About Build Tiny
Build Tiny is a woman-owned, tiny house company that offers training, design and construction services to tiny house enthusiasts of all levels. We strive to bring confidence and quality to your project by delivering a completed custom home to your location or through training that enables you to either help build, or build your own, tiny house.
Our Team
Robin Hayes
Robin is the owner of Build Tiny. She has created and lived in a variety of spaces during her construction career, some tiny, some not so tiny. The one thing that they all have in common is that they’re based on her love of high quality sustainable building and creative expression. Robin’s passion for sustainability led her to become a Green Advantage Certified Builder. She is also insured and carries the following licenses: Class A General Contractor, Master Plumber, Master Gas Pipe Fitter, and Plumbing Instructor. Robin brings more than thirty five years of construction and educational experience to help you create and build your perfect tiny house.
Al Cobb
Al is a construction materials expert with more than 25 years of experience in helping people save money on construction and energy costs with the innovative Structural Insulated Panel Systems (SIPS) building system. SIPS is an extremely strong, energy efficient and cost effective construction method that uses insulated panels. His expertise includes every aspect of SIPS design and implementation, from manufacturing and distribution to installation and education. Al is the owner of Panelwrights LLC, the mid-Atlantic region’s premiere SIPS distributor, and Director of SIPschool, which provides industry-leading educational programs.
Melanie Tumlin
Melanie is a true Build Tiny enthusiast, having lived with two cats, a dog, and another human in a 1973 VW van (too tiny), followed by a converted 36′ school bus named Idgie. Armed with little more than a can-do attitude and the power of Google, Melanie picked up basic construction and mechanical skills to keep these homes on the road. Miraculously, all parties emerged unscathed. Shortly thereafter, she met Robin, who began teaching her the right way to build things. Melanie brings an eclectic mix of passion and skill to the Build Tiny team, with real world experience in living small. Her background in science, business, and education, with a touch of ingenuity and impulsivity, bring creative thinking to the art of designing a tiny house.
Erick Stillman
Erick is blessed to be a part of the Build Tiny team. He first met Robin during her workshop in 2014 while building the Roameo and has been a staple of the community ever since. Always enthusiastic to lend a helping hand, he has become a passionate volunteer for the Build Tiny community by devoting his time advocating the Tiny House Movement lifestyle at workshops, trade shows and in everyday society. The breadth of his knowledge comes from 14 years of experience working in the field of architecture, engineering and computer-aided design. His strength shows in his commitment to serve others who desire to live life to the fullest with a tiny footprint. He believes that living tiny does not mean that you are sacrificing anything, but that you will be better able to achieve your dreams. Having served more than a decade with the military, he understands the importance of teamwork, selfless service and integrity for the greater good. He derives great pleasure in sharing his knowledge and love of buildings and seeks to be able to help others to achieve the goal of living in and owning their own home.
Please contact us to talk about how we can help you move forward with your tiny house dreams!