Tiny Living to Tiny House

[jebatty]

Haven't seen an RV/camper/trailer yet that can handle the cold MN winters. Can you say "[no] insulation?"

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Haven't seen an RV/camper/trailer yet that can handle the cold MN winters. Can you say "[no] insulation?"

Their are some very well insulated campers,people have been living in these things year round for a long time. A few years ago i was reshearching some that made a point of bragging about their winter time performance. Ill see if i can find the brand. Of course all campers ,RVs are not created equal.

 

[Highbeam]

Iv said as much.No need to reinvent the wheel. RV,campers,travel trailers are very well equipped for 4 seasons and daily living. And many of the tiny house crowd puts them on wheels anyway. They are Mobile Tiny houses and millions already live in them, some by choice and others by circumstance. Around here you can find a perfectly livable 10 to 15 Yr old 25 footer in nice shape for $2000. And no property tax bill.

I suppose then that I've owned a tiny house for many years. Actually, I've owned several. Plenty of insulation for the heater to keep up well into the low teens, even the old ones. I've never been to Minnesota though. The a.c. unit can keep it at 70 in 100+ outdoor temps.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Well insulated Campers with thick walls are heavy, same as well insulated tiny houses. That said if you want something with a R Value of 60 you will probably have to build it yourself.

 

[Highbeam]

My current tiny house is a four seasons model made in Oregon. Foam insulation all around, heated holding tanks, all plumbing and ducting on the warm side of the insulation. I did not get the double pane window option but should have. Yes, kinda heavy but modern half ton trucks are rated to tow it plus a ton.

 

[jebatty]

My perceived tiny house, if it should come to pass, is (nearly) energy self-sufficient, with a minimum of heat or AC, as well as maintenance free as reasonably possible. Not looking to trailer it regularly, but definitely movable.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Iv said as much.No need to reinvent the wheel. RV,campers,travel trailers are very well equipped for 4 seasons and daily living. And many of the tiny house crowd puts them on wheels anyway. They are Mobile Tiny houses and millions already live in them, some by choice and others by circumstance. Around here you can find a perfectly livable 10 to 15 Yr old 25 footer in nice shape for $2000. And no property tax bill.

Or just rent an efficiency apartment downtown where you can walk to work or the grocery store. The ultimate in living minimal. And more do it than those that live in campers and tiny homes. But then your completely dependant on everything.

I think it would be neat to build a little log cabin or something like that on a trailer frame. I know a camper would work but I'd still like to build my own from scratch. On that scale I just might be able too.

Yes, people spend too much time indoors. During warmer weather I spend most of the time outdoors. Whether that's working in the garden or just drinking coffee and reading a book, all can be done outside. Patios, decks, or just nicely landscaped areas are a lot cheaper than if they were part of your finished sqft. I like the outdoor kitchen concepts and hope to do something like that someday.

One thing I've envisioned with a camper-type tiny home is making it more efficient by having different seasonal locations on the property, if ideal locations are available. Like in the winter I'd have a spot on the south facing side of woods, sheltered from wind but as much southern sun exposure as possible. Then during summer, on the northwest corner of the woods were t gets westerly wind but shaded as much as possible. Of course that means 2x septic, electric lines, etc. But a neat concept.

 

[dougstove]

I wonder about a design sized to slide on and off a car lift carrier truck, or a multi-mode container size, to be moved if necessary, without the hassle of onboard wheels, axels, suspension etc.

 

[dougstove]

One thing I've envisioned with a camper-type tiny home is making it more efficient by having different seasonal locations on the property, if ideal locations are available. Like in the winter I'd have a spot on the south facing side of woods, sheltered from wind but as much southern sun exposure as possible. Then during summer, on the northwest corner of the woods were t gets westerly wind but shaded as much as possible. Of course that means 2x septic, electric lines, etc. But a neat concept.

Or, move the main sleeping/living room unit(s), and leave a central washhouse in a fixed place.

 

[saskwoodburner]

I wonder about a design sized to slide on and off a car lift carrier truck, or a multi-mode container size, to be moved if necessary, without the hassle of onboard wheels, axels, suspension etc.

I think one of the reasons that people build them on trailers is so they are not considered "permanent" and can't really be hassled over zoning by-laws or such things. I think in the oilfield they do exactly what your talking about with camp shack etc

 

[saskwoodburner]

Or, move the main sleeping/living room unit(s), and leave a central washhouse in a fixed place.

Portable grey water tank on wheels?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I think it would be neat to build a little log cabin or something like that on a trailer frame. I know a camper would work but I'd still like to build my own from scratch. On that scale I just might be able too.
.

I just tore down an old shack on my acre in the woods and will either build a small log cabin there or perhaps build one on a trailer frame. Im leaning toward just building a permanent structure as it will improve the value of the lot greatly. It will be a weekend summer kind of place but i would make it very well insulated and it would get my smallest 2 CU ft wood stove. There is already electric and a well and would have to use a composting type toilet or pumpable tank. Should be an interesting project.

 

[Ashful]

Yes, people spend too much time indoors.

I love spending time outdoors, and my wife would say I do too much of it, but you make this statement as if there's something bad about people being indoors. I don't get it. What is "too much time indoors"? There's only so much "outdoors", and kind of like die-hard gym folk who can't stand the New Years resolution group every January, most of the time I'm happy having outdoors to myself.

