# Met a guy bragging about his TINY HOME he built,,,,,,,,,



## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

and said that he had been living in it several months. 
I asked him how big it was & he said, " I built it on a 4' x 8' trailer !!!!!!
TOO TINY for me !


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

Wow, that really is tiny!
My one bedroom home is about 650 square ft.
I have been looking into tiny homes, 22 ft × 8.5 might work.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

It's my opinion that a regular camper would be a much better alternative than most of those tiny homes. Most of the tiny homes you see on TV would fall apart when they trailer them down the road very far.


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Def wouldn't want to fart in such a small space


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I was watching a Netflix show about weird homes. There is this guy in Brooklyn, New York who made his home from a dumpster.

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/brooklyn-dumpster-home-sweet-home-article-1.1422854


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Cabin Fever said:


> I was watching a Netflix show about weird homes. There is this guy in Brooklyn, New York who made his home from a dumpster.
> 
> https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/brooklyn-dumpster-home-sweet-home-article-1.1422854


All I can say is wow. At least when SHTF he will blend in and nobody will know he is there


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

I wonder if the top open up still like a sun roof,lol


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

Oregon1986 said:


> Def wouldn't want to fart in such a small space


my thought was my bathroom is larger than that,


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

farminghandyman said:


> my thought was my bathroom is larger than that,


lol yeah i could never live in such a tiny space


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## RonM (Jan 6, 2008)

14 x 20 would be my limit, 
I have building that size and I could do that for hunting camp


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I hope the garbage man doesn't make a mistake and tip the dumpster house.


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## ET1 SS (Oct 22, 2005)

The problem I see with the 'tiny home' movement is that you can not have any hobbies.

Do you like to hunt? Nowhere to store firearms.
Do you like to can food? Nowhere to store it.
Do you have more than 2 changes of clothing? Nowhere to put your clothing.
Do you like to fix things? Nowhere to keep your tools.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

For the nomad and the traveler, it’s perfect.


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## Ellendra (Jul 31, 2013)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> For the nomad and the traveler, it’s perfect.


Or, if you need a place to live while building your real home. I have an 8x12 shed I'm remodeling into a tiny house, so I can live on my land until I'm able to build the real house.


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

Fishindude said:


> It's my opinion that a regular camper would be a much better alternative than most of those tiny homes. Most of the tiny homes you see on TV would fall apart when they trailer them down the road very far.


I moved a chicken coop across the county on the back of my flatbed; had to go back and hammer in a BUNCH of loose nails. I can only imagine what a cross country trip would do to a tiny home...


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

I have never comprehend this tiny house stuff either, where a old winnebago or travel trailer is all ready better setup and more usable, and a use unit can be had for a lot less, and new I doubt is that much different in price, than the tiny house,

I lived in a winnebago one summer on a construction site I was working at, it really was not that bad, lots of storage in that unit, but I think two people would have not been as enjoyable, but since I was there on my own, it was not bad, (I traveled home on weekends), got supplies and a few days of a nice home, 

but I think I could do a well laid out cabin of 20' by 24' with a loft, (but that is only for living in, no storage or shop ect), 

I know if forced one could do with less, to survive, but I like a bit more than survival,


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## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

Similar to living on a sailboat or house boat. You have to be a minimalist; organized and clean to have a good life style. I am considering trying a sailboat with a few solar panels and a dinghy to go explore and fish out of. Perhaps a small storage unit at friends or public storage for seasonal items.


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

Ellendra said:


> Or, if you need a place to live while building your real home. I have an 8x12 shed I'm remodeling into a tiny house, so I can live on my land until I'm able to build the real house.


A good freind of mine built a 14'x14' room to live in until he got around to building a real house. Lived In that tiny house till he died 40 years later.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

My ex and I found a great plot of land with a rough mobile home on it that we lived in while building our dream home. It worked out perfectly..
Once the house was built we scrapped it.


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## boerboy (Oct 7, 2012)

Any extremism could be bad. I know many people with extremely large houses that they couldn't even clean once in a week. In my own house there is one junk room. It is like obesity.

I can live in a 22'x8' pretty happy. But I will need a two or three car garage (for car, tractor). I will also need a barn (for livestock) that include workshop (mostly wood). I will also put a BBQ Grill outdoor.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

ET1 SS said:


> The problem I see with the 'tiny home' movement is that you can not have any hobbies.
> 
> Do you like to hunt? Nowhere to store firearms.
> Do you like to can food? Nowhere to store it.
> ...


 I don’t see why you couldn’t do it any or all of those things in a tiny house. 
I have a friend with a model railroad he keeps it in a brief case.


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## fireweed farm (Dec 31, 2010)

I also lived in an older ('86) travel trailer for years after buying the land while saving up to build.
It had more storage and living space than most tiny homes and only cost a few thousand.
Seems the cheapest tiny home I've seen for sale is $40k. What!!
Tiny homes are an expensive trend, they are really cool but in reality are temporary in most cases.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

My girlfriend moved in to my 300 ft.² house with me and her son. 
Of course as soon as she moved in things had to get bigger so we used the attic for bedrooms 
Then being a spoiled city girl that she is she seemed to think we needed a bathroom I added a washer and dryer to it and toilet ,hot water heater and a sink 
That room was 12 x8. 
So something like 450 ft.² of floor space. 
That was fine for about seven years until he was in six grade


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## Redlands Okie (Nov 28, 2017)

The big difference between a shed fixed up to live in and a tiny home is a few zeros in the price tag. Gullible people all over it seems.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

I lived in a sled I pulled behind a snowmobile for most of one winter
It was about 2 1/2 feet wide 3 feet tall and 8 feet long
Pretty much like sleeping in a casket


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## Weedygarden (Mar 16, 2011)

My grandparents were poor people. They lived in a 12 x 24 home with their 7 children. The home had been built so they could move onto their land. The house was covered with tar paper. They lived in that house for around 10 years, and then they moved in a BIG house, 24 x 24. Now they had two bedrooms and the 4 boys didn't have to sleep in the attic. The 3 girls continued to sleep in the parent's bedroom.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

GOOD tiny houses have insulation, nice finishes, etc. Prices range from basic to OMG.


