Wasilla and Mat-Su Borough have no residential building codes, making them Alaska's most tiny-home-friendly area. See costs, builders and parking rules.
Last researched June 2026
Wasilla is the Mat-Su Valley's commercial hub, and its draw for tiny dwellers is land: parcels around Lake Lucille and out the Knik-Goose Bay corridor run far cheaper than Anchorage, 45 miles south. Hatcher Pass — alpine trails, berry slopes, and winter ski terrain — is under an hour up the road, and the valley's flat gravel soils make for straightforward foundations. Winters are cold and snowy, though gentler than the Interior; summers stretch long enough for serious gardens. The trade-off is car dependence: nearly everything, including the Anchorage commute, happens through the windshield.
As of April 2026, the Wasilla and Mat-Su Borough area is one of the most permissive regions in Alaska for tiny home placement. The Matanuska-Susitna Borough does not enforce residential building codes — there are no borough-level electrical, plumbing, or fire safety requirements for homes. Borough ordinances focus on land use (setbacks, lot coverage, zoning districts) rather than construction standards. This regulatory environment makes the Mat-Su Valley, particularly Wasilla and Big Lake, exceptionally welcoming for tiny home builders and owners.
Within Wasilla city limits, the Municipal Code Title 16 (Land Use Code) was repealed and re-enacted effective September 26, 2025, updating zoning districts and development standards. Standard setbacks are 25 feet front, 25 feet rear, and 10 feet side, with a 35-foot height limit in residential districts. Outside Wasilla city limits but within the borough, regulations are even more relaxed — land use permits are required for new construction, but there are no building inspections or code compliance reviews for residential structures in unincorporated areas.
Two prominent tiny home builders are based in the area: Tundra Tiny Houses in Point MacKenzie near Wasilla, the first tiny house company in Alaska, with builds from $30,000 to $100,000; and Tiny Timber Homes in Big Lake, specializing in insulated builds designed for Alaska's climate. Verify current requirements with your local planning department before placing a tiny home in Wasilla.
Verify current requirements with your local planning department.
Wasilla rewrote its land-use rules recently: Title 16 of the Wasilla Municipal Code — the Land Development Code — was repealed and re-enacted effective September 26, 2025, with the code current through Ordinance 25-29, as of June 2026. Accessory uses are governed by WMC 16.60.015, and the district use chart at WMC 16.60.005 determines what each zone allows; the city offers a free pre-application conference through the Planning Department to confirm whether a backyard dwelling fits a given parcel. Dedicated ADU standards were not separately confirmed as of June 2026, so treat accessory-dwelling proposals as case-by-case with Planning. Outside city limits, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough's lighter land-use regime is the usual fallback.
Communities, RV parks, and parking options in and near Wasilla.
As of April 2026, parking a THOW in unincorporated Mat-Su Borough is relatively straightforward since there are no residential building codes — the primary requirements are land use permits and compliance with setback rules. Within Wasilla city limits, most residential zones limit RVs and may require code-compliant foundations for year-round housing, so THOW owners should confirm with the Wasilla Planning Department whether their specific parcel allows wheeled dwellings. Big Bear RV Park and Campground (located between Wasilla and Palmer) offers long-term RV sites with full hookups on 11 acres, with weekly rates starting around $150. Contact them at (907) 745-7445 for current monthly rates and tiny home compatibility.
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Palmer, AK (~12 miles east of Wasilla)
Year-round KOA campground offering extended-stay full-hookup RV sites at ~$850/month plus electric, with snow/trash removal included and 24/7 laundry. One of the few confirmed year-round long-term RV options in the Mat-Su Valley.
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4466 S Glenn Hwy, Palmer, AK (~15 miles east of Wasilla)
Year-round (all seasons) 30-site RV campground with full hookups, lakefront cabins/suites, and daily/weekly/monthly rates. Restaurant on site.
Anchorage, Alaska
Alaska Tiny Home, based in Anchorage, builds upscale modern tiny homes with premium materials and custom designs. The company markets RV-certified tiny homes, and pricing has been reported in the $50,000 to $90,000 range by industry directories. Their focus is on modern simplified living with thoughtful design and quality craftsmanship adapted to Alaska's climate and lifestyle. A models page on their website showcases available floor plans and configurations.
Service areas: Alaska
Sterling, Alaska
Crave Alaska Cabin Company, based in Sterling on the Kenai Peninsula, builds prefabricated custom cabins up to 448 square feet. Their lineup includes a two-story Adirondack model (14x36 feet) and other customizable floor plans. Cabins are constructed off-site and placed by crane on delivery. Free delivery is available anywhere on the Kenai Peninsula, with statewide Alaska shipping for an additional charge. The company is a member of the Kenai Peninsula Builders Association and was accepting 2026 reservations as of their most recent Yelp update in August 2025.
Service areas: Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
Farrell Homebuilding LLC, based in Anchorage, builds custom tiny houses, park strip residences, off-grid homes, multi-family housing, and country houses across Alaska. Founded by designer and carpenter Patrick Farrell, the company emphasizes high thermal efficiency with 4 inches of additional foam on walls and under slabs, plus timber-framed ceilings. Farrell Homebuilding serves Anchorage, Girdwood, Fairbanks, Haines, and Juneau. The company was featured on George Clarke's Alaskan Adventure television program and is listed on NewHomeSource, BuildZoom, and Manta business directories.
Service areas: Alaska
Big Lake, Alaska
Big Lake-based contractor founded in 1999 by Jason Underhill, operating about 60 miles north of Anchorage in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Builds custom tiny homes in both timber-framed and stick-framed construction, ships pre-manufactured cabin packages, and crafts custom Alaskan red cedar saunas. The company uses local materials and runs community job-training programs. In August 2022, Underhill joined Jolene Lyon of the Bering Straits Regional Housing Authority at the Alaska Housing Innovations Summit in Anchorage to present lessons from placing a tiny home on Little Diomede Island — one of the most remote communities in the US.
Service areas: Alaska
Tenakee Springs, Alaska
Tenakee Springs-based construction company owned by Sterling C Chew, holding active Alaska contractor licenses 2169179 and 1060329 (verified as of April 2024 per BuildZoom). Builds eco-friendly small homes, cabins, and tiny home structures using second-growth Sitka spruce logged and milled at Corner Bay on the shores of Chatham Strait — the only commercially logged second-growth spruce operation in Southeast Alaska as of May 2026. Serves Juneau and remote communities across the Inside Passage. Sells fully built and furnished structures as well as lumber-and-kit packages for owner-builders.
Service areas: Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska
Stitt Construction specializes in custom tiny homes engineered for Alaska's extreme climate. Founded by Michael Stitt, who moved to Alaska in 2003 and has over a decade of building experience in the state, the company uses pile-driven foundations, closed-cell spray foam insulation, and 2x6 framing to handle permafrost, seismic activity, and sub-zero temperatures. Pricing runs approximately $110 per square foot for an unfinished shell to $220 per square foot fully finished — a 380-square-foot home starts around $83,600 turn-key. Stitt also offers a floor plan design service for $500 and delivers to road-accessible areas statewide.
Service areas: Alaska
A comparison between tiny-home living and conventional homeownership in Wasilla.
Builder cost range
Average tiny home builder costs in the Wasilla area. Actual prices vary by size, materials, and customization.
Verified links for planning, permitting, and community connections in Wasilla.
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