granny flat

Once upon a time, most homeowners in suburban America were thinking about building a small apartment behind their house ... or, perhaps, converting their detached garage into a studio apartment for Grandma (hence the term granny unit).

Today that tradition has become much less common; thanks to inflexible city building codes that won't allow such a thing.

However, in areas where granny units are smiled upon, green homeowners can begin considering them again, as an alternative to new construction or major remodeling.

Need more space? Why not put a prefab kitHAUS module out back? Ranging from 289 to 187 sq ft, they're perfect as a pool house, office or playroom. And, if kitHAUS doesn't work for you, there's no need to worry: The world of small, modular, green prefab seems to be growing by the minute.

Want something larger? How about 350 sq ft of miniHome Solo SE 2008? It's technically an RV, so you can take it with you if you ever sell. Check out all the details in this PDF.

Or, perhaps a weeHouse is more your style? If one isn't big enough, you could always just stack another one on top.

Hive Modular's B-Line Small home is 990 sq ft -- a little larger than your average granny flat, but really cool nonetheless.

Seems like a lot of prefab to digest; but we've only scratched the surface. With all of these companies offering customization and add-ons, the options are nearly endless.

Image via weehouses.com