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## shaky6 (May 15, 2015)

Notice how the tiny house shows never do a "one year later" follow up or anything after these people have tried to actually tow their house halfway across the country. When my wife watches those shows I'm at awe with the people who have more money than sense and have these things built. They'll put a big ole custom glass window or door in....hahaha, just wait fool. Little shelves with little trinkets all over...wait for the first pot hole. You better stick to 35mph back roads to haul it. But wait.. you rarely get 12ft overhead clearance on those roads. Wah waaaa.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

When I was young and more adventurous, I worked for a traveling carnival for a summer. I lived in a slide-in trailer on the back of a pickup truck. I had more than enough space for my few possessions and enjoyed it quite a bit. Wasn't that great when it rained and was stuck inside for days though.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I spent many a night in a 1970 Chevy Van a lot like this when I was roaming around, but mine was yellow. There was a bed in the back with storage underneath and I had extra speakers mounted in the frame:


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## CKelly78z (Jul 16, 2017)

He most likely was bragging about a cargo trailer conversion, not a stick built tiny home.


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

I too would like to see a "1 year later" episode. I'd lay money down a good portion of those mobile tiny houses are not able to be moved because they fell apart. Or the driver tried to go through a drive-thu whilst towing it...


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## Ellendra (Jul 31, 2013)

ford62b said:


> I too would like to see a "1 year later" episode. I'd lay money down a good portion of those mobile tiny houses are not able to be moved because they fell apart. Or the driver tried to go through a drive-thu whilst towing it...


And that a lot of them discover they had too much space devoted to "unnecessaries", leaving them no room to live.

I have a book on tiny houses, and it amazes me how many have room for art projects, or weird staircase designs that take 4 times the normal amount of space, but don't have space for a bathroom.


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## thesedays (Feb 25, 2011)

shaky6 said:


> Notice how the tiny house shows never do a "one year later" follow up or anything after these people have tried to actually tow their house halfway across the country. When my wife watches those shows I'm at awe with the people who have more money than sense and have these things built. They'll put a big ole custom glass window or door in....hahaha, just wait fool. Little shelves with little trinkets all over...wait for the first pot hole. You better stick to 35mph back roads to haul it. But wait.. you rarely get 12ft overhead clearance on those roads. Wah waaaa.


Or that moving into a tiny house with 3 kids, two of them opposite-sex teenagers, really wasn't such a good idea after all and they really did need more room.


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## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

The reason many tiny homes are built on wheels is it get you around local building codes and inspections. Many could not be legally built otherwise. Many travel trailers are built poorly with cheap materials.


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## shaky6 (May 15, 2015)

My favorites are the ones where its like 2 adults, 4 kids, and of course they have 2 or 3 full-size dogs and they keep bragging about how they have plenty of room to make it all happen. In 300 square feet.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

They spend a lot of time outside during the day. How much room do you need to sleep?


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## shaky6 (May 15, 2015)

Sure Alice. Sure.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I am happy to offer the positive thinking side of things. 

Unless someone is rude. Then I am full on momma grizzly.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Tiny homes are a reflection of the times. Full size homes are out of reach for a large slice of the populace. I even noted a downsize in million dollar+ builds, just in this past decade, as per square foot costs are getting lofty (used to be $100/sqft, now $300-500/sqft for a no frills home). I've heard of city condos around $1000/sqft or more. Those numbers are the cost to build. Tack on marketing and profit...

Tiny homes are glorified RVs or mobiles. I appreciate the unique styles and whatnot, but I cannot see them being durable for the long haul, especially if one has to move them a lot. Then there is the efficiency. 2x4 walls doesn't lend itself to a well insulated home. 

As Ed/La noted, you build something on wheels, it falls outside the purview of local building codes. Although, some areas have restrictions with 'homes on wheels'. 

That's what gets under my skin, that we are forcing folks to skirt regulation by having to build on wheels. And if you have to build on wheels, you are severely limited. While I think we did go overboard in the past, with monster builds, a house on wheels, is the flip-side. I suppose, from a global perspective, it is the way of the world. Most folks around the world live in cramped quarters on tiny plots. I was taken aback with a 'executive build' home in Japan. 2 floor house was rather small, but had a number of small rooms. It was the property footprint that floored me. Just enough for a 3-4' footpath around house, and about a 6' yard off the front of house. With a planter running along street side of house, no parking on property. 

I suppose we better get used to this way of living. I don't see house build costs ever coming down.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> How much room do you need to sleep?


I need a king size water bed.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Personal decision. Has naught to do with people who love tiny houses.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

I could live in it I guess if I had a couple large buildings on the land to put all my stuff in. when I'm out in the country I only got a small camper. that's quite comfortable . but I got several sheds and a barn.

some people seem to enjoy theirs though. there were 2 women on the other night they had theirs set up on a piece of land. didn't look like there were any sheds around. I know a fellow who works at the post office. he lives with his parents but that's what he's talking about doing because he can't afford a house. ~Georgia


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Many localities have minimum size requirements on new homes, often having to be more than 1500 sq ft. The electrical co-op in the area we are building will bring power at no cost up to 800 ft for a building more than 1000 sq ft. If it is anything other than a permanent residence over 1000 sq ft, you have to pay the full cost of running power to the building. If you want power for an RV, they charge even more!

There's a young couple at the end of the road who live in a tiny home. They put in a septic system and have water, but get their power from solar cells. He works for the US Forestry Service as a fire fighter and found the tiny home convenient. They have moved theirs to 4 different locations without any major issues. They feel it is more "homey" and better constructed for daily living than the travel trailer they lived in for 2 years before they went with the tiny home.


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)

I think the tiny/micro/smaller home trend is great...…..especially when alternative materials and building practices are used.


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## shaky6 (May 15, 2015)

The downsize social engineering effort is part of Agenda 21 to get people used to living in cramped quarters inside engineered communities. Hey, Chinese communists live in walk-in closets, why can't we acclimatize our people to it as well?


