Anyone Live in a Tiny Home?

[mystang52]

I was channel surfing and saw a bit of Tiny Home show. I know it's edited and the people have to act for the camera, but the (young) couple was downright effusive about how wonderful their tiny home. The world is composed of different people, but for me I'd last maybe 2 nights at best.
It was generally claustrophobic to me, despite the ingenious space-saving designs everywhere. The worst aspect for me, though, was the loft bedroom. They had to walk up a small staircase leading to a small square opening to access the bedroom. Then on hands and knees enter the bedroom....but don't try to stand up. Almost coffin-like.
Does anyone actually live in these homes on a permanent basis?

 

[Fermion]

We are building a 1400 square foot home, does that count?

 

[ckelly78z]

Tiny homes for young people are perfect...it's gets them out on their own, gives them more space, and privacy than they had living with their parents, and allows them to move around. It would be a grand adventure for a newly married couple, but drudgery for retirees.

Unfortunately, the costs involved with building these are prohibitive, when a nice used RV, or camper can be purchased for less than 1/2 the price.

 

[FIREd]

We're talking about the ~120 sq ft houses on wheels right?

When I was a student, I lived for 5 years in a ~180 sq ft studio apartment. It was fine then, but I need more space and more amenities now. My current home is ~540 sq ft and it is the perfect size for me (enough space and none wasted).

 

[Jerry1]

Unfortunately, the costs involved with building these are prohibitive, when a nice used RV, or camper can be purchased for less than 1/2 the price.

This is what I've never understood. They could buy an RV for much less. Granted, the fixtures may not be as nice, but you could easily do some upgrades and have a nice RV for a lot less. I think the people I see on TV think of these as a house (permanent), but they're not.

More interesting to me would be tiny house communities. Somewhere where the houses are actually on a foundation.

Personally, I'd never want a tiny home, but I've been concerned about how large the average US home has become. When I built my first home, the township required a minimum build of 1500 sqft. That was fine for me, but how does a young person get started at that level? I think the tiny house interest would be much less if there were sub 1000 sqft houses that were priced appropriately.

 

[DrRoy]

We are building a 1400 square foot home, does that count?

I think they are almost always < 400 ft2, and usually < 250 ft2.

 

[WyomingLife]

I respect and encourage the tiny house movement as it presumably instills an LBYM/sustainability mindset, even given that they are, on average, more expensive than a trailer or RV.

I always thought the typical house in American suburbia revealed all that a person needed to know about our consumption-based society: the first thing one sees is a two-car garage taking up half of the house's facade.

We've been taught to live in over-sized vinyl-sided domiciles, the main architectural feature of which is a massive docking station for multiple vehicles that we then can use to burn gas in an hour-long daily commute to w*ork, where we earn money to spend on hopefully acquiring an even larger domicile with an even larger docking station so we can impress our friends and colleagues.

 

[neihn]

For young couple, living in a tiny home beats apartment or big mortgage. Some tiny homes that I saw on youtube quite amazing, they utilizes every corner.

Also it gets them out of their parent's culture of hoarding stuff

 

[Moemg]

https://www.dreambiglivetinyco.com/...ses-in-florida-you-can-rent-on-airbnb-in-2020

You can always rent a tiny house to try out the experience .

 

[mountainsoft]

We are building a 1400 square foot home, does that count?

We have lived in our 1456 sq/ft house for the last 15+ years. It's anything but tiny. To us it feels like a mansion, more room than we'll ever need.

We lived in a 750 sq/ft mobile home for 13 years, and an equal sized apartment 2 years before that.

When I was a kid three of us lived in an 240 sq/ft foot travel trailer for four years as we moved around the country for my step-dads work.

So I'm no stranger to living in small spaces, though our current home doesn't really feel small to me.

Most tiny homes are built on trailer platforms to avoid building codes and to make the homes mobile (though most just get parked on someone else's land). Unfortunately, that limits the home to about 8 feet wide which makes the space feel more cramped than it needs to be. We have stayed in many small 16x16 (256 sq/ft) and 20x20 (400 sq/ft) cabins and they feel quite spacious. With proper organization my wife and I could easily live in a small cabin like that the rest of our lives.

The biggest hurdle to tiny living for me isn't the living space, it's where to store tools, lawn equipment, and other supplies. Our garage/workshop and storage shed are about half the size of our house.

 

[samm]

No. I looked at "tiny homes" for a vacation lot in country (where zoning allows) but realized that used trailers/RVs are FAR cheaper and far easier to move

 

[W2R]

My home is 1500 sf, and F's is 1600. Back when we were growing up, many new houses were of this size so we don't think of these houses as small. We both feel like we have twice the space we could ever need. We often talk about it and agree that about 600-800 sf would be more than enough. However, 1500 sf is about as small as houses get in our (excellent) neighborhood, and we love our present homes and neighborhood, so we aren't looking for smaller houses.

