I had an amazing time at the Relax Shacks workshop in Wilmington. I was able to meet so many bloggers and builders that I have known online – including Alex from right here at Tiny House Talk. I also had the privilege of spending more time with Ryan Mitchell of The Tiny Life – we even shared a condo for the weekend. At the workshop, he announced the release of his eBook “Cracking the Code: A Guide to Building Codes and Zoning for the Tiny Houses.”
As a blogger, and someone who built a tiny home of my own, I am so grateful for the existence of this book. It is not overstating it to say it is an invaluable resource. I am often asked questions here on Tiny House Talk, over at my own blog, and on Facebook, about permits and codes. I had always felt powerless when faced with these inquiries as the answers aren’t so simple. Thankfully, Ryan Mitchell has come to the rescue by putting together years of research on building codes for his own house and releasing it as an eBook guide. Mitchell shares insight on how to work with your local government and how civil disobedience might be the best option for some tiny house builders.
Cracking the Code by Ryan Mitchell
Click below to read more about Ryan Mitchell’s eBook.
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In the tiny house community we are often talking about the various building codes around the country, and the world, and how they affect tiny spaces. Tiny house bloggers often get asked the question “do you know the building codes in [my city]?”
Building codes are so location specific that they can vary greatly mile by mile. The only way to know for sure about the building codes in your area is to talk to the local government. Unfortunately, you can’t be surprised when they tell you that you can’t live in a tiny house where you want.
Fixing Tiny House Codes and Zoning
Tiny house builders do many things to get around this issue. Some will pick a location because of the friendly nature of the building codes. Some will build on wheels so the house can be moved if it ever becomes a problem. Some will build on unincorporated country land that isn’t likely to strictly enforce codes.
There is one more option that I’m not sure any of us have really considered.
Running for local government.
Click below to read more about my crazy ideas for extreme tiny house code reform.
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I just got home from a week long South Western vacation. The entire week was topped off by a visit to Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home, Taliesin West.
I started studying Frank Lloyd Wright in college. It was something that Matt and I had in common before we started dating a billion years ago. While we were still both at school we would often travel to Frank Lloyd Wright buildings local to Kalamazoo, Michigan (there are quite a few, surprisingly). We’ve been all over the country to see his buildings: Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania. Now I can add Arizona to my list.
Related: Students Design Build Unique Tiny Dorm Cabins at Frank Lloyd Wright Arch School
FLW’s home in Scottsdale, AZ. Photo by Laura M. LaVoie
His buildings had a greater impact on me than I had even realized. Click below to read more.
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Could this be the yurt alternative that we have been looking for? Were we even looking for a yurt alternative? Do you want to build a tiny house with just a screw driver? If you’ve ever wanted a plastic yurt this might be the answer for you.
Teal Panels from Teal International Corporation may not be the prettiest things to look at but they are simple and easy to construct. But what about the cost? Each panel costs around $200 so it really depends on how large you want your structure. For those of us looking to go tiny, it could be completely cost effective.
To explore more amazing small homes like this, join our Small House Newsletter. It’s free and you’ll be glad you did!
Image by Teal International Corporation
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Recently I was made aware of a tiny house page on Facebook called Extreme Makeover: Tiny Home Edition.
I thought the concept was interesting at first but really didn’t think much about it at that point.
Next thing I knew I noticed some horrifically hateful things on the page that made me think twice.
Several people were referring to her page as a scam, “these people think that I’m trying to commit fraud with regard to the original ABC-TV show, using the show’s name to scam people out of their money. That couldn’t be further from the truth,” the page owner told me.
I emailed Sally Schrock, the tiny homeowner, to find out more and while I am sure I don’t have the whole story I do feel as though I know enough about her tiny house situation to speak confidently.
Photo by Sally Schrock
See below to read more about her project.
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Here at THT we are often asked questions about building a tiny house without a loft.
A lot of people who are interested in the concept are planning for their futures and want to be sure that they can spend their retirement years in the comfort of a tiny house without needing to climb a steep ladder to a bed every night.
Several tiny house companies, including Tumbleweed, are answering the call with single story floor plans.
This week I came across a site that proved to me that if someone has the will and desire to do something I can be accomplished.
Meet Deena of the Access-A-Hut.
Deena’s Tiny Accessible Home
Her blog has been idle for a little over a year so I took a chance and reached out to her and a delightful conversation ensued.
“After living in the house and settling in, what do you say?” she wrote back to me. I asked her about her tiny home, why she built it and how she lives in it now.
Click through to read more about Deena and her tiny home.
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I was excited when a friend shared a video with me about snowboarder Mike Basich’s tiny house in the Sierra Mountains near Lake Tahoe. She posted the link with the question “But is it a tiny house?”
Absolutely.
Basich was able to get 40 acres land, considered unbuildable by most, for a fraction of the typical price for the acreage. It is three miles from the nearest road and only accessible by snowmobile or other such vehicle. The 228 square foot house has a loft bed and an outdoor bathroom. Does this sound familiar to any of us?
Watch the WSJ Video on this Tiny Cabin in the Mountains
Click or scroll below to watch the video and read more of my thoughts on Baisch’s tiny house in the mountains.
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In my post about Tiny Versus Small houses I spoke a little about our tiny house in the country and our small house in the city.
This got me thinking about the other divide among tiny house builders and dwellers.
It seems as though many tiny house people are split down the middle when it comes to wanting to live in the city or in the country and there are pros and cons to both.
So where to build a tiny house… in the city or in the country?
Our tiny house in the country. Photo by Laura M. LaVoie
Read on to learn more about city versus country tiny house living.
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Over at the Tiny Life, new contributor Marie made a great post about what she calls “Procrastiprepping.” This is the idea that you can stall your work by convincing yourself that you are doing work preparing for the actual work.
“While waiting for the trailer, then the welding on the trailer, Alan was purchasing used tools (compressor, nail guns, sawsall, etc) from Craigslist and Amazon while I made materials lists, estimated board-feet of lumber and plywood, and scanned the internet for FSC-approved flooring. I call this our Procrastiprepping Phase. Sure, buying an expensive trailer and ordering equally expensive windows is a financial commitment, but nothing says Point Of No Return like screwing down that first bit of floor joist.”
Marie is absolutely right. There is nothing like getting started. It is really easy to get caught in the trap of learning how to do something rather than actually doing it. You can tell yourself you’re trying to be prepared as possible but just because you understand how to do something doesn’t mean you’ve done it. When people ask me how to get started building a tiny house I always say that the first thing they need to do is put down the books and pick up the hammer and nail down that first board. This is metaphorical, you understand. Most of the time nailing down a board isn’t the first step anyway.
Notice how the drill matches my shirt. Photo by Laura M. LaVoie
So, how do you find your own motivation. Read more to see my thoughts on the subject.
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