5 Things You Need to Know About Tiny Houses

Tiny House builds are quickly gaining more and more mainstream attention. The number of television shows and websites featuring tiny houses is multiplying, as is the serious interest of more people in living in these structures.

Here are Five Things That Everyone Should Know About Tiny Houses. (Please note that I am not a lawyer and this is not to be construed as legal advice. Please consult a licensed professional for such advice.)

1. Tiny Houses are Classified in Several Main Ways. Do a Google search for “tiny houses” and you will find all sorts of sites with images of different tiny house designs. What most of these designs have in common, though, is that they generally fall into two different classifications.

Tiny homes that are built on a trailer base and moveable are generally put in the category of RVs. A tiny house that is affixed to a foundation on a site is considered an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). The typical tiny house structure is around 100-400 square feet according to The Tiny Life website. I have seen on various sites where a dwelling over 600 feet is more likely to be considered a small house rather than a tiny house. The exact size is obviously subject to continued debate.

2. Tiny Houses are Subject to Building Codes. I could see how it might be easy to assume because tiny houses are such small structures that they are not subject to building codes like larger dwellings. This is simply not true in the majority of cases.

RV Tiny Houses and Accessory Dwelling Units are subject to different codes and regulations which vary by country, city, and county. The best thing to do if you are interested in building a tiny house or having one built is to check regulations in the localities where home will be built and reside (permanently or temporarily). Also, be aware that there may be regulations related to the transporting of tiny houses on roadways.

3.Financing a Tiny House May Take Persistence. Because of the smaller size and smaller loans associated with tiny houses, traditional bank lenders may not be eager to offer a tiny house loan. Some lenders have minimum loan amount or square footage requirements. Individuals looking at tiny house financing may have to consider other avenues such as peer-to-peer lending if they cannot pay cash for their tiny house or work with traditional lenders.

4. You Can Rent a Tiny House to Try Out Compact Living. Before making a serious investment in tiny house life, or if you are just curious what all the buzz is about, you can try out a tiny house for reasonable costs. Sites that offer tiny house rental listings include Airbnb, Tiny House Listings, and Tiny House Vacations, (Please be aware that by listing these sites I am not in any way endorsing them or their rental listings. Simply providing information. Always do research on your own about businesses or individuals that you do commerce with.)

5. A Growing Number of Resources Are Available to Consult About Tiny Houses. As more and more people express interest in tiny houses, the number of resources that focus on these dwellings grows exponentially. You will find websites, conferences and books focused on tiny homes. Here are 11 Neat Tiny House Resources definitely worth checking out.

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