FREE DOWNLOAD · 8-PAGE GUIDE
KASITA CRAFTERS — FREE GUIDE
The Tiny Home
Cost Guide
A transparent breakdown of what a prefab tiny home actually costs — from foundation to finish, with real California numbers and no contractor markups.
01
The four real cost buckets — unit, delivery, site prep, permits
02
Unit pricing for every Kasita model
03
Site prep and permit cost ranges
04
Three real all-in cost examples
05
Financing options and what to expect
Kasita Crafters — homes for everyone
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INTRODUCTION
There's a middle option.
If you've priced a custom ADU in California, you've seen quotes north of $180,000 and 18–24 months of permitting. If you've scrolled Facebook Marketplace, you've seen $8,000 sheds that won't survive three winters.
Kasita sits in the middle: factory-built tiny homes from $25,000, delivered in weeks, built to a real design standard. This guide breaks down exactly what that costs — every line item, no markups, no surprises.
THE HONEST PROMISE
Every number in this guide is a real range we'd actually quote. Your free evaluation confirms the exact figure for your lot.
From $25k
Finished unit
~2–3 wks
Delivery
$1.8k–$3.2k/mo
Rental potential
Kasita Crafters — Tiny Home Cost Guide
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OVERVIEW
Four numbers decide your budget.
Almost every cost falls into one of four buckets. Two are fixed by the model you choose; two depend on your property. Here's the lay of the land before we go deep.
1
The unit
The finished structure — your model, factory-built to spec.
$25k–$50k
2
Delivery
Included within our Glendale–San Diego service area; quoted beyond it.
Included
3
Site prep
Getting your ground ready — grading, pad, and utility stubs.
$3k–$12k
4
Permits & fees
City permits and impact fees. Varies widely by jurisdiction.
$2k–$8k
Kasita Crafters — Tiny Home Cost Guide
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UNIT PRICING
Every model, every price.
Starting prices below include delivery within our service area. Each is the finished, factory-built structure — the rest of this guide covers what it takes to install it.
MODEL
SIZE
BEST FOR
FROM
Studio Model
400 sqft
ADU · rental · guest
$25,000
Luxury Kasita
400–600 sqft
Family · investors
$26,000
Capsule Unit
160 sqft
Studio · Airbnb
$29,800
Backyard Office 9×13
~120 sqft
Home office · studio
$21,500
Office 13×30
~390 sqft
Large studio · shop
$50,000
Digital Plans
DIY · contractor
$50–$500
Prices shown are starting points for a base configuration. Upgrades (kitchen, bath finishes, wheel base) are quoted separately during your evaluation.
Kasita Crafters — Tiny Home Cost Guide
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SITE PREP
Preparing your ground.
Site prep is the most variable cost — it depends entirely on your lot. Here are the typical line items and what each tends to run in California.
LINE ITEM
TYPICAL RANGE
Grading & leveling
$1,500–$5,000
Foundation pad — gravel, piers, or slab
$1,500–$6,000
Water connection
$500–$2,500
Sewer tie-in or septic
$1,000–$6,000
Electrical — panel & trenching
$1,500–$4,000
Utility permits
$300–$1,500
RULE OF THUMB
Most backyards land between $3,000 and $12,000. A flat lot with nearby utilities is cheapest; a sloped lot far from hookups sits at the top of the range.
Kasita Crafters — Tiny Home Cost Guide
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PERMITS & FEES
What the city charges.
California's ADU laws have streamlined approval, but local fees still vary. Here's what to expect — and where you may be exempt.
PERMIT / FEE
TYPICAL RANGE
Building permit
$1,000–$4,000
Plan check
$500–$1,500
Impact & utility fees
$0–$3,000
School / misc. fees
$0–$1,000
TYPICAL ALL-IN PERMIT COST
$2,000–$8,000
GOOD NEWS
California exempts many ADUs under 750 sqft from impact fees entirely. We confirm your specific city's rules during your free evaluation.
Kasita Crafters — Tiny Home Cost Guide
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REAL EXAMPLES
Three all-in budgets.
Here's how the four buckets add up for three common projects. Your numbers will differ — but this is the shape of a real budget.
Backyard office
Office 9×13 · flat lot · utilities close
Unit
$21,500
Site prep
$4,000
Permits
$2,500
All-in estimate
~$28,000
Rental studio
Studio 400 sqft · standard backyard
Unit
$25,000
Site prep
$8,000
Permits
$5,000
All-in estimate
~$38,000
Family 2-bed
Luxury 600 sqft · sloped lot
Unit
$32,000
Site prep
$10,000
Permits
$6,000
All-in estimate
~$48,000
Kasita Crafters — Tiny Home Cost Guide
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YOUR NEXT STEP
Ready to get your real number?
This guide gives you the ranges. A free 20-minute evaluation gives you the exact figure for your lot — model recommendation, site-prep estimate, permit outlook, and financing options, all in writing.
FINANCING AVAILABLE
From ~$420/mo on approved credit
1
Book a free 20-minute property evaluation
2
We confirm zoning, model fit, and your all-in number
3
You get an honest quote in writing — no pressure
Get your real number.
We'll give you an honest, all-in quote in writing — free, in 20 minutes.
BOOK YOUR FREE EVALUATION →
Kasita Crafters — Tiny Home Cost Guide
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