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)

no, JUST NO...………..


It is a lifestyle choice, much like home steading....a deviation from the overly complicated run of the mill Mc Mansion garbage, I do not need a giant new house or shiney new BMW to show the world I am worthy...…….I also do not need to work 40 years to pay a 30 year mortgage , but feel free to do that if it suits your fancy.


The homogenized lifestyle is not for me, I make plenty of money to do what I want, have plenty of cash on hand and have minimized my bills to almost non existent. I am not building, working for or paying for a house so some one can live in it 50 years after I am dead or for the kids to fight over or for uncle sam to take half of when I die...…..if it falls down as I die, then I built it to last the right amount of time.


Life is too short to waste it over some status symbol house or crazy transportation......once again, if that's your thing, then be happy, I am happy for you, but it is not my thing and increasingly more and more, not other peoples thing.


If you need a large house by all means get one, but I don`t...…….I am in 440 square feet house right now and it is more than enough for my needs, I even have a small movie theater inside......I do not want to live in a closet, but would as I have been homeless and a closet is better than that.

You are not in a free country when it mandates what size house you build, on top of a million other regulations, we live in the after illusion of freedom, like a tale of yester year one believes to still be true. Sure, it is about as good as it gets, but I am sure it is very far from freedom that we had 100 years ago...…..we are selling the illusion of freedom by repeating it over and over until we believe it to be true.


The quote from the Matrix movie sums it up pretty well,...."You have been living in a dream world"...….


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

I agree that tiny houses have their place, and make more sense than a mega house with a 30 year mortgage. I think it's more about properly using the spaces you have than getting more space. 
I like the storage solutions tiny houses come up with, it gives me ideas to better utilize the space I have in my cabin.

Even a shed converted into a house makes a hell of a lot of sense; you put your money in the land and everything else is cake.

Then problem I see is when they put tiny houses on a trailer; wonder how long they last?


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

We will be moving into our tiny cabin this spring. 20x20 a-frame so it lives like 14 by 20 with a sleeping loft. We do have storage in the eaves that most would not have.

We do plan an sheds for storage and other activities. Plans include about a 10 by 14 shed next to an outdoor kitchen for summer and use for canning food storage. Covering an old grainery/barn into my pottery/art studio. It's about 12 by 16. Building a 12 by 20 foot shed now that will store lots of our stuff until I get a shop built then it will be the wifes wood shop for restoring furniture.










WWW


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## survival49 (May 6, 2018)

I was on a destroyer once as an unwanted guest, my living space was 4x8 and prison cell is bigger


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

Friends of our lived in the tiny home below for two years, which included two Minnesota winters. They were both middle-aged and divorced (read: broke) when they met. They decided to live in the "tiny home" so they could save money for a future stick-built house.


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

wy_white_wolf said:


> We will be moving into our tiny cabin this spring. 20x20 a-frame so it lives like 14 by 20 with a sleeping loft. We do have storage in the eaves that most would not have.
> 
> We do plan an sheds for storage and other activities. Plans include about a 10 by 14 shed next to an outdoor kitchen for summer and use for canning food storage. Covering an old grainery/barn into my pottery/art studio. It's about 12 by 16. Building a 12 by 20 foot shed now that will store lots of our stuff until I get a shop built then it will be the wifes wood shop for restoring furniture.
> 
> ...


That is so cool!!! Love it, and it's a perfect example of well designed and planned living. I'd rather they make a TV show about your kind of house than ones on trailers!!


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

If you think about it, it was 4 x 8 before all the walls were put in !! Now, closer to 3 x 7, I guess. Might as well just buy an old van & live in it. 
I think it is a trend/fad, & will disappear before long. I read that some people paid $60k for a tiny home & had to sell it for $30k in 2 years, after they got sick of it. 
I am single, so I don't need a lot of room. My friend & I stayed in Utah in a 12 x 40 park model mobile home & did fine. I would not want to go much smaller than 400 sq.ft.


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## susanneb (Feb 17, 2005)

If you don't like tiny homes, don't buy one.

If someone is happy with one, why should it bother you? People in Hong Kong are living in half-height units about the size of a full sized bed. The hallways alone make me hyper-ventilate with claustrophobia, but I'm sure the tenants are just happy to have shelter.

My brother and SIL are mortified that my husband and I built a one bedroom house (800 sq.ft.) on four acres outside of a decidedly unhip small town. We really embarrassed them by living in a singlewide until we could build. We now have a beautiful cabin at the edge of the Oregon forest while they live in town with neighbors out their windows. Our choice is not their choice and vice versa.


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## roadless (Sep 9, 2006)

I think to most folks, owning a home is a big deal, no matter what the size.


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## melli (May 7, 2016)

Cabin Fever said:


> Friends of our lived in the tiny home below for two years, which included two Minnesota winters. They were both middle-aged and divorced (read: broke) when they met. They decided to live in the "tiny home" so they could save money for a future stick-built house.


Ok, that takes fortitude! Especially, in Minnesota. Hmmm...


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## Txyogagirl (Jul 4, 2018)

Ellendra said:


> Or, if you need a place to live while building your real home. I have an 8x12 shed I'm remodeling into a tiny house, so I can live on my land until I'm able to build the real house.


We wanted to do something like that but my husband said it was to tiny lol we have 600 sq ft but still have 900sq ft storage we built a 30x50 shop we are dried in have water and electric no interior walls or insulation but hopefully soon. Hope to only live in it 1 yr 2 max but we have 2 kids 10months and 2yrs that was as tiny as we could get lol we are going to build our real home when we sell the house we live in now


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## Number21 (May 28, 2017)

The bigger problem is dumb people are doing this just to be trendy. They can't think 5 minutes ahead of now. It will not last. You will not enjoy your stay there years from now. It might seem fun for a few days, like staying in a rental cabin somewhere nice. If you're single, and you're just saving money for a few years, not a bad idea. Family? BAD IDEA! No storage? BAD IDEA! Have pets? BAD IDEA! No plans for anything better ever in your life? PATHETIC! "Tiny House" is just a term for people who think they are too good to live in a "trailer" or "shed" or "old U-haul". Maybe granny and papa did it 50-100 years ago, that doesn't make it OK today. Different world. My grandma grew up in a small adobe house in Arizona with a dirt floor, and no plumbing or electricity. Doesn't mean I should do the same thing 100 years later.

