Tiny Houses Ad Nauseam (Except Tiny House Nation)

[SmithW6079]

I liked the "Tiny House/Big Living" episode when the hipster musician and his girlfriend made a bus into a mobile tiny home (shades of the "Partridge Family"!). Normally I have an aversion to all things hipster, but he had a cool beard, and I'm partial to those, and I like that they were doing all the work themselves. I think it was the adaptive reuse that appealed to me the most.

[auntjess]

In the latest episodes of Tiny House Hunting, both the bachelor in Honolulu and the couple in San Diego, were looking for at least 500 sq '.
This was a nice change from someone who looks at 250', and says "gee, I want smaller."

No ladders, and real rooms.

One thing that got me, was that the couple with the new baby were all for ripping up the cacti in the yard, a good call, but saw the pot-bellied stove in the house as "cute."

I hope get some protection around it, before the baby starts pulling up on things.
 

[qtpye]

Yeah, I think there is a difference between a tiny house being totally a lifestyle choice, compared to being the only choice for single family housing in a very expensive area.  Both the Hawaii bachelor and the San Diego couple had pretty healthy budgets for most parts of the country.  However, where they live, a very small house is a practical alternative to a condo or townhouse.  There is nothing wrong with a condo or townhouse, but some people still prefer their own stand alone house.

Edited September 16, 2015 by qtpye

[mansonlamps]

OK, this is off topic because I saw it in Reader's Digest, not on TV, but this guy started building tiny houses for down on their luck folks, starting with a 60 year old woman who had been homeless for 10 years.  The people that get houses are then encouraged to pay it forward by helping build a tiny house for the next lucky recipient.  Problem is, the first house he built (admittedly using all his own resources) was 3 1/2' by 8'!!!  OMG, there's tiny and then there's minute.  I understand that it's certainly better than being homeless and the grateful woman said that was the first relaxing night of sleep she'd had in years because she felt safe, but hello claustrophobia, it's practically coffin sized.  I don't know, it seems like maybe they could at least go something like 6' X 10' for not that much more money.  Wonderful cause and good for the guy who started it though.

[DownTheShore]

I wish those tiny house shows would address how open communities are toward tiny houses showing up in their towns, when you don't happen to have a spare farmer friend willing to let you use some acreage.

It does seem like a good solution for, say, seniors who are being forced out of their homes because they can't afford the increased taxes and/or upkeep anymore. A "tiny house park" would seem to be an answer, but will local governments be open to zoning for that?

Personally, I'd rather wind up in a tiny house than a senior housing apartment building.

Edited October 4, 2015 by DownTheShore

[auntjess]

The problem I have, is that the tiny house community seems to feel it should get a pass on code enforcement.

How safe are those ladders, and lofts without railings.

They may be fine for fit people who never break an arm, but you can't let them build non-compliant homes to sell to the general public.

[DownTheShore]

Probably if they are on wheels they have to meet whatever motor home regulations there are for their number of axles , which is their loophole.

[izabella]

I just came back from a wedding in Colorado, and there just happened to be a tiny house community right next to the outdoor venu in Lyons just north of Boulder.  OMG, I was so excited to see it, but unfortunately didn't get a chance to go over there and ask any questions or see any houses from the inside. I can tell you they are as tiny on the outside as they look on tv, if not tinier.  I have no idea how anyone chooses to live there.  It didn't look like a rental vacation cottage community, but I guess it could have been.  There was no signage to tell me anything, dammit!

 

I googled and think this it - looks like a rental, try before you buy place.http://weecasa.com/

Edited October 7, 2015 by izabella

[auntjess]

izabella, "try before you buy" is a great idea.
I bet it could save a lot of regrets.
 

[SmithW6079]

I did not realize there was another iteration of "Tiny House Hunting" called "Tiny House World." I saw an episode the other day with an Australian couple looking to move from the city to the country, get a couple of cows and chickens and farm. Here I thought the species bitchus house hunterous was uniquely American, but the wife in this episode fit the profile pretty completely.

The husband was a chef, so he wanted a good kitchen, but the one house that had a good kitchen, she squashed because it was over her budget, not his. Then, while they were touring the house they ultimately chose, she kept rambling on and on about being the "safety mom" and how the house was full of safety hazards for her special little snowflakes. They had three children, all of whom they were cramming into a tiny house (I forget the square footage), although at least there were separate bedrooms for the two oldest daughters.

