Tiny Houses

[Bill D]

Does anyone own a tiny house, or do you plan on owning one some day? Some ideas are great for incorporating into RV builds.

My brother is building one for a vacation property in Point Roberts. I find them fascinating. Clever thinking.

Just want to know what you guys think of them.

 

[Marc]

I really like them and have been researching various designs and builders for a few years now

 

[craig333]

Whats your definition of tiny?

 

[Bill D]

Whats your definition of tiny?

Definitions vary, but giving this is a camper forum how about:

<400 sq ft. and towable.

I always watch Tiny Houses on HGTV, I've yet to see a pop up on TV, but I'm sure they exist.

edit:
found a pop up, kind of like an Alaskan, not the one in the video pic.

Not a great example for an overall inside view of tiny houses, but the first pop I've seen.
I'm sure there are some amazing ones.

Sorry about the ad

 

[hoyden]

Yes! I had visions of creating a Tiny House Community on some land. Visions only....
Tiny houses are neat. I've planned a few in my head and on sketch pads.
I like the idea of a small house on a large piece of land with some animals and gardens and friends....

 

[Bill D]

Yes! I had visions of creating a Tiny House Community on some land. Visions only....
Tiny houses are neat. I've planned a few in my head and on sketch pads.
I like the idea of a small house on a large piece of land with some animals and gardens and friends....

One of the big attractions to them is you don't increase your properly taxes. I haven't looked into the tax laws, but I've heard some non tiny house owners, hate tiny house owners, because they feel they are not paying their fair share of taxes, but driving down the same roads etc.

I like the idea of tiny houses, because more and more each day I want to live a simple lifestyle as a minimalist. I'm 46 years old and I've been downsizing for 5 years now. I want to move out to Vancouver island to retire but with the 15% foreign buyers tax that they introduced in Vancouver, I fear Vancouver Island will get saturated with foreign investment and I'll never be able to afford to live there. It's already expensive. Back on track perhaps a tiny house will help make that more affordable. I might just have to lease some land.

Hoyden, maybe you'll find your dream destination during your travels. The nice thing about a tiny house is you can always move it if things change.

 

[hoyden]

I know that some towns don't allow tiny homes. I'm currently visiting my mom in southern Illinois and this town (Carbondale) doesn't allow homes smaller than I think 800 sq ft. This is a university town and they did that to keep the 'transient' and 'ugly' mobile homes to a minimum long before 'tiny homes' were a thing.

The cottage I rented in Prescott, Arizona was about 320 square feet and other than being laid out poorly, it was a great size. Considering I'm living in my FWC now with two dogs (granted, one is cat-size) proves to me that size doesn't matter and it's all in how you use it

It is impressive how quickly 'stuff' builds up. I lived in that small cottage for about two years and I carted boxes of stuff to donate, and still have some in storage. I donated 12 or so banker boxes of books to the local VA ... and still have about 15 boxes in storage. (books are my achilles heel when it comes to 'stuff')

When I started the downsizing about a year and a half ago in anticipation of eventually moving again, I'd put a box in my front room and on occasion chuck some item in that I hadn't used in a while or didn't want anymore. Eventually the box would fill up, and off to donate it went. Wash, rinse, repeat. No pressure.

Oh, Vancouver Island is beautiful! I lived up on the Sunshine Coast for almost a year in the mid-1990's (Sechelt area).
So pretty. Such fun motorcycling roads.
So much snow.

The tiny house will be the least expensive part (well, I suppose one could spend a lot on a tiny house, but it doesn't have to be expensive). The land and the legal aspects will be the issue. I think some places allow mobile homes but not small houses, so as long as it stays mobile - on the trailer - it's okay. But most every county has different rules on them.

The nice thing about the tiny homes, just like with campers, is that you don't have to have any actual plumbing and really can be totally mobile. Composting toilets are great, solar, a few deep-cycle batteries, some water storage....

Thanks! I hope I do find my dream destination during my travels.

 

[craig333]

My mobile home is not very "mobile" but it is cheap and nearly qualifies as tiny. Still have too much "stuff". It feels better not taking up more space than one person needs.

 

[Bad Habit]

So, what's the difference from just buying a used 5th wheel/old RV and parking it?

 

[hoyden]

So, what's the difference from just buying a used 5th wheel/old RV and parking it?

Some of it is aesthetic, some is functional.
To some folks, having a "house" is important. It can feel more like a home, rather than so transient. It's more customizable - generally you are building it or having it built, so can choose what materials, equipment etc. Often folks who are into tiny houses are also into sustainability and such, so will want to use low-toxic and more sustainable materials. The tiny homes are usually going to be of better quality than any RV, which aren't typically made for full-time living (unless you get into those crazy priced Class A beasts). You can insulate a tiny house better than an RV.

 

[Bad Habit]

Aesthetics, what could be more pleasing than living in something like this

 

[Bill D]

So, what's the difference from just buying a used 5th wheel/old RV and parking it?

