The Truth About Going Tiny
What are the real costs? Is it better to build or buy? Where can you park it? All your questions answered by a real millennial couple who has lived in and built tiny homes.
If after reading you still have questions that are unanswered please comment and ask!
The Real Costs:
If you are here reading this, its safe to assume you have looked into tiny houses already, and have gotten an idea of the general prices of these homes, if you have not, I highly recommend checking out Tinyhouselistings.com and searching in your area to get an idea, they also have a great Facebook page where they feature new tiny homes as they are listed.
While these prices will give you a good idea of the cost of purchasing a fully finished ready to move in tiny home, I feel it is important to say that you are not restricted to this price range. Because lets be honest, 70K for a high class shed on wheels is pretty hard to accept, no matter what fancy gadgets are included. There are three easy options to get around this crazy pricing that's plaguing the tiny house market right now.
Option A: Build it yourself. We are currently in the process of building our second tiny home on wheels, and can tell you with confidence and receipts to back it up, that you can build your dream tiny home for under 10k, even if you choose a tiny mansion on wheels like some of the more popular tiny homes that have been emerging on the market lately. This is only considering the cost of materials however, if you do not have access to tools, or someone who can give you building advice, then I do not recommend it. I will do another post on tool rentals and such if you decide to go this route however.
Option B: Look LOCAL. A big reason people only see high priced tiny homes, is because they are only seeing a small corner of the tiny house market. Craigslist and local yard sale sites are your new BFF if you are in the market for a tiny home. I come across local postings for half finished tiny home projects and used tiny homes nearly every week, often for even less than the cost it took to build them. If you choose to go this route, buyer beware, if you do not have a good knowledge of tiny home building, bring along a friend who has more construction knowledge, and always always always check the trailer, as this is the most important part of a tiny home.
Option C: Hire someone to build it for you. There are a ton of custom tiny home builders, most are even willing to deliver anywhere in the country. While these tiny home building companies are a great resource, I say going local is still your best route. While these builders may be well known and have an advanced knowledge of tiny homes, the prices they quote still tend to be too much for most people. In most areas, contractors are a dime a dozen, and a tiny home is a small project compared to what they are used to, most if asked I've found, will give you a much more realistic quote. And if you choose to go this route, you can still be a part of building your home, and learn from a knowledgeable resource along the way.
Bottom line, unless your tiny home come with property or is somehow able to sprout wings and fly, then there is no reason you should ever be paying more than a $30,000 price tag.
Better to Build Tiny or Buy Tiny?:
Building is always better than buying. It is more cost effective. You get a more personalized home. And you get a sense of pride in knowing that your home was built with your own two hands, a feeling that is seldom known among todays generation.
The most common question we get when it comes to building your own tiny home, is where do you build it? Most people lack the space, and finding a space to rent to build in addition to paying your current rent is generally not possible for most. The secret is simply this: Do you have a parking space that could accommodate a trailer? If so, than you have the space to build a tiny home. There is no rule stating 'where' you can build a tiny home. It is not built on a permanent foundation, and requires no permits or special acceptance. This can be trickier for those who live in apartments or a neighborhood with a strict HOA. I have found that there is always some sort of option available. If you find yourself in a tricky situation and need a small space to carry out your build, then I once again can not recommend local sites enough. Reach out to your community, you will probably be surprised by the willingness of people to allow you to build on there property.
Where can you park your Tiny Home?
This is always the most daunting question when it comes to actually living in your tiny home, and unfortunately I don't have a simple answer. It all depends on where you live. Some places will allow you to live in your tiny home in your yard, where as some places will only allow you to live in your tiny home in a spot for up for 30 days, even if you own the land, and some wont allow you to for even one day. Long term camping spots are great, but not everyone wants to keep moving forever. There is the option of buying an off the grid piece of property off the beaten path, and basically hiding your tiny home from the world. Or the option of living in a trailer park or tiny home community. There is also the option of renting a space on someone else's property.
There are TONS of options. Finding them is the difficult part. I am working on having an ongoing updated list of tiny home parking available, but until then, I once again recommend Tinyhouselistings.com and reaching our to your community. Persistence is key in your search to find the perfect spot to park your tiny home. Just because a mobile park does not have any tiny homes like yours, does not mean they will turn you away, in fact, I have found that most parks once asked will welcome tiny homes with open arms. And no matter which area I search, there is almost always a handful of people offering r.v spots or even specially tiny homes parking spots on their property.
It is possible with any budget:
If you have 10k saved up and can build your tiny home in your chosen time line then that's fantastic, however, most people don't have this option. I think most people that choose to go tiny aren't even doing it because of the minimalism factor attached to it, but because they've basically been pushed out of any other housing market due to their budget. If this is your situation, then you are probably looking to go as cheap as possible, and many people will tell you that this is impossible. It is not.
You do not need a brand new trailer. Check daily on local sites until you find a decent used one, this will cut costs ridiculously. The same goes for a appliances. Instead of trying to save up the money to purchase everything at once, go slow. Collect free or cheap materials and appliances you can use, slowly build up your supplies, and then add to your build as you go. Local Facebook yard sale groups, craigslist, and Freecycle sites are the holy grail of used materials and essentials for your tiny home. If you start picking things up and slowly collecting your material's than you'll have almost everything you need in no time and be ready to start your build with almost no dent in your budget at all.
