Budget Breakdown: This $334K Tiny House Popped Up in an L.A. Backyard in Just Two Days
Built by Fritz Tiny Homes and delivered by crane, the compact ADU brings new potential to a compact Silver Lake lot.

Built by Fritz Tiny Homes and delivered by crane, the compact ADU brings new potential to a compact Silver Lake lot.
When Los Angeles County passed an ordinance that allowed mobile tiny homes to be installed as backyard ADUs in 2019, Silver Lake resident Jyotsna du Ciel was over the moon. "I freaked out," she says. "I was like, I’m going to be one of the first to get this going."

Jyotsna du Ciel commissioned Fritz Tiny Homes to design and build a tiny house on wheels for her Silver Lake, Los Angeles, property. The compact residence was craned into her backyard by The Crane Guys.
Photo courtesy of Fritz Tiny Homes
Jyotsna, a realtor who focuses on mid-term rentals, had been dreaming of adding a tiny home to her property for some time. "In a place like Silver Lake, every bit of space matters," she says. She envisioned a high-end, contemporary, and customized residence she could rent out for now, and possibly call home in the future.

The tiny house is situated at the rear of the property. "There are truly beautiful views," says Fritz Tiny Homes co-owner Kevin Fritz. "It looks to the hills of Silver Lake and the mountains beyond."
Photo: Amy Bartlam
Jyotsna currently lives in one unit of a duplex on her property. She rents out the other, and she also hosts tenants in an adjacent on-site bungalow. She wanted to add a tiny home to provide another source of income, but she was adamant about not disrupting her dense urban neighborhood with months of on-site construction.
$183,608 Base Halcyon 02 Price | $8,909 Window Upgrade Package | $5,996 Dual Head Mini Split |
$2,685 White Oak Cabinets, Flooring, Railing, Stairs, & Shelving | $699 Integrated Stair Lighting | $2,281 Dishwasher |
$625 Wall-Hung Toilet | $4,098 Queen Bed & Headboard | $2,943 Concrete Shower Floor |
$1,177 Russo Sofa | $3,917 Uninsulated Skirting | $74,200 Site Prep & Slab |
$19,600 Crane | $7,500 Site Planning & Permits | $4,500 Survey |
$12,200 Delivery & Installation | ||
Grand Total: $334,938 |
Her solution? A prefabricated home. "Prefab makes sense because it means quality production in a controlled environment, which is a big plus when dealing with logistics and permitting craziness in Los Angeles," she says.

Jyotsna selected black-painted composite wood siding by NewTechWood for the exterior.
Photo: Amy Bartlam
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: This $334K Tiny House Popped Up in an L.A. Backyard in Just Two Days
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