My idea for this post on the tiny house movement and building social infrastructure for it took a few twists and turns before it became the finished product you’re about to read.
It started with this video, featuring Dee Williams of Portland Alternative Dwellings and the folks from Boneyard Studios in DC.
Something that Dee said really stuck with me, though I imagine that most just let the statement go by.
She said, “the relationships that I have developed by living small have really surprised me. All of a sudden I’ve got a different relationship with the sun, I’ve got a different relationship to my friends, a different relationship with the food co-op, and the library and the Laundromat and all of these spaces and resources that I don’t think I put too much thought into before and now all of a sudden those people and places they make my life possible and they give me a sense of home.”
Dee Williams at Tiny House Workshop
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This Cautionary Tale on Tiny Houses is a Guest Post by Allan Cerf
Like what I hope is a large majority of tiny house enthusiasts, I really want to live in a smaller space. The notion that I don’t have to immediately buy a ‘McMansion’ or even a ‘normal’ say, 2100 square foot home (following the sad, bitter end of a relationship), and that I can be happier in a 600 foot or even smaller space, was what fired my- and probably your- interest in such small dwellings.
Discovering the Realities of Tiny Houses
The reality of what I have found has been not shocking (I’m too old to be shocked) but extremely disappointing. Full disappointment kicked in following my visit to Portland’s ‘thriving’ and unified Tiny House community the last week in December 2012. What I discovered is that such a community doesn’t exist. Oh, there are tiny houses to be sure but the unity… not so much. This is underscored by just who actually lives in these homes as well as the owner’s vision for these Lilliputian dwellings. Therein lies the rub: The owners and the dwellers’ are usually not the same. But I get ahead of myself.
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I am researching tiny houses in all forms. For me, tiny is tiny. I could care less if it is made of Straw bales, Cobb, wood framed, canvas tarps, a container, a bus, or a combination of any items. It could be on wheels (since I do like to travel), or it can be permanent on rented or owned land (because I like to farm).
When it comes to tiny homes, I am very open minded and flexible in anything but cost. Cost to me is a big concern. I don’t see the point in doing the minimalist lifestyle yet go high end for fancy items that are not recycled or green. That doesn’t mean that I am opposed to some people living happily in their McMansions nor the tiny house McQuality! To each their own! For me, living light is living cheaper too. In all forms.
Do Tiny Houses Have to be so Pricey?
It seems there is a consistent pattern of homes that are not so simple. Expensive homes with high quality amenities. My question is always the same: Do the prices need to be that high or are companies going overboard with fanciness to have higher sales per unit? And I follow that with, would more of us be in the market if the market offered cheaper pricing with lower quality amenities?
Tiny House Trailer Costs
A tandem axle trailer new runs between $3,000 to $5,000. See below, I just randomly grabbed a listing off the internet.
Screenshot Credit kaufmantrailers.com
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The Cricket Trailer is sort of like the Safari Alto Trailer I showed you a while back.
This lightweight camper is the answer to rising fuel costs since with a weight of 1,300 lbs you can tow it with most cars.
It’s funky looking yet shaped to where it’s somewhat aerodynamic. Garrett Finney is the man behind the company.
He was a NASA engineer and wanted to take his expertise to design extremely tiny spaces like The Cricket.
It’s the solution between a tent and an RV. I like to think of it as a mash up of a pop up travel trailer and a teardrop camper with NASA engineering.
The Cricket has an extra wide door so you can get in and out easy. There are plenty of windows throughout to keep the breeze coming in. And don’t worry, they’re meshed to protect you from mosquitos.
Photo Credit CricketTrailer.com
The Cricket Trailer has a Popup Hard Top Roof
The roof takes 20 seconds to pop up which gives you 6’2″ of height inside. The rear door can be lifted and then used as an awning for shade. Good thinking!
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J. Michael Moore is an interior designer who lives in New York City and today we’re touring his tiny NYC apartment.
It’s a 225-square-foot studio that he remodeled with crown molding, new paint, decorations, and a sleeping loft.
Moore chose furniture that he could easily move around so he can change his configuration whenever he wants.
The majority of the living space is for hanging out and having friends over while the back portion of it is dedicated to his work.
In the kitchen he was missing counter space to be able to cook but thanks to the open floor plan he was able to add a recycled island to fix this.
Watch the Video Tour of this Tiny NYC Apartment Below
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The Convenience of Modern Living…
…and why I don’t like it.
We just spent the last two months living away from our tiny house with Matt’s mom for the holidays. Two months was an awful long time to spend in someone else’s home and while I was grateful for her hospitality I was also quite ready to leave Michigan and go back to Asheville.
There were a couple of things that I had started taking for granted living in the tiny house. They are opposite what most would expect but they were troubling to me.
- How easy it was. I immediately missed my chores. I loved the simplicity of emptying our gray water bucket into the artificial wetland each day. I had become accustomed to breaking up my work day by going outside to handle my daily chores about 10am. As soon as we got to Michigan I felt unbalanced. I suspect that conventional life has become much too easy. Technology allows us to be hands off. As things are becoming more convenient are we becoming more disconnected with our own lives?
How important is this? Photo by Laura M. LaVoie
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How about a mini tiny house community you can put together yourself with a small group of people and as little money as possible?
The other day I posted a WANTED ad in my local craigslist so I can find a plot of land to rent so I can park and live in my future tiny house on wheels.
I got one response so far and it was another tiny house person interested in the same thing!
As I was emailing back and forth with her I got to thinking about a simpler way to create a tiny house community. I’ve been thinking about this a lot especially since Jay Shafer’s announcement of a tiny village in progress. Unfortunately, that never came to pass. But maybe someday it will still happen.
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Last year I interviewed Rob Scott who builds these wonderful housetrucks that look just like tiny houses.
If you haven’t had a chance to read the interview click here for that article.
He recently finished yet another tiny house on a truck and he gave me the go to share it with you.
One thing is for sure, Rob’s housetrucks sure beat living in a pickup truck.
Enjoy the photos of the housetruck below then share your favorite part about it in the comments.
As you can see this one is already equipped with a porch, plenty of windows, and a large sleeping loft.
Rob Scott’s Beautiful Tiny Housetrucks
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When many people hear the words “dream house,” they may think about a large home with thousands of square feet. For many others, however, that dream is out of reach or doesn’t fit their vision of the perfect home. For these reasons, more people are opting for tiny houses—typically ranging between 100 and 400 square feet.
Top 7 Tiny House Benefits
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