house, call 603-387-1817 or email lakesregionbuilders@gmail.com.