KAUKAUNA, Wis — Tiny homes, which are also known as granny pods, are taking the country by storm. They're small houses designed for folks looking for simple living options or maybe just an alternative for a loved one who is considering moving to a nursing home.
Just this week, a northeast Wisconsin construction company announced they are building a new version of tiny homes which they plan on selling within just months. But the little homes, have a unique feature that requires them to be built onto an existing home and actually makes them more appealing to many communities zoning ordinances.
In an unsuspecting shop in Kaukauna, a company called Seniors First Living has come up with a big idea, that plays out on a very small scale.
"Tiny homes, granny pods, these are things that are very popular in different parts of the country," explains project manager Greg Cops of Seniors First Remodeling.
Cops says he helped his company create something called Linked Living Homes, which are tiny houses that are built 10x14 feet in diameter and then shipped to a preexisting home to be attached to a house.
"So you don't have to go outside in the winter and it's a lot easier to run utilities and things through and we also think it makes a better connection for the families," says Cops.
Every small home is built for the new homeowners specific needs. Typically the home will come with a bedroom, living room and a bathroom which creators say gives elderly folks and those with disabilities the opportunity to live next to loved ones and so much more.
"This brings them close and still gives them the independence that they're searching for," says Tom Cops the owner of Seniors First Remodeling.
Cops says most of the small homes being built at his workshop in Kaukauna are going to cost about 73 thousand dollars apiece. A price tag that project leaders say is modest considering what assisted living facilities can cost seniors after just a couple of years.
"Assisted living in nursing homes can cost between 50-100 thousand dollars a year. So you can understand how you can very quickly pay for it living out of a Linked Living home," says Cops.
But perhaps the most popular aspect of the little linked in home that they're creating is that many communities in northeast Wisconsin don't require special and sometimes complicated or not allowed zoning permits for them. Cops says that's because the homes are considered an addition to the preexisting home.
"We have reached out to some of the zoning planning administrators and they have been by and large excited and enthused by the idea," explains Tom Cops.
"We've met with most of the local cities and towns. Neenah, Menasha, Oshkosh, Green Bay, De Pere to discuss the concept and make sure it's something that will be allowed," says Greg Cops.
The first homes are already scheduled to be completed in just a couple of weeks according to Cops. Who adds that within a couple of months, you might start noticing them in some of your neighbors back yards.