Don't try to make it about cost. People spend six figures on these stupid things. If you want to save money you can get a nice single wide for not a lot of money. But that has a stigma for some reason...

Some people are trying to get around laws, but it isn't like that in a lot of places. Here in North Carolina, the minimum legal requirement for a house is that it must be more than 150sq ft, and it must not have a dirt floor. That's about it. You don't have to put it on wheels, but you still shouldn't live in that for very long. It's downright inhumane. You can also easily buy a livable house here for $50-100 per square foot. Not new, but livable. You can get a house for $30 grand. A full size one, not a toy model. I just looked at an old 2 story farm house on 2 acres for $49,500. It needed work but it was livable. I almost bought it.

I saw a really stupid post on craigslist trying to sell houses in a tiny house "community" in Raleigh, they started at $98,000, complete with an AMAZING 6,000sq ft of land. If you buy that you are an idiot. No exceptions. It appeared they were having a hard time selling the idea. I'm sure somebody thought they were going to be a millionaire with this scam. And it's unlikely you will ever get a mortgage from a bank on that. It will never appreciate in value.

Some people have the false idea that we are running out of space in the US. This could not be more wrong. Just because some people cram themselves into cities doesn't mean there isn't plenty of room left. If you've ever driven or flown across the US you would notice that *MOST* of the land is still unoccupied! China is roughly the same size in land area as the US, with 4 times as many people. They are crammed into small houses, still often bigger than a "tiny house", but they still have a lot of open space too. Much of their small houses is more a result of no money rather than no space.


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

Number21 said:


> The bigger problem is dumb people are doing this just to be trendy. They can't think 5 minutes ahead of now. It will not last. You will not enjoy your stay there years from now. It might seem fun for a few days, like staying in a rental cabin somewhere nice. If you're single, and you're just saving money for a few years, not a bad idea. Family? BAD IDEA! No storage? BAD IDEA! Have pets? BAD IDEA! No plans for anything better ever in your life? PATHETIC! "Tiny House" is just a term for people who think they are too good to live in a "trailer" or "shed" or "old U-haul". Maybe granny and papa did it 50-100 years ago, that doesn't make it OK today. Different world. My grandma grew up in a small adobe house in Arizona with a dirt floor, and no plumbing or electricity. Doesn't mean I should do the same thing 100 years later.
> 
> Don't try to make it about cost. People spend six figures on these stupid things. If you want to save money you can get a nice single wide for not a lot of money. But that has a stigma for some reason...
> 
> ...


Wow....so I guess you're anti tiny house?

I view it as "whatever floats your boat" when it comes to tiny homes- no one is forcing YOU to live in a tiny house, so there's no reason that no one should be allowed to live in them.

I agree that it may be trendy to some people, who is it as an excuse to avoid saying "shack" or "trailer". However, you haven't admit that Americans often have homes that are WAY too big and buy loads of crap we don't need. If the tiny house movement is a way to reduce that, then isnt it a positive movement? 

One benefit I have gained from the tiny house movement is the storage innovations they come up with. If I can better utilize the space in my cabin then there's no need for a bigger house.
Plus, I like how tiny house people are forced to par down on what they own, decluttering their lives and shedding themselves of junks. It gives me the motivation and drive to better design my own life.

Kind of like watching an episode of "Hoarders"; nothing will get a fire under my butt to clean on a Saturday morning than a single episode of THAT!!


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

Friends of mine grew up in what I considered a tiny house, and I lived the first 9 years of my life in a 1959 Great lakes trailer house.
Their house had a smallish living room and a tiny kitchen on the main floor.
2 tiny bedrooms in the basement and a very basic bathroom.
They raised 5 boys in that little shack, but they were pretty spread out in age.
I could live small if I had to, but I like room to swing my arms.


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## Ellendra (Jul 31, 2013)

Txyogagirl said:


> We wanted to do something like that but my husband said it was to tiny lol we have 600 sq ft but still have 900sq ft storage we built a 30x50 shop we are dried in have water and electric no interior walls or insulation but hopefully soon. Hope to only live in it 1 yr 2 max but we have 2 kids 10months and 2yrs that was as tiny as we could get lol we are going to build our real home when we sell the house we live in now



If I had a husband and kids, it would definitely be too small! I'll admit that I have 2 advantages in this situation: 1. I'm single and childless, and 2, I'm more comfortable sleeping on a sofa than a mattress. 

One thing I'm doing to squeeze a little more space is to remodel the sofa itself. I'm starting with the hide-a-bed kind of sofa, but removing the hide-a-bed part. Instead, there are going to be 3 large drawers built into it, each sized to hold 2 dozen quart-sized canning jars. There will probably only be canning jars in one of them, but I figure that's a convenient size for storage. In addition, there's a fold-down table that goes over the sofa, with a waterproof curtain underneath it in case I'm using it for something messy, like canning tomatoes.

There will probably be times when I'll feel a little claustrophobic living in there, yes. But it's not intended as a long-term house. It's not even intended as a "home", just a place to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom, without having to run through the rain.


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

Ellendra said:


> If I had a husband and kids, it would definitely be too small! I'll admit that I have 2 advantages in this situation: 1. I'm single and childless, and 2, I'm more comfortable sleeping on a sofa than a mattress.
> 
> One thing I'm doing to squeeze a little more space is to remodel the sofa itself. I'm starting with the hide-a-bed kind of sofa, but removing the hide-a-bed part. Instead, there are going to be 3 large drawers built into it, each sized to hold 2 dozen quart-sized canning jars. There will probably only be canning jars in one of them, but I figure that's a convenient size for storage. In addition, there's a fold-down table that goes over the sofa, with a waterproof curtain underneath it in case I'm using it for something messy, like canning tomatoes.
> 
> There will probably be times when I'll feel a little claustrophobic living in there, yes. But it's not intended as a long-term house. It's not even intended as a "home", just a place to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom, without having to run through the rain.


