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Most "Tiny Homes" are on wheels/are nothing more than a "trailer".
Some that I have seen are not mounted on wheels, but they can be lifted onto a trailer to be moved.
Quote:
... these aren't LEGAL living space in most jurisdictions around the country due to SIZE.
... these "homes" not being legal living space
... it isn't a LEGAL living space
Perhaps you are confusing 'legal' with HOA policy. In my travels, I have seen many HOAs across the nation that are very demanding on home-owners. When you buy a home in a HOA, you sign contracts agreeing to bind yourself to their community standards.
That is totally different from law, or even zoning.
Personally, I think tiny homes are an interesting thought experiment. Would I live in one? Certainly! But I'm young, single, and don't own a lot of possessions. A tiny house would be a great alternative to expensive student housing on campus.
While these are by no means absolutes, and everyone's preferences are different, I'd say the following:
- A single person could live comfortably in 200-400 sq ft, if designed appropriately, and with consideration to things to do "outside the house" (i.e., a 200 sq ft studio in a city downtown, not a 200 sq ft tiny house miles from anywhere).
- Two or 3 people could live comfortably in 400-800 sq ft. This gives enough room to store everything two people might own, and enough room for everyone to have "personal space".
- For an average-sized family, 800-1500 sq ft is reasonable, assuming a well-planned layout.
Bigger than that is "extra" space. Nothing wrong with having a little elbow room, you might prefer that and be willing to pay the difference. But 1500 sq ft is more than adequate for an average sized family, and is cheaper to build / buy, and uses less to heat or cool.
Personally, if I were to raise a family, I'd build around 1000-1200 sq ft. Built to net-zero standards, it'd be enough space for a couple of kids, while costing next to nothing to heat or cool.
While I am definitely a fan of the tiny house movement, If there is really a desire to change our society's views of necessary space, such a radical downsizing, considering >200sqft a normal alternative to 2,500/sqft, is self defeating since only dedicated individuals and perhaps some couples can cope with that sort of radical change in lifestyle. Thus when average Americans hear about it, they immediately scoff ot the idea and never give it another thought.
On the other hand, there are local laws all over this country that regulate against and outright prohibit much more reasonable spaces of 400 - 600/sq ft that could be seen as a viable alternative to the larger spaces we are accustomed to and still confer many of the advantages of tiny houses while being more appropriate for families or individuals with certain, if minimal, space requirements for work or hobbies done in the home.
Overturning these restrictions on minimum house size need to be the focus rather than conforming to them by workarounds like living in a walk-in closet on a trailer.
... On the other hand, there are local laws all over this country that regulate against and outright prohibit much more reasonable spaces of 400 - 600/sq ft that could be seen as a viable alternative to the larger spaces we are accustomed to and still confer many of the advantages of tiny houses while being more appropriate for families or individuals with certain, if minimal, space requirements for work or hobbies done in the home.
Overturning these restrictions on minimum house size need to be the focus rather than conforming to them by workarounds like living in a walk-in closet on a trailer.
I am aware of minimum lot-size zoning regulations.
Minimum dwelling size laws? I do not think I have ever seen that.
There are thousands of Katrina mobile homes that are in inventory and can be purchased provided they are retrofitted . Loews has Katrina cottage plans and will deliver the total framing package. You have to sub the slab. electrical.drywall insulation roofing and plumbing ,but in many states you can
do it all . You are on your own with hot water and air . I have
seen a bundle electrical kit that is already connected to a
junction box and you simply snake it in as you go. Roofing
and drywall are a piece of cake. So there are options and the
Katrina's are small as a rule but can be a shotgun ( if you shot
from the front door the slug would go out the back )
There are thousands of Katrina mobile homes that are in inventory and can be purchased provided they are retrofitted . Loews has Katrina cottage plans and will deliver the total framing package. You have to sub the slab. electrical.drywall insulation roofing and plumbing ,but in many states you can
do it all . You are on your own with hot water and air . I have
seen a bundle electrical kit that is already connected to a
junction box and you simply snake it in as you go. Roofing
and drywall are a piece of cake. So there are options and the
Katrina's are small as a rule but can be a shotgun ( if you shot
from the front door the slug would go out the back )
I've looked at the pictures of those. If anything happened to my house I'd consider something like this, with an extra storage building semi attached. As it is one whole bedroom, the larger of the two, of my small house is storage, but I'm thinking something set up for it. So you go the store and buy extra and you can save and there is somewhere to put it.
I love the simplicity of my shotgun house. If there is one or two of you and you don't want to pay for heating and cooling a lot of space, then its perfect.
Mine is 85 years old. Still standing firmly and strongly.
This video is 20 minutes long BUT so much of what this man says, as a upstate new yorker, I can relate to 100 percent. This type of living isn't for everybody of course, I think having the wide open spaces makes up for tiny living.
I am slowly but surely turning into a fan of tiny houses, my husband on the other hand is not.
Interesting points even if they do contrast some......such as that 60 inch flat screen probably takes up less room than the old 24 inch box. True, but a sixty inch TV? why not a 32?
.
Another thing. In my equipment intensive life (scuba, camping, Ren Fests, other things), there is the factor of where to put everything. Now, for the moment, let's just say that everything is neatly and perfectly stored in its own equipment closet. It is the way I have pictured things, if in a dream. But for things to be that way, AT THE VERY LEAST, one needs the straightest, shortest path from pulling from the locker to the loading point and in reverse. Tight spaces, corners to go around, really drives up the stress and will eventually lead to some kind of break down such as clutter. That is, when there is a lot of gear to process and there are corners making the trip harder, one gets tired and the ordered system suffers.
A storage building works just fine for that.
Finally, it is probably well known "around here" that I am a book junkie. I want my books in my hot little hand, I want them 3 dimensional, I like putting my book markers in them, etc, etc, etc.....in short, I don't want them electronic. Remember Star Trek when Kirk was on trial, "Court Martial", remember this scene:
We are also book junkies but at some point we will read said books & take them back tot he used book store for credit. The one we really love we keep or use for reference. Again, it goes make to making certain sacrifices some can & some can't. And some won't. It's a lifestyle choice. In the end it is about living more simply & with less.
I really want one of those tiny homes... in my backyard of my 3000 sq. ft. house. It would make a cute little guest house/writers retreat. They're totally cute.
My experience with "tiny home" living is my 5th wheel RV which has about a 250+- sq. ft. interior (it has a slider). It's nicely equipped but the kitchen and bathroom are tiny. I have a hard time making Thanksgiving dinner in that - I could only imagine what that would be like everyday. Plus the bathroom is small. Taking a shower in a tiny bathroom is no fun, especially for my husband who is 6'3.
Having no privacy at all is the biggest deal breaker for me. I'm conscientious of the environment but I'm not living in a cracker box to prove it. The smallest home I'd go for is 750 sq ft. but only if my kids were out of the house.
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