Tiny House Mania

[Snoking]

I would bet that if someone showed up at our Arizona RV resort with a tiny house they would be turned away. The list of reasons for turning it away is to long to list. But we could start with holding tanks.

And I have never seen a tow vehicle in these programs that was sized to safely tow the tiny houses.

In our Washington membership park I have noticed that the park model type trailers(think Cedar Creek Cottage and others) now coming into the park can no longer we purchased with a flush toilet. They all have holding tanks(black and grey water).

[C.LeeNick]

Originally Posted by Snoking

I would bet that if someone showed up at our Arizona RV resort with a tiny house they would be turned away. The list of reasons for turning it away is to long to list. But we could start with holding tanks.

And I have never seen a tow vehicle in these programs that was sized to safely tow the tiny houses.

In our Washington membership park I have noticed that the park model type trailers(think Cedar Creek Cottage and others) now coming into the park can no longer we purchased with a flush toilet. They all have holding tanks(black and grey water).

Agreed. I've never seen something I would classify as a "Tiny House" in an RV park..at least not in their "camping" spaces. One RV Resort in Colorado we visit has spaces for lease for setting up "Tiny Houses" permanently, or at least semi-permanently. The spaces are leased on a yearly basis. Small yards, landscaping, etc. A couple even have covered and enclosed porches built around the Douglas Fir trees on the property. There were a couple of the little homes for sale last time we were up there.

From what I've seen, the whole mindset behind "Tiny Houses" is not to move around all the time, as in an RV. It's to build 'em and put 'em on a piece of land somewhere and live there.

[EagleandFox]

I like watching it just to see what they can cram into the tiny layouts - some are pretty creative, but I find myself thinking (or saying out loud to the TV) "why not just buy an RV"? ! Many of the people buying or having tiny homes built on those shows state that they want to be able to move it around and have the freedom to live anywhere and go where they want...which doesn't seem possible with most of them.

[Number 4]

Hmmmm, I'd never even thought of a tiny house being pulled around like a TT or spending time in a trailer park. If that actually happens it must be with a small fraction of tiny house owners. If you're open to reading it, this lays out many of the reasons the tiny house movement has caught on in many areas. My dad has a casita ("small house") in Arizona where he lives during Michigan winters, and while it's not a true tiny house it's very comfortable.
https://thetinylife.com/tiny-house-v...he-difference/

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Number 4

Hmmmm, I'd never even thought of a tiny house being pulled around like a TT or spending time in a trailer park. If that actually happens it must be with a small fraction of tiny house owners. If you're open to reading it, this lays out many of the reasons the tiny house movement has caught on in many areas. My dad has a casita ("small house") in Arizona where he lives during Michigan winters, and while it's not a true tiny house it's very comfortable.
https://thetinylife.com/tiny-house-v...he-difference/

I read it. It's an opinion that was written on June 21, 2009 and the one fact cited was from 2007. I'm not considering purchasing one nor do I care if someone else does. There are lot's of products sold and promoted on television both overtly and covertly. As with any purchase, the onus is on the buyer to make an informed decision or bear the consequence of not doing their due diligence. JMHO

[Ken / Claudia]

What I found on the WA state South coast they have a county rule, nothing under 400 sq ft can stay on any land or in any park longer than 90 days. I was told it is a common law by many counties. I never checked further or else where. How common that law is and if enforced. They consider anything under 400 sq ft a RV, so no permits are issued. I tried to get around the law and the dealer would not move the tiny home(park model) to my property without a permit. I could not get a permit, so no sale.

[jim53066]

I have a friend that asked if I would help him build a tiny house for his daughter. She had applied for an internship at a university, and because of the many hours needed to work in the 2 year internship, the university had set up an area on the campus for tiny houses.


In this scenario I thought it was a big plus. If she was to rent an apartment away from the hospital, she would have to travel to and from, and the rent would be 10 times what the house would have cost to build.



As it is, she did not go to the school, but it would have been a fun project if she did.


Jim

[Snoking]

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

What I found on the WA state South coast they have a county rule, nothing under 400 sq ft can stay on any land or in any park longer than 90 days. I was told it is a common law by many counties. I never checked further or else where. How common that law is and if enforced. They consider anything under 400 sq ft a RV, so no permits are issued. I tried to get around the law and the dealer would not move the tiny home(park model) to my property without a permit. I could not get a permit, so no sale.

I another side of the coin is our membership park near Lake Stevens, Wa. RV's can remain on the lots year round. We are limited to 180 days a year that we can be in the park. A day is defined as more that 3.5 hours. This is based on the county use permit for the park. Chris

[captcolour]

Originally Posted by C.LeeNick

Agreed. I've never seen something I would classify as a "Tiny House" in an RV park..at least not in their "camping" spaces.

There was one in Chattanooga last week in the RV park in a regular space.