Wow....I like that idea of turning an unused hideabed into storage. As I type this I look over at my hideabed couch and start to plan....


Thanks, you just added another project to my to do list! Excellent idea!


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## Ziva (Aug 22, 2018)

Esteban29304 said:


> and said that he had been living in it several months.
> I asked him how big it was & he said, " I built it on a 4' x 8' trailer !!!!!!
> TOO TINY for me !


I lived in a 399 sq ft Park Model. It was GREAT. 2 BR/2 BA. Only problem, it didn't have a washer/dryer I would have given up 1/2 of a bathroom to have a stacker. The 399 sq ft on bedroom ones had washer/dryers. It was great though.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

My sister wants me to build her a tiny home on a 5th wheel trailer. I need you guys to tell her it's a bad idea because I have other things I need to get done. 

I am thinking about building a few myself though seriously. They will be AirBnB'd and not traveling. The are getting 125-150 a night on those things. If I stick build it the price goes down to 100 a night for a cabin that small.


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

mreynolds said:


> My sister wants me to build her a tiny home on a 5th wheel trailer. I need you guys to tell her it's a bad idea because I have other things I need to get done.
> 
> I am thinking about building a few myself though seriously. They will be AirBnB'd and not traveling. The are getting 125-150 a night on those things. If I stick build it the price goes down to 100 a night for a cabin that small.


Ok, tell her this: wood nailed together is not designed to travel down the road on a trailer frame. Nails loosen up with constant movement and pull out....then fall apart. I had a chicken coop I kept having to move around due to various reasons; after a few moves the dang thing got loose and shaky. 

Would you want to live in that?


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

ford62b said:


> Ok, tell her this: wood nailed together is not designed to travel down the road on a trailer frame. Nails loosen up with constant movement and pull out....then fall apart. I had a chicken coop I kept having to move around due to various reasons; after a few moves the dang thing got loose and shaky.
> 
> Would you want to live in that?


Yeah, I told her I could build her one that would but she would need something bigger than a 2500 gas powered Ford to do it. More like a 4500 because it would weigh about 15k. Now she is truck shopping.


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I have seen some tiny homes for sale, online. They dave depreciated 50% in just a few years. One person paid $60k, & is trying to sell it for $29k.
I stayed in a park model in Utah & was pretty comfortable. I am single, so 1 bedroom, 1 bath is fine. It had a stacked washer/dryer, too. Sleeper sofa to sleep 2 more people , if needed. It was a bargain at $60/night, not far from Moab !


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

staying a camper for a week end or a few weeks, is one thing, and that is normally with a place to return to, but to do it full time (unless one had the support buildings), shop storage ect, would be very difficult in my opinion, 

personally I would love to have a nice travel trailer (camper), or even a slide in type camper for my truck, but to live in it 24/7 no way,


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## TedH71 (Jan 19, 2003)

I looked into buying a teardrop trailer until my older brother stopped me. He said to buy one of those cargo trailers but have the door be built in the side and have them install a few electric sockets and put a portable a/c in the roof. PRESTO! It'll be between $2k-$3k compared to a teardrop trailer which typically goes for thousands more. He said that is a secret thing he learned when he had a buddy who worked in building RV trailers....


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## Falfrenzy (Aug 20, 2018)

TedH71 said:


> I looked into buying a teardrop trailer until my older brother stopped me. He said to buy one of those cargo trailers but have the door be built in the side and have them install a few electric sockets and put a portable a/c in the roof. PRESTO! It'll be between $2k-$3k compared to a teardrop trailer which typically goes for thousands more. He said that is a secret thing he learned when he had a buddy who worked in building RV trailers....


What size and condition cargo trailer do you expect to get for $2-3000?

Serious question. Good luck finding one for under $3000 that isnt beat to crap. They are almost cheaper to buy new, people think their used ones are made of gold.

A rooftop A/C and ceiling control will run you about $1000 for the sub 10K BTU models, and the price keeps climbing past that. And then the question of how you plan on running that A/C unit? If you've got shore power lined up, cool. Generators are a whole nother can o worms, as you will be hard pressed to find a model you can run off a small genset that won't keep you and all your neighbors awake.

Then, the question of insulating it comes up, and building out as a living space.

I've done exactly as you speak, and it cost me about $5000 for the build to insulate a 8.5' wide, 16 ' long with 7 foot tall ceiling double axle cargo trailer with 1.25" thick foam board, tape all the seams then put up 3/8 plywood and then paint and build in the living arrangements. I had the stuff for wiring laying around, so I probably saved myself another $250.

Its not cheap, but you'll know exactly how it was built. Mine came with a 1.25" thick marine rated plywood floor. That is not standard across the cargo trailer world by the way.

I made mine custom because I wanted a toy hauler for my SXS, but its 78" tall and 60" wide. I built my bunk across the front of the trailer so I can sleep in there with the vehicle in there as well. I can actually put a 4 Wheeler in front of the SXS because I made a cavity under my bunk thats 49" wide and 44" tall so most 4wheeler handle bars will go under it. 

I wish I would have bought a 18 or 20 foot long trailer, I feel most will echo this cognitive dissonance effect after buying a cargo trailer.

Took me a good couple months after coming home from my 9-5 job to "finish" it (you're never finished, its a never ending list of wants once you get started.)


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)




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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Falfrenzy said:


> What size and condition cargo trailer do you expect to get for $2-3000?
> 
> Serious question. Good luck finding one for under $3000 that isnt beat to crap. They are almost cheaper to buy new, people think their used ones are made of gold...


My 6 by 12 was under $2300 new. That's bigger than most teardrops. Just saw a 6 by 10 teardrop that they want $18,000 for. Rooftop AC unit for trailers can be had for under $500.

