Tiny Houses

[HappyCamper25]

Would tiny houses, you know the ones people tow behind their truck, be considered an RV? Has anyone on this forum had any experience with tiny houses?

[2012Coleman]

I don't think all Tiny homes can be considered park models. I've seen them being towed on the interstate. Not claiming to know everything about them and can see why some only consider them park models. But the time I spent Googling the subject resulted in both scenarios. One being tiny homes built and permanently parked, and others used by people to tow around and live in for periods of time.

Found this builder in FL that builds RVIA Certified Tiny Houses . Couple of interesting links at the bottom of the first link.

So then I Googled How long you have lived in a tiny home and the results were not surprising.

I'd say that once reality of this lifestyle sets in, it can be a slap in the face.

[JaxDad]

fj12ryder wrote:

JaxDad wrote:
So if it's driven by economic issues why are people paying 3 times the cost of a similar conventional park model RV to buy a 'tiny home'?

How do you know they're paying that much? Are you thinking that what they say on these shows is the honest truth?

No, but sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Tiny Homes for sale in new development.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
I see tiny houses as a creation of television. I don't think there is any great national migration into these things. You are about as likely to walk into your neighborhood swamp and find people who are "naked and afraid" as you are to find actual functioning neighborhoods of these tiny houses. Jerry Springer proved people would do anything to get on TV, and the tiny house shows prove things haven't changed. And no, they are not considered RVs, to do so would be insulting to real RVs.

But.....another thread indicates the FMCA president is looking for new sources of revenue.........:B

.

[fj12ryder]

JaxDad wrote:
So if it's driven by economic issues why are people paying 3 times the cost of a similar conventional park model RV to buy a 'tiny home'?

How do you know they're paying that much? Are you thinking that what they say on these shows is the honest truth?

[pnichols]

JaxDad wrote:
So if it's driven by economic issues why are people paying 3 times the cost of a similar conventional park model RV to buy a 'tiny home'?

The park model out in our back yard cost about $24K, new, 6-7 years ago and it's beautiful, layed out nicely, a good size for one person, and included all the appliances (except a clothes washer & dryer). It of course also included it's steel under-carriage, axle, removable tongue, and tires.

If folks are spending about $72K for a Tiny House anywhere near the size, design, and furnishings of this particular park model ... then they're coming mighty close to being st*p*d ... from a money management viewpoint.

However, I think they may be driven by a social motive not closely related to personal economics or good money management. :h

[JaxDad]

pnichols wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:
You can call them elephants or volcanoes, but that wouldn't change what they are, which are park models.

Exactly right on ... if they have built-in axles!


So far I consider Tiny Houses as merely a fad driven by economic issues that, perhaps for feel-good reasons, deflects by appearing to be somehow thumbing one's nose in protest at the typical approach of slaving to buy and maintain "the American Dream single family house".

So if it's driven by economic issues why are people paying 3 times the cost of a similar conventional park model RV to buy a 'tiny home'?

[pnichols]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
You can call them elephants or volcanoes, but that wouldn't change what they are, which are park models.

Exactly right on ... if they have built-in axles!

If they don't have built-in axles so that they must be towed on some kind of wheeled platform or on a low-slung flatbed truck ... then they are simply a twist on the good old prefabricated house approach, albeit a super small one.

So far I consider Tiny Houses as merely a fad driven by economic issues that, perhaps for feel-good reasons, deflects by appearing to be somehow thumbing one's nose in protest at the typical approach of slaving to buy and maintain "the American Dream single family house".

We used part of that approach above, decades ago, in a lot more difficult way - while I was working full time at a career in town - we bought raw land, developed the land ourselves, ordered part of a custom house built to our plans in a factory and delivered in pieces, and then constructed a lot of it ourselves on the land ... including the well/springs/tank/piping water system to the house, house plumbing, house electrical including the underground 200 amp service, house heating system, and house air conditioning system. We weren't trying to make a social statement ... merely trying to save money in our early years. This was way cheaper than buying a house ready to go, but resulted in huge equity later in life.

[westernrvparkow]

tinner12002 wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

tinner12002 wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

qtla9111 wrote:
Actually, it is the minimalist movement that is very popular with Millennials. There will be more and more. People are downsizing and eliminating the cost and maintenance from their lives. Life's to short to be painting and cutting grass when you have more freedom to move around at intervals.

You may believe it is very popular, but the fact is there are not communities of these tiny homes as pop culture would have you believe. Yes, downsizing is becoming popular, but for most people that means 1500 square feet instead of 4000. Cramming yourself, your wife, your kids and your bull mastiff into 250 square feet just isn't going to be the next big thing. Those tiny homes aren't mobile, they aren't street legal, they just sit on a plot of land where they are unloaded. Nothing about them screams "freedom", they just scream "cramped".

What do you mean their not mobile or street legal...most are both, some are built on a mobile home frame which makes them a little expensive to move but a lot or most are built on trailers and are able to move down the road just as any other trailer.

