How many of you are interested in these 'tiny homes'?

[beergut]

College student builds 145 ft 'tiny home' to live debt-free


I think the question of how much space you really need to live in is a good one to ask.

I'm sure whenever this guy graduates and decides to get married/raise a family, the tiny home will be a thing of the past. However, I love that people are asking these questions and trying to make efficient use of space. 

[justme]

I like them as a better version of camping trailers.

[Ryan]

Jul 8, 2015 8:01:10 GMT -5 beergut said:

College student builds 145 ft 'tiny home' to live debt-free


I think the question of how much space you really need to live in is a good one to ask.

I'm sure whenever this guy graduates and decides to get married/raise a family, the tiny home will be a thing of the past. However, I love that people are asking these questions and trying to make efficient use of space. 

Or you could just do what other college kids have done and live with their parents (if they are close) or get an apartment and live with 1-3 other people.  What's he going to do with that tiny house?  You can't just park a house anywhere and live there.  

Seems like people are expressing an interest in living in tiny houses and there is even a TV show, but it seems like they are more geared to people that live out in the sticks.  

[The Captain]

They fascinate me.

The design, absolute efficient use of space.  Ability to live off the grid more easily.

That being said I could never do one full time.  My books alone wouldn't fit.  I'd love to have one for a vacation home out in the middle of nowhere.

[grumpyhermit]

I've watched a few documentaries on the subject. They are interesting. I think they could make great alternatives to cabins for vacation home purposes. Basically a tricked out tent.

No way in hell could I live in one full time. I mean I COULD, but I wouldn't want to try. I like my material possessions too much. Plus the bathrooms on those things are just deal breakers for me. I don't need a gigantic palatial bath, but I need more than a tiny claustrophobic stall.

I suspect that for all but a few of the die-hards, tiny homes will be a fad.

[Deleted]

I like the tiny homes and follow some websites. I could live in 500 sq ft easily, but that is probably the smallest I could go (so the towable homes are out). In practicality the tiny homes on trailers are extremely expensive unless you build them yourself. 

I don't think tiny homes are a fad. The costs of land and housing have gotten very high. Like apodments, I think tiny homes will around for a while. 

I wish builders would do developments of little bungalows, but it is all mcmansions in the new developments. They take down the little bungalow on an acre and put up 10 mcmansion. Makes me sad. 

[Deleted]

I love this young man's choice. An affordable (20K) home that's big enough for his needs, allows him to be debt-free, affords him to concentrate more on his education, live independently with less stress of meeting his financial obligations....what's not great about all of that? Looks pretty happy in his video, to me..yay for him!

[HoneyBBQ]

My camping stuff wouldn't fit in there.

[busymom]

I'd LOVE one as a Summer home, or a cabin on a lake.  DH & I are trying to pare down our stuff, but I doubt we could get rid of enough stuff to live in one year-round. 

[giramomma]

My city is building tiny homes to try to combat homelessness in our city.

[Chocolate Lover]

I watched a House Hunters last night where they were looking at tiny homes. One had a soaking tub that you sat in with your knees up to your chin, and an outdoor shower. WTF? Yes, it was in Hawaii and all so you COULD do the outdoor shower but who the hell wants to?!  That stupid tub looked like a waste of space and leg cramps waiting to happen to me. 


Of course, that's the one she picked. 

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I lived in less than 200 sq ft in Boston for 5 years.  It gets old fast.

It was impossible to have any more than one person in the place with me.  Cooking was very challenging, because I simply did not have space for equipment needed, the pantry space for food supplies like flour, sugar, baking powder/soda etc. or the prep space.

Closet space was the biggest problem.  I had to pay to store my out of season clothes.  I had about 3' of rack space in my whole apartment, for coats and clothes.  I worked in a lab, wearing the same clothes multiple days wasn't happening.

[Abby Normal]

I did a lot of things in college I wouldn't choose to do now. 

[MJ2.0]

the claustrophobic in me is lying on the floor in the fetal position just looking at some pictures of these houses.

[Chocolate Lover]

Jul 8, 2015 10:39:24 GMT -5 MJ2.0 said:

the claustrophobic in me is lying on the floor in the fetal position just looking at some pictures of these houses.

The living space might be ok, but the loft beds?? Hell no!

[MJ2.0]

I mean this is just.... sweet Jesus, NO!!! I'm actually feeling queasy looking at this!

[Deleted]

I watched the HGTV series one day. They aren't cheap.

[resolution]

Jul 8, 2015 10:02:38 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

I watched a House Hunters last night where they were looking at tiny homes. One had a soaking tub that you sat in with your knees up to your chin, and an outdoor shower. WTF? Yes, it was in Hawaii and all so you COULD do the outdoor shower but who the hell wants to?!  That stupid tub looked like a waste of space and leg cramps waiting to happen to me. 


Of course, that's the one she picked. 

I would do a yurt over a tiny home if I were in Hawaii.

I have watched quite a few YouTubes where people show off their tiny homes. Some of them look great and have everything a person would need. Some of them look like they were put together from trash and the bathroom facilities consist of a chamber pot.

[Chocolate Lover]

I also hate that almost all of them have ladders up to the loft. I've seen one that had stairs, I might consider that one but I doubt it. There was still a loft.


700 square feet is tiny enough, these things? No thanks. I want a functioned stove AND oven, a good sized refrigerator and sink. And a real bathroom. 

