# Tiny house or renting for $400.00 a month?



## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Son thinking about building a tiny 1 bed room, 1 bath room, small kitchen & living room house on the farm.
500 to 1000 sq. ft.
Has any one done this?
Have any Ideals, the state laws will let us do it.
I have family with electrical & plumbing, as well as stick framing experience building house.
So that is half the battle right there.
But it never hurts to ask persons with experience what they would do or did.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

crabapple said:


> Son thinking about building a tiny 1 bed room, 1 bath room, small kitchen & living room house on the farm.
> 500 to 1000 sq. ft.
> Has any one done this?
> Have any Ideals, the state laws will let us do it.
> ...


State and local laws can vary, so where ever this is, can make a big difference.

I have thought about doing a tiny house, but on a trailer. I have seen some being built in my neighborhood. They are popular amongst a certain crowd and there are all kinds of designs out there, trailer or not. By building them on a trailer, you can move it easily, and sell it and use the money for a down payment on another home later. Some people have built them with used or recycled building materials.

If I were to build a tiny house on a foundation, I would build it in such a way that rooms, or wings could be added later. As I was growing up, I saw many people do this. My neighbors when I was a kid had 4 children, all girls. Their house was probably 24 x 24, if that. The girls had a set of bunk beds and 2 girls slept in the top bunk and 2 in the bottom bunk. When the mom got pregnant, they added 2 bedrooms. Later, on the other side of the house, they added another addition with a large bedroom for the parents and a larger kitchen.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

I would say on trailer or on skids, so that it can be moved, which also helps with bureaucracy. 

How well it works in today's world really depends on how adaptable the person is. Just 100 and some years ago in this area, it was still being settled and homestead, the standard living space was a 24x24 log cabin. People were raising half a dozen kids or more in that space. Of course these days it is culturally strange, unless you are living in a large city, enjoy yachting, rv-ing, etc.

The house I was born in was around that range at the time, later built on. When I got to be a teenager, I got to move out to a "bunkhouse" or "summer house", it was awesome. No plumbing, still had to go inside for that, but my own place to take care of.

Later on I lived in one of those old 24x24 ish cabins, and it is still my one of my favorite places on this earth.

In between I lived in everything from one end of the spectrum to the other, and I can honestly say I was always generally happier in a smaller home. 

However... I don't spend all that much time in the house anyways. I am outside every day, in the shop, in the barn, in one of the other outbuilding. So, yes, it's doable, billions of people are living in that amount of space, from the most affluent cities, to the poorest places on earth.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Owning beats renting IMO, if you can afford the maintenance, upkeep, taxes, & insurance. We built a 3 bedroom rental with under 1000sft. Really look at what space you use in your current residence, many people don't really use large portions of their homes. Try to consider your future needs, say maybe you make to doors wide enough for a walker or wheelchair to get through.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

I spent the last twenty years in a community where most homes are 24'X24'. They raise large families.

When I was 22 I had a job that kept me at sea most of the time. I needed a place to sleep just to get away from the boat on the short times I was in port. 

Dad had an old time shed that he used for storage. the outside measurements were 10'X25'. I put a 3/4 bath at one end a small fridge and range backing the bath. I put a small sink into a bar an uncle had left at our boathouse and that defined the kitchen. A couple barstools provided my dining area. A hide-a-bed pretty much provided wall to wall mattress when it was out and seating for company when it was put away. Carpet, insulated drapes, and paneling made it homey enough. 

This met my needs for two or three years. It later served at least one brother and a few others though bunk beds replaced the hide-a-bed. That was a great improvement.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Caribou said:


> I spent the last twenty years in a community where most homes are 24'X24'. They raise large families.
> 
> When I was 22 I had a job that kept me at sea most of the time. I needed a place to sleep just to get away from the boat on the short times I was in port.
> 
> ...


Your dads shed is about what my 21 year old son said.
He can not pay for a full size house & a trailer/ mobile home is a waste of money, because he will build a home some day.
So a tiny house will save him money & he can save the rent money to put toward a house.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

crabapple said:


> Your dads shed is about what my 21 year old son said.
> He can not pay for a full size house & a trailer/ mobile home is a waste of money, because he will build a home some day.
> So a tiny house will save him money & he can save the rent money to put toward a house.


I actually purchased a house about half a mile away and rented it for close to two years before I moved into it. The rent went towards the mortgage as wells a big chunk of my paycheck. I payed off that house in under five years.

I wouldn't want to move back into that shed but I have fond memories.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

"Tiny" houses make a lot of sense on many fronts: cheaper and easier to build, clean and maintain, cozy and homey, cheaper taxes. Build it right and you can even take it with you when you move!