WWW


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

Funny what people define as "tiny". We are building a 32x44 home. We have been asked several times why we are building such a "small" house. We have even had people point out that we could buy a double wide bigger than that.

Some people are trying to get around laws by building a tiny home. Some people just find it trendy. I don't really care what you live in, or why you live in it, and I'm going to keep my opinion to myself. I expect and appreciate the same consideration in return. Life is much simpler that way.


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## Falfrenzy (Aug 20, 2018)

wy_white_wolf said:


> My 6 by 12 was under $2300 new. That's bigger than most teardrops. Just saw a 6 by 10 teardrop that they want $18,000 for. Rooftop AC unit for trailers can be had for under $500.
> 
> WWW


I will admit I was on the search for double axle trailers, so my opinion on pricing is biased.

Unless availability has changed, all the dealers of RV RTUs want to stick you with freight and handling charges. Some are available on Amazon with free shipping.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

4 ft by 8 ft? That is equivalent to living in your van, which is fairly common in some parts due to extreme rental costs. See https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/f...nt-workers-living-cars-housing-crisis-1169781

My hope is to one day live in a 900 sq ft 2BR home with my wife on a country plot. It would be well insulated, easily heated, and with central AC. Mostly want a home that is comfortable during -20F & 95F temps and is low maintenance, all on one level. For our retirement years. And with this fairly small space, I would put up some nice storage buildings.


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## CKelly78z (Jul 16, 2017)

Anyone looking at a tiny home on a permanent lot might want to consider a 40'x8'x8' CONEX shipping container like the one we got delivered for $2200. This thing is indestructible, water proof, and wind/weather proof, after all it spent most of it's life on the deck of an ocean going cargo ship in salt water. At 320 SF, (less with insulation, and finished walls), this would be a good, strong, and cheap starting point. It also has a flat roof that sheds water nicely, that could be used for an elevated scenic deck. We keep 300 bales of horse hay in ours, with ventilation to prevent mold.


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## Falfrenzy (Aug 20, 2018)

CKelly78z said:


> Anyone looking at a tiny home on a permanent lot might want to consider a 40'x8'x8' CONEX shipping container like the one we got delivered for $2200. This thing is indestructible, water proof, and wind/weather proof, after all it spent most of it's life on the deck of an ocean going cargo ship in salt water. At 320 SF, (less with insulation, and finished walls), this would be a good, strong, and cheap starting point. It also has a flat roof that sheds water nicely, that could be used for an elevated scenic deck. We keep 300 bales of horse hay in ours, with ventilation to prevent mold.


Can you show pictures of your ventilation methods?


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

CKelly78z said:


> Anyone looking at a tiny home on a permanent lot might want to consider a 40'x8'x8' CONEX shipping container like the one we got delivered for $2200. This thing is indestructible, water proof, and wind/weather proof, after all it spent most of it's life on the deck of an ocean going cargo ship in salt water. At 320 SF, (less with insulation, and finished walls), this would be a good, strong, and cheap starting point. It also has a flat roof that sheds water nicely, that could be used for an elevated scenic deck. We keep 300 bales of horse hay in ours, with ventilation to prevent mold.


I saw an article somewhere about a fellow that stacked 4 conex containers forming a two story house that they filled in the middle with wood and added a roof. It came in well under what a traditional stick build house would have cost.


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## Falfrenzy (Aug 20, 2018)

ford62b said:


> I saw an article somewhere about a fellow that stacked 4 conex containers forming a two story house that they filled in the middle with wood and added a roof. It came in well under what a traditional stick build house would have cost.


That seems to be awfully tall with 4 containers. Hopefully they used cables to tie down the corners to keep winds from blowing it over, because its a big sail if its 4 stacked high with no additional support.

I think using 40 ft and 20 foot containers stacked 2 high to make a square with open courtyard would be awesome.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Falfrenzy said:


> That seems to be awfully tall with 4 containers.


I don't think they meant they were stacked 4 high in a single vertical column.
I believe it was 4 containers total, consisting of two pairs of one on top of another.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

ford62b said:


> I saw an article somewhere about a fellow that stacked 4 conex containers forming a two story house that they filled in the middle with wood and added a roof. It came in well under what a traditional stick build house would have cost.


I saw one on Building Off Grid (DIY Network) where they used 2 40' containers spaced apart. They put floor joist across them, then a subfloor and a stick built house on top. Don't remember if they put columns to the ground or just used the containers for the foundation. Seems I do remember the containers being secured to the footings and the joists secured to the containers. They were using the containers for storage and ATV garage, then using the center section for a workshop. I'm sure the containers will support the weight since you see them stacked 20 high on cargo ships.


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## CKelly78z (Jul 16, 2017)

The container we have has a small factory built, screened vent at each corner. When stacking hay inside (middle of June), we left the sealing doors slightly ajar to prevent mold while the hay dried. By November when the weather was changing, the hay was dry enough, and the weather was cool enough to close the doors.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

shaky6 said:


> My favorites are the ones where its like 2 adults, 4 kids, and of course they have 2 or 3 full-size dogs and they keep bragging about how they have plenty of room to make it all happen. In 300 square feet.


Been there done that. Not bad at all


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I feel that we will see more & more USED tiny homes on the market. People think they can scale back to 200 sq. ft. , & cannot do it .


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

People can get by with a lot less than they think they can there is plenty of evidence in other countries.


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## Txyogagirl (Jul 4, 2018)

Ellendra said:


> If I had a husband and kids, it would definitely be too small! I'll admit that I have 2 advantages in this situation: 1. I'm single and childless, and 2, I'm more comfortable sleeping on a sofa than a mattress.
> 
> One thing I'm doing to squeeze a little more space is to remodel the sofa itself. I'm starting with the hide-a-bed kind of sofa, but removing the hide-a-bed part. Instead, there are going to be 3 large drawers built into it, each sized to hold 2 dozen quart-sized canning jars. There will probably only be canning jars in one of them, but I figure that's a convenient size for storage. In addition, there's a fold-down table that goes over the sofa, with a waterproof curtain underneath it in case I'm using it for something messy, like canning tomatoes.
> 
> There will probably be times when I'll feel a little claustrophobic living in there, yes. But it's not intended as a long-term house. It's not even intended as a "home", just a place to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom, without having to run through the rain.