Like many others, we have been following the "tiny house movement" out of curiosity and watching videos of these houses on youtube. Frank says he often gets the impression that those people aren't actually living in their tiny house 24/7/365 on a permanent basis, even if they say they are. But the videos are entertaining and as the OP mentioned, they do illustrate some ingenious space-saving designs.

I have to admit that it has been really nice to have some extra space in my house to "rattle around in" during this time of sheltering in place and staying home all the time. But otherwise I really don't use the extra space for much other than as a sound buffer between me and the street.

 

[street]

I have a 160sqf cabin at the ranch but don't live there full time. I don't think I would have a problem living in that size, if it was only me. I find it very comforting and relaxing be there and way easier for cleaning etc..

 

[Arizona1]

The other thing about RV’s is mosh have slide outs. Our living room is about 11x16. We have been living in our 350sf motorhome for a long time and it’s the perfect size house for us. There is only 2 of us since we lost our Great Dane, but we wouldn’t consider a tiny home because of it being too narrow and not really designed to go down the road. We used to have a 2000+sf house.

 

[Markola]

Here’s a new cool one for $125,000. https://www.curbed.com/2017/7/5/15922464/kodasema-koda-tiny-house-cost

 

[rodi]

I find the tiny house movement entertaining. It's not for me - but there are some clever ideas out there. I really like the innovative multi-purpose stuff you see in tiny apartments in Tokyo and Hong Kong... Not on wheels... but if you have 300sf and need a bathroom, kitchen, place to sleep, place to eat, place to relax - creativity is needed.

My husband likes watching the tiny house shows because as a former architect, he likes seeing what they design (and picking it apart) to deal with the vibration/stresses of taking these homes on the road. RVs are designed to flex a bit... not all tiny homes are.

He grew up in a 1200 sf row home as part of a family of 8. 3 br's, 1 bath. My grandparent's house was a 2 br about 900sf. We built a granny flat that is very spacious at 700sf. Designed to be wheelchair friendly (for FIL) it has lots of space in the bathroom, wide doorways... not cramped at all.

Could I live in a tiny home... sure. Would I want to? Not really. But we are looking at downsizing to a 1k sf condo when the kids are launched. That would be plenty for two people.

 

[RobbieB]

My first home in CA was a 900 sq-ft townhouse (2 story, 450 sq-ft ea) followed by renting a 1200 sq-ft townhouse and finally this palatial 1400 sq-ft mansion we now occupy which I've had for 30 years.

1400 is good!

 

[rodi]

Here’s a new cool one for $125,000. https://www.curbed.com/2017/7/5/15922464/kodasema-koda-tiny-house-cost

That is cool. But it's pretty obvious it's lacking storage - they've got a box of "stuff" showing in one of the pictures.

 

[neihn]

That is cool. But it's pretty obvious it's lacking storage - they've got a box of "stuff" showing in one of the pictures.

That is the whole idea. No more stuff

 

[Hermit]

I have "lived" in an old motor home (no slideouts) for the last six years. With the house that is under construction winterized, I have moved the kitchen, bathroom, and since the pandemic laundry facilities into the house. I only have my bedroom and main computer in the motorhome now. After about 5 years in the motor home I am more comfortable spending the great majority of my waking time in the house.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Our motor home was 162 sq ft with no slide outs. 2 people and 1 big dog and 3 tiny ones and all I could take was a month. We mostly weren’t in it during the day as we were on vacation. Our house is 1400 sq ft for 2 of us. I could go to 800 if alone. Raised 3 kids in 1800 with one bathroom for 5 people.

 

[38Chevy454]

I think the tiny house fad will die out when people realize that it is not a practical solution for any long term living.
I could never live in a tiny house, although I am OK with my motorhome, but it is 350 sq ft or so with the slideouts. Plus I know it is short term and I am not stuck with the tiny house 250 sq ft for long term.

 

[folivier]

Recently watched “Win the Wilderness” on Netflix about an elderly couple who gave away their Alaskan estate they built by hand. The first 9 years the couple lived in an 8’x9’ dugout cabin while building their 3 level log cabin. That's small!
MY DW and I previously lived in a 45' motorhome with 2 slides about 400 sf and were very comfortable. Now have an 1800 sf home and a 36' motorhome w/o slides. We're comfortable in the smaller motorhome but chase the seasons when we're in it.

 

[Major Tom]

I have lived in a 285 sq foot studio for the last 10 years, and it has proved to be very comfortable. I am pretty sure I could go smaller without feeling too inconvenienced, though how much smaller remains to be seen. As others have said, I relate to the reasons people try living in compact spaces, and admire their endeavors towards these ends.

My small studio has two large windows with good views. This is a key factor for me, in being able to occupy a small space without feeling cramped.

 

[chris2008]

If you ever travel to Tallin, Estonia, the Koda house can be rented as hotel room.