What Is A Tiny Home?

Tiny homes have been all the craze lately, even resulting in TV Shows, blogs, custom tiny home businesses, and so much more. There are many reasons people are choosing to live in tiny homes such as cost, living simply, less consumption, or traveling. But what makes a house a tiny home? 

While there are no specific or official definitions, tiny homes on the smaller side, usually under 600 square feet, They can be built on foundations, however, many local laws have building codes and minimum home sizes, which makes building a tiny home not possible in standard lots. A tiny home could be on wheels like trailers or vans which make transportation easy. However, if a tiny home is being transported, it would need to adhere to strict regulations since it needs to be street legal. While tiny homes are not for everyone, they are a great option for many people looking for a different lifestyle!

Benefits of a Tiny Home

One of the most important advantages of a tiny home is financial benefits. . The initial cost of the home is much cheaper as with the average tiny home costing between $30,000-$40,000. Not only is the initial cost cheaper, but taxes and utility bills such as electric and gas cost less since it’s a smaller space. Additionally, having less space means buying less since there isn’t room for non-essential purchases. 

Another reason people choose to live in a tiny home is to reduce carbon footprints! Using fewer utilities has a smaller impact on the environment since it uses fewer natural resources. With the smaller consumption of goods, there’s less waste produced by tiny homes that are going to landfills, furthering the environmental benefits!

If simplifying your life is your goal, moving into a tiny home can help. While not a necessary way to simplify, it does force you to own less and maintain less stuff. You also wouldn’t have to maintain a yard or many other burdens of owning a large home. 

Challenges of Tiny Homes

There are a few downsides to going tiny besides the lack of space. Many people face the challenge of moving their tiny home or finding spots for it. Traveling in a tiny home can be tough because over time, travel can wear  down the exterior and foundation of the home. Since tiny homes are usually on wheels, they are actually considered an RV. Therefore, it is difficult to find a spot to park your tiny home since many places will not let you live in a vehicle on a property. 

Another issue is finding financing and insurance. Since the industry is so new, many banks are not willing to take the risk since there are no regulations on building tiny homes, which could make some homes worthless. Insuring a tiny home can  also be difficult since companies are not able to accurately value the tiny home. 

A tiny home can be a great option for people that want to consume and spend less. It’s also a great way to get creative with traveling, living spaces, and home design. As the tiny home industry grows, we expect to see many more people joining the Tiny Home Movement!