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Rusted Mountain Roost Tiny House


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This is the Rusted Mountain Roost Gooseneck Trailer Tiny House.

It was custom-built by Rocky Mountain Tiny Houses for $84,000.

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Rusted Mountain Roost Gooseneck Trailer Tiny House

Rusted Mountain Roost Tiny House

Rusted Mountain Roost Tiny House Rusted Mountain Roost Tiny House Rusted Mountain Roost Tiny House Rusted Mountain Roost Tiny House Rusted Mountain Roost Tiny House

Video: Rusted Mountain Roost Gooseneck Tiny House

Highlights:

  • Built for semi-retired woman
  • Gooseneck chassis
  • Corten Steel (Rusty Cold Rolled) Siding
  • Insulated with SIPs
  • Ductless mini split heating/cooling system
  • Neo-angle shower
  • Flush toilet
  • Navien tankless water heater
  • Custom cabinets
  • 24″ propane range
  • Microwave/vent combo
  • 10 cubit foot fridge
  • Combo washer dryer
  • Colorado beetle kill pine walls
  • Standing room for 6 ft. tall person in bedroom
  • Additional loft guest room
  • Saloon doors to bedroom for privacy
  • Weighed 13,200 lbs.
  • Read blog for additional details

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Natalie C. McKee

Natalie C. McKee is a contributor for Tiny House Talk and the Tiny House Newsletter. She's a wife, and mama of three little kids. She and her family are homesteaders with sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and quail on their happy little acre.

Latest posts by Natalie C. McKee (see all)

{ 44 comments… add one }
  • Susanne
    November 24, 2016, 3:43 pm

    I still can’t understand why the TH’s are so much more expensive per square foot than a regular home. Maybe the builders are assuming charging 84,000 for this is justified since the owner is not paying 160,000 or more? This model does not appear to me so high-end to charge this much? Plus in the video he says it’s parked in a legal spot- for RV’s… That means you must pay a monthly fee to RENT ( is it even possible to own?) the spot, so money you are not saving.

    • Simon Long
      November 24, 2016, 9:53 pm

      Agree, TH’s have less regs in Australia than normal homes,
      They don’t have big expensive windows, the one I built cost next to nothing.

      • Eric
        November 25, 2016, 2:20 pm

        …and therein lies your answer… YOU built it yourself. No labour costs. How LONG did it take YOU to build. I bet that if you were to add up the hours and then cost it out at, dare I say Australian labour rates, that you’d find it would have cost considerably more than you even possibly think it would.

    • Natalie
      November 25, 2016, 6:52 am

      The biggest reason that tiny homes are so much more expensive per square foot is because most people want all the amenities of a regular home, in a smaller space. So they still need kitchen appliance, a washer/dryer, bathroom facilities, etc., that you’d have in a big house, but spread out in a larger space. Also, as far as builder’s costs go, just because they are building smaller homes doesn’t mean their business costs decrease. Yes, labor will (smaller house requires fewer people), but taxes, liabilities, office space, etc. doesn’t necessarily get smaller. Because this house was custom-built, it’s clear the owner wanted to spend that kind of money. That being said, you certainly don’t need to spend that much to have a dazzling tiny house 🙂 — Tiny House Talk Team

      • Diana
        December 30, 2017, 3:54 pm

        No it’s because these people who are building them are taking advantage of a trend

    • Eric
      November 25, 2016, 2:26 pm

      Renting a spot at an RV camp etc. would be orders of magnitude cheaper than buying land to build on, conventional or otherwise. And, you have to option of moving on to somewhere else whenever the fancy takes you. Try doing that when you are tied down to a mortgage etc. Selling a standard home costs big bikkies. There’s real estate fees, advertising fees, local/central govt fees, disconnection fees (electricity, water, gas etc.), and then moving and finding another place to live, either renting or buying, the latter involving… yep, real estate agents, connection fees, mortgages etc… OMG, another bunch of expensive costs.

