Introduction To Tiny Homes

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Tiny homes are not just a passing trend hyped by blogs, opinion editorials, and television shows; they’re a movement arising from an increasing desire and need for homeowners to downsize, simplify and customize — while preserving style and maximum function.

With their mobility and inherent cost savings, tiny homes generally provide their residents with big living opportunities. It has led to Tiny Home Communities emerging across the country and throughout the world. So, what is a tiny home, and what reasons are making people buck tradition to stay in them?

There’s no hard and set rule when it comes to what makes a tiny house. In short, tiny homes are residential structures that measure around 100 - 400 sq./ft. These homes typically feature the same kinds of aesthetics, construction, and materials you find in their bigger, more permanent counterparts.

After reading this guide you will want to read our article about buying a tiny house.

PORTABLE TINY HOMES

One of the primary benefits of owning a tiny home is that some are constructed on wheels rather than a solid foundation. It enables them to be moved from one location to another. Is this what you are searching for in a tiny house? Then, you are most likely wondering what it might take to transport your tiny house (more on this later).

So, how portable are tiny homes on wheels? Quite frankly, tiny homes on wheels are highly portable! With the proper weight and distribution, transporting your tiny home could be as straightforward as hitching it to the truck and simply driving away! In case your tiny house is 8.5+ feet wide, however, you will require a special permit for towing it on the road yourself.

BACKYARD TINY HOMES

Can you put a tiny home in the backyard? More often than not, it’s perfectly okay to do so. Nevertheless, a few rules and regulations might influence how you go about constructing your tiny house. Keep reading to discover all you need to understand about having your tiny home in the backyard.

Rules & Regulations

Since codes and regulations vary from one state to the next, you might need to conduct some research to determine whether you can put your tiny house in the backyard where you stay. It will also rely on the kind of tiny house you’re looking to build.

Having said that, you will only be met with much resistance in case your tiny house is the only one on that property. No matter if you’re constructing it in your backyard, it would still be prudent to confirm with neighbors to ensure that they have no problem with it.

Building a Tiny House on a Foundation

In simpler terms, a tiny house constructed on a foundation is a miniature version of a standard house. Typically, the foundation is built of concrete and will often be made using standard framing methods. If a tiny house is constructed this way, it will be equally as strong as your normal house.

Building Your Tiny Home as a Secondary House

If you’re planning to build a tiny home in your backyard, it most likely won’t be your primary residence. It makes a big difference in terms of rules and regulations.

Since you are adding a tiny house to the property that you already own, you’ll have an easier time and generally minimal resistance from the government.

What’s more, adding a tiny house to your backyard may ultimately improve the property value. This will also lead to happy neighbors.

Tiny Homes Without A Foundation

Generally, there are two kinds of tiny homes that are constructed without foundations. The most common option is constructing a tiny home on wheels, while the other is building a tiny house within a pole barn.

Tiny Houses On Wheels

You guessed it! These tiny homes are constructed on top of trailers. Tiny houses on wheels typically range anywhere from 10 ft and even 40+ ft long.

Such homes are pretty common and they’re what many people mean when they discuss a tiny house. In fact, some communities are formed to accommodate such tiny homes!

Pole Barns

These buildings are usually framed off of posts that are dug into the ground. Since these structures do not have foundations, they don’t fall under the building codes like other tiny houses.

TOWABLE TINY HOMES

Generally speaking, one of the most common advantages of living in a tiny home on wheels is that you may move house. However, towing a tiny home isn't a straightforward job. If you have ever towed any type of mobile house, you already know that a lot is involved in ensuring that it will remain safe while it is on the road.

No matter if moving day is the time you’ll find yourself towing a tiny home, or if you’re considering traversing the country in your new house, it would be best to understand how to go about towing your house safely. Furthermore, it’s better if you can do it easily and simply!

Get ready for a nail-biting few moments since watching your tiny home begin to move for the very first time is distressing!

How Large of a Truck do You Need to Move Your Tiny House?