Most of us in our single days lived in apartments and small houses for years with no ill effects. The key is to think smart and don't saddle yourself with endless "stuff." The first couple of years I was married we could move everything in a car. Now it would take a semi-truck (although we'd most likely have an auction now and move the check!).

We still spend large amounts of time in a 33 foot motor home although we do have a rented storage unit in our southern "home base." When we got our grandson to raise we moved from our 14 foot U-Haul conversion to the larger motor home. One winter with an active toddler convinced us he needed a larger "runway" on those days we were trapped inside due to high winds in southern Nevada.

As has been said though, we spend a lot of time outside too.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

crabapple said:


> Son thinking about building a tiny 1 bed room, 1 bath room, small kitchen & living room house on the farm....ask persons with experience what they would do or did.


I'm assuming the Son is footing 100% of the cost. If he isn't then as a parent I'd be done with the idea.

When the son is done with it, can it be sold for what he'll have in it, to recover his investment to use towards a permanent residence?

When it is sold, are you willing to allow the Purchaser ingress thru your property?

A older travel trailer would provide the same benefits at a much reduced cost and without construction favors from family.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Although it really depends on future plans, ie will he stay on the farm when he can afford a bigger house etc. 
If he plans to stay then I would suggest starting with a "garage package" so that the building can be repurposed at a later date, or kept as a guest house. 
the tiny house (the trailer mounted ones) loose a lot of space for the amount of construction material due to their narrow profile. a more square building with perhaps a loft bedroom provides a lot of usable space for the amount of outer envelope.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

As another option I have seen some pretty amazing "homes" created out of conex (shipping container) boxes. Some on trailers and some on cement pads. But even on a pad you can unbolt it, lift it with a crane and put it on a trailer. A google search will show you 100's of sizes, shapes and configurations.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

Whether or you rent or build depends on how long you plan on living there, how much the home will cost, and how easy you think it would be to sell it. Besides quality of life considerations. 

I think a 500 square foot home is pretty useless. You don't have room for stuff. I don't see how you can sell it.

It also might cost 75% as much as a home with twice as much square footage.

My dad's cousin was a building contractor. He built his home with the idea of making it easy to sell later. He finished the basement. Put in fire places in the basement family room and in the main floor living room. I doubt that he used either one. He also built a deck outside the upstairs master bedroom and a deck outside the home. 

If I was building a home I would look at making it as energy efficient as possible because I expect heating costs to double in the next 10 years due to more and more leftist energy regulations.


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## lilmissy0740 (Mar 7, 2011)

I agree with TLL. Get a travel trailer. Has everything you need. If it is beat up, but it out and make it the way you need, but you have the basics. Just remember most only have r7 insulation. They do now make 4 seasons but not all have upgraded insulation packages.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> I'm assuming the Son is footing 100% of the cost. If he isn't then as a parent I'd be done with the idea.
> 
> When the son is done with it, can it be sold for what he'll have in it, to recover his investment to use towards a permanent residence?
> 
> ...


First I have two 4.999 acre lots side by side, one 4 acre lot & DW has 9.5 acres in her name, this is listed in the Tax office.

My son will build on one of the 4.99 acre lots that has been willed to him at my passing.
As for the building it will be permanent & not sold at a later date.
If it is a one bedroom then he will pay for it.
I think he should get his contractor license, if he need to finance the building.

It has been suggested that we build a 3 bed room 1000 sq.ft. house & when he moved out in about 5 years, the wife & I use it as a retirement home.

I will have to take a hard look at that plan, we are still planning so it is flexible now.
But ether way, whither we go a tiny house or a small house, one will be built.
We do not sale land in our family, they are not making anymore & taxes are about $25.00 a year. That will change with a house.
But these are all good points, thank you for making them.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

To me, the idea of building a house (or any building) for the people you are going to sell it to is ridiculous. It is one thing to make a building that is versatile, another entirely to install fireplaces or floor-plans that don't suit you but might possibly make the house more sale-able in a couple decades, it will probably be "dated" by then anyways. Now, someone with a real plan of moving in the short term may have a different situation, but they aren't often building a house. It amazes me that people would build a house suited to some stranger's tastes and live in it for years, just to potentially make a few dollars more on resale.

Tirediron makes a very good point about shape. The more square or cubed (or spherical actually) the more space you will have inside for a given amount of material, and the less surface area you will have to insulate.

An even moderately insulated small or tiny home will need much less heat/cooling than a typical "modern" home. A super insulated one can be climate controlled for a tiny fraction of that.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

BillS said:


> Whether or you rent or build depends on how long you plan on living there, how much the home will cost, and how easy you think it would be to sell it. Besides quality of life considerations.
> 
> I think a 500 square foot home is pretty useless. You don't have room for stuff. I don't see how you can sell it.
> 
> ...


