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Tiny Houses


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#1 Bill D

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Posted 06 January 2017 - 06:15 AM

Does anyone own a tiny house, or do you plan on owning one some day?  Some ideas are great for incorporating into RV builds.

 

My brother is building one for a vacation property in Point Roberts.  I find them fascinating.  Clever thinking.

 

Just want to know what you guys think of them.

 


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#2 marc

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Posted 06 January 2017 - 11:19 AM

I really like them and have been researching various designs and builders for a few years now
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#3 craig333

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Posted 06 January 2017 - 05:11 PM

Whats your definition of tiny?


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#4 Bill D

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Posted 06 January 2017 - 07:05 PM

Whats your definition of tiny?

Definitions vary, but giving this is a camper forum how about:

 

<400 sq ft. and towable.

 

I always watch Tiny Houses on HGTV, I've yet to see a pop up on TV, but I'm sure they exist.

 

edit:

found a pop up, kind of like an Alaskan, not the one in the video pic.

 

Not a great example for an overall inside view of tiny houses, but the first pop I've seen.

I'm sure there are some amazing ones.

 

Sorry about the ad :)

 


Edited by Bill D, 06 January 2017 - 08:50 PM.

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#5 hoyden

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Posted 07 January 2017 - 01:38 AM

Yes! I had visions of creating a Tiny House Community on some land. Visions only.... :-)

Tiny houses are neat. I've planned a few in my head and on sketch pads. 

I like the idea of a small house on a large piece of land with some animals and gardens and friends....


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#6 Bill D

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Posted 07 January 2017 - 02:46 AM

Yes! I had visions of creating a Tiny House Community on some land. Visions only.... :-)

Tiny houses are neat. I've planned a few in my head and on sketch pads. 

I like the idea of a small house on a large piece of land with some animals and gardens and friends....

One of the big attractions to them is you don't increase your properly taxes.  I haven't looked into the tax laws, but I've heard some non tiny house owners, hate tiny house owners, because they feel they are not paying their fair share of taxes, but driving down the same roads etc.

 

I like the idea of tiny houses, because more and more each day I want to live a simple lifestyle as a minimalist.  I'm 46 years old and I've been downsizing for 5 years now.  I want to move out to Vancouver island to retire but with the 15% foreign buyers tax that they introduced in Vancouver, I fear Vancouver Island will get saturated with foreign investment and I'll never be able to afford to live there.  It's already expensive.  Back on track perhaps a tiny house will help make that more affordable.  I might just have to lease some land.

 

Hoyden, maybe you'll find your dream destination during your travels.  The nice thing about a tiny house is you can always move it if things change.


Edited by Bill D, 07 January 2017 - 03:00 AM.

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#7 hoyden

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Posted 07 January 2017 - 03:15 AM

I know that some towns don't allow tiny homes. I'm currently visiting my mom in southern Illinois and this town (Carbondale) doesn't allow homes smaller than I think 800 sq ft. This is a university town and they did that to keep the 'transient' and 'ugly' mobile homes to a minimum long before 'tiny homes' were a thing. 

 

The cottage I rented in Prescott, Arizona was about 320 square feet and other than being laid out poorly, it was a great size. Considering I'm living in my FWC now with two dogs (granted, one is cat-size) proves to me that size doesn't matter and it's all in how you use it  :D

 

It is impressive how quickly 'stuff' builds up. I lived in that small cottage for about two years and I carted boxes of stuff to donate, and still have some in storage. I donated 12 or so banker boxes of books to the local VA ... and still have about 15 boxes in storage. (books are my achilles heel when it comes to 'stuff') 

 

When I started the downsizing about a year and a half ago in anticipation of eventually moving again, I'd put a box in my front room and on occasion chuck some item in that I hadn't used in a while or didn't want anymore. Eventually the box would fill up, and off to donate it went. Wash, rinse, repeat. No pressure. 

 

Oh, Vancouver Island is beautiful! I lived up on the Sunshine Coast for almost a year in the mid-1990's (Sechelt area).

So pretty. Such fun motorcycling roads.

So much snow. 

 

The tiny house will be the least expensive part (well, I suppose one could spend a lot on a tiny house, but it doesn't have to be expensive). The land and the legal aspects will be the issue. I think some places allow mobile homes but not small houses, so as long as it stays mobile - on the trailer - it's okay. But most every county has different rules on them.

 

The nice thing about the tiny homes, just like with campers, is that you don't have to have any actual plumbing and really can be totally mobile. Composting toilets are great, solar, a few deep-cycle batteries, some water storage.... 

 

Thanks! I hope I do find my dream destination during my travels. 


Edited by hoyden, 07 January 2017 - 04:19 AM.

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#8 craig333

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Posted 07 January 2017 - 04:04 AM

My mobile home is not very "mobile" but it is cheap and nearly qualifies as tiny. Still have too much "stuff". It feels better not taking up more space than one person needs. 


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#9 Bad Habit

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Posted 07 January 2017 - 02:25 PM

So, what's the difference from just buying a used 5th wheel/old RV and parking it?


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#10 hoyden

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Posted 07 January 2017 - 02:32 PM

So, what's the difference from just buying a used 5th wheel/old RV and parking it?

 

Some of it is aesthetic, some is functional.

To some folks, having a "house" is important. It can feel more like a home, rather than so transient. It's more customizable - generally you are building it or having it built, so can choose what materials, equipment etc. Often folks who are into tiny houses are also into sustainability and such, so will want to use low-toxic and more sustainable materials. The tiny homes are usually going to be of better quality than any RV, which aren't typically made for full-time living (unless you get into those crazy priced Class A beasts). You can insulate a tiny house better than an RV.


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As I get braver I get stronger, and as I get stronger I get braver. It’ a good cycle.




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