One of the most fundamental factors that you should think of when transporting your tiny house is the vehicle that you’re planning to use to tow it.

If you don’t get a vehicle that can withstand towing the weight, no matter if you prepare everything else correctly, you might be in a big mess.
How large of a truck you’ll need will rely on how large of a house you got and how heavy it is.

Focus on the engine in the truck you’re using. Simply purchasing a towing package for that vehicle may enhance the weight capacity by 5,000+ pounds!

Alternatively, you can consider acquiring a truck that’s set up as a “dually” - with four wheels in the back rather than two. It can help when dealing with a higher weight.

How Frequently do Tiny Home Owners move Their Houses?

One of the best things about owning a tiny house is traveling with your tiny house. However, don’t get twisted, owning and transporting a tiny house is not like transporting or driving around an RV.

Transporting a tiny house can be a more challenging procedure than you imagine and doing so isn’t suitable for regular moving. Since you have to fully pack up before doing this, it can be a challenge.

There are also numerous costs to consider like gas. Besides this, there might be wear and tear on the tiny house from regular movement. Simply because tiny houses are constructed to be transported, does not mean that they cannot become damaged in the process.

It would be best to limit moving your tiny house to at least every 3-6 months.

Preparations Before Moving a Tiny Home

Preparing your tiny house to be transported is something you’ll want to ensure that you do. It can help curb damage to your house as well as your belongings in it.

Secure Larger Items:

The first major step for transporting your tiny house is to protect everything that you probably can in your tiny house.

It involves strapping down your bigger appliances such that they don’t slide around when it comes to the transportation process.

Besides, you should secure every cabinet door. Although child locks work perfectly for doing this, you may use anything that can enable you to have them closed for the trip’s duration.

Secure Smaller Items:

The objects you cannot secure before the transportation need to be taken out and packed into your vehicle. Just like strapping down your furniture, it can help lower the possibility that your possessions will damage during the move.

Generally, having your smaller things easily reached will be great for you when you want to get to it during the transportation.

Secure your Hookups:

Apart from securing your stuff that belongs on your home’s inside, you will need to deal with the hookups that are on the outside of the tiny house.
Ensure that you secure all your electric hookups, sewage, and water before you get to move your tiny house. These might drag or dangle below the trailer you’re using to transport your house and may cause much damage to your possessions and house.

Correctly Prepare your Trailer:

If you’ve ever towed anything, then you already know that you need to ensure that you have correctly trailered that particular object and that the trailer is in perfect working condition.

Generally speaking, your trailer must have a license plate and operating tail-lights so that your vehicle can be legal and comply with safety standards.

Ensure that you get the Proper Permits:

In case your tiny house is 8.5+ feet wide, you will require a special permit for towing it on the road yourself. Ensure that if this is something that you need, you have to go through the right channels to get this.

Even though you do not require a permit to transport your tiny house because of its width, you may still require a special license or permit to move your tiny house.

Ensure that you are ready by checking with the DMV or DOT in the states that you’re planning to travel through and that you get every proper license that is needed. Being caught without having all your paperwork together could be a challenge that you won’t prefer while out on the road.

How Quickly Can You Move a Tiny Home?

How quickly you can transport your tiny home also relies on a wide range of factors. Undoubtedly, the size of your house is a huge contributory factor on time.

A larger house means that you’ll most probably have a lot to pack up. You’ll also require a vehicle that may tow a bigger house and if you don’t own one, you may need to rent one. Accessing a towing vehicle that can withstand this capacity might take some time.

What’s more, how far you will be going will be a huge contributory factor in terms of the duration that traveling will consume in your tiny house. Farther distances will certainly take relatively longer compared to shorter distances.

Another considerable factor is the amount of help you get when you’re trying to move. Generally speaking, packing and preparing your house for travel might be a demanding task. If you get assistance or even more than one person, it can help to reduce your preparation time.

In case you need to raise your home off of blocks or, in case it’s already on wheels, it will affect your time when preparing to leave.
And with extra assistance, it can reduce your overall set-up time when you arrive at your destination.

