A Tiny Home, an Office, and a Sauna: MyCabin Sells Its Prefabs as a Pack or à la Carte
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Girts Draugs spent 2020 searching for a holiday home, but nothing he saw suited the contemporary minimalism he had in mind. So he launched MyCabin to make the sort of stay he had hoped to find. Since starting out with a factory in Latvia, the company recently expanded into North America with another in Chicago in response to a growing demand for its pared-down Scandinavian-inspired cabins. We asked Zanda Zālīte, the marketing manager at MyCabin, about the differences between what the company provides to clients in the U.S. and the E.U.
Each of MyCabin’s offerings are designed to work in concert and form a complete residential set, where My Milla (25 or Long) houses daily living, My Kalmus provides a dedicated work or dining space, and My Galia, a sauna, provides a wellness space.
What’s the most exciting project you’ve realized to date?
The project we are currently the proudest of is an eco-friendly village by the Baltic Sea, Tujas pie Juras. This unique development features 37 plots of land, and we’re thrilled that already nine of them have combinations of MyCabin homes on them.
Our client for this project is LNK Properties, a real-estate developer dedicated to creating high-quality, sustainable living spaces. The collaboration was a natural fit since they were in search of sustainable, high-quality homes like MyCabin. Additionally, they appreciated that our quick build times matched their fast-track development schedule.
The 265-square-foot My Milla 25 includes a lofted sleeping nook, a living space, a kitchen, a full bath, and a utilities closet.
What does your base model cost and what does that pricing include?
Our popular Milla Long model retails for $140,000 in the U.S. and houses 520 square feet across two levels. This cost encompasses exterior elements such as cladding and roofing, interior finishes including wall paneling and flooring, a full kitchen suite, and a bathroom outfitted with contemporary amenities. Additional features like electric floor heating are available. Note that in the U.S., costs related to delivery, site preparation, and installation fall under the client’s responsibilities. In the E.U., we offer a more comprehensive package, excluding only utility connections.
The units come with waxed-spruce interior wall paneling and laminate flooring, but both can be customized for a fee.
As its name implies, My Milla Long is a lengthened version of My Milla 25. The 225 square feet of added space are split between a dedicated bedroom at the end of the unit and an expanded loft above it.
What qualities make your prefab stand apart from the rest?
We are committed to creating sustainable, customizable living spaces that are as stylish as they are environmentally conscious.
We pride ourselves on delivering quality that is tangible in every detail, balancing modern, minimalist aesthetics with affordability. Our homes arrive fully assembled, eliminating on-site construction hassle. We also offer our clients a unique advantage: the ability to combine different house models to suit evolving space requirements. This flexibility ensures that as their family size or budget increases, their home can grow accordingly.
My Kalmus was designed as a flexible addition to the residential model. Though it only measures 150 square feet, the wrap-around glazing makes it feel more spacious and creates sight lines with its surroundings. A full bathroom can be added for $8,000.
Where is the prefab currently available?
We ship to the 48 contiguous states of the U.S. and Canada. In Europe, our homes are available in select markets including the Baltics, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Scandinavia.
Is your design currently pre-permitted in any U.S. municipalities?
Our designs are not pre-permitted across U.S. municipalities. However, as an approved manufacturer in states where we’ve delivered units, the inspection and approval process is much smoother for our clients.
In addition to their residential and accessory units, MyCabin also offers a 64-square-foot wood-fired sauna called My Galia.
The sauna comes with spruce cladding and flooring, as well as interior fittings made of black alder. As in the other prefab units, any of these materials can be swapped out at a client’s request.
Are there plans to expand to different parts of the world?
Expansion is a key part of our strategy. We are actively seeking partnership opportunities through franchise models and other formats to extend our reach and make MyCabin homes globally accessible.
How long can a client expect the process to take after they put down a deposit?
After placing a deposit, we work efficiently to ensure a timely turnaround. The process from permit approval to the completion of your home can be expected to take between two to four months. This timeline is contingent upon the specifics of your order and the responsiveness of local permitting offices.
MyCabin offers plenty of upgrades to their units including lighting strips at the wall seam, heated flooring, and a full set of kitchen and washing appliances.
The bathrooms include a glass-walled shower and a Rheem tankless water heater. While the older models featured vessel sinks, quartz countertops, and white slate, MyCabin now lets clients customize their interiors and give them more freedom over the cost and final look of the prefab.
What aspects of an install do you manage?
In the U.S., we supply foundation plans and necessary documentation for permit acquisition and can recommend reputable general contractors. In the E.U., our service is more holistic. We manage the entirety of the installation with the exception of utilities connection.
What aspects of the design can a client customize?
In the U.S., clients have the opportunity to select from a variety of fixtures, finishes, and appliances. This includes choices in flooring, cabinetry, and bathroom configurations, as well as heating and cooling systems, allowing each MyCabin to be tailored to individual preferences and requirements.
In Europe, we offer customization options that include the selection of exterior colors and the possibility of a mirrored house layout. For larger orders, we provide a consultation process to further personalize your MyCabin and ensure that it meets your specific design criteria.
The prefabs are built on a standard concrete pier foundation. MyCabin can also design a stem wall or helical pile foundation after they receive a soil report for the site.
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