They don't have axles,hitches and wheels like park models. Many are wider than the allowable width for towing without a pilot car. They are not built with weight being a primary consideration. They are not built with the consideration that they will be bouncing down the highway frequently, so many items must be additionally secured before they are moved. They are flat out not designed to be easily moved from location to location. If they are built to RVIA standards, have all the axles and hookups normal to a park model RV, then that is what they actually are. Calling them "tiny homes" doesn't change that. But park models are not what the TV shows are trumpeting. TV tiny homes are a breed apart and, in my opinion, a breed that really doesn't have a significant following.
Given enough time, motivation and money you can move any home. That doesn't make my 25,000 square foot mansion (or my dog house for that matter) mobile or street legal.
I know people want to believe reality TV is real, but it isn't. There are not scared, naked people who are trying to survive in the neighborhood swamp. People who flip houses don't always make $100,000 a pop and complete each project in 6 weeks. you don't always find a Van Gogh in each abandoned storage unit. And there aren't large numbers of people longing to leave their traditional homes to live in these so called tiny homes.

Not arguing with you but you are very misinformed...just google them and they will show many many models with axles and under the 8.5ft max width for towing!! They build them so they can call them tiny homes if they like and yes some are RVIA rated and still called tiny homes!! DONE!

You can call them elephants or volcanoes, but that wouldn't change what they are, which are park models.

[Hammerhead]

On the shows my wife likes to watch, they never mention how water and electricity are delivered or if they use a holding tank or septic tank for the waste. They usually don't show any propane tanks either.

[tinner12002]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

tinner12002 wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

qtla9111 wrote:
Actually, it is the minimalist movement that is very popular with Millennials. There will be more and more. People are downsizing and eliminating the cost and maintenance from their lives. Life's to short to be painting and cutting grass when you have more freedom to move around at intervals.

You may believe it is very popular, but the fact is there are not communities of these tiny homes as pop culture would have you believe. Yes, downsizing is becoming popular, but for most people that means 1500 square feet instead of 4000. Cramming yourself, your wife, your kids and your bull mastiff into 250 square feet just isn't going to be the next big thing. Those tiny homes aren't mobile, they aren't street legal, they just sit on a plot of land where they are unloaded. Nothing about them screams "freedom", they just scream "cramped".

What do you mean their not mobile or street legal...most are both, some are built on a mobile home frame which makes them a little expensive to move but a lot or most are built on trailers and are able to move down the road just as any other trailer.

They don't have axles,hitches and wheels like park models. Many are wider than the allowable width for towing without a pilot car. They are not built with weight being a primary consideration. They are not built with the consideration that they will be bouncing down the highway frequently, so many items must be additionally secured before they are moved. They are flat out not designed to be easily moved from location to location. If they are built to RVIA standards, have all the axles and hookups normal to a park model RV, then that is what they actually are. Calling them "tiny homes" doesn't change that. But park models are not what the TV shows are trumpeting. TV tiny homes are a breed apart and, in my opinion, a breed that really doesn't have a significant following.
Given enough time, motivation and money you can move any home. That doesn't make my 25,000 square foot mansion (or my dog house for that matter) mobile or street legal.
I know people want to believe reality TV is real, but it isn't. There are not scared, naked people who are trying to survive in the neighborhood swamp. People who flip houses don't always make $100,000 a pop and complete each project in 6 weeks. you don't always find a Van Gogh in each abandoned storage unit. And there aren't large numbers of people longing to leave their traditional homes to live in these so called tiny homes.

Not arguing with you but you are very misinformed...just google them and they will show many many models with axles and under the 8.5ft max width for towing!! They build them so they can call them tiny homes if they like and yes some are RVIA rated and still called tiny homes!! DONE!

[1968mooney]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/home-and-garden/29-incredible-tiny-homes-from-around-the-world/ss...

[JC2]

To me, tiny houses resemble an oversized garden shed with about as much room as a large walk-in closet. Has absolutely no appeal to me. :R

[westernrvparkow]

fj12ryder wrote:

bikendan wrote:
We watch the shows quite a bit.
What's interesting is that most of those that buy these things, always park them on someone else's land. They sponge off of someone else, rather than be independent.
The Gen X and Millennials that are the main customers of these, are revolted at the thought of buying a RV.

And you're basing these opinions on the fact that you watch quite a bit of "reality television" shows. You do realize that all that "reality stuff" you're watching is about as close to real life as "I Love Lucy".

More likely pointing out that even a "reality" show can't bring themselves to actually imply that people live independent lives in them.

[fj12ryder]

bikendan wrote:
We watch the shows quite a bit.
What's interesting is that most of those that buy these things, always park them on someone else's land. They sponge off of someone else, rather than be independent.
The Gen X and Millennials that are the main customers of these, are revolted at the thought of buying a RV.

And you're basing these opinions on the fact that you watch quite a bit of "reality television" shows. You do realize that all that "reality stuff" you're watching is about as close to real life as "I Love Lucy".

[Byrogie]

Just googled house truck images...
Looks like fun
No architectural controls