How much does a timber frame tiny house cost?
The materials of a 20 × 20 ft timber frame tiny house, as a low and a high cost, with what is counted, what is missing and the source of the prices.
Prices read on
The materials of a 20 × 20 ft timber frame tiny house (58 m² of floor) cost between $40,726 and $56,900 (middle of the range: $45,275), from retail prices read on 2026-10-26. This is a PARTIAL total: 15 priced lines, 2 allowances, and 4 items left unpriced because no price was read. It excludes taxes, transport, labour, cutting the frame and land. It is neither a quote nor the price of a stamped plan.
What the total counts
- Frame timber (rough-sawn, per board foot, from the cutting list)
- Engineer's stamp (plans, connection calculations, stamp): allowance of about $5,000
- Wall sheathing (strand board, 19/32 in)
- Roof decking (strand board, 19/32 in)
- Exterior rigid insulation, 2 in
- 6 mil polyethylene vapour barrier
- Regular gypsum board, 1/2 in (walls)
- 25 MPa concrete: slab, thickened edges, post footings
- 2 in rigid insulation under the slab and at the perimeter
- 6 mil polyethylene under the slab (300 mm lapped joints)
- Electrical (licensed contractor): allowance
- Slab base gravel (stone only, at the quarry)
- Windows (standard double glazing: floor price, to be confirmed by quote)
- Wall cavity insulation (R-22 batt, 5½ in)
- Roofing: shingles (low) or 12 ft sheet metal (high)
- Siding: vinyl (low) or fibre-cement (high)
- Exterior doors: one 36 in steel door (low), two (high)
What the total does not count
- Taxes (GST and QST)
- Transport
- Labour
- Cutting the frame
- Land, survey, soil study, permit and service connections
- Slab: excavation, formwork, reinforcement (Part 4), pump and finishing
- Roof insulation (cavity or rigid, depending on the frame assembly)
- Plumbing and waste water
- Heating and ventilation
How to read the low and the high cost
For each item that offers a choice, the low cost takes the cheapest option read and the high cost the dearest: shingles or sheet metal for the roof, vinyl or fibre-cement for the siding, one or two steel doors. Windows, wall insulation and gravel are estimates whose assumption is stated in the calculation. Prices are retail prices from public merchants (Canac, Rona) and mill prices (APFLO): not Biobâtir's price, not wholesale.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 20 × 20 ft timber frame tiny house cost?
The priced materials cost between $40,726 and $56,900 (middle $45,275), retail prices of 2026-10-26. The total is partial: roof insulation, plumbing, heating and slab extras are missing, and it excludes labour, taxes and transport.
Why a range rather than one price?
Because several items have a real choice (shingles or metal, vinyl or fibre-cement, one or two doors) and prices differ between merchants. The low cost takes the cheapest option read, the high cost the dearest.
Is this the price of a finished or turnkey house?
No. It is a partial cost of priced materials. A finished house also adds labour (or your time), land, services, plumbing, heating, taxes and transport.
What about a 16 × 20 ft tiny house or another size?
The calculation on this page is for the 20 × 20 ft frame. Quantities and cost change with the plan: Biobâtir's free designer calculates the frame lumber for your plan.
Where do the prices come from and from what date?
From retail price readings of public Quebec merchants (Canac, Rona) and mill lists (APFLO, sawmills), read on 2026-10-26. Lumber and materials are updated monthly.
Go further
- Lumber prices in Quebec
- Material prices
- Permit: document checklist
- Free guide: where to build (municipal rules)
- The timber frame designer
A materials estimate from posted retail prices: not a quote, not a stamped plan, not engineer or contractor advice.