The Dream of a Home in Germany
Mr M and I had long been considering having a base in Germany as part of our plan to split our time between New Zealand and Germany later in life. Our main goal? Avoiding winter and spending time with family & friends on both sides of the world! We wanted a small, manageable space – a Lil House – that would allow us to spend more time with the people we love rather than maintaining a large house.
However, the small village where I grew up in Germany isn’t exactly known for small space living. Most of the houses are quite large and are often passed down through generations rather than being put up for sale. I couldn’t imagine spending our precious time in Germany cooped up in an apartment in another town, away from family and friends.
The Decision to Build a Lil House
Given these constraints, building our own place seemed like the most practical solution. And what better location than on family land, right in front of my parents’ house and next door to my aunts and other close relatives? It was the perfect setup.
We began planning in 2018, envisioning a house that could be built offsite and then craned in for assembly onsite. This approach had several advantages, particularly since we were living in Tokyo at the time. Most decisions would be made upfront, reducing the need for ongoing site management. Plus, it meant my family wouldn’t have to deal with a prolonged construction project right outside their front door.
Finding the Right Lil House Builders
At the end of 2018, I embarked on a tour of Germany with my dad, visiting companies that specialised in small-space living. To my surprise, the options were quite limited. The tiny house movement hadn’t yet gained the momentum it has today and most off-site building companies were offering houses with a minimum living space of 112m²—far too big for our needs.
Construction and Delays
Construction of the Lil House began in 2019 inside a massive warehouse. Then, just as things were progressing, the world changed. Covid-19 hit, bringing with it delays and building material shortages. Changes to the some of the features had to be incorporated.
By August 2020, the house was finally ready for delivery. Unfortunately, we were still stuck in Japan due to the pandemic. Leaving the country meant being denied re-entry, so we had to watch the entire installation process through video calls from afar.
Delivery and Installation
The Lil House has a footprint of just 48m². It was delivered on two huge trailers, craned onto the pre-built concrete foundation and anchored securely into place. The entire process took about 48 hours. The two halves arrived with windows, bathroom, heating, ventilation and flooring all pre-installed, making the house practically move-in ready.
My dad, thankfully, was able to project manage everything onsite, ensuring the installation went smoothly.
Finally Seeing Our Lil House
It wasn’t until July 2021, a year later, that we finally got to see our Lil House in person. By then, Covid restrictions in Japan had eased just enough for us to make the trip. Seeing it standing there was a moment of pure joy.
This little house represents not just a physical space, but our dream of living between two worlds and making the most of every precious moment with the people we love.
Building our Lil House was a journey filled with some challenges, from finding the right builders to navigating a global pandemic. But in the end, it all came together perfectly, giving us the small, low-maintenance retreat we had always envisioned.
Discover more about the Lil House here.
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