      • Natalie
        November 28, 2016, 7:40 am

        So true, Eric. — Tiny House Talk Team

    • Bigfoot
      November 29, 2016, 6:38 pm

      Hi Susanne, Here’s some things to consider. First, this is a link to a $90K Airstream 27′ dual axle travel trailer.
      http://www.rvusa.com/rvs-for-sale/2017/airstream-flying-cloud-27fb-queen-travel-trailer-new-lakewood-new-jersey-08701-1919516
      The Airstream weighs less than 6000lbs while this THOW weighs over twice that. Why do you think there is such a discrepancy ? Is the THOW a better deal priced per pound of material? $84K is expensive to me also & I understand where you are coming from. However, bear in mind that this unit was custom built per the customers drawings. It’s all custom work so boatloads of labor involved. It’s much more time consuming/tedious/ & labor intensive to build a custom THOW than a standard residential cookie cutter house. Economies of scale do apply. Obviously high end materials were used throughout & it makes a difference. I’ve been involved with residential construction for decades & sadly, I’ve seen a lot of poorly/marginally constructed homes out there. Yes much cheaper per sq ft. Truly custom built homes can run $200-$400 a sq ft. This unit comes in at approximately $350 a sq ft. This is a beautiful THOW & I’m glad the builder is able to get adequately compensated for their efforts. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be around very long (& many are coming & going at an above average rate). Another thing to consider. I’m in Florida & as far back as I can remember there has been widespread use of illegal labor in the construction industry (other industries also). They work cheap & many builders use the cheapest labor making it very difficult to do a proper comparative analysis with those that don’t. Hope this helps you gain some additional perspective.

    • Jeff
      December 1, 2016, 10:56 pm

      I believe $/ft to be the least effective comparison for THs & Standard American Houses. As noted below, labor differentials and economies of scale.

      A better comparison might be Return On Investment, or Total Cost Over Time? Add up initial investments, rents, utilities, maintenance, insurances, and interest on the death pledge (aka mortgage), then compare. Even this “expesive” TH is less than most folks would pay just in interest over the life of their 30 year mortgage.

      Or if one were to insist on using Price/Foot, make sure all the construction standards are truly equivalent. If the TH owner is splurging on all high end materials, the fairer comparison would be using those same splurges on the McMansion. Can you imagine what one of Zyl Vardo’s objet d’Art would cost for a McM?

      Just my two bits, and probably not worth that much…

      • Natalie
        December 2, 2016, 8:39 am

        Thanks Bigfoot and Jeff. You both bring up some great points about the differences between tiny homes and conventional homes and the costs that go into them. And ya, a Zyl Vardo regular house would cost a fortune! — Tiny House Talk Team

  • john
    November 24, 2016, 6:28 pm

    No way it’s worth the price, we built our own using the frame of a 1979 28 foot travel tailer, and the build wasonly 13.000 including appliances and limited solar

    • Eric
      November 25, 2016, 2:27 pm

      But, and I have no way of knowing, how was the build quality? How does it compare to the TH in this article. All very subjective of course but comparing apples with oranges is a futile exercise.

      • Natalie
        November 28, 2016, 7:43 am

        The trailer alone can cost a lot, especially because a builder isn’t going to recycle one, but purchase a new one to ensure the highest quality for his client. — Tiny House Talk Team

        • Bigfoot
          November 29, 2016, 7:07 pm

          Travel trailer frames are almost without exception built very lightly & have lighter duty axles & a much lower GVWR than a purpose built TH trailer. No way should anybody using standard residential framing/building practices ever build on a stock/used travel trailer frame IF they want to be safely mobile with it. To make it roadworthy you would have to put in a lot of extra steel & better axles/tires, etc. It’s an option if you get the trailer for free/cheap & you can weld & fabricate for the desired outcome. Steel, axles, brakes, & tires aren’t cheap & the costs add up quickly. Here’s an example. I designed a small single axle TH/travel trailer hybrid. The trailer design is very robust with independent suspension & top of the line parts & finish. The cheapest I could get a shop to quote me on building my design/drawings was $4K. It’s expensive because it’s a one of build using high end materials. I’ll end up building it myself after my current project. Yes, custom builds of anything get expensive in a hurry.

  • Susanne
    November 25, 2016, 10:05 am

    Interesting! Maybe some of the people with contracting experience who read this newsletter can weigh in…
    Yes, less labor.. Cheaper. Faster build time, cheaper. Liabity should go way down since with a larger home you have one story or more which greatly increases the risks of accidents….so really I think the liability should be next to nothing- maybe a guy might hurt himself with a power
    Tool? So liability insurance , MUCH cheaper.
    Much less complex construction equipment needed, building materials, and space for all of this. Cheaper. Plus less construction equipment, low liability.
    The limited size of a TH is simpler, dictating the variety- such as length, and height., especially when it’s built for towing so very cookie cutter. Less variety equals easier build. Less employees are needed, cheaper.
    And appliances? How does the appliances figure into tripling or doubling cost per square foot?
    And normally people do not hook up to sewage, so drastically easier and cheaper.
    Electric also- solar, easier, though I realize a little costly now but hopefully will drop later with rise in demand.
    Thanks for the response but I am still not convinced….:(

    • Eric
      November 25, 2016, 2:39 pm

      “How does the appliances figure into tripling or doubling cost per square foot?”