 

[dougstove]

Regarding insulation in temporary occupancy camp-type buildings:
Some of the hunter/woods camps that my acquaintances have were ruined by ill advised insulation, that provided rodent nesting, and poorly planned vapour barriers, that created rot traps.
For temporary occupancy, there are some advantages to letting the wood stove rip and the wind blow through, to keep things dry.

 

[Highbeam]

I love spending time outdoors, and my wife would say I do too much of it, but you make this statement as if there's something bad about people being indoors. I don't get it. What is "too much time indoors"? There's only so much "outdoors", and kind of like die-hard gym folk who can't stand the New Years resolution group every January, most of the time I'm happy having outdoors to myself.

So true. It rains in the pnw. A lot. It's raining right now and for each of the next ten days in the forecast. It's dark too. So dark. From 8-5pm we have light. Probably 95% of our time is indoors.

 

[BIGDADDY]

I think tiny houses are a fad. Who wants to cram everything and everyone into a small shed like structure and call it home? Not me. I would go insane

 

[BrotherBart]

I think tiny houses are a fad. Who wants to cram everything and everyone into a small shed like structure and call it home? Not me. I would go insane

Never been in the military I see. Or in an apartment.

BB - Who has to admit to having two people and a cat in a 2,500 sq. ft. house now.

 

[BIGDADDY]

Never been in the military I see. Or in an apartment.


BB - Who has to admit to having two people and a cat in a 2,500 sq. ft. house now.

Lol
Been in the Army and an apartment but I prefer my 2400 sq ft house.

I even looked at some effeicency apartments way back. The only thing they were missing was a straight jacket if I had to live there.

 

[BIGDADDY]

Tiny house with a smart car parked outside

 

[Lake Girl]

Yes, people spend too much time indoors.

Currently -27C/-16F, it did warm up to around -20C earlier. I spent 3 hours outside with the dog and shuffling wood pellets ... don't think I could have stood more than that in those temperatures

Have contemplated the shipping container options for a guest house but the to-do list on the main house has to be completed first. We currently have a 2000 sq ft. home that has survived 2 parents, 6 children, two dogs and a cat... various extras at different times. Certainly wouldn't have wanted to go any smaller

 

[Ashful]

BB - Who has to admit to having two people and a cat in a 2,500 sq. ft. house now.

You do realize you're living larger than me, per capita.

 

[OhioBurner©]

Well I've just recently been downgraded to just me, and my son 50% of the time and I'm in 2400 sqft not including basement. I would like to downsize, especially since its drafty and poorly insulated. I'd shut half the house down in the winter, but the layout doesn't easily allow that.

 

[Lake Girl]

Well I've just recently been downgraded to just me, and my son 50% of the time and I'm in 2400 sqft not including basement. I would like to downsize, especially since its drafty and poorly insulated. I'd shut half the house down in the winter, but the layout doesn't easily allow that.

Sorry to hear that

 

[jebatty]

I tend to think that the discussion about tiny house ... tiny living is less about the size of a house than about the size of a person's life, the point being that reducing house size and/or moving towards tiny living allows for increasing the size of other important things in living. Few people would want to spend all of their waking hours in a 250+/- sq ft space. But if that space was expanded to the arts, entertainment, recreation, socializing, communication, getting along with others in larger public places, then life becomes very big, not small.

I also tend to think that focusing life in a big house can narrow or shrink some very important things: a person's thinking; a person's view of the world; a person's perceptions of other races, religions, cultures, life styles; a person's willingness to be open to different points of view, of willingness to compromise in good faith; a person's understanding of the natural world and of the environment; and of a person's understanding of the sacred that permeates all of the created universe but most importantly of the tiny space called Earth.

And I tend to think that focusing life in a big house can expand the concept of the importance of one's own life to the detriment of the lives of other people and other living things.

A tiny house may be an expression of attempting to choose to force one's life into the larger spaces of importance to the survival of civilization and of all life.

 

[Ashful]

I tend to think that the discussion about tiny house ... tiny living is less about the size of a house than about the size of a person's life, the point being that reducing house size and/or moving towards tiny living allows for increasing the size of other important things in living. Few people would want to spend all of their waking hours in a 250+/- sq ft space. But if that space was expanded to the arts, entertainment, recreation, socializing, communication, getting along with others in larger public places, then life becomes very big, not small.

Very thoughtful statement.

I also tend to think that focusing life in a big house can narrow or shrink some very important things: a person's thinking; a person's view of the world; a person's perceptions of other races, religions, cultures, life styles; a person's willingness to be open to different points of view, of willingness to compromise in good faith; a person's understanding of the natural world and of the environment; and of a person's understanding of the sacred that permeates all of the created universe but most importantly of the tiny space called Earth.

Say what? I see the extension you're trying to make, here, but it's improperly placed. Did Steve Jobs have a narrow view of the world, due to living in some fairly large houses? Living at the limit of your means may be the thought you had in mind, but it has nothing to do with the size of your house. More people living in 2000 sq.ft. houses are at the limit of their means, with little time for attention to the things you deem important, than those living in mansions.

I think the whole Tiny House movement is pretty cool, albeit not for me. I also don't see any need to throw stones elsewhere, to justify them.

And I tend to think that focusing life in a big house can expand the concept of the importance of one's own life to the detriment of the lives of other people and other living things.

Bah... humbug!