Problems with "tiny" homes

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

A discussion on the other thread got me interested so I googled Problems with tiny homes. Wow. A lot or websites about this. The main #1 issue seems to be that most municipalities have ordinances against dwellings under a certain size, or against living in a temporary dwelling full time or a litany of other issues making finding a place to put a tiny home quite difficult.Even campgrounds don't want them as they are too high and don't meet local codes.

Also, local health departments have figured out that many owners of tiny homes just place them in a rural field and use solar panels for electric and catchman water (catch the rain water and store it in a barrel) but they do not properly dispose of their sewage. If they have a composting toilet they must peridically empty it and it has been found most people just are dumping it in the woods, on the ground -- of course that is a huge no no. Beside this - they are just draining their soapy wash water onto the ground as well, where it gets absorbed into the ground water - another huge no no. These things are even more of an issue once it gets cold outside and all this disposed of waste freezes and stays there.

Then there are issues like the homes not being up to code for electrical and fire. Invasions by insects - particularly termites - since most of them are made entirely of wood. Also people think they will like living away from everything but find the isolation to be horrible, esp. as winter sets in and they are out in the middle of nowhere and no way to get outta there.

So it was interesting reading. Not the glorified situations they show you on HGTV. As a matter of fact one couple had a tiny house built for them and filmed for a show on HGTV and it was so badly done and such a horror they eventually had to abandon it.

Julie928 · ‎04-08-2013

That is interesting ~ those are things I never really thought about. I follow Southern Living on facebook and they are always posting all these articles regarding houseplans for tiny homes. I do think I would love a second place like that to escape to (on a lot of acreage, of course). Full-time living like that might be tricky. If it were just me, I don't know. I do know my husband would be climbing the walls after about an hour. We're kind of like the couple on Green Acres ~ he wants the condo in the city and I want the cottage in the country. :-)

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

The problem with tiny homes is that...well...they're tiny. Maybe people can't find affordable housing; maybe they'd rather splurge on other things; maybe they don't care if their family has less space than a dog house. I find the whole idea ridiculous. Once again, a cable network is idealizing a loony idea.

Lucky Charm · ‎03-09-2010

One of our beach cottages is only 480 square feet and is actually considered by the town a condo because of it's size.

But it's a separate little house, with east and west facing decks, a yard and a nice long driveway.

If we wanted to enlarge it, we can only stay within the original footprint, which does include a shed built onto the back of it and only go upwards.

We have no desire to build. It's a seasonal rental, we've had a waiting list for it for years and we're asked to sell all the time.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

My DH is pretty mechanical and often I will be watching one of these tiny homes being built on TV and he will sit there the entire time saying how it is not being correctly done etc. And , being as we are long time campers - we know the importance of keeping a mobile home lightweight. These all wood tiny homes are anything but!

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

Oh yeah , another thing I forgot to mention in the OP - these people living out in the middle of a field - they are burning their garbage because there is no where else for them to get rid of it - and causing brush fires. They also are using wood burners as heaters - and they aren't properly vented - the pipe for the smoke and ash is too short - and hot ash is coming out the top and causing fires. often catching the wood roof of the tiny house itself on fire.

depglass · ‎03-10-2010

Unbelievable. I just assumed they were meeting all local codes, sewer, etc. Another show that bugs me is the one where you build this million dollar home and rent out part of it to help with your house payment. I live in a modest neighborhood and having a rental of any sort is against code.

sweetee2 · ‎06-21-2015

I'm just surprised how expensive they are. Some over hundred thousand dollars. You could buy condo for that and have real toilet.

faeriemoon · ‎03-14-2010

I would think the novelty of living in one of those things would wear off pretty quickly. Imagine the wear and tear on a house the size of a garden shed?

No way.

~What a terrible era in which idiots govern the blind.~ William Shakespeare

Tigriss · ‎03-12-2010

I grew up traveling and camping in a travel trailer a great deal, so when I saw these tiny homes, I thought they were awful similar to travel trailers. Travel trailers have a great deal of technology in them, so to see someone taking typical house materials and using them in tiny homes is interesting. I wondered if they could use lighter studs and less solid wood/luxury wood, they would be able to have the weight somewhere else. Plus there was the ridiculous price tag found on them. Wow at that cost! I lived in our 5th wheel full time during my college years, as did my sister because it was way cheaper than dorms or renting. We still have it at the lake.

I do get to thinking about down sizing, but then I look around and realize I have enough since mine is almost paid off. To take out a loan for a tiny home that costs more than double what my double wide trailer does is crazy! I'm not house rich or poor, but comfortable without having to deal with not being able to pay the bills. Housing in our county is about 50% too high considering it is rural Georgia and not the Atlanta Burbs! I'm glad I didn't fall into that buying more than I could afford.