      Gee, you need to do the maths.

      Let’s simply things, just for examples sake. Standard house of, say, 2000 sq ft. Has oven, cooktop, dishwasher (lets just leave it at these 3 items for the purposes of this exercise).

      Lets just assume they cost all up $3800. Divide that cost by 2000 = $1.90 per sq ft. Now divide that by area of a TH. Typical size is about 180 sq ft. So $3800 divided by 180 = $21.11 per sq ft. And therein lies a lot of your answer. Not all of it, but it gives a fair idea of the reasons why.

      • oxide
        November 26, 2016, 4:00 pm

        What, you mean there’s only standard set of appliances per house? And there I thought each bedroom had its own washer/dryer. :-p

        And btw, this is why McMansions got so big, with such cavernous bedrooms and great rooms. Those houses are designed to bloat up the square footage without needing additional plumbing or appliances. So, they could build cheap, charge the standand $/sq ft, and make profit on the literal volume of square footage.

        • Natalie
          November 28, 2016, 7:49 am

          Although yes, being a tiny house builder might be less expensive than being a large house builder, it doesn’t change the fact that a DIY builder can create something for FAR cheaper than a business owner. A DIY builder doesn’t pay employees, or for payroll software, or for an accountant, or liabilities, or office space, etc. He doesn’t need to hire people, fire people, train people, etc. And at the end of the day, his labor is 100% “free.” So the doubling and tripling of costs is largely related to the costs of running a business, that then get added on to the actual cost of materials. I wrote an article on this to try and explain the situation a little more concisely 🙂 https://tinyhousetalk.com/why-do-tiny-houses-cost-so-much/

  • Susanne
    November 25, 2016, 2:54 pm

    I was not aware the appliances were figured in to the square footage. Oh
    And often the footage will be
    At least 200 or little higher just for a couple, so even cheaper! The standard appliances to purchase will be the same no matter the footage- I am talking
    Actual costs to build.
    Renting land on RV site for years you are throwing money away, so better to buy a very small plot, it’s yours, and you can travel anytime. Plus when you mention mortgage and the utility hookups? That applies to standard home not TH that’s already paid for ( or soon to be) and off grid so no , less complicated to sell once you decide. And cheaper to
    Maintain if not sell in a hurry.

  • jm
    November 26, 2016, 1:37 am

    A house built on wheels must be made much more structurally strong to withstand the travel over even bumpy roads. It must also be made safer since I would be sued if something happended. Better to overdesign. Pay more attention to detail. Use higher quality materials. More screws and nails. The utility connections must be so as they can’t come apart during transport. Windows have to be such so as not to break during transport. Roof shingles must not be allowed to fly off during transport.
    I think we’ve scratched the surface. But suffice it to say: much of the additional cost would be building a house that can withstand transport.

  • ZACHARY E. MOHRMANN
    November 27, 2016, 10:23 am

    Big, big, big. big…..! Oh my gosh we are no longer in the tiny house category with this behemoth….! But it is very nice, don’t get me wrong…! And I would say the price tag surly fits the house this time.. My goodness…! Best of luck to the owner of this, Tiny House…? LoL…!

    • Natalie
      November 28, 2016, 7:52 am

      Even as large as it is, it’s certainly under our 400 sq. ft. threshold for a tiny house 🙂 — Tiny House Talk Team

  • Chuck
    December 1, 2016, 8:00 pm

    I wonder how much the rusted steel siding adds to the tremendous weight of this thing?

    • Natalie
      December 2, 2016, 8:36 am

      Good question! — Tiny House Talk Team

    • Bigfoot
      December 2, 2016, 7:47 pm

      These steel panels are available in 22, 24, 26 gauge thickness (& maybe others) so not really any heavier than traditional metal siding. Couple things about corten rusted steel, it’s not recommended for excessively wet climates or salty environments.

      • Natalie
        December 5, 2016, 10:31 am

        Thanks, Bigfoot!