Yea for us it won’t be too small I don’t think. We are actually upgrading lol we’ll kinda 

So the new place I mention above gives us 1500 sq ft with 10ft side walls and a peak of 15 ft that’s a whole lot of storage room even though the living side is pretty tiny. The bathroom/laundry is a 8x15 and kids bath is currently a 5x7 big upgrade. Also our reg house was originally 1300 sq ft before we added on and we made it fine. So with an extra 200 it seems a big bonus. Most importantly were going from zero lot lines and approximately a 30x30 backyard to 12 acres plenty of room for the kids to run and play all day. The new playroom will b outside lol. I think for us layout is super important. Currently our house has wasted space long hall separate entry that’s why we added on to give us a playroom and guest room which isn’t really needed it’s more of a want. Our current living rm is 13x18 and new is 15x20 also larger but my kitchen is kinda in the living like along one wall where now I have a traditional separated kitchen. What kind of kitchen storage do u have?? I’m planning freezer and can good in the shop but for my pans etc  I have a wall spice rack and hoping to do some in between the stuff shelves for Tupperware type stuff. Thinking of doing a hanging pot rack but they seem not to space saving. My dining table is 60long but fold down to 11in x32 and has 6 drawers it’s a drop leaf so that’s handy. 

The hide a bed sounds awesome. We are thinking to get a pull out sleeper bc we do have company some or I have thought about a diy Murphy bed not sure what’s better. Still have planning to do.


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## Txyogagirl (Jul 4, 2018)

oldtruckbbq said:


> Funny what people define as "tiny". We are building a 32x44 home. We have been asked several times why we are building such a "small" house. We have even had people point out that we could buy a double wide bigger than that.
> 
> Some people are trying to get around laws by building a tiny home. Some people just find it trendy. I don't really care what you live in, or why you live in it, and I'm going to keep my opinion to myself. I expect and appreciate the same consideration in return. Life is much simpler that way.


What I love about your comment is it sounds like your living well within your means. Our shop 30x50 people kinda think the same thing like dang y’all have all this land and yet u built a small shop but I tell my husband don’t let it get him down bc we’re building what we can afford not what the jones can afford because we’re not the jones lol I bet your place will be lovely I hope ours is too once we’re done. Keep telling husband I may love it so much not having so much to clean I may wanna finish the whole thing out and be done


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)

Small house living is easy once you get over useless trinkets, like many things in the attic and closets that have not been used for 10 years and likely will never be used.

I am not a tiny house lover by any means, no 10x10 house for me, but my current 440 ft3 house is plenty big and my next 900 ft3 project house is a crazy amount of room, especially when you factor in a detached 2 car garage for all the useless trinkets and a Quonset hut for large storage...……...I think the 900ft3 place was a 3 bedroom before, not sure since a fire has destroyed much of the interior.


The bigger a house the more money it takes each month to feed it and all the larger systems associated with it get more and more expensive.

If my current estimates are on, which they rarely are, it should be in the 40 to 60 buck a month range to feed the 900ft3 house. 480 to 720 a year for all utilities and taxes would be pretty affordable for most.


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## CKelly78z (Jul 16, 2017)

The "NEW" tiny home movement is #VanLiving, where beautiful people live in custom Sprinter vans, and make captivating videos of their adventures, and never seem to have any bad days.


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## ford62b (Nov 3, 2014)

CKelly78z said:


> The "NEW" tiny home movement is #VanLiving, where beautiful people live in custom Sprinter vans, and make captivating videos of their adventures, and never seem to have any bad days.


First thing I thought of was an old VW bus crammed full of hippies....


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

Nothing wrong with that,


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

I dont know why it offends people that others want something diffferent than they do. Somebody wants to put up a hut thats just big enough for dry space to sleep, more power to them. Somebody wants to be a wage slave for a cardboard McMansion with some shiny glitter sprinkled on it to impress their friends, more power to them.

As to bang for the buck, an old schoolbus is probably biggest bargain for basic cabin. A van is really kinda cramped unless you just sleep in it. The bodies are very solid. 

Now given my druthers, I would something like 16x32 and super insulated. Keep cost/labor for fuel to minimum. Building heated storage space seems unnecessary waste. Heat for living things, cold for inanimate. In other words only heat your shop when it needs to be heated.

Look at the pioneer cabins. They were just trying to get something up quick as possible in remote area and usually built small. Single person or couple might do 10x10, family might start with 16x16 and expand out as time and finances allowed. Few tried to start out with a barn sized house. They built what was speedy with labor and materials available.

Not sure why so many so fixated on the trailer aspect of tiny house by way of critisizing them. Most I think do it to avoid local building restrictions. I doubt many drag these constantly all around the country. Way they are built they would weigh too much. Sure build them on a trailer and when the excitement from authorities dies down, remove the axles and put them up on a foundation, big whoop. There is a reason travel trailers are so flimsy, they are trying to mostly keep weight down. My critisism of the tiny houses is the cost. Tell me again why you want to build a tiny house that costs as much as a regular 1500sq ft house? My notion you do it to avoid debt and endless payments along with indentured servitude to service such debt. Or crazy rents. Not avoiding debt to spend just as much.

I would not like living in travel trailer, they are built flimsy and dont hold up well. If you can get one for petty cash to live in temporarily, then fine, but wouldnt want to live long term in one. Typical garden shed is sturdier than typical travel trailer. Sure beats living in a pup tent, but beyond that...

I havent seen any mobile home that I would crow about its construction, again sure one could be rebuilt to a higher standard bit by bit to avoid attention of authorities in a "mother may I" type county. And a block foundation put underneath.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I wish I could post pictures.