Edited December 1, 2015 by SmithW6079

[Snarkette]

For Aunt Jess: http://www.techinsider.io/five-people-who-abandoned-their-tiny-homes-2015-7

[SmithW6079]

For Aunt Jess: http://www.techinsider.io/five-people-who-abandoned-their-tiny-homes-2015-7

I found the story of the Colorado couple the most interesting -- the ones who were on "Tiny House Nation," especially how shoddy the workmanship was. I've always felt John was kind of sleazy, but I'm disappointed to think Zach is not what he seems. Edited December 16, 2015 by SmithW6079

[auntjess]

Thanks, Snarkette.
i remember at the time the show was on, the Colorado couple added a stair railing, and on FB they said they'd added fire extinguishers.
There's a reason for codes.

Edited December 13, 2015 by auntjess

[auntjess]

I loved the Tiny House World one where the Australian couple ended up, basically, camping in mom & dad's backyard, in a pop-up tiny house, with no bathroom or kitchen.
And storage wasn't a problem, because their stuff was still in the house too.
The big thing the guy wanted was something they could move.  I'm wondering how many people offer space rental with kitchen and bathroom privileges.

[Grommet]

I caught a couple of episodes of Tiny Luxury on HGTV over the weekend. A good drinking game would be to drink every time the builders said something was "luxurious," as in - this 2 foot long shelf is made out of luxurious oak! The finishes were indeed quite lovely and the workmanship seemed good, so I enjoyed watching, even as I was wondering where people could even hang a coat in either of the homes.

[izabella]

I wanted to reach through the screen and smack that pop-up house couple.  Like, yeah, where are you going to pee when you have to get up in the middle of the night?  Walk outside, across the yard, and into the parents' house?  And with no kitchen, mom is still cooking for them in her kitchen.  Why pay $10k for an empty box that I am confident will never be moved anywhere?  Just get a tent and call it done.

 

I'm sure the neighbors are loving that two-story eyesore plopped in the backyard.

[Snarkette]

$2k-$3k/month

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3375975/NYC-fit-micro-apartments-housing-picture.html

[needschocolate]

One thing that gets me when I watch Tiny House Hunters/Hunting is when the buyers make such a big deal over furniture.  "Wow, this is a comfortable chair" or "This bed feels good" or "The house didn't have much storage but the furniture was just my style"  I know that most of these homes are sold furnished, but you don't base your home buying on something that will need to be replaced down the road.  

 

I find it funny when they talk about the amount of storage when it is one drawer or a couple of 12 inch wide shelves.  Yes, storage is hard to get in a tiny house and you should be thankful for all the storage you have, no matter how tiny.  However, they make it sound like it is incredible to have a drawer in a nightstand.  I saw one episode of Hunters recently (I think the one with the family of five where the wife wanted a small house because she didn't want to clean a big one) where they gushed over the storage above the fridge and the cabinet looked to be about 8 inches high.  It would be more storage friendly if they took out the cabinet and just put stuff on top of the fridge.  

[Snarkette]

I know that most of these homes are sold furnished, but you don't base your home buying on something that will need to be replaced down the road.

 

Notice that there's never any negotiations on these shows? That deals don't fall through? No inspections? That's because the people on the show have already bought one of the properties. (Or as the producers generally say "Are far along in the process" and recreating their emotions with scripted scenes.)  The other properties may not even be on the market, may be places who want publicity, or just where their friends live so they can have 3 to choose from.

 

It's fake, all fake.

 

The most amusing eps are when they complain about their own furniture.

[chessiegal]

Notice that there's never any negotiations on these shows? That deals don't fall through? No inspections? That's because the people on the show have already bought one of the properties. (Or as the producers generally say "Are far along in the process" and recreating their emotions with scripted scenes.)  The other properties may not even be on the market, may be places who want publicity, or just where their friends live so they can have 3 to choose from.

 

It's fake, all fake.

 

The most amusing eps are when they complain about their own furniture.

Most, if not all house hunting shows are done this way. Production companies don't have the time nor money to follow people around on a real house hunt. If you look at web sites for the production company or shows, they clearly lay out the criteria for being on the show.

[needschocolate]

The most amusing eps are when they complain about their own furniture.

 

Since it is fake, and there are production people to help them out, they should be able to find more realistic things to gush over or complain about. 