  • ROSEE
    December 4, 2016, 4:46 pm

    Really like the set up on the inside. Especially the corner sink, now that I love, to see out from two windows. Cool! The outside, is not my favorite color for a TH. Oh well, to each his/her own.

    • Natalie
      December 5, 2016, 10:30 am

      I thought the corner sink was great, too! — Tiny House Talk Team

  • Ynot
    December 5, 2016, 12:39 pm

    A lot of interesting discussion on price, quality, etc. But remember, it was a custom build and I never heard the owner complain. As for me, I think it’s a great design.

    • Natalie
      December 6, 2016, 8:31 am

      Very important thing to remember, Ynot. Custom builds will include some things folks don’t like, but the good news is the owner wanted it that way. — Tiny House Talk Team

  • jamie
    December 5, 2016, 9:43 pm

    I dont know why anyone thinks framing a TH with plantation pine and a nail gun is quality materials? this is the cheapest, quickest method of framing. Not Quality. Timber is expensive commodity, even cheap construction pine is still expensive. One material that has dropped alot in price is Aluminum.
    The nickname for caravans built this way is “stick & Tin” construction.
    Mid to high end Caravans are Aluminum framed, the good ones are welded. This is the sort of stuff Professional builders should be doing. The Timber framed Tiny house design built on a flatbed trailer was designed for the handyman builder. I have seen videos of “professional TH builders” framing with nailguns. This is ok for stationary buildings and can be done in a single day if you know your stuff on something this size.

    I would like to see a more scientific modern approach to TH framing before anyone labels themselves a ‘Quality TH builder’

    • Natalie
      December 6, 2016, 8:32 am

      Interesting points you bring up Jamie. I think quality can go beyond framing, but it’s good to keep in mind! — Tiny House Talk Team

      • Jamie
        December 6, 2016, 11:43 pm

        Yes it can, but you have to start with quality base and superstructure. The TH base trailers are generally built well, nice and solid. Tick! Although I would like to see some well engineered trailers that utilise a low floor to maximise internal headroom. I am sure a ‘Professional TH builder’ could set themselves ahead of their competition with such a design. But it would cost.

  • Nanny M
    January 24, 2017, 8:21 pm

    I really like this. Maybe people think it’s expensive because the woman has the money to have really nice materials. I think she will be very happy here.

    • Natalie
      January 25, 2017, 8:28 am

      Me too, Nanny!

  • Susanne
    January 24, 2017, 11:08 pm

    So if a person plans to never move the TH, then it would truly help reduce the costs!!!! Fantastic

  • Lita
    January 25, 2017, 4:06 am

    Aside from the convo on quality/price etc etc.. I have to say that I love this design! So many things that were thoughtfully added!
    Love the ladder/shelves! Love the steps with walls on either side. Which would suit someone like myself afraid of steps, they would squeeze you up kind of thing. *giggles* The corner kitchen is brilliant! The tall ceiling bath, with sky light (?), is such a nice touch for that sort of confined space. The nooks and shelves and how they’re placed. Yeah, I could see me living here. IF I could afford it. *chuckles* All in all, one of the best layouts I’ve seen for myself, personally. Great Job!

    • Natalie
      January 25, 2017, 8:08 am

      So glad you liked it so much, Lita! And I share your fear of steps/heights hehe.

  • January 25, 2017, 3:29 pm

    I like the angle bright kitchen, with windows that offer two possibilities of light. Does a bit Showcase.

    • Natalie
      January 26, 2017, 8:23 am

      🙂 Yes!

  • Margaret E Lome
    April 2, 2017, 1:45 pm

    Love the bathroom floor…and a standing loft with stairs to access it! Perfect!!!

    • Natalie C. McKee
      April 3, 2017, 8:02 am

      Yes it’s quite awesome!

  • Theresa
    July 14, 2017, 11:56 am

    I love the layout of this one. The kitchen is so cozy but still you have windows to look out of. And I love how the bathroom is just below the main bedroom. I think this is one of the most unique thows I have seen.

  • Connie
    December 31, 2017, 4:28 pm

    Diana

    No it’s because these people who are building them are taking advantage of a trend.

    I so agree with you Diana!! I’ve been a fan for years. The went from $28,000.00 and jumped to $90,000.00 plus!! That’s insane. I thought one of the luxuries of having a “Tiny House” was to become dept free??? The people who jumped on the ” Tiny House ” bandwagon charging these outrageous prices seemed to forget that important piece of critical importance.

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