Are Tiny Homes Really All That Feasible?
I have been interested in tiny homes for a long time now.
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/benchun/3626514566 (labeled for reuse)
In fact as I started seeing a future where I may actually be able to buy one I got even more interested. For the past few weeks I have been looking into tiny homes obsessively. I used to simply watch videos of them being built and admire photos but I never thought I would be in the market for one so my interest stopped there. Sadly the more I dig the more I find that the dream of living in a tiny home has a lot of barriers and obstacles that can make it hard to become a reality.
Buying land near a city.
Red Tape, laws, and regulations.
There are many reasons that people in charge are making it hard for people to have tiny homes. One is that they honestly don't want tiny homes anywhere near big homes because it will cause the overall property value of the are to plummet. Also, the government tends to be annoyed by people that try to live off the grid. There are also "safety" regulations but I am sure it is just a guise that is somehow related to economics. For whatever reasons, it is becoming increasingly difficult to affordably buy a tiny home and have it placed.
Plumbing? Funny Internet Videos?
How cheap does this really end up being when all is said and done? If you have to try to buy land near a major city and somehow duck under the radar with housing regulations? Honestly, it seems really hard to pull off in reality. I know it can be done and I am still hopeful to learn more and find out how to do it *well*. It is my dream to have land an a tiny home but as far as making that a reality? We will see about that.
As I learn more about tiny homes I will probably blog about my findings periodically and would love to hear from fellow Steemians who are interested in tiny homes or maybe even have a tiny home?
I posted a story about tiny homes just today. If you'd like to check it out, here it is: https://steemit.com/tinyhomes/@jenlavallee/exploring-the-big-world-of-tiny-homes I've included some info from a tiny home builder (and two pics of his work, which is gorgeous). Cheers :)
Oh I will definitely check it out!! Thanks. :)
I really do love the idea of tiny homes. Now if only I could do it with my three young kids and still stay sane, lol!!
Oh no way. haha but maybe an idea for your future? :)
Wait. I know! I'll build myself my OWN tiny home and fill it with wine and good books. I'll write the kids postcards when I'm there. haha. NO KIDS ALLOWED ;)
Yes. This is a good idea. Tiny vacation reading and wine nook. XD
I would like to hear more thoughts from you. My parents are currently looking at this sort of living arrangement. I'll talk to them and see what they have thought has been the hardest part so far.
Thanks! I will enjoy hearing their input. I will definitely be blogging more as I continue to learn more details myself.
My husband and I have been talking lately about downsizing, and the subject of tiny homes came up. Plumbing, electricity, and internet were the first things that came into our head as potential hurdles. I suppose that would depend on how off the grid one wishes to be, but, like you, we're not looking to completely disconnect. I work from home too, so internet is a necessity. Your point about land and regulations is quite valid. Cities are increasingly legislating against tiny homes, and HOA admins turn inside out at the very thought. It can be challenging to have a tiny home on land that's not out in the sticks. Still, it's fun to brainstorm about how it could be done, and see how others are managing tiny living. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Yeah I am definitely brainstorming. I dont know about if there's a will there's a way in my case because I really do need to constantly make doctors appointments. So the regulations might screw me but there are communities popping up and that is something that could help? I am hoping to find some good documentaries about this subject. :)
Definitely fun to dream about regardless. ^_^
Yup, I hear ya. Perhaps I was wrong about utilities being the biggest hurdles. Land might actually be the largest challenge, especially if, like you, there's a need or desire to stay close to a city. We need tiny home neighborhoods!
Yeah I think land is the biggest and then utilities. There are some tiny home neighborhoods! Hoping there are more in the coming years. :) There could even be like a community bathroom with showers and toilets? and we pay fees to live there but way less than traditional rent.
That could seriously work!
As a teenager I was sad to find that having my own tiny detached home would be impossible due to regulations, making financial independence much harder to achieve. A studio apartment on a high floor with a beautiful view might be a good compromise. Good luck with your fascinating search. I love tiny dwellings! Houseboats and camper trailers are other possibilities.
Yes I am leaning toward a studio apt myself. :) I just need to find out where is the lowest rent without being a really awful place to live. hehe
My favorites are a beach front studio or a tall condo building with an awe-inspiring view of skyscrapers. But if low rent is crucial, try to find an older building in an expensive neighborhood. I found one in Houston that was going to be torn down in about a year so the rent was very low. But I was able to eat all my meals from free samples given out by the gourmet grocery store nearby. Another possibility is a tiny separate guest house behind a mansion. Some of these are really reasonable. Happy hunting!
there are people with guest homes beside mansions that rent them out!? :O
Indeed! I found a whole street of these in Pasadena, California in a very wealthy neighborhood called Arroyo Canyon. The little guest houses were far back from the street, in a wooded environment overlooking the canyon. Many millionaires need a responsible person to be a kind of housesitter while they are gone on vacation or business trips, or while they travel to properties they have in other countries. The important thing is to show them that you are reliable and trustworthy. You don't need to have much money. Sometimes they will pay you to housesit. Another possibility is to rent a bedroom in a mansion. Try networking at the neighborhood golf club.