I think you are out of touch. Because you want a bigger home does not mean everyone else is in agreement with your opinion.

There are several tiny home businesses in the US. Colorado alone has several tiny house companies. There are tiny home communities. Many people do not want a lot of stuff. Some cannot afford more. These are popular and when put on the market to sell, go fast. There are even some that families are living in. 
http://ourweehouse.com/

I know a young man who worked for a tiny house company, helping to build tiny houses for the growing DEMAND. Many people want to live in tiny house communities, and as time goes on, there will be more and more of them. So many young people are getting the story of the carbon footprint and living a wasteful life. A tiny house uses less energy and can be built to be very energy efficient. There are some tiny house communities across the US now. Portland is just one city that has many tiny houses, and some tiny house communities.

Ever know a grown child who wanted to move back home because they can't make it out in the big world? A few have their own tiny homes in parent's back yards. Cheaper than rent.

If a person makes a good income, they can live in a bigger home. The underachiever does not always have enough income to live in a larger home.

What you want is not always what everyone else wants, or even needs. As baby boomers are retiring, many have little money to live as big as they once did. Maintaining a home and a yard is not always possible or doable.

Of all the people living on the streets, what do they have that won't fit in a tiny house? They have so little.

Basic needs in a tiny house: shelter, kitchen, bathroom, bed.

I think you need to re-evaluate what you have said. Not everyone really wants a mansion or a castle. Some just want a little home with their own style.

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/on/tiny-home-communities/#!slide=859305

Tiny House Movement Spawns Whole Communities of Mini Homes


> It's no secret that more and more homeowners are denouncing traditional housing structures for "small home living." Tiny homes, microstudios, independent "accessory dwelling units": Whatever you want to call them, these diminutive residences appear to be growing larger in popularity across the country. In fact, dramatically downsizing one's home (to as tiny as 150 square feet, in some cases) is becoming so popular that entire communities and showcase communities of miniature dwellings are beginning to sprout across the United States.
> 
> From tiny home villages in Northern California, to the showcase communities of 150- and 200-square-foot homes in Washington, D.C., to the jewel box-size microstudios in Louisville, Ky., to neighborhoods in Portland, Ore., stuffed with teensy accessory-dwelling units (now ubiquitous after Portland waived the development fee for the small, independent-living units), there's no doubt about it. The concept of living small is getting, well, big.
> 
> ...


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## Yeti-695 (Dec 15, 2015)

To me that seems kind of high for that small of a house.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Sentry18 said:


> As another option I have seen some pretty amazing "homes" created out of conex (shipping container) boxes. Some on trailers and some on cement pads. But even on a pad you can unbolt it, lift it with a crane and put it on a trailer. A google search will show you 100's of sizes, shapes and configurations.


I looked into using two side by side as a shop a few years back, the cost was $3000.00 to $5000.00 according to the type you bought.
For $6000.00 to $10,000.00 dollars I could pour a slab & put up walls on a good shop.
But the real problem is hot summers in a tin can, the cheapest way to cool a container is to build an "A" frame roof to keep the sun off the steel roof.
So you have a roof, why not add walls & forget the container.
If it was under $1000.00 I may have got one.
A good friend has 2 containers that are not together, one is full of metal machine tools & an small office, the other has tools & equipment not in use, but can be pulled out & used when needed. The he has a small car shop that is a one bay only.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Tirediron said:


> Although it really depends on future plans, ie will he stay on the farm when he can afford a bigger house etc.
> If he plans to stay then I would suggest starting with a "garage package" so that the building can be repurposed at a later date, or kept as a guest house.
> the tiny house (the trailer mounted ones) loose a lot of space for the amount of construction material due to their narrow profile. a more square building with perhaps a loft bedroom provides a lot of usable space for the amount of outer envelope.


My son gave it a lot of thought before asking me about it.
He said it could be a Guest house after he moves.
The only problem with that is, people thinking Jack has an empty house I can stay in... for free until I get on my feet. :gaah:

By definition a guest house is not for rent or renters.
I may have to say no to a few people, but I can burn that bridge when & if a cross it. 
I like the square space ideal, with a Murphy Bed & hide away couch, fold away table & chairs seen on youtube.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

This:


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## Sybil6 (Jan 28, 2013)

I'm struggling with this too. Once upon a time I hated the idea of a mobile tiny home but I'm still stuck in the same spot. My options are: rent for $700 a month or convert a bus and hope my parents will let me rent the backside of the property until I graduate, at which I will buy another house/property and build a house. The conversion might be sold or might be kept as an RV. Heck. I might rent it. I'm just conflicted and I'm more concerned about sewage and water with a on-the-go tiny home.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

Sybil6 said:


> I'm struggling with this too. Once upon a time I hated the idea of a mobile tiny home but I'm still stuck in the same spot. My options are: rent for $700 a month or convert a bus and hope my parents will let me rent the backside of the property until I graduate, at which I will buy another house/property and build a house. The conversion might be sold or might be kept as an RV. Heck. I might rent it. I'm just conflicted and I'm more concerned about sewage and water with a on-the-go tiny home.


