Tiny House Basics: A Complete Introduction

 

What Are Tiny Houses?

Even though average home sizes in the United States have been growing, many people are discovering that they can live in a lot less room. Many times, they even find themselves living much happier, fulfilling lives with less space. These people are redefining the dream of Americans and living sustainably. Tiny houses can be up to 500 square feet in size, but many are dramatically smaller.

 

Typical Features

“Small” is the operative word in a tiny house. A typical tiny home may be 100-200 square feet, with a small kitchen – often galley style, as that is quite space-efficient. The bathroom is – yes, small – with a commode and shower. Sleeping areas are also included, of course, though they are usually a lofted space. The main living area is sometimes a bit larger than the other parts of the house.

Built-ins are often used to increase the usable space of a tiny house. Bookshelves, desks and wardrobes or dressers can be built-in, to offer more storage space. Many builders use reclaimed wood and other materials, to make their imprint on the environment smaller.

 

Why So Tiny?

“Tiny Housers”, as they are sometimes known, understand that getting rid of excess “stuff” can free up your energy, time and money, in order that you may focus on what is truly important to you. Keeping a simple lifestyle and receiving lower utility bills allows these homeowners to spend more time working on projects and traveling.

People who live in tiny houses also connect with the natural world in a way that is more personal. Smaller houses are more easily integrated into a natural area than are typical styles of American homes.

 

Media Coverage

Tiny houses are becoming more popular as they are featured in media coverage. Many people want to own their own homes, but cannot afford to, in the world of conventional homes. There are also tiny houses on wheels, which allow you to literally “take it all with you” when you move.

 

Tiny House Safety

Since many of the original tiny houses were developed in the minds of non-professional builders, it was necessary to ensure that these houses would be built in a safe manner. Even amateur builders can access blueprints and safety information online, so that their homes will be safe places in which to live.

 

Zoning

People who wish to build tiny houses sometimes run into roadblocks in the form of zoning laws. Most zoning regulations have a specified minimum number of square feet for new construction. Even if you are building a house on wheels, you likely will not be able to park it in your driveway, since this would fall under the zoning rules against camping.

 

The Tiny House Philosophy

Living in a small house often leaves no mortgage payments, which means you can be relatively free of debt. You can attend DIY Tiny House workshops, and tiny houses are a valuable way to attack the problem of people not being able to afford housing.

True Tiny Housers live in their diminutive homes full-time. Others use them for guest homes, offices or vacation cottages. Builders must be able to purchase or rent land for their houses, in additional to finding a location that will allow this type of house. Conventional bank loans are usually not available, since tiny houses are not considered traditional assets.

In tiny houses, every square inch is utilized. They blend functionality with aesthetics. Skylights and windows bring in natural light, to avoid sole dependence on utilities. You may wish to install solar panels, so that you can live more fully off the grid, and lower your utility bills to next to nothing.

Tiny houses are unlike any other type of living – unless you have lived in a trailer for months on end. They are usually much smaller even than mobile homes. Tiny houses are certainly not for everyone, but minimalists may be quite content with a smaller house and smaller bills. This book will give you a beginner’s overview to what Tiny Houses are, who lives in them, and how the Tiny House lifestyle can benefit you, in more ways than you could even imagine…So, let’s get to it!