Cracking the Building Code on Tiny Houses with Ryan Mitchell

Reset A− A+ 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.

Click below to read more about Ryan Mitchell’s eBook.

The first section of the book is Ryan’s commentary on why building codes exist, the best work with local code enforcement, the best way to avoid enforcement, and finally how to get past the question of codes all together in order to build your own tiny house. The second half of the book is a collection of resources including sample codes, an inspection checklist, and a glossary of important terms.

As Mitchell states, building codes vary between municipalities so it is impossible to speak with any real authority on the matter. The only way to understand the legalities of tiny houses in your area is to talk with your local code enforcement office and see what you can build and what you can’t. Mitchell provides the language to use and the steps to take to do this for yourself.

I’ve already had the opportunity to refer people to Cracking the Code and I am so happy to have this resource available.

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Laura LaVoie

Contributor and Tiny House Owner at 120SquareFeet.com

Laura M. LaVoie is a professional writer living in the mountains of North Carolina in a 120 Square Foot house with her partner and their hairless cat, Piglet. Laura graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Anthropology. She has been published in magazines and anthologies on the subjects of mythology and culture. She spent nearly 15 years in the temporary staffing industry before deciding to become a full time writer. Laura works closely with the Zulu Orphan Alliance volunteering her time and the skills she's learned building her own small house to build a shelter for orphans and other vulnerable children living near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Laura also enjoys simple living, brewing and drinking craft beer, and popular culture.

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