Compact vs M.A.Di Single
You can order the Compact today; the M.A.Di Single is concept, so this is really a choice between a unit in hand and one you are waiting on.
Compact
A hinged cross-laminated-timber cabin that folds flat and rotates open on site. Warmer and better finished than most of the category, with the import friction that comes with a European build. Base pricing is quote-based and varies widely by fit-out.
M.A.Di Single
A folding CLT A-frame that erects in about six hours — a distinct engineering approach with documented earthquake resistance. Striking, but the North American purchase path is the weak link and pricing dates from 2017–2019 press.
Which one wins
M.A.Di Single is the lower delivered cost ($60,000 – $120,000 versus $70,000 – $120,000). Remember both figures are estimates that already fold in freight, site work and hookups, not base prices. Neither unit has a verified residential certification, so both are portable buildings on paper — fine for jobsite, studio or hospitality use, a permitting problem for a primary residence. Compact is shipping now; M.A.Di Single is concept, so its numbers carry more uncertainty and its delivery timing is less committed. Some specifications on this page are projected rather than confirmed by the manufacturer — check the badges before relying on a number.
Full spec comparison
| Specification | Compact | M.A.Di Single |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Brette Haus | M.A.Di Home |
| Category | Foldable | Foldable |
| Status | Shipping | Concept |
| Base priceProjected / Unconfirmed | $33,000 | $33,000 |
| Estimated delivered costProjected / Unconfirmed | $70,000 – $120,000 | $60,000 – $120,000 |
| Deployed areaProjected / Unconfirmed | 291 sq ft | 291 sq ft |
| Bedrooms | 1 | 1 |
| Bathrooms | 1 | 1 |
| Folded dimensionsProjected / Unconfirmed | Folds flat for container or flatbed transport; exact folded dimensions not published | Ships flat-packed |
| Deployed dimensionsProjected / Unconfirmed | About 30 m² footprint (~291 sq ft), single storey, ~2.9 m height (Compact 27) | About 27 m² (~291 sq ft) single module; Double and Triple configs scale larger |
| Setup timeProjected / Unconfirmed | About 3 hours to unfold with a crane and a small crew | Roof pitches up into an A-frame with a crane and three people in about six hours |
| Foundation | Screw piles, piers or pads — no permanent foundation strictly required; the patented hinge is rated for repeated relocations, and crane access is needed on delivery day | Prepared base or piers |
| Certifications | No certification verified | No certification verified |
| Regions served | European Union; United Kingdom; North America (export order, at added cost) | European Union; North America (availability unconfirmed) |
| Lead timeProjected / Unconfirmed | About 8–12 weeks plus ocean freight to North America | About 30–40 days from order in Europe |
| Financing | Imported units are hard to finance conventionally in the US. Most North American buyers pay cash or use a construction/renovation loan tied to the land. | Not published for North America. |
| Warranty | 2-year manufacturer warranty on all elements; 50+ year lifespan claimed | Not published |
| Best for | ADU / backyard home, Hospitality & short stay, Rental investment | ADU / backyard home, Hospitality & short stay, Disaster relief, Primary residence |
Who should buy the Compact
Buy the Compact if you are a hospitality or short-stay operator where nightly rate, guest appeal and speed to revenue matter more than residential certification.
- • Cross-laminated timber structure — quieter, warmer and better looking than steel boxes
- • Genuine hinged fold, not a container slide-out, with a hinge rated for many relocations
- • Sized variants (Compact 18/27) and a wider Rustic range including two-storey options
Who should buy the M.A.Di Single
Consider the M.A.Di Single only if its format genuinely fits your project and you can wait — it is concept, so confirm price, specs and timing in writing before committing money the Compact would let you spend today.
- • Genuinely different engineering — a folding CLT A-frame, not a container or box
- • Documented anti-seismic performance
- • Credible ~6-hour crane erection
Questions people ask about this comparison
- Which foldable home is best for a backyard ADU?
- Certification decides it. You need a HUD label or a state modular seal to place a unit as a permitted accessory dwelling in most jurisdictions, which narrows the field sharply — most expandables and imported cabins are uncertified. The Boxabl Casita, which carries a state modular seal in a growing list of states, is the standout realistic candidate; Brette Haus wins on finish quality if you can absorb the import freight and satisfy your county on certification yourself.
- How much does a Boxabl actually cost delivered?
- The Casita's base price is around $60,000. A realistic delivered-and-installed figure in the US is $95,000 to $140,000 once you add freight, crane, site work, an engineered pad, utility connections and permits. On raw land with no services, the top of that range is the honest planning number. Anyone quoting you a turnkey Casita at the base price is leaving something out.
- What is the cheapest foldable home you can actually buy?
- Expandable container buildings sell in the US from roughly $20,000 on marketplaces, and brand-name US sellers like Chery Industrial now start closer to $30,000, sometimes available from stock. They are legitimate portable buildings — excellent jobsite offices, studios and farm structures. They are not certified dwellings in most counties, so if your plan is to live in one full-time on a permitted lot, the real cheapest option is a certified unit at two to three times that price.
- Are the expandable container homes on Amazon any good?
- As portable buildings, some are perfectly fine — a galvanized-steel frame with foam-panel walls that unfolds into 380–800 sq ft for a low price, useful as an office, studio, guest room or short-stay unit. As dwellings, they are a problem: none of the Amazon-sold units in our catalog (Feekercn, EROMMY) carries a verified residential certification, so most jurisdictions will not permit them as a residence, and warranty and support are retail-grade. Buy one for what it is, plan for import logistics and an electrician, and do not mistake a low sticker price for a low-cost home.
- Can I put a foldable home on raw land?
- Physically yes, but the site work is where the budget goes. Raw land with no services means you pay for access, clearing and grading, a foundation, and — the big one — utilities, where a septic system alone can exceed $20,000. On the cheapest units the site work frequently costs more than the building. Plan on roughly base price × 2.2 for an unserviced site, and confirm your parcel is zoned for a dwelling and can pass a septic/perc test before you buy either the land or the unit.
- What is the Boxabl Baby Box?
- A small towable Boxabl launched around $19,999, with a wet bath and kitchenette in roughly 120 sq ft, aimed at offices, studios and guest rooms rather than full dwellings. It is SUV-towable and off-grid capable, but it is RV-classed rather than a permitted dwelling, and several specs — folded dimensions, certification and warranty — remain unconfirmed by Boxabl. Treat it as a preorder with projected numbers, not a shipping product you can pin down today.