Walmart is known for selling a wide variety of products, ranging from groceries and household items to electronics and clothing. Now, the everyday low prices retailer includes steel-framed tiny home kits among its offerings.
Well Done 1 Home Kits, headquartered in Sheridan, Wyoming, is offering its tiny homes for sale on Walmart’s online platform for $25,895. Buyers can choose to assemble their tiny home kit themselves or hire a contractor to handle the task.
The steel-framed “Ocean View With Spiral Stairs” model is 96 square feet and can be used as a beach pad, kids’ club, home office, creative space, she-shed or workshop.
50-Year Warranty on Steel Framing
The “Ocean View With Spiral Stairs” model is 96 square feet (12’w x 8’d x 16’h) and can be used as a beach pad, kids’ club, home office, creative space, she-shed or workshop. The tiny homes are expected to be durable due to their metal-framed construction.
“Unlike wood framing,” the Well Done 1 Home Kits page on Walmart.com says, “a steel frame will not rot, warp or burn.”
The metal features within the kit includes:
- Structurally fabricated, light-weight steel-stud frame
- Stainless steel posts and cable wire roof deck railing
The tiny home kits include a 50-year warranty on the steel framing, and a 1-year warranty on all other non-steel kit materials.
Well Done 1 Home Kits offers a 50-year warranty on the steel framing, and a 1-year warranty on all other non-steel kit materials. Prior to assembly, the company advises buyers to reach out to building code authorities and city planning department to obtain local building code specifications.
Why Steel Framing for Tiny Homes?
Cold-formed steel (CFS), also called light-gauge steel or metal stud framing, is made from structural quality sheet steel formed into C-sections and other shapes usually by roll forming steel through a series of dies. No heat is required to form the shapes.
A preferred framing material for tiny homes for multiple reasons, CFS is:
- Pre-engineered and can be cut to exact lengths
- Dimensionally stable and does not expand or contract with changes in moisture content
- Lightweight compared to wood and concrete
- Will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements
- Sustainable and 100% recyclable
- Durabile and has a high tensile strength
- Non-combustible and is a safeguard against fire accidents
Steel-Framed Home Kits Since 1908
Steel frame home kits are not new, according to KOAMNewsNow. From 1908 to 1940, the Sears & Roebuck Catalog sold 70,000 to 75,000 homes of various models, many of which are still inhabited today, showcasing the enduring quality of steel-based construction.
JC Penny stores also offered a selection of home designs available for purchase in their catalogs, highlighting the popularity and versatility of steel-framed homes during that era.
Sears introduced a house crafted by the Lustron Company. This innovative dwelling, built in 1949, featured prefabricated pieces of metal and porcelain enameled steel, showcasing the durability and efficiency of steel in residential construction.
Shipped with clear assembly instructions, this metal-paneled home emerged after World War II to meet the housing demands of America’s “baby boom” era. Priced between $6,000 and $10,000, these steel-based homes offered a blend of affordability and modern design for new families.
Additional Resources
- California to Build Steel-Framed Tiny Homes for the Homeless
- Steel Framing Featured in 47 Modular Housing Units for Senior Housing
- Tiny Home Builder Goes with Steel Framing, a ‘Better Option’ for Quality and Features