I used to think that I would never want to live in a mobile home either. I used to think of the neighbors being right on top of each other, the mean dogs, and the low class people. Now that I am older, I wouldn't mind having a tiny house of sorts.

I am a DIYer. I would really prefer to build my own home. I also like to re-purpose materials. Many people are building their own tiny homes. There are many videos on youtube about it. Some are really trying to go debt free, using free materials from Craigslist, and doing what they can themselves. It takes time. Having helpers would be great. Getting input from people who have experience and knowledge would also be helpful.

Teenagers are building them. There are teenage girls building them.

These two videos are about a young man who built his own tiny home.


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

I helped a friend build an apartment into the ceiling of a pole building on his farm. We reinforced the trusses with columns, and it had everything but a kitchen. It was nice, his younger brother stayed in it for a few years, and it has been a place we could crash hen we were down helping with harvest or visiting. His Older brother is going to move a travel trailer onto a gravel pad behind the same pole building.

My wife and I live in a condo, in a city (hate it, but that is where her work is, and I can travel) but we are going to be buying an Airstream next year barring any health issues or emergencies.

We have been researching Tiny Homes on trailers for a few years, and she loves it, but I am not convinced. Expensive to build correctly, still illegal or at least not suited to zoning laws most places, resale value is similar to a car, and very few couples stay in them long, from what I have seen.

I would do a travel trailer if I were your son. I have lived all over, including in a travel trailer on an island, in a wrecked mobile home in the woods, on a boat in a space the size of a bathtub, in a suburban two story town house... The trailer was by far the best. It had power and running water. There was no septic on the island, I used an outhouse. But it was sweet. It would SUCK for a couple with children, but then you just sell it. A sweet, multi-use trailer for $4000, or $4800 in rent for one year? It's a clear choice to me.


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## SewingMachine (Mar 26, 2017)

Sybil6 said:


> I'm struggling with this too. Once upon a time I hated the idea of a mobile tiny home but I'm still stuck in the same spot. My options are: rent for $700 a month or convert a bus and hope my parents will let me rent the backside of the property until I graduate, at which I will buy another house/property and build a house. The conversion might be sold or might be kept as an RV. Heck. I might rent it. I'm just conflicted and I'm more concerned about sewage and water with a on-the-go tiny home.


Sybil6, you don't know me and I don't know you, but let me tell you if I had bought a travel trailer and travelled in it to all the places I worked, and not had to pay rent, or mortgages, and property taxes, and moving costs, and all the stuff that goes with constantly moving, I would be far, far ahead of where I am now financially.

Get a composting toilet, they work well. Worst case scenario, you might have to "go for a drive" to dump it. depends on the location.

Sometimes you have to buy water by the gallon, and that sucks, but it is doable. Then you aren't filling your tank, you are using the water third world style. You just dump out the dishwater.. (Not right off your steps...)

There are tons of youtube vids of single women, men, couples, and even some with kids living in VANS! while they save up for something, a house, or usually it seems a tiny home or nice trailer or RV.

I bought a tow vehicle last year. Next year, we will buy the trailer and start selling/donating things so we can move in. I can't wait.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

I've watched a lot of the tiny house builds online and on tv. You can get a brand new camper for less than what a lot of those people are paying for a tiny home and have more space with a warrantee. Some of those people are paying more than what we paid for our first house that was 1500sqft.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

My son is still looking into building the little house.
But he needs some credit, so building his credit comes first.


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## tmttactical (Nov 23, 2015)

When my wife and I retired, we seriously considered a 5th. wheel. After selecting the type and size of the 5th. wheel, we then checked into the truck required to tow it. We finally ditched the idea as too costly. We did not want to go into debt and the price total would have been around 100k. Granted we could have selected a smaller unit or gone for a hitch mount type but Neither of us was comfortable with towing that type of unit.

If my Wonderful Wife passes before me, I plan to purchase a small class C motor home and park it at some distant RV park (out in the boon docks) and spend my days testing my boom sticks and scaring the daylights out of all the local wild life. 

Guys (okay this guy) don't need all the doo dads. A place to lay my head, surf the internet and go bang are my basic requirements. Everything else is optional. JMHO


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