My friend, Jay, whom most all of you know as the father of the tiny house movement, just published dates for a ton of new Tiny House Workshops starting next January. If you act quickly, you can save 20% with their early bird special (only good through this weekend).

From Four Lights Tiny House Company...

Upcoming Tiny House Workshops & Events

Join seasoned tiny house builder and designer, Jay Shafer and experience a whole new way of thinking about house design and the spaces we live in. We've created a comprehensive workshop that will guide you through the process of planning and building your own tiny house. Learn more about each workshop by clicking the dates below.

• Sebastopol, CA - Jan 17-18
• San Diego, CA - Feb 14-15
• Tucson, AZ - March 14-15
• Portland, OR - May 23-24
• Boulder, CO - July 11-12
• Vancouver, BC - Aug 1-2
• Sebastopol, CA - Sept 5-6
• Irvine, CA - Oct 10-11
• Santa Cruz - Nov 7-8

Design / Build

• House Plans: What to look for and how to read them!
• Codes, Zoning, and Loopholes: The five ways to meet or beat the building codes and zoning restrictions that can make living simply seem way too complicated.
• Building Overview: How to build your own tiny house from trailer (or foundation) to roof and everything in between.
• Get guidance and tips for each stage of your project so you can go home with the confidence to build your own tiny house.
• Jay Shares his Biggest Mistakes Ever: Learn how to identify and avoid these common mistakes and pitfalls in your own design and building process.
• Get advice and tips on how to select the best materials for your project.

Tiny House Systems

• Integrative Design and the House as a System: The best choices for plumbing, electrical, and space conditioning tailored to your individual needs.
• Plumbing for Dummies: Normal & abnormal systems and how to adapt for changing environments.
• Water Demystified: Grey water, black water & rainwater
• Electricity: Safety, renewable energy sources, normal & abnormal systems and how to adapt for changing environments.
• Space Conditioning: Gas, wood, and electric overview; geothermal; passive solar; heat recovery ventilators; mini-splits
• How to easily avoid the potential for condensation in small houses.
• Cool Appliances: Jay and Mark’s favorite sources for refrigeration, ovens, stoves & ranges, washers & dryers, water heaters, and more!
• Sage Advice from a Poo-Poo Guru: Toilets: Flush; incinerating; composting; macerating – we’ll cover the pros and cons of them all.

Jay Shafer

Since 1997, Jay Shafer has been living in and designing tiny homes for people all over the world. With a passion for living simply, he has designed beautiful, functional little dwellings for others while teaching his philosophy and techniques at more than 35 workshops in the United States and Canada. His work has spawned a movement towards tiny, with simple, comfortable, energy efficient and eco-friendly living solutions. Read more about Jay here or follow the links below to see what the media has to say about Jay Shafer and the Small House Movement.

Mark Fallin

Mark is a Building Scientist and Designer with over 20 years experience supporting the development of net-zero energy homes, commercial buildings, and communities. He is an expert in cutting-edge renewable technologies and comprehensive sustainability planning. He has a deep background in building science and the use of analytical tools to improve the comfort, indoor air quality and energy efficiency of commercial and residential buildings. Comprehensive knowledge of solar electric and solar thermal systems from design and installation to troubleshooting and maintenance.

Editor's Note: I am in no way affiliated with Jay Shafer or Four Lights Tiny House Company, and stand the gain nothing from this post. I am promoting these events because I know there is absolutely no-one with more tiny house experience than Jay, and I've seen first-hand how great a workshop he and Mark can create. I wholeheartedly believe these workshops will be highly beneficial to anyone who attends.