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## oldtruckbbq (Aug 8, 2016)

My Dad bought a 6 year old travel trailer that had been used about 30 days in total. He set it up next to his house and my step-sister and her husband are living in it so she can help care for my Stepmom who has Alzheimers. After about 6 months of daily occupation, it is starting to have plumbing issues, cabinet door issues, leaky roof issues (seals around the slide out), creaking, and cushions in built-in furniture breaking down. 6 months of continuous living is more use than most travel trailers would get through several owners. I figure by the time the trailer is no longer needed, it is going to be pretty well worn out.


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## Jen_Jen (Jan 10, 2017)

I saw that episode! I thought it was really cool! Just not for me, though. Even though it's just the two of us and some animals, we are big house people.

Jen M, MA



Cabin Fever said:


> I was watching a Netflix show about weird homes. There is this guy in Brooklyn, New York who made his home from a dumpster.
> 
> https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/brooklyn-dumpster-home-sweet-home-article-1.1422854


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## Jen_Jen (Jan 10, 2017)

Oregon1986 said:


> I wonder if the top open up still like a sun roof,lol


It does. It cranks out into this little rooftop deck type thing.

Jen M.


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## Jen_Jen (Jan 10, 2017)

These tiny homes can be custom built based on the lifestyle of the buyer. There are a LOT of ways to build storage into them.

For me? It would not work. I'm an artist. I need a place to keep all of my "maybe some day" upcycling pieces, junk for sculpture, etc. Plus, I hate small spaces.

Jen M.



ET1 SS said:


> The problem I see with the 'tiny home' movement is that you can not have any hobbies.
> 
> Do you like to hunt? Nowhere to store firearms.
> Do you like to can food? Nowhere to store it.
> ...


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## Jen_Jen (Jan 10, 2017)

I don't like tiny houses. At all. The only application for which I like them is the people who build them for the homeless. That is a PERFECT application for them. Trouble is, cities don't want them--even though a tiny house encampment would look WORLDS better and be worlds cleaner than these tent cities that pop up!

I think it's a nice idea, but when these hipsters BRAG about their tiny houses, all I can think is, "Well, it sucks to be you!" LOL! I like my space!

Jen M.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

Jen_Jen said:


> These tiny homes can be custom built based on the lifestyle of the buyer. There are a LOT of ways to build storage into them.
> 
> For me? It would not work. I'm an artist. I need a place to keep all of my "maybe some day" upcycling pieces, junk for sculpture, etc. Plus, I hate small spaces.
> 
> Jen M.


 One of my girlfriends and I figured out that the perfect home for us would be a tiny cabin located between his and hers warehouses.......


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Same here. Tiny house and huge garage.


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## Jen_Jen (Jan 10, 2017)

AmericanStand said:


> One of my girlfriends and I figured out that the perfect home for us would be a tiny cabin located between his and hers warehouses.......


LOL! Sounds about right!
Jen M.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Fishindude said:


> It's my opinion that a regular camper would be a much better alternative than most of those tiny homes. Most of the tiny homes you see on TV would fall apart when they trailer them down the road very far.


Ever slept in a regular camper when it is ten below zero, with a thirty mph wind? I built a cabin inside a high cube twenty foot shipping container. The inside is seven and a half feet high, seven feet wide by eighteen feet long. Two by Six T&G floor over four inches of insulation, four inches of insulation in the walls, and six inches in the ceiling. It has a queen size bed, commode, shower, double rod closet, small kitchen and lots of storage.

We had fifty mph wind gusts a few nights ago and I slept through it, never noticed them. Try that in a regular camper.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

ET1 SS said:


> The problem I see with the 'tiny home' movement is that you can not have any hobbies.
> 
> Do you like to hunt? Nowhere to store firearms.
> Do you like to can food? Nowhere to store it.
> ...


My storage container cabin has gun racks on the back wall of the closet, they hold six rifles. I have one years worth of food stored in heavy plastic tubs under the twin size bed. Uses about half of my storage space. I have a double rod closet, seven and a half feet tall and five feet wide. Winter coats hang on the top rod, summer clothes hang on the bottom rod. T-shirts, underwear, and socks in a tub in bottom of closet. I do my laundry every two weeks, so about fourteen sets of everything. My tools are in the tool shed down by the barn.


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## AmericanStand (Jul 29, 2014)

muleskinner2 said:


> Ever slept in a regular camper when it is ten below zero, with a thirty mph wind? I built a cabin inside a high cube twenty foot shipping container. The inside is seven and a half feet high, seven feet wide by eighteen feet long. Two by Six T&G floor over four inches of insulation, four inches of insulation in the walls, and six inches in the ceiling. It has a queen size bed, commode, shower, double rod closet, small kitchen and lots of storage.
> 
> We had fifty mph wind gusts a few nights ago and I slept through it, never noticed them. Try that in a regular camper.


 In the late sixties my parents camped out in a “Terry” camper in tempatures below -60 
I can’t tell you what it was like that since my buddy and I were in a snow bank that night .
But I can assure you it was quite comfortable at -30.


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## JeepHammer (May 12, 2015)

Esteban29304 said:


> and said that he had been living in it several months.
> I asked him how big it was & he said, " I built it on a 4' x 8' trailer !!!!!!
> TOO TINY for me !


NOPE!

How is it a 'House' when it's not sitting on the ground...?

There was a guy I met way down in the Fl. Keys that was living in a US Navy channel marker, a Buoy of sorts, about 10' square and 6'6" high.
Supposedly corrosion proof steel, rounded corners, about 3/4" thick steel.

It was marine salvage dumped there, so he installed a water tight door off a ship, some porthole windows, built a deck on top, added ships sealing vents, and it's technically a floating 'Dock' to avoid all the code and zoning headaches...
Since it's a 'Dock' he ran sewer, water & power to it, and they do use the backside to tie up & service boats.

While it was quirky and odd, he weathered several hurricanes in it, including Andrew!

One thing living on the edge of a marine salvage yard, you can't beat the view Oceanside!
Apparently he got first pick of everything that showed up, nice leather sofa, great wood panels, bookcases, etc. all Craftsman built stuff.
The outside looks like the Partridge Family bus, what ever color, where ever...


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