Hm.... I dont know that I would mingle well with really rich people with all my tattooes and piercings and dreadlocks of crazy colors. They often assume I am an irresponsible loser and I'd rather not have to kiss ass to get on their good side. Don't like the idea of house sitting either. XD Perhaps some shitty studio apt in a shabby neighborhood should be my new goal. :) Very interesting though. I never knew arrangements like that were common.
An intelligent person would think that tattooes and piercings and dreadlocks are signs of being young and hip, up with the latest fashions. I dress to please myself. I guess the most important thing is to find a place that feels like home. You will know it when you see it!
@lauralemons It is possible to build 35 square meters home for ~12k$(Polish project). I belive prices may differ if you pay lower taxes. If you are interested i can try to translate some articles to english for you.
Oh. I would appreciate the translations if you can! :) I am sure a lot of people here on steemit would. :D
Ok! Later i will reply here or call you in new post. :)
I don't know if you would be up for it but you could always rent/lease the land from someone until you find your own land. There's a good site called http://tinyhouseparking.com/ that will allow you to search all of the parking available across the world. Let me know if that helps :)
Thanks someone else mentioned that idea but this resource helps a lot. :D Definitely will look into it.
The question with that becomes, do you want a tiny house on wheels, or a tiny house that is in a fixed position? A tiny house on wheels is basically a ridiculously expensive travel trailer.
Not really, compared to trailer homes, RV's, etc? They're way more modern, can be hooked up to solar power, etc. You may look at it as being "expensive", others look at it as never having to pay rent or mortgage ever again. And that, is priceless.
You would still have to either rent or buy the property that you park it on.
The only advantage that I see with a tiny house on wheels as opposed to a nice travel trailer is the floor layout design. Travel trailers are usually designed for maximum sleeping space for several people. With a tiny house, you can design it for 1 bed if you want, and use the rest of the space for other things.
The new travel trailers are quite modern.
For what it's worth, there is definitely a question of building materials. My gf and I built our tinyhome specifically to minimize the amount of nasty shit that went into it . It's almost entirely wood, with a fairly simple oil based stain and insulated with wool. A huge reason to built it ourselves was just the desire to have the experience though.
I can certainly understand that.
@itchykitten You guys have a tiny home? :O Where is it? How is it going? :D
it's good so far Laura, we've spent about two years building it, mostly during the winters outside of Helena, MT. People out here don't care so much about stuff like this, and I doubt we'll have many problems...but you never know. It's always really really easy to find a place outside town. Inside town is a bit trickier, but I know a few people who are doing it.
It's exceptionally small, on a 7x14 foot trailer. We've spent about $17k building it ourselves. We've used a lot of nice materials though.
I think we'll be moving it to the Missoula area maybe this summer, we'll see.
I'd be happy to talk more about it, probably going to crash soon though. Goodnight Laura!!!
It seems like there would be people who would be willing to allow someone to place a tiny home on their property (near their own home perhaps) and charge a rental fee for the land and utilities. I understand that there are zoning restrictions but tiny homes aren't much larger than many outdoor sheds that already have utilities running to some of them without requiring special permits.
I personally would be willing to let someone do exactly that on my 1.5 acres and I just wouldn't ask the local municipality for their permission. I would assume others might do the same.
Yes but I would want to not be reported for that. I hadn't thought of that idea myself so thank you for pointing it out. I just fear neighbors or people reporting it. But worth looking into for sure. :) Thanks again. I will add this to my list of stuff to research. ^_^
Another thing is the rental fee would need to be not too expensive since one of the main goals with a tiny home is saving money. I wonder how much people would charge for that? :)
Zoning is definitely my main fear. Zoning laws are definitely actively trying to make it hard for tiny home people.
If you get reported, you may end up having to move the home eventually. It usually takes a long time to finalize those types of actions. But most people in the south won't report you. Not unless your home creates a problem or is an eyesore.
Hey Laura, the zoning thing can be a problem. In a lot of places however, I think you can get away with it just fine. Having good relationships with your neighbors is probably pretty key.
Yeah I just need to learn more about it and try to find out where I could maybe go...tons of places won't let your tiny home anywhere near regular homes due to property values being affected. I have a lot more to research. I know it has been done before and is possible but not sure it is ideal for a person like me who needs to be close to a city due to medical appts. We will see! I am looking for documentaries. :)
Terrific article! I'm looking forward to your journey. I suspect the economics of smaller homes work better in an urban setting where lots of smaller homes could benefit from proximity to bulk infrastructure such as water, electricity and Internet, not to mention waste management (there may be some developments in the US which already have waste to energy solutions - certainly the Swedes cracked that years ago). Proximity to the bulk supply, or major distribution lines, means that the connection to the home isn't as long, therefore shouldn't be as expensive. That's pretty much a question of cost of materials and labour on the part of the municipality or utility. Communities that figure out how to share infrastructure benefit from a lower cost of infrastructure.