MICRO TINY HOMES

Many people who don’t know much about the tiny/ micro-living movement need to take a step back and have a clear understanding of what a micro house is before they may compare these structures to tiny homes or any other miniature floor plans.

What Is a Micro House?

Although tiny homes have been around for many years, the idea of micro houses is new and accurate definitions might be a bit challenging when it comes to pinning down on a Google search.

In general, micro houses are considered as the “next level” from tiny homes. They typically range from 400 to around 800 sq. ft. and must consist of an independent bathroom, kitchen, and at least a single window. These structures could be pre-fabricated, modular or custom builds, and apply materials and finishes that are comparable to conventional houses. They’re spatially developed from apartment living without shared walls, floors, or ceilings and every unit consists of a separate outdoor living area like a piece of land or porch.

Regardless of their less space, micro houses pack every basic living essentials of a normal home and are usually fully equipped with a similar level of sewer access, electricity, and water as standard homes.

CONTAINER SHIP HOME

As the name suggests, container houses are essentially houses built from steel shipping containers that are used to carry goods everywhere on ships, trucks, and trains. From these massive Lego blocks, people are constructing houses of all sizes and shapes.

Shipping containers are typically available in 40ft, 20ft, and 10ft. The smallest shipping container may offer approximately 100 sq ft. of floor space for your shipping container house. Eight bigger containers can build a two-story home at approximately 1400 sq ft. And hundreds of container micro-apartments can make a massive apartment building.

Are Shipping Container Houses Safe?

It is usually not possible to identify what has been shipped when it comes to a used container – these might include harmless consumer goods or even dangerous industrial substances– or what that container has undergone. The paints and finishes applied on containers are usually industrial and meant for shipping over the ocean, and not residential houses, so that they might comprise toxic pesticides and lead.

Adding a Roof to Your Shipping Container House

Although shipping containers are often supported at the corners, your existing roof might lack structural integrity. People searching for container houses apt of support weight, like weather, need to consider whether constructing a roof is the best choice for them. Furthermore, a roof may also offer architectural and aesthetic flair that’s common amongst houses in North America. Although various forms of roofs might be applied for a shipping container house, living roofs, roof terraces, pitched roofs, and flat roofs are the most popular.

If you make a poor insulation decision, it might cause a negative effect on climate change compared to other types of insulation. To build a well-insulated wall, the best thing would be to construct outward to allow more wall thickness and utilize a more environmentally sustainable kind of insulation.

How Long Will A Shipping Container House Last?

In general, shipping container houses should last a minimum of 25 years but can last a longer duration if they’re properly maintained or when you apply siding to secure the exterior. One of the most common issues that could lower a shipping container home’s lifespan is rust. Therefore, it’s prudent if inspect the shipping container house and look out for rust spots. All problematic areas need to be treated and repaired to lower the likelihood of rust spreading.

Do Shipping Container Houses Hold Value?

A properly maintained shipping container house can preserve its resale value just like a normal house. They are much easier to resell because they could be loaded onto a truck and then shipped. Before buying, you might need to find out as to whether that shipping container house was manufactured for your specific climate and, if not, find out the modifications you might need to make such that it's suitable for its intended location.

Tiny Homes As A Vacation Home

Personally, I doubt we could ever live in a tiny home full-time. But I could definitely see owning a tiny home as a vacation home, in particular, if I could find a spot on a rural lake.

If you wanted to learn more about buying a tiny home as a vacation home, check out this article.

Tiny Home Log Cabins

Related to the vacation homes, would be a tiny log cabin. We have created a guide on how to buying a tiny log cabin.

Begin Your Journey

You must have learned a lot regarding the tiny house lifestyle. So, are you prepared to make your first steps? The dream to change into a tiny home is an exciting feeling to have, almost like being in love. Most other like-minded folks understand this!

One of the most important things to consider when buying a tiny home is finding land for your house. We have put together a simple article about buying land for your tiny house.  

If you want to learn even more about tiny homes, then check out our ultimate guide.