 

I assumed these house buying shows were largely fake - I figured that either that they already had decided on a house or that they looked at three houses but didn't necessarily buy the one they said they would, or buy one at all.  Most people that are house shopping don't see three very different houses, all of which have things they don't like, and then pick one.  Real buyers shop around a lot more.  

 

I like looking at the various layouts and how they create storage spaces.  I certainly don't watch these shows for the acting and "drama" - although, there have been a few where the acting has seemed pretty natural.  

[magdalene]

I am equal parts bemused and amused by this tiny house craze.  I grew up in Europe and lived there for a good chunk of my early life, so I don't have a problem with a smaller living space than the average American may be used to. But I think I draw the line sleeping in such a tiny loft that I would probably constantly bump my head. 

 

Also, some of these twenty-somethings parking their tiny houses on their family's property strikes me as just a fancier version of moving back into the parents basement.

[zxy556575]

Just watched an episode of Tiny House, Big Living from Jan 1 that featured a couple with their three young children building a yurt in Hawaii. They actually weren't ridiculous! They had land, they had plumbing, they had a separate yurt outhouse, and they made their own furniture that was curved to fit the walls. They created a fishpond and aquaponic vegetable garden in raised beds. Yes, their kids were shoved up in the "loft," but they were young enough to be able to stand up. Maybe as they get older the parents can add a couple more bedroom yurts.

 

Not sure about a wooden sink and counters in the tropics, but I guess they're not that difficult to eventually replace if things go sideways with rot or termites. Silly things like the cutlery tray being stored underneath the dish drying rack would, I assume, be remedied once the homeowners start living there day to day.

Edited January 2, 2016 by lordonia

[rcc]

I watched one episode last night for the first time. It was the house that the woman wanted a soaking tub and it was hard to maneuver it in the tiny corner but they did it. They had a nice flat roof with a deck above. I liked the decor. The sofa became a bed. The table could be folded down against the wall. They started with a budget of $85,000 and it ended up being $97,000 for a nice home.

[WildPlum]

The reason these houses are on wheels is that they are then considered an RV and exempt from a whole passel of building codes. You can do a lot of things in these that you would never be allowed to do in a permanent dwelling. Some states allow "home-built" RVs, but in most you have to be a recognized RV manufacturer to build a legal RV, which costs bucks - and is why so many people have them built, compared to building their own. The majority of cities (and a lot of counties) are NOT friendly to tiny houses, any more than they would be to someone moving a camp trailer on a lot.

 

A lot of these houses are not really portable, either, not without some damage. Drywall? Tile? Big sliding windows? Hmmm. There is a reason that RV manufacturers don't use those materials, they do not hold up on the road.

 

I like to watch the shows for building and storage ideas, sort of the way I like to wander through IKEA and look at their tiny rooms. I can see, down the road, building a vacation cabin somewhere, between 550-750 sf, and I see a lot of great idea on how to make a space seem comfortable and spacious without using more square footage. Over time we've downsized our main house, from a high of about 2,800 sf to the current 1,500 sf (although ALWAYS with a very large garage or garage +shop). We really live in about 1,000 sf, probably 500sf of this is the spouse's office.

[DownTheShore]

My sister's vacation cottage is about 625 sq. ft. That's a doable size for me and probably as tiny as I would be willing to go.

[StatisticalOutlier]

For Aunt Jess: http://www.techinsider.io/five-people-who-abandoned-their-tiny-homes-2015-7

 

 

I found the story of the Colorado couple the most interesting -- the ones who were on "Tiny House Nation," especially how shoddy the workmanship was. I've always felt John was kind of sleazy, but I'm disappointed to think Zach is not what he seems.

 

That's a great link.  I remember watching the Colorado couple and doing the usual scratching of my head. 

 

The linked story said they bought a "cabin kit," which included all the building materials.  Sounds like the houses Sears used to sell, which I've always been fascinated with.  But in their case, they were budgeting an additional $80,000 for building costs, so they weren't going to provide the labor themselves, which makes me wonder why they bought a kit like that in the first place.  It's WAY up in the sticks, so paying people to go up there to work on it was going to be unusually expensive.

 

And also because of the house's location, they had to put on fire-resistant siding and use "storm-proof windows."  Which makes me wonder even more why they bought a kit. 