If you'd really like to do the rural/not too far away from friends and services thing, maybe you could look into an energy/water efficient and self-sufficient house - one with solar water heating, solar power (still expensive if you want the whole house, not just a couple of light bulbs and a toaster), perhaps gas for cooking, and grey water recycling (assuming you pay rates for water). Ultimately those houses cost a lot less to run than those that run on conventional utilities, but the economics and finance of it - the local capex/opex balance - has to work for you There may be communities where they've built houses like this already...not sure. How this helps!
Yeah I cant afford expensive that is what drew me to tiny homes but I do hope there are more developments and communities though it's not seeming promising. I will keep a close eye on this stuff though.
I would be open to moving to another country to be honest but I know some countries are really hard to get into. haha :)
Thanks I will look into seeing if there are communities with houses like that built. Should be interesting to learn about.
Good luck!
Thanks. :) I think I will figure it out and since this plan is for 5 years out or more who knows if I will have more money than planned and more opportunities. Until then I will just keep learning, dreaming, and planning. :)
It would be fun to build a tiny home community full of Steemers. Maybe a Steemit Island we could buy together?
On plumbing. My favorite kind of toilet is a composting one with sawdust. It smells nice and is easy to manage, or so I am told. I only used one for a few days, but think of how natural it is and how much water it saves?
I don't know how serious you are about your Steemit Island proposition, but I'm pretty serious myself. My husband and I just bought 160 acres in Utah (on a payment plan), and we actually bought it with the intention of turning it into a village/communal living situation with a bunch of tiny houses or yurts or earthbag houses spread out. To give a better idea of how big 160 acres is, it's twice the size of Disneyland. Only problem is, it's starting from nothing. In order to get water, a well needs to be drilled. In order to get electricity, power lines need to be established. Internet is not as much of a problem, because you can use a satellite connection. The land has mixed zoning but due to the location and due to it being Utah, there's not so much restriction as to what you can build if a permit is acquired. It's near BLM land (that's land owned by the United States and basically free for anyone to walk through) and about an hour out from the nearest city (not an issue if we make money online and grow our own food as a community).
Anyway, just a thought. I'm saving up for building permits as we speak. If anyone is interested in a Steemit community living arrangement, we could make it happen.
I want to learn about your progress, followed.
Thanks for the follow. I'm in California now but I plan to visit it soon, and then I can access how much work needs to be done. The main thing I want to check out is whether there are any actual roads built nearby, otherwise we'd have to build some dirt roads, and that would be a somewhat daunting but fun task. I'll definitely do a picture and information post when I go there.
I'm interested Orcain, following. Where in Utah is it?
Just started following you as well. You have a lot of cool posts. I'll have to read those in depth soon.
The land is in the Northwest region toward Nevada's border, not too far from Idaho.
Interesting. I will have to learn about this. :) but what about drinking water and showers?
My aunt has a well band my dad an outdoor shower. But I say confer with the experts like @mericanhomestead
Ive looked into tiny homes too, but being 6'4", it really wasn't feasible. Living off the grid has its ups and downs. If you like to people watch, need access regularly to doctors, and enjoy having utilities, a little house may be something more for long weekends to get outta town. There really is no upside if you enjoy the comforts of home and utilities. :)
Yeah I was more interested in the cost because an actual home is so far out of my range. But I do need all those comforts. There are tiny home communities so I am looking into that but maybe if I save up like $50,000 I can just rent a small studio apt for a few years and use that time to get on my feet more.
I wasnt aware of all the regulations when I initially got interested.
Also that is funny to picture hehe. 6'4" in a tiny home.
Thanks. A little fun a couple months ago with the PicsArt app.
Yah a little house really isnt a good idea. Id just end up with a fridge full of cold packs smacking every toe and appendage off of something.
I am not so much deterred by the space as living far away from a city. Some of them are less tiny than that ones I pictured. :)
Yes they vary in size from a shoe box to a shipping container. The one I was looking at was more of small cabin with a loft, something to throw in the woods on a friends property to camp out in summer time. There would have been no utilities at all, but a gas generator and a solar panel is all you really need if you're really looking to rough it. But in my mind, it really wasnt going to be a place to live, more of something to sleep in vs a tent lol
hahahahaha shoe box vs shipping container. You are too much. XD
Yeah perfect for camping for sure. :) I would be open to roughing it if not for all my medical needs. Maybe...I also realized I wont have any room for my books. I need to just keep saving and maybe find a cheap 1 bedroom, can live mostly in the living room and have all my books and reading book in the bedroom. :D That is more my speed. I just am super poor and was hoping to find a solution to that with tiny homes but as you said...you really have to rough it. Not that practical. I still plan to learn more about them because I find them interesting.
Well books are easy to consolidate on an ipad! They may be small, but once you factor in the property, the amenities, and building the damn thing, you're better off renting. This is the video that peaked my interest. Im a closet prepper, so the thought of going off the grid is all well and good till you need antibiotics!