Strawbale walls, lime plaster, salvaged redwood and a green roof make this tiny addition special. We saved every plant we could and took measures to protect trees during construction, as you can see. This project was designed by architect Julie Gabrielli and Greenbuilders for Keith Bowers, owner of Biohabitats, and his wife Christel Cochran. To protect Keith and Christel’s native planting which surrounds the house, we taught our carpenters to set their ladders on rocks (see photo) and to be careful in laying cords to power tools. A copper rain chain and basin instead of a downspout add the perfect final touch. Tiny houses are low-cost housing only if you assemble the materials and build it yourself. If you will be hiring others, you should figure your costs will likely be $100-250,000.