 

And then they had the misfortune of teaming up with Tiny House Nation and its incredibly annoying manufactured rush schedule.  I get this show only during DirecTV free previews, and even with that limited exposure, learned to record it so I could FF through the parts that have to do with working through the night because of that idiotic dramatic device.  I just got tired of yelling at the teevee, "Take two extra days and do it right!"

 

And sure enough, they had a LOT of problems with the quality of the workmanship (structural leaks, plumbing problems).  Then again, they complained about appliance malfunctions and I wonder about how much that can be attributed to the build quality--unless they were installed incorrectly. 

 

From the story:

 

But what finally drove them out of their new tiny home was when they were told the internet they had enjoyed since 2003 would no longer service their area since they had changed the location of their towers and repositioned antennas. In fact, no internet would service their area.

“We were just absolutely exhausted,” she told TI. “We had chosen to go in this brand new direction, we went way over budget building the cabin because we were building so quickly and having to pay people extra to come out early and making mistakes. The internet was just the last straw.”

Without internet, the couple felt too separated from friends and family. Moeller and Cottrell also both worked from home — having reliable internet was imperative to their livelihood.

 

Okay, that "no internet would service the area" part is bullshit.  You can get satellite internet.  It's much slower than broadband or cell phones (streaming is impossible), but separated from family and friends? Satellite internet is more than adequate for email and non-video internet surfing.  More likely is that they needed (or maybe just wanted) FAST internet for their jobs (it appears, from a money-making standpoint, that having her previous house burn to the ground has been the best thing that happened to her, which I contrast with most people who lose everything in a fire).  Or maybe they used Vonage or whatever for phone service--satellite internet is too slow for that.

 

Obviously they were understandably tired and frustrated, but playing the separated-from-family-and-friends-because-no-internet is just too much for me.  So I'm not in the mood to cut them any slack.

 

And I don't know...I'm the type to end up without a shirt on in the dentist's chair wondering later just how it got to that point, so I understand things spiraling out of control. But I can't imagine watching workers I'm paying for do a hurry-up shitty job, for no reason except manufactured drama, on the house I'm planning to live in, and not stepping in and doing something about it, TV show or no TV show.

 

I remember at the time thinking they were kind of sharp for going much larger than the usual 300 square feet nonsense, but now I wonder.

 

And for those keeping score, I'll note that they made it 8 months, abandoning their $260,000 760-square-foot Colorado mountaintop solar-powered tiny house...in February.

 

ETA:  I just noticed she's a life coach.  I have no words.

Edited January 7, 2016 by StatisticalOutlier

[Snarkette]

And some more: http://rockymountaintinyhouses.com/the-truth-about-tiny-house-tv-shows/

[WildPlum]

I've lived with satellite internet at the only option and it is truly awful. Email is okay (as long as you don't have big images or files trying to download) and minor web surfing can be done, but things like conference calls (much less streaming music, video or movies) are horrible. If you actually make your living via the internet it is absolutely unacceptable, as is the very low bandwidth cap. Likely the line-of-sight wireless internet they had wasn't great at that either - but at least I can stream music with wireless internet.

 

A lot of the costs for the house were sunk costs, anyway, which they would have paid no matter what they built - sure didn't help their per-square-foot price, though. Now they have a good summer cabin, probably good short-term rental potential and some rueful "well, we'll never do that again" experience.

[proserpina65]

Sounds like the houses Sears used to sell, which I've always been fascinated with.

 

My parents' house is one of those.  (Although purchased from Sears and built long before my parents bought it.)  It looks like any other house of its time; you'd never know it was built from a kit, basically, until someone told you it was.  Mind you, the wife of the couple who owned it before my family liked to change things on a whim, so how much it resembles the original plan is anyone's guess.

[DownTheShore]

Here's the link for the home model that the TN bed people "inventively" designed the slide-out bed:

http://minimhomes.com/

[StatisticalOutlier]

I've had satellite internet for the last 12 years.  Like I said, it's slow compared to broadband, and streaming is impossible.  But it's plenty good enough to keep you from being separated from friends and family.  But I'm biased:  I didn't like that Colorado woman even before I knew she was a life coach.  One thing that spurred them into rebuilding their tiny house was that they found themselves acquiring too much stuff when they lived in a 1500 square foot house with a garage.  People who use that as their reason for going tiny bug me.  I think they should look into consulting a therapist instead.  Or maybe a life coach!

