BARNESVILLE — Perhaps it was the Great Recession or maybe people were just getting tired of all the stuff in their “big” homes, but a few years ago the “tiny house” craze struck the nation.

To help make ends meet, people began downsizing into smaller existing homes on the market. And to help meet the new demand, companies began building tiny homes — some smaller than 200 square feet — that could be transported just about anywhere.

Tiny homes have became so popular there are even TV shows dedicated to them — such as “Tiny House Nation” on the FYI cable channel.

Locally, Barnesville residents Holly Boyd and her husband, Harry, decided to start selling their own version of the tiny home after needing one themselves for an ill family member. Their company is called Cool Cabin Stuff. In 2010, Holly’s mother-in-law developed Alzheimer’s disease and needed frequent, close-to-home care. After checking with existing sellers of various tiny homes, she discovered the cost was between $60,000 and $100,000 in other parts of the country.

However, after finding a vendor willing to share in their idea, the Boyds started selling sheds they turned into tiny homes, complete with plumbing and all the amenities of a regular “big” home, for a lower cost.

“They are now less than the price of a new car,” Boyd said.

Boyd said her company recently switched to a new vendor for the tiny homes it sells — JDM Structures.

“These aren’t just for people with mothers-in-law. These are for the land rich and cash poor,” she added. “This company will now also build on site for the same price.”

The average size of a tiny home the Boyds sell is 12 to 14 feet wide and 32 to 40 feet long. One of the smallest is 12 feet wide and includes a porch. But Boyd said with the new vendor, they also can build regular-sized houses to “$1 million homes” as well.