About Tiny Garden Homes
The Legend of T.G. Homes
It Started at Home
Before he was the face of the "Tiny Garden Lifestyle," T.G. was just a boy with a toolbelt and a honey-do list. It started with small projects around the house—fixing, building, and perfecting. Soon, "fixing things" turned into helping family members, which eventually turned into the ultimate challenge: renovating a 100 year old house from a Sears Roebuck catalog.
The Quest for a Better Way
Through that process, T.G. realized something: traditional building is too expensive, slow, and often overdone. He knew there had to be a more affordable, durable way to provide normal people with a place to call home.
That’s when he discovered potential in the "Can." These Corten steel shipping containers—built to withstand the roughest seas—became an obsession. Since then, T.G. has been on a quest to find other, improved, and cost-effective ways to turn shells into sanctuaries. Focus on a strong shell as the core to build a shelter around and you solidify long term well-being.
A Heart for the Mission
T.G. isn't just building structures; he’s building a bridge. With a deep passion for our Veterans and a heart for those transitioning out of homelessness, his mission is to provide dignity through housing. He believes a home should be a foundation for a fresh start, built to acknowledge the same strength and resilience in the shell as the people living inside them.
Behind the Flannel
When he’s not obsessing over insulation values or floor plans, you’ll find T.G. where he’s happiest: pursuing a life of impact. A lifelong gardener with a love for nature, he’s spent plenty of time off the beaten path. He’s seen a lot on those travels—sustainable miracles, incredible landscapes, and... well, if you ask him over a cup of coffee, he might even tell you about the times he saw miracles in the madness.
He’s a simple man with a complex mission: Helping you live big by living tiny.
The Man Behind TG Homes
Robert “Bob” Dorman is the founder of Tiny Garden Homes, where he designs practical, affordable housing solutions for people who want a simpler, more intentional way to live.
Raised in a Midwestern farming community, Bob developed a hands-on mindset early. By age eight, he had already built his first ADU dwelling. That early curiosity turned into a lifelong career spanning manufacturing, aviation, large-scale infrastructure, and multi-state operations.
Bob has led divisions across the country, helped develop expansion plans at DFW Airport, and consulted on major projects with large corporations. Along the way, he built a reputation for solving complex problems, streamlining logistics, and leading teams through high-pressure environments.
Late in his career, he managed over twenty childcare centers across five states, overseeing renovations, maintenance, and playground development. This season deepened his focus on natural environments that support real human growth, not just function.
He also led large-scale efforts refurbishing and repurposing FEMA trailers for workforce housing, building systems that delivered consistent results across a wide range of conditions.
Today, Bob brings all of that experience together through Tiny Garden Homes. His work focuses on helping first-time buyers, downsizing retirees, and veterans to access housing that is efficient, affordable, and built with purpose.
His approach is simple: build smarter, use what works, and create spaces that actually serve the people living in them…and always keep learning!
“To answer before listening: that is a man's folly and shame.” Prov 18:13