My wife likes them from the TV shows. I say it makes a lot of sense to build a house on wheels and then subject it to almost category 1 hurricane winds on purpose for hours at a time pulling them down the highway!

[Snoking]

Where is the RVIA sticker that indicates they are built to any kind of standard? Chris

[bob91yj]

^^^^I almost choked...RV build standards...that's like ethics and politics, they don't mix!

[Snoking]

Originally Posted by bob91yj

^^^^I almost choked...RV build standards...that's like ethics and politics, they don't mix!

Check with Cal, he can tell you all the good work they do.

[flybouy]

I think they have a group that does the final inspection. I believe I saw an image of the Keebler Elves baking cookies in the oven and proclaiming that it passed inspection. Come to think about, I may have been hungry and sleeping.
Never mind.

[travelin texans]

In most snowbird areas the "rv" parks a being filled with park models & have very few, if any, rv sites or what we would call rv sites & still be called a "Rv park". This is able to be done because to be classified a "park model" it must be 399 sq ft or less & axles left on which then is still technically a rv. We live in a rv resort in a "modular" home, 792 sq ft with axles removed & as long as they have 10% of the 312 sites open for rvs, this includes park models, the county/state still considers it a "rv resort". We lease the property annually, own the house, pay taxes on the house which depreciate over time because it's a modular home.
We noticed while wintering in Fla that several of the park models were apparently registered as rvs as they had a Fla license plate on the front of the house next to the house number.

[Snoking]

They removed our axles and stored them under the park model with the tongue. The wheels and tires were hauled away. Then the Arizona room, man cave, second bath, bonus room and back storage were stick built around the park model. We have 875 sq ft of living space. Chris

[sourdough]

I'm just asking. I've followed this post and others. I'm wondering HOW do you actually "live" in 300 sq. ft., 500 ft. or 800 sq. ft. fulltime?. We do live in our RV for several months a year and it's sort of nice ( a change) but HOW do you live in a place so cramped forever? I know some folks are happy living in a 'small" space because they have no other alternative, some I guess just "do". I, personally, can't imagine dealing with that kind of deprivation unless I just couldn't do something else. I know everyone has their own idea of "comfort", but....some of these things are beyond my idea of any kind of "comfort" or "fun".

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by sourdough

I'm just asking. I've followed this post and others. I'm wondering HOW do you actually "live" in 300 sq. ft., 500 ft. or 800 sq. ft. fulltime?. We do live in our RV for several months a year and it's sort of nice ( a change) but HOW do you live in a place so cramped forever? I know some folks are happy living in a 'small" space because they have no other alternative, some I guess just "do". I, personally, can't imagine dealing with that kind of deprivation unless I just couldn't do something else. I know everyone has their own idea of "comfort", but....some of these things are beyond my idea of any kind of "comfort" or "fun".

Probably a welcome change for a single person used to renting someone's spare bedroom while in college. Most people around the world don't share in American/Canadian and Australian wealth and opulence. Everywhere else, with few exceptions have vaer small houses or apartments, primarily use public transportation and if they are fortunate enough to own a car it's very small and used pretty much for necessity only. Same with food. We have comparatively large portions that's heavy on the meat. This has been my observations over the years and perhaps it's changed over the last 10 years but if you look at at RV's sold in Europe they are typically under 24', no slide outs and pulled with a Volvo wagon. Good Bless America. JMHO.

[Garyd]

I've been asking the same question since I first saw the Tiny House concept. My 36' 5'er has more "living" room, more storage, central heat and AC, bigger bedroom, bigger bathroom, better equipped kitchen, bigger water and holding tanks, and most likely a bigger water heater. It almost certainly tows better, as it is far more aerodynamic and better balanced. In addition, it cost WAAAAAYYYY less (used) than any tiny house I've ever seen on the TV shows. Compare a Tiny House to a park model, or even a destination model for that matter, and it looks even less sensible. Don't get it at all.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Probably a welcome change for a single person used to renting someone's spare bedroom while in college. Most people around the world don't share in American/Canadian and Australian wealth and opulence. Everywhere else, with few exceptions have vaer small houses or apartments, primarily use public transportation and if they are fortunate enough to own a car it's very small and used pretty much for necessity only. Same with food. We have comparatively large portions that's heavy on the meat. This has been my observations over the years and perhaps it's changed over the last 10 years but if you look at at RV's sold in Europe they are typically under 24', no slide outs and pulled with a Volvo wagon. Good Bless America. JMHO.

I have to agree with you; we live in the greatest country on the planet despite what some say. Many of us are spoiled as you say but......isn't it great!!!

[Deepsouth]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Wiredgeorge I could never understand the misnomer "Reality Television". In my opinion it should be "Anything But Reality Television".

You're right about that! Having worked on "reality" shows, I can assure you that they're scripted and scenes are rehearsed like any other show!