[Chocolate Lover]

Jul 8, 2015 11:07:41 GMT -5 resolution said:

Jul 8, 2015 10:02:38 GMT -5 Chocolate Lover said:

I watched a House Hunters last night where they were looking at tiny homes. One had a soaking tub that you sat in with your knees up to your chin, and an outdoor shower. WTF? Yes, it was in Hawaii and all so you COULD do the outdoor shower but who the hell wants to?!  That stupid tub looked like a waste of space and leg cramps waiting to happen to me. 


Of course, that's the one she picked. 

I would do a yurt over a tiny home if I were in Hawaii.

I have watched quite a few YouTubes where people show off their tiny homes. Some of them look great and have everything a person would need. Some of them look like they were put together from trash and the bathroom facilities consist of a chamber pot.

I saw an episode where someone did buy a yurt! She had an outdoor bathroom, enclosed a bit though. I think her kitchen was out there too. 

[Tiny]

I, too, am all for seriously considering how much space you need to live in...   I find the Tiny homes to be novelties.  I don't really care for the idea that they are movable.   I can totally see one on a foundation with a septic system of some sort and a water hook up/well  - electricity hook up could be optional if a good solar set up is in place being used as a "vacation home" for use during part of the year.    Not sure I'd want to get 'snowed in' for a few days and being stuck in what amounts to the same space I have at work in my cubicle.

Here's what's basically a converted Garage in a near by suburb... it's WAY overpriced.    I assume the seller is thinking the HGTV 'remodal' adds 50K to value of this house...  It's a 1 bed/1 bath just under 500 square feet.  There's no garage AND the "house" is at the back of the lot (where the garage would be) so it's "non conforming".

www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/4026-East-Ave_Stickney_IL_60402_M70742-56232?row=31

This house would work well (if it was priced in the 50K range...) for a situation I will most likely have in a few years - relatives "snow birding" in (at various times of the year - not just summer) and needing a place to stay for a week or two.
It's biggest negative is that it doesn't have a 'garage' - so only street parking.    Other than that - it would be the perfect solution for the "we need someplace to stay..." problem I see on the horizon.        I'd add a covered patio and some privacy fencing/shrubbery  (to shield the patio and part of the yard) to this property if I were to buy it.


FWIW:  I'm more interested in the houses that are a bit bigger than the Tiny houses - so something in 600 to 800 square foot size.

There are plenty of post WWII "starter homes" in my area that are 2 bed/1 bath and between 700 and 800 square feet.  They may not have a basement.  If it does have a basement it's either a 1/2 basement or a full basement (that is NOT included in the square feet).    Plenty of families were raised in those Starter Homes. 

I would consider building a "permanent"  modern "Small House" that was in the 600 to 800 square foot range on a bit of land... It would be plenty of space.     

We all have alot of stuff we don't use or don't actually need in our homes.    Less is More. 
      

[grumpyhermit]

The loft space is actually one of the few things I like about the tiny homes. There would need to be windows up there though, I can't stand sleeping in stuffiness or heat. The one in the video actually had a staircase that doubled as storage cubes, so no ladder.

I could do 500 (though I don't know if I would class that as a "tiny" house.) No way could I do 145, even with a loft. I'm pretty sure that is smaller than my current bedroom. I would also need to be able to cram a 50" TV in there somewhere. Though the idea of mounting that opposite the sleeping loft would be pretty cool.

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

I'll admit to being fascinated by them, as well.

There is something very appealing about simplicity and efficiency and LCOL.

Our kids are heading off to college in the next year, so DH and I are talking about what's next for us.  Do we want/need to stay in our VHCOL town?  We already live in a comparatively small home, but it is very expensive to live here.  Would we rather spend that $$$ on our next phase of life: a small retirement home in Maine?  An RV?  A tiny condo in a less-desirable (but still marketable) town so we can really sock money away?

A tiny house isn't for everyone and maybe not doable for an entire lifespan, but it could certainly work for certain phases of life.

I love looking at them and, if nothing else, getting ideas I can use in my home.

[swamp]

Id' give it a week before I face planted off the loft going to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I can't stand it when DH's foot crosses over onto my side of the bed.  There is no way I could live with him in 500 square feet or less.  I'd end up in jail.

[Sam_2.0]

I miss our 1,000 sq ft house. I would LOVE to build a house that's laid out to work for us in a small space, say under 1,000 sq ft. I like things uncluttered and minimal. Seems like I am always fighting with DH on cleaning crap out of the house. Would be so much easier if we just didn't have the space to begin with.

[Plain Old Petunia]

I saw a tiny house for sale in Reno recently.   It is on a trailer bed.  It is cute. They are asking 69k. In Reno, there are a number of condos priced at 69k or less. I know which option I would take.

[lexxy703]

Never!  I have way more space in my house than I need & could/should downsize but no way could I live like that.  I would rather have to share my space with a roommate than live like that.

[grumpyhermit]

Yeah they do not always seem to be economical. To get everything to fit in such a small space they are highly customized, and that costs money.

Plus, if its on wheels, and you can pull it with a truck...it a trailer. Call it a tiny home to make yourself feel better, but its a trailer.

I would definitely need one that was permanently in place. Which of course adds more costs in form of sewer and water hookups. 

[yogiii]

No thanks