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rebelopie's avatar
rebelopie
Explorer
Jan 28, 2014

"Log Cabin" TT

We have been thinking about getting a "tiny house" to put on our adjacent lot to rent out. When searching through listings, I came across a travel trailer that is built to look like a log cabin. The interior is constructed just like a travel travel and was supposedly built by a TT company. Has anyone seen one of these before/have information about them? If used for camping, I wonder if any camgrounds/rv parks would have a problem with it. I have heard owners of tiny homes on wheels having trouble finding rv parks open to the idea (even though all the hookups are just like on an rv).

10 Replies

  • When I had my lumber company we made log cabin siding .
    It is basically 2 x 8 or 3 x 8 run through a moulder to get the round pattern .
    There is a small manufacturer that makes log cabin siding by hand with a hewn type face . It is a lot more expensive .
    I had a customer that bought log cabin siding from us and I think he still sells the pattern and has a website for internet sales .
    The mobile home guys came and went that bought log cabin siding for certain models .
  • There are several for sale on the Portland Or. craigslist. One looks like its homemade for 10k and another add for custom made for 40k

    There is a "tiny house" motel community in downtown Portland. Keeping Portland wierd.:) That might be fun for a night.

    You can find the listings at the portland craigslist under rv and camp. Then search "tiny house"
  • Found the ad.

    Sorry, but in my opinion the only thing about that "log cabin on wheels" that makes it "like an RV trailer" is the fact that it has wheels on it.

    There are no fresh/gray/black holding tanks mentioned, for one thing, and it may or may not have any interior 12v wiring (ad only mentions 110v).

    But for me the most telling not-an-RV feature is where the rubber-meets-the-road, so to speak. The ad says that it has two 2850 pound axles on it, then gives the GVWR as 7450 pounds. Those numbers don't add up- and even if "unloaded weight" is a thousand pounds less, it's still MUCH too much for the axles. Heaven only knows what kind of tires they've put on it.

    These factors combined with the way too low tongue weight of 450 pounds means to me that it'd be a real nightmare to tow at speeds over about 35 miles an hour....and even then I'd hesitate to move it more than a few local miles.
  • rebelopie wrote:
    We have been thinking about getting a "tiny house" to put on our adjacent lot to rent out. When searching through listings, I came across a travel trailer that is built to look like a log cabin.


    Reminded me of the Arrested Development episode.

  • Similar park models were in use, several years ago, at a SW Pennsylvania ski resort, providing housing for seasonal employees from Venezuela.
  • I am fully aware of the numerous tiny home builders. The problem is these are so expensive, costing up to $50k. This little trailer was intriguing because it is so much cheaper and built more like a trailer than a home (lighter). I am also aware of the log cabin park models, but this isn't one of those. This one is only 22' with a gross weight of 7,000lbs, at least according to the ad. This is an actual travel trailer disguised as a little house. The porch does fold up against the side and I guess the railings are stored inside when moved. Dodgeguy, on the one you saw, do you remember how the beds were set up inside? I only have a few interior pictures of the one for sale, but no pictures of the bed setup. Also, do you remember who made them? Here's the interior:
  • If you do some googling, you'll find some making these. You can buy complete towable quaint tiny homes on a trailer from a few sources. I recall reading a mag. article about one builder who I think, was in Oregon but can't find a link. You'd sure get noticed in a CG with one of them. There's even some sources for buying a trailer/chassis specifically for building your own tiny house on. If you built your own, I wonder if there is an inspection required or special insurance?

    Here's some examples.

    Tiny house talk

    Tiny homes
  • there are a lot of them but almost all are park models…

    http://www.rvlogcabins.com/

    http://www.discount-structures.com/rvParkTrailers.htm
    http://www.overlookoakloghomes.com/uploads/Cabin2Go1.jpg
  • I've only ever seen one and it was kind of cool. The rest of the trailer looks like an ordinary trailer, aluminum siding, propane tanks on the front and so on. I think the porch folds up against the side of the trailer. Can't see why a campground would have a problem with it?