Information and Application for Small Home Shells and Finished Small Homes Through Wild Abundance

Thanks to the generous support of folks who have donated to the Wild Abundance Disaster Relief Fund, and the loving labor of students and volunteers, Wild Abundance is offering several 12×24 small home shells and finished 12×24 small homes at no or very low cost to flood victims in 2025.

We want to make sure things are super clear and that we match these homes with people in need who can finish (in the case of the shells) and provide sites, foundations and transport for them. Please read the following information thoroughly.

So here’s the deal:

Wild Abundance is a carpentry and building school in Barnardsville, NC. We build small homes and tiny houses as part of our classes. Over the next 12 months we will construct several small home shells and two finished small homes for folks who have lost theirs as a result of hurricane Helene. 

*Unfinished shells will be framed and sheathed, ready for the recipient to finish them to their liking; fully finished small homes will include roofs, floors, windows, doors, etc. read on for more details.*  

The reasons why we are offering more shells than finished small homes is two-fold: We can build multiple shells, thus helping multiple households, for the amount of money and labor that it takes to do just two finished small homes; also, there is not time in our regular classes (which are 10 days long) to do more than framing and sheathing. This program gives recipients an opportunity to help themselves get into (or back into) quality and long-term home ownership, and to experience the joy of customizing their own home, and the investment and pride of being part of the build.

Shells are framed and sheathed, but do NOT include:

• Exterior siding
• Finish roofing
• Insulation
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Interior paneling
• May or may not include windows or doors (sometimes we have time for windows and doors, other times we don’t)

These parts of the project will be for the recipient to complete. Bits of finishing sheathing and/or zip tape may also need to be finished, though generally we get to most of it. We encourage participants to seek other funding (crowdfunding, donations, grants, etc.) and to call for work parties if the cost of building a foundation and completing finishwork feels prohibitive. **Wild Abundance is continuing to look for alliances for this part of the process so that finishing these homes can be more accessible to those that need them.**

The two fully finished small homes will have all or most of the above steps completed, and will still need a completed foundation to land on at their destination.

Costs

We have raised money in order to offer these shells and completed small houses at low or no cost. However, the recipient may need to:

• Arrange & pay for delivery ($500-$1000*)
• Arrange and pay for the building of a foundation ($400-$30,000*)
• Recipients of unfinished shells will also need to cover the cost of finish work ($5,000-$30,000*), including labor and materials

*The ranges presented above reflect variations on time, amount of labor done oneself, and quality of materials chosen. 

We ask for a $1500 refundable deposit that we will return upon timely delivery of the small home. It is extremely important that these buildings leave on time so that we can build the next one for someone else. If the recipient of the building does not have the site ready to receive the building, or does not follow up with the shed mover in a timely way, their deposit is forfeit and the shell or home may be given to the next available recipient. 

Foundations & Transportation

The structures are built on skids (beams to support the building while being built and transported) and can be transported by a professional driver with a specialized trailer to a foundation at their destination. A foundation could be a temporary foundation of cinder-blocks and beams, or it could be a permanent pier or perimeter foundation. 

The recipient will be responsible for:

• Preparing the site and foundation, (and getting it inspected, if this is desired), in time for delivery. 
• Coordinating with the mover and paying for the transportation of the structure, unless other arrangements have been made to pay for delivery ahead of time.
• The recipient must live within 1.5 hours of our campus on Paint Fork Road in Barnardsville, NC. 
• Arranging everything so that delivery happens within the agreed upon 4-day time window

Wild Abundance will share the contact information of a competent and capable shed mover who has moved these shells for local recipients in the past for $500-1000, depending on distance and which machines are needed for the specific site at the destination. 

What will still need to be done? 

Unfinished Shells: During our workshops or with volunteers, we:

• Frame the floor and install a subfloor
• Build and put sheathing on the walls and roof
• Frame some interior walls (bathroom and loft)
• Possibly install some windows and doors (not guaranteed)

There may still be bits of framing (such as eaves or interior framing) that aren’t quite finished on the shell, depending on how far we get in class. 

After the recipient receives the shell, gets it onto a foundation and finishes up any unfinished framing, it will need:

• Roofing
• Siding
• May need windows and doors installed
• interior work:
  • Drywall/paneling
  • Insulation
  • Plumbing
  • Electrical
  • Utilities installation
  • Cabinetry
  • Flooring
  • Painting, trim, etc.

This is a significant amount of work and materials, but also means lots of room for personalization!

Finished small homes: These will have most or all of the exterior work and most or all of the interior work already completed, but will still need a foundation to land on and utilities to connect to, if desired. Depending on where the building is going, the eaves may need to be attached, and the finished roofing may need to be installed on site.  

If all of this is sounding appealing to you and you’re ready to embark on this invitation to finish a small home shell, or receive a completed one, please answer the following questions for us below!