Anyone here considering living in a tiny house?

[LongTomH]

Tiny house being defined as less than 400 sq ft; some are less than 100 sq ft.

A friend of mine has suggested she might be interested in a tiny house. She's downsizing since her daughter has grown up and moved out.

I've seen some designs that looked 'cute' but rather claustrophobic.

[fierywoman]

1. where would all my books go?

and: the idea of crawling down a ladder several times a night to go to pee isn't appealing.

[avebury]

5. I saw a tiny house video

where the bed was actually kept under a raised platform that could house a little office area. You could pull the bed out partway to act like a couch or all the way for the full bed. It also had two heating systems, a couple of ceramic heaters that could be controlled with an ap on his phone and a small gas stove. It looked like he used the ceramic heaters more than the gas stove. It was an interesting design.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. I liked that design

It made more sense to me than a sleeping loft. Who wants to have to go downstairs in the middle of the night to take a leak? No thanks.

I could handle 400 SF just fine. It's all about how it's laid out. Finding a place to build it or park it can be problematic though.

[pangaia]

28. As a 73 year old, I can appreciate the ladder reference.

Just pee out the window...if there is one...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. I couldn't live in a house that small.

Last edited Fri Feb 17, 2017, 12:49 AM - Edit history (1)

My own house is pretty small (less than 1,000 sq. ft.), so I don't need a mansion - but I don't like the idea of a bedroom that I have to climb a ladder to get to and can't stand up in, a teeny bathroom that's like the one in a boat or a motor home, and a kitchen that doesn't have room for a dishwasher or a normal-sized stove. Those houses might be OK for one or two young people who want to live in one for a few years in order to save money for a more conventional house, but I'm too old to be that cramped and uncomfortable.

[marybourg]

3. I enjoyed living in a trailer.

But every day or so we had a different outdoors to explore and discover. And we only went where the weather was nice that time of year. So we spent a lot of time outside of the small house (trailer).

[Worried senior]

22. If I could have that life style

I would much rather live in a camper than a stick built tiny house.

I think things are arranged pretty well in a camper and storage can be good.

[marybourg]

23. Ours was excellent for storage.

I even had half-full cabinets and closets. I loved it! But you have to take it where the weather is comfortable; they're not well insulated and can cost to fortune to heat/cool if you have them in extremes of weather. To say nothing of freezing water lines.

A tiny house would (one hopes) be appropriately insulated. Although with such a high surface to mass ratio . . . I don't know if it could be made that comfortable either. Maybe in SoCal.

[Hoyt]

4. I would, but there are no places interesting with zoning where I live.

I could handle 300 -400 square feet if still living alone and I was in an area that encourages getting out and was cool. Here, you have to be in a very rural area.

[manicraven]

6. This video has 8 tiny house tours... Kind of interesting!

[OriginalGeek]

7. I watch the TV show sometimes

I'm kinda fascinated by the idea. I just don't think I could do it...even if I was by myself...I have too much stuff that I need..my records, books, video games, computer stuff, etc...

[bathroommonkey76]

8. A friend of my ex gf was featured on the first episode of a tiny house show

The tiny house they received was large enough for a family of 4-- It was beside their white water rafting business on the Nolichucky River.

http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/gallery/Tiny-home-big-show-Unicoi-County-family-set-for-reality-TV-debut

[starshine00]

9. I just had part of a shed converted into a tiny room

almost as quickly as I did it (it is twelve by twelve) all desire to live this way vanished. It was very disillusioning. I went from elated to crestfallen. I think it has to do with the worsening relationship with my mother who owns the property and now I am looking at doing literally anything to get away from her. it cost three grand to insulate the thing and create walls and put up a door, then boom everything just shifted in my outlook. I think I can still do it, but somewhere else, and honestly I do not like the prefab tiny houses that are ridiculously narrow and every nook and cranny is filled. Honestly a single wide trailer is as cheap or cheaper and gives you more space.

[Skittles]

10. why does it need to be THAT small

how about a 800 - 1000 square foot house

[neeksgeek]

11. I've lived in some small places.

Including several weeks in an immobile VW bus one summer. (That's a long story all by itself; not going to get into it here). My experiences living in college dorms, studio apartments, and also traveling extensively have taught me a lot about keeping possessions to a minimum.

I can live without a lot of things, and am not a collector of trinkets. But I have cameras, film, computers and related equipment that I need for my work, both personal and professional. I'd need another tiny house just for all that!

My wife is very interested in tiny houses. But we both think we need closer to 800-1000 square feet of space. I'd settle for a nice bungalow.

[True Dough]

13. I hear Betsy DeVos is moving into a tiny house

Could just be a rumor though.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

14. Very tiny. 22k sq ft.

Barely enough to hold the wreckage of a few public schools.

