Wally and Big Dog Wow Tiny Home Festival

Wally Walls and Big Dog Tiny Homes teamed up at the nation’s largest Tiny Home Festival in Elkton FL. Elizabeth Singleton, President of Big Dog Tiny Homes, was the Festival’s Keynote Speaker. Wally showed off by erecting a 276 sq. ft. tiny home in just under 4 hours!

The Festival brought a mix of tiny home dwellers, manufacturers, potential buyers and real estate developers. The message was clear: this is no fad! The dwellers loved their lifestyle, the manufacturers produced wonderful tiny homes, the potential buyers were excited to shed big home upkeep and expenses, and the real estate developers were trying to figure how to get their local municipalities to allow them to build pocket neighborhoods.

There was also plenty of good food and music at the festival, as well as this little guy who kept paying us a visit - But of course he did: Where else would a little big dog named “Little Big Man” hang out except with Wally and Big Dog Tiny Homes!

Better. Better. Better.

A Revolution in Housing

Wally Walls is honored to be part of this Team delivering Better homes in Bath, Maine. This development features 7 single family rental homes. The homes are 3 bdr/2.5 bths and are constructed using Better materials to deliver energy efficient, sensible housing in a community with only a few rental homes available - none of which are energy efficient, and many of which are outdated and may have issues relating to mold and wood boring insects.

Of course, these new homes may not be for everyone. There are some that want to pay high utility bills to live in homes with mold and wood boring insects because “that’s how we build homes.” While that statement may seem tongue-in-cheek, the truth is that is how many react when they hear “for rental housing featuring light gauge insulated walls.” Banks, investors, municipalities and contractors too often default to wood construction in a “for sale” environment with larger zoning lots.  As a result, there is a dearth of decent, sensible “for rent” product nationally.  Rather than not repeating sins of the past, we are consistently fed larger, less energy efficient homes to buy and then wonder why we face a house-poor populous and housing bubbles.

Here’s the thing folks: Land is not getting cheaper, construction materials are not decreasing, and salaries are not rising at the same rate of increases identified here. Given that, why is it that building Better homes that are sensible in stature, energy efficient, and less expensive is such a radical thought?

 Some folks, like those on this sign, get it. To quote John Lennon: “Some people say I am a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.” 

Which side of this debate are you on? What are you building with? 

Better. Better. Better.

MID-RISES AND WALLY WALLS - A PERFECT FIT

Whether you’re adding two floors to an existing structure or building a brand new mid-rise, OR BOTH CONCURRENTLY, Wally Walls is a perfect fit! Utilizing conventional framing techniques and delivering the walls pre-insulated, Wally Walls delivers the most energy efficient, strong, and easy to assemble modular wall on the market today.

Besides just providing a superior wall assembly, Wally Walls’ Engineering Team integrates with your Engineer of Record and Architect to provide the most efficient shop drawings for cold form steel erection. Better means not only manufacturing walls, it means getting into the trenches and solving problems up-front to help insure a seamless build.

By adding Wally Walls to your team, you strengthen every aspect of the process, starting with a BIM Model of your Project, which in turn allows your MEP’s to better integrate their work. In addition, engineering a Better Building not only saves time in the field, it saves money as utilization of our energy efficient walls reduces the need for increased HVAC and electrical loads. Also, cold form steel framing reduces the weight of the building, which often times saves costs by reducing loads at the foundation and transfer beams. Build Better. BUILD WITH WALLY!

Better. Better. Better.

Breaking ground on tiny homes for homeless veterans

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Over the weekend, a valley group, "Build Us H.O.P.E," broke ground on "Micro on Madison."

And although micro means small, there's nothing little about the impact of their work, including tackling the issue of homeless veterans in the Phoenix community with the use of tiny homes.

VIDEO: Fox 10's Marcy Jones met with the President of the organization and what their goals are to help get homeless veterans off the streets and into tiny homes.

Think big, live small

David Wallach wants future homeowners to think small ... small as in a dwelling less than 600 square feet that is designed with the modern conveniences of a much larger home.

He hopes municipal governments and builders change their conception that a house has to be bigger than 600 square feet. If that happens, more affordable tiny homes could be built in communities.

Operating out of a small factory at 6320 20th Ave., Wallach, a builder and CEO of Big Dog Tiny Home, builds tiny houses on wheels that can be 420 square feet or slightly smaller.

The houses feature custom-built cabinetry, loft bedrooms, kitchens with full-sized appliances and an efficient bathroom with shower. They also have dual purpose features — for example, a kitchen cabinet can double as a staircase to a loft bedroom.

Wallach said all of the appliances and material are from local companies.

Wally Walls

The tiny houses are built with light, but strong walls made from light gauge steel panels containing graphite-infused expanded polystyrene made by Wally Walls, Wallach’s manufacturing company located in Kenosha’s Uptown neighborhood.

Wally Walls are insulated panels that can be installed in structures without the use of cranes and can help builders reduce their construction schedule and building costs.

Wally Walls are already used in some commercial and multi-family housing units in Chicago and other areas, Wallach said.

“The walls are stronger than conventional framing and have a load strength that is twice that of a stud,” he said. He said the walls exceed the new International Residential Code.

While he is marketing Wally Walls to architects, engineers and developers, he foresees Big Dog Tiny Homes, a relatively new venture, to be a growing business. Wallach has already begun talks with the city of Chicago and Kenosha to produce housing and commercial structures with the Wally Walls.

Practical housing

Wallach believes tiny homes are a practical response to soaring housing costs and could be the right dwelling for downsizing baby boomers, millennials who do not need much space and even for communities to provide housing for the homeless.

His dream is to some day build a community of tiny houses. Wallach began creating Wally Walls in June 2016. Shortly afterward he came up with the plan to build the tiny houses.

On Wednesday, workers were putting finishing interior touches to one ready to ship to a Google employee in California.

Next up for the construction crew is a house that has already been sold to someone in Illinois.

Prices for some units can start at $45,000 to construct.

Wallach said the homes are not to be confused with mobile homes, manufactured housing or recreational vehicles.

He said the homes are better built and more energy efficient because the walls, with their graphite filling, are better insulated, thereby reducing heating and cooling costs.

They are healthier too, he said, because mold does not grow on the steel or the filling.