 

The link with the slide-out bed had a link to http://www.microshowcase.com/  Talk about some interesting reading.  There's a lot of nuts and bolts in the TECH section (a really good breakdown of various types of toilets, for example), and the FAQ has a long thing about how this one tiny house community in Washington, DC, imploded.  Apparently the sanitation issue is as big as people on these forums suspect, and having bottles of urine all around makes you an unpopular neighbor.

 

Also, I've always assumed that these people would end up living in trailer parks in their tiny houses, but wondered why I hadn't seen very many.  Well, it turns out that a lot of RV parks will admit only trailers that are RVIA certified (sort of like building codes for real houses, only for trailers).  Some manufacturers are RVIA certified, so their trailers are okay, but not all tiny house builders are certified.  And someone who builds his own tiny house wouldn't be certified. So those folks who build these things on wheels in order to have f-r-e-e-d-o-m better have a good network of friends all over the country who are willing to let them park, possibly illegally, on their property.  Really--when even a trailer park won't let you in...

 

And as for the shows themselves, this tiny house builder has a story about being contacted by one of the shows, and one of the commenters has been contacted by four of them.  http://rockymountaintinyhouses.com/the-truth-about-tiny-house-tv-shows/

 

It sounds like the tiny house shows are even more fake than the regular House Hunters, if that's even possible.

[zxy556575]

Here's the link for the home model that the TN bed people "inventively" designed the slide-out bed:

http://minimhomes.com/

I like the design of those, particularly the larger one that's stick built. I've lived alone in a couple of studio apartments that were around 250 sf and was perfectly happy, but my one absolute must-have is a flush toilet, either on the city sewer or a septic system. No odor with composting toilets, my ... ass.

In addition to perhaps not being allowed to stay at an RV park, the rent on those suckers can be pretty high. Same with a trailer community, if the owner wants to stay somewhere semi-permanently. Unless they're squatting/mooching off someone else's land, the cost savings aspect of tiny mobile houses has been very exaggerated.

This is from the MicroShowcase site, which is refreshingly honest:

Compared to a far cheaper traditional travel trailer, the only real advantage of a micro house is a) better insulation, b) better build quality and c) aesthetics.

From what we've seen, I'm doubtful about B in general, but even so, it's really all about C with the buyers we've been shown.

Edited January 10, 2016 by lordonia

[auntjess]

I so agree about B/better built.  I think the quality is probably all over the board, depending on the builder.

Who else is tinied out?  These tiny shows are popping up like Whack-a-mole, so for the most part, I'm out.

I'll watch a few just to be able to come here, but life's too short to watch 5 or so hours a week of these.

I do recommend that show on prefabs, Breakneck Builds. 

[StatisticalOutlier]

One other thing I've found out is that it's really hard (maybe even impossible) to get a loan on a tiny house on wheels because they're not an RV (auto loan) and they're not real property (mortgage).  People on these shows always say they're paying cash so they won't have a mortgage, but conveniently omit the fact that a loan isn't an option to begin with.  I know, the purpose of these shows is not to inform, but I kind of draw the line at deceiving.

 

I was originally interested in shows about tiny houses for clever storage ideas, but came to realize these things don't have any storage.  So they fairly quickly became boring to me.

[qtpye]

Yeah, when some one opens a floorboard and exclaims "Wow, I actually have one whole small sized drawer, this is more then enough space."  You have to give them serious side eye.  I imagine you have to build out buildings that actually hold a lot of your stuff or get a public storage locker.

 

I have a friend who lives in a micro apartment in a very high cost of living area.  This person does not live there because of some high highfalutin attitude, but because this is all he can afford in such an expensive city.  He lived in a much larger (though nothing huge) before he moved to that city and had to put most of his stuff in public storage.

 

Yes, he has learned to live with a lot less, but it still is not an ideal situation for him.  He is not a materialistic person, but if he could afford more he would get it, by his own admission.

[bubbls]

I know it's a big fad right now, but I don't understand why these people don't just buy a travel trailer. They're significantly cheaper with more room and better storage and a heck of a lot easier to pull and move. They aren't as cute, but I think I'd sacrifice cute to buy something less expensive with better storage.

[Maharincess]

Why do people go looking for a tiny house and then complain about how tiny it is? It makes no sense.

Every damn one of them complain that the tiny house they're hunting for is too tiny.

[SmithW6079]

Why do people go looking for a tiny house and then complain about how tiny it is? It makes no sense.