[FSogol]

15. Did you see Portlandia's take on Tiny Houses?

https://vimeo.com/151916585

[mnhtnbb]

16. We have a detached studio garage apartment-full kitchen-shower in the bathroom(not tub)-stacked w/d

that is 440 sq. ft. It has a 9 ft ceiling and we installed old stained glass windows when we built it about 15 years ago. Our youngest son had his drums out there while he was in middle/high school. Since 2008 it's been rented to college students--current tenant is a law student who's stayed three years. I furnished it with two five foot-wide armoires so people could rearrange closet space as they wished.

We never have any trouble renting it--but it is private and quiet with no common walls--and every tenant has stayed more than one year.

Storage is always the concern in tiny spaces. High ceilings are really helpful. But if anybody has collections of things--whether books or coffee cups or whatever--a tiny house is going to be tough.

[Mr.Bill]

17. A year and a half ago my wife and I

were evacuated from our home because of a large fire that ended up destroying 1200 homes. For two days we stayed at her sister's house nearby wondering whether we would have a home to go back to. A tiny house would have been a good possibility then because our possessions consisted of what we could throw in the back of our car in five minutes.

Our house was okay, but six months later we sold it. It was 1600 sq ft. We downsized and moved to an 800 sq ft mobile home in a nice park with a more convenient location. It was a big change, but we got rid of a lot of stuff and we are quite happy with the reduction in expenses and upkeep.

[greytdemocrat]

18. I'm willing to bet

The People buying these tiny homes will
be dumping them back on the market
in less than 5 years. Probably a lot less.

Just imagine these little shacks when you need
to take a dump! You are going to stink up
your whole place.

Not a chance I'd go for one of these.

[LeftInTX]

19. One had a composting toilet in it!!!!

Yuck!!! Nowhere to go!!!

[3catwoman3]

20. I couldn't do it.

I like my "stuff" and I need space and privacy.

[Wolf Frankula]

21. No, Tiny Houses are Bullshit

Tiny houses are not the next big thing. Turning small houses into large houses is the next big thing.

The whole 'tiny house' shit tells me the one percent are saying, "If the proles will just use less, they'll be so much more for us."

Wolf

[AgadorSparticus]

24. YES!!!!!! ....in theory. But truth is, I don't think I can go smaller than 800sqft

I don't want to relax right next to the toilet as my permanent living space. Maybe camping for a few days in a tiny rv.

[jack69]

25. It's just a passing fad.

My tiny house, a little over twice that size, has been all we could afford. Not trying to be greedy, but just a little more space would be welcome. I'm guessing they are trying to be unique.

[guillaumeb]

26. Some towns have regulations on minimum living space requirements.

These tiny homes seem to be used more like travel trailers. Plus many of the people talk of being unable to afford a house or condo. The logical outcome when wages stagnate for 35 years.

[CrispyQ]

27. She should live in one before she commits.

Here's a tiny home hotel in Golden, CO. http://weecasa.com Maybe there's something similar near where she lives? Or maybe she'd like a nice vacation to colorful Colorado!

[MFM008]

29. i live in a tiny apartment

[DFW]

30. Wouldn't work for me

My guitars refuse to fight each other for storage space.

[HassleCat]

31. Small but never tiny.

We are down to 800 with a couple large sheds to store junk. We will also build a big garage next year for the kayaks, tractor, etc. We are thinking of adding a tiny house for friends and family who can't afford a decent retirement, and they would share the sheds and garage, greenhouse, etc.

[Coventina]

32. My house is 900 sq. ft. can't go much smaller, really.

Although, I suppose there's stuff I'm holding on to that I don't really need.

[Runningdawg]

33. Yes, we plan to retire in one

inspired by "dog trots" from a century ago in the south. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=dogtrot+house&qpvt=dog+trot+house&qpvt=dog+trot+house&qpvt=dog+trot+house&FORM=IGRE
This style puts the porch in the middle between two small structures, but under a common roof, making the most of limited space. Our design is 12x20 on each side with a 12x12 porch in between. The kitchen, dining, bath and laundry will be on one side, the living room and bedroom on the other, with a shared fireplace. There will be a storm shelter/basement under the center section. 480sq ft of living space, slightly more than might be considered tiny, but we plan to use manufactured steel buildings for the 2 structures and 12x20 is the most accommodating size.

Edit - in response to the very valid bathroom issues raised here - our solution was to place the door to the full size bath on the porch. Its still covered so its not like going to the outhouse but smells are kept to a minimum. BTW most traditional Japanese homes, also access the toilet from an outside door. We aren't planning to move this home around, so there is no need for composting toilets or less than permanent utilities, also no loft beds to fall out of and break a hip LOL

[Warpy]

34. I've lived in a wide variety of places, including a camper van

and an "efficiency unit" which was one room and about 200 square feet. I hated the camper, did OK in the efficiency. I think if I downsize before I croak, it will be to a single wide trailer. Those are small, efficient, well planned out, low maintenance, and no ladder.