Minimaliste are innovating the housing industry with tiny homes with the help of their Merlo
Minimaliste Inc., a tiny house builder from Québec, has become increasingly popular thanks to its slick and modern homes. Thanks to their innovative nature, Minimaliste has made it their goal to reimagine the way people think about housing. With high demand across North America, it’s clear why they’ve chosen to use Merlo telehandlers to help in the construction of their houses!
We spoke to Minimaliste to learn more about the technologies they incorporate into their homes, the company’s mission and why they trust Merlo for their heavy machinery needs!
Can you tell us a bit about Minimaliste, what you do and who you sell to?
Minimaliste is a breath of fresh air in the housing industry. With an authentic, client-first approach, we conceive high-quality mini-houses aimed at clients across Canada and the United States.
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Our clientele mainly consists of retired and semi-retired people, as well as young couples. The quality of life and intrinsic values that come with buying one of these homes draw people to our product.
We wanted to build durable and thoughtful homes that showcase the appeal of mini-houses here, as well as internationally.
Minimaliste speaks a lot about incorporating innovative technologies into your homes. What are some of these innovations?
One of our earliest models, the Laurier, is 100% electrically independent thanks to its solar panels and 2 kW batteries. It also includes propane-powered heated floors.
We were the first in the industry to build mini-houses on wheels. From custom furniture for pets to multifunctional tables, we are constantly innovating to meet the needs of our customers.
How does Minimalist changing people’s perception of housing?
Minimaliste offers people the chance to downsize, without downgrading their quality of life. We offer people the opportunity to reduce their ecological footprint while maximizing comfort and a feeling of freedom.
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What do you think has motivated this trend towards micro-chalet or mobile home? What is the size and growth of this market?
This market is growing, and consumers are motivated by two factors: economic and environmental. Most of the time, it’s a mixture of both. The mobile aspect allows you to settle in places where a new foundation construction would not be appropriate, or simply with the desire to relocate it in the future.
Can you describe the importance of having versatile and reliable machinery for the construction of the units?
For us to deliver a product according to our standards, it is important not only to use quality materials but also to have the right tools and machinery to achieve our ends. We count on our employees and our equipment to be versatile and reliable.
What is the usual reaction to seeing your houses for the first time?
The reactions we get are unanimous: people fall in love every time! Even the biggest skeptics discover that all the amenities are there. Seeing them come around is an amazing feeling. It is a very different experience than showing an RV. People often compare it to a small open-plan apartment.
What are some tasks your Merlo performs and their importance on your site?
We use a Merlo P 40.13 with an 8-foot fork attachment. We have a basket as well. Luigi (our Merlo) is useful for unloading structural materials, finishing wood and roofing coating, and the main use is framing and assembling insulated structural panels in the construction of the shells of our mini-houses.
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For us to deliver a product according to our standards, it is important not only to use quality materials but also to have the right tools and machinery to achieve our ends. We count on our employees and our equipment to be versatile and reliable.
Can you talk about why you chose a Merlo telehandler for your operations? What are some of the productivity gains you have seen with this machine?
Choosing the machinery we work with, we looked at lifting capacity, stability and especially the precision of the machine. With Merlo, we have significantly increased our efficiency. The safety features allow us to fix roof panels without having to be on the roof.
There is a very avant-garde aspect to your minimalist houses. Did you look for machinery that reflected this modernity too?
Absolutely. Just as we work with the latest technologies in terms of the building envelope, it is important to work with modern tools and machinery tailored to our needs.
To learn more about Minimaliste, visit their website – https://minimalistehouses.com/
Discover our collection of construction-adapted Merlo telehandlers –
