If there was one thing, the world’s largest home improvement retailer had missed from its checklist, it was entry into the real estate market. Believe it or not, Home Depot is now officially selling multiple Build-it-yourself or DIY (whatever you prefer calling it) house kits ranging from $4000 to $40,000. Some might see it as a desperate move to prevent Amazon from obsoleting them, but I think with the housing crisis gripping the world and escalating rent prices, it was sooner or later bound to happen.
We bring this up because Home Depot’s $44,000 ‘Getaway Pad’ manufactured by PLUS 1 Homes is garnering a lot of attention on social media. It’s a two-story home boasting a spiral staircase that would help you access the roof deck. But, before you jump the gun and hop on the Home Depot site to book your slot, let me divulge that it’s just the shell that will cost $44k. Nothing else is included!
So you’d have to buy your own furnishings, windows, doors, appliances and even finish the interior, and manage plumbing and electricity on your own. Not to mention that you’d have to pay the property tax of the land it sits on. If this doesn’t leave you dead tired, you’d have to apply for permits as well. “This model is designed to be constructed on a concrete slab with no deck option, the deck and flooring system is an upgrade option,” mentions Home Depot.
So, why choose Home Depot, when any other tiny house shell would cost literally half the price? Well, it’s a matter of perception, trust, and the legacy the brand has built over the years. I am somewhat afraid the same legacy could be tainted because honestly there are builders in the market who offer a full-fledged home for half the price of what Home Depot is just offering the shell.
Nevertheless, Home Depot’s Getaway Pad tiny house kit includes steel structure and assembly parts. When affixed, they offer 620 square feet of space that can feature a bedroom, kitchen (not included in the pictures), bathroom, and living room. Not to mention, a spiral staircase leading to a roof deck which is an optional upgrade.
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What’s more baffling, however, is the rendered video Home Depot has uploaded. I couldn’t spot a kitchen there, but since it’s the user who’d be the one customizing it, the choice is theirs to make where they’d want a particular space. “Our PLUS 1 home kits consist of only the steel frame structure (shell) and the necessary components to assemble them. You have complete freedom to design and finish your ADU in a completely unique way to match your spatial needs, budget, and personal style,” Home Depot points.
The bottom line is Home Depot’s Getaway Pad tiny house kit costs an arm and leg. To counter that rhetoric, the largest home retailer company has a fancy pitch that states, “Steel frame buildings are not affected by termites, mold, rodents, or bugs. They are also fire-resistant.” If you are not impressed with that they even go on to call their kit environmentally friendly and sustainable, since steel is recyclable. Furthermore, the steel frame kit is even engineered to withstand harsh climates, including cyclones and hurricanes. Alright, I’ll buy that theory, unless I face a hurricane in real-life!
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Having said that, the choice is yours to make and I hope you are wise to invest in what is best for your business and your family. Want a pro tip? Anything you see in the photo of the model home is not included in the kit unless it’s explicitly stated. Thank me later!
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