The 420 square-foot backyard cottage

Sustainable homes and structures are something everyone gets excited about and there can be several reasons for that. Sustainable structures allow us to express our concerns for the environment and to actually try to do something about it and to contribute to a more responsible way of living. Of course, there are also the financial concerns to take into consideration. Sustainable homes offer new sources of energy and other features that have a positive outcome on our financial life.

6 Rooms in 420 Square Feet www newavenuehomes com

Few projects are as successful as this beautiful cottage. This small Berkeley structure was built by New Avenue Inc. It’s a backyard cottage that measures 420 square feet. Even though it’s small, it’s been very cleverly designed with a layout that allows it to house a living room, a kitchen, a dining area, a bathroom and a loft.

6 Rooms in 420 Square Feet www newavenuehomes com
6 Rooms in 420 Square Feet www newavenuehomes com

The cost of the whole project was $98,000 and this includes all the expenses. No compromises have been made when building this cottage and it includes everything one would need for a comfortable living. The cottage is powered by a 1.67 kW solar array that was installed on the main house.

The cottage was built with insulated slabs and features R19 recycled denim insulation. It also has insulated hot water pipes and an on-demand water heater. The windows have low-E insulated glass. In the kitchen there is an induction cooktop and an Energy Star dishwasher amongst other amenities and features.

6 Rooms in 420 Square Feet www newavenuehomes com
6 Rooms in 420 Square Feet www newavenuehomes com
6 Rooms in 420 Square Feet www newavenuehomes com

The very well-planned design of this cottage and the cost required to build it make this structure is a very promising creation that could also be implemented elsewhere. In fact, there are several similar homes under construction at the moment and several more that are expecting to be built in the future. The great thing about this particular cottage is the fact that not only it is sustainable but it also has a charming design and looks like a very inviting space.