Every damn one of them complain that the tiny house they're hunting for is too tiny.

Because Americans are size queens.

[DownTheShore]

When they are hunting as a couple, they say it's too tiny. When it's a single person, they say they're too large.

I truly think that some of those buyers are trying to get the closest thing they can to crawling back into the womb.

I'm surprised that one of the RV manufacturers hasn't come out with a custom tiny house line. If anything, they are the ones who are the most familiar with what the rules and regulations are regarding "homes that move" and would be in the best position to create ones that are able to take advantage of all RV parks and campgrounds. Not to mention the fact that they can do better stress modeling on the design.

I always wonder about those TH with the tile backsplashes on bumpy roads...

[auntjess]

They don't look aerodynamically structured.
I'd think they 'd generate a lot of wind resistance, and use lots of gas.

Also, i wonder if some of these people even know to get a truckers' atlas, which gives overpass clearances, etc.

And now, you've got no mortgage, but many will have land/site rent, which can be substantial from what we've heard.

Me, I don't want one, and have no friends who'd want me composting waste in their backyard.

[auntjess]

This showed up on Facebook, a link I pasted 2 years ago.
Tiny houses with a true purpose.
http://themetapicture.com/man-builds-houses-for-homeless-from-garbage/

[Snarkette]

AuntJess, that is particularly awesome. Thanks for finding it and sharing it

[SmithW6079]

Is this where we should discuss Tiny House/Big Living, even though it's on HGTV? I watched two episodes last night. One was the southern boy whose entire family helped him convert a school bus into a tiny house. Being an elitist East Coaster, I probably was supposed to be laughing at the redneck yokels with their free-running chickens, but I really liked them. I liked how into it they all were and that they all seemed to enjoy each others' company. He seemed like a good kid, although I think he may have had some issues at school (he mentioned being at LSU for three years, which probably meant that he dropped out or was kicked out). His mom was nice and really enthusiastic about financing it, his sister helped, even the uncles. I thought the cedar wood countertops came out beautifully, even with the chicken footprints. 

At first, I thought the hammock was his only sleeping accommodations, but he had two twin beds set up. This is the second school bus conversion I've seen -- the other was the hipster couple from last year. They're considered "tiny" homes, but I think a converted school bus gives you quite a lot of space, actually.

The other episode was the young couple who complained about New York and built a tiny house trailer to move to Colorado. I found them a little annoying, but maybe that was just their complaining about NYC. The house came out rather nice, and the bed that slid under the kitchen wasn't something I've seen before. I think the "friends" who came to visit and pass judgment must be the people whose land they're squatting on. I don't think mention was made of the land accommodations.

Edited June 15, 2016 by SmithW6079

[auntjess]

I watched the Tiny House Hunting  in Nashville, where the couple looked for a house to put in their back yard, to rent out their main house.
They didn't find one, so they built on fot $35k, which did look like a lot for that price.
The strange thing was at the end John and Zach critiqued, and criticized the houses they were show, and expressed skepticism on the cost of the build.

Strange.

[Snarkette]

@auntjess I'm pretty sure that's the couple with the person who came on-thread to post about her involvement, and then we couldn't be snarky or without pity.

[auntjess]

No, I thought this was a new one, and they didn't have a loft, as I remember.
Their main goal was to live in a small unit in their backyard, to be able to rent the main house.
He was a drummer and she was a photographer.
They seemed nice enough, it was the bit with John(Jon?) and Zach that seemed, uh, rude.

[Spooneroonie]

The latest Tiny House Big Living was a couple with a three year old and brand new baby. The house had a double loft connected by what what I could only describe as a Hell on Your Knees Crawlthrough, the master was on one side, shared bedroom for the kids on the other. To make matters even less safe, the parents rigged up some sort of pulley system to lift the months-old infant up to the loft. Yeah, real safe, folks.

I can't imagine getting up in the middle of the night to attend to the baby and having to crawl on my hands and knees in the dark.

[qtpye]

On 6/20/2016 at 10:22 PM, Spooneroonie said:

The latest Tiny House Big Living was a couple with a three year old and brand new baby. The house had a double loft connected by what what I could only describe as a Hell on Your Knees Crawlthrough, the master was on one side, shared bedroom for the kids on the other. To make matters even less safe, the parents rigged up some sort of pulley system to lift the months-old infant up to the loft. Yeah, real safe