Some of it is aesthetic, some is functional.
To some folks, having a "house" is important. It can feel more like a home, rather than so transient. It's more customizable - generally you are building it or having it built, so can choose what materials, equipment etc. Often folks who are into tiny houses are also into sustainability and such, so will want to use low-toxic and more sustainable materials. The tiny homes are usually going to be of better quality than any RV, which aren't typically made for full-time living (unless you get into those crazy priced Class A beasts). You can insulate a tiny house better than an RV.

The general idea is to build something extremely personal to fit your true needs and lifestyle and nothing more. Perhaps you need storage for lots of fishing gear, 2 bicycles, a dog, you want a decent sized kitchen, a bathroom with a full sized tub and you also want a wood burning stove.

Most often tiny houses are little beasts in the end. Quite heavy relative to their size. Although towable some may sit in the same place for long periods of time.

One of the big things Hoyden mentioned. They are designed to be your home. They need to feel like home.

 

[cwdtmmrs]

I think it is crazy and there will be a lot of them on the market for pennies on the dollar in a few years.

cwd

 

[Bill D]

I think it is crazy and there will be a lot of them on the market for pennies on the dollar in a few years.

cwd

I appreciate that they are a fad right now, but as the cost of materials increases, land goes up in price, energy costs increase etc. I think there will be a natural increased demand for smaller more affordable/efficient homes over time.

There are plenty of foreclosed full sized houses on the market right now, for pennies on the dollar, because people couldn't afford to keep them.

The cost of electricity in Ontario Canada this year is outrageous (costs have tripled).
Experts that spoke with Global News say there is no easy fix to the problem of soaring energy rates that have led to roughly 567,000 Ontarians owing more than $172.5 million in unpaid hydro (electricity) bills.
More than 60,000 homes got cut off.


My province (Alberta) just introduced a carbon tax. Gas just went up 5% and the cost of everything will go up by about 3 to 5%.

 

[Bad Habit]

Still trying to understand the concept and appeal.

Is it a custom high end single wide? A cabin on wheels? Small enough to tow behind a private vehicle of some sort. A lot of expense and effort into the chassis to make it road worthy for moving occasionally. I would imagine the interior finishes would have to be well thought out to deal with the flex and movement for when it does get moved,otherwise there would be extensive cracks and damage. Self contained? If it's to feel like a home, I'm thinking a shower and toilet would be nice. Figure that's got to go somewhere, I guess you could dig a latrine pit. An old 5th wheel could easily be updated and freshened to make it more appealing and the chassis is designed for it being moved. But then there wouldn't be all the hype and TV shows.

If it's to be a down sized house, nothing precluding anybody from just building smaller. That would mean foundation, probably permitting and zoning costs, more property taxes. People have been building hunting shacks and small cabins for centuries. Some are pretty elaborate, although most aren't designed to be moved. Well maybe a high end ice fishing shack, just on wheels instead of sleds.

 

[hoyden]

Think about those large Class A motorhomes. That's a 'tiny house' but usually not very good quality, easily can cost in the six-digits, and look like a bus. Cuz it's a bus. Same with a 5th Wheel. Pricey and often low quality.

From what I've seen, most folks who have tiny homes don't move terribly often but like having the ability to go elsewhere.
They have them partly for the conservation (like what Bill D) mentioned above, partly for aesthetics, and partly for affordability.
(they want mobility, don't wanna live in a bus, and usually more affordable than a Class A / 5th Wheel.)

They have showers and toilets - like RVs, often with black and grey water tanks, or (my fav), a composting toilet.

Having a foundation does change one's legal footing /a lot/.
An awful lot of townships don't allow for permanent home full-time living structures that small, especially inside city limits.

 

[hoyden]

I don't disagree that they are definitely a current fad, but it's a fad towards conservation, simplicity, less 'stuff' philosophy, and utility.
A lot of folks will find that living in such small spaces for any period of time doesn't work for them, but a lot of folks will find they quite like this new way of living. I know that I have always preferred living in smaller spaces.

 

[Marc]

I don't disagree that they are definitely a current fad, but it's a fad towards conservation, simplicity, less 'stuff' philosophy, and utility.
A lot of folks will find that living in such small spaces for any period of time doesn't work for them, but a lot of folks will find they quite like this new way of living. I know that I have always preferred living in smaller spaces.

Well said!

 

[Bill D]

I don't disagree that they are definitely a current fad, but it's a fad towards conservation, simplicity, less 'stuff' philosophy, and utility.
A lot of folks will find that living in such small spaces for any period of time doesn't work for them, but a lot of folks will find they quite like this new way of living. I know that I have always preferred living in smaller spaces.

I agree, well said.
Perhaps it's a Millennial thing.
http://thegbrief.com/articles/millennials-are-seeking-smaller-cozier-housing-618

What you give up in sq. ft. you gain in freedom.

It gives you more time/money to do the things you really value in life.

 

[Bad Habit]

But, at the end of the day, they are an upscale, trendy, custom built mobile home. Yes, they may be somewhat more mobile than what we traditionally have come to think of mobile/manufactured homes, but you would still need some sort of utility hook up. Not much different than travel trailers depicted in "The Long Long Trailer" with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez, Maybe more upscaled and hipsterized to keep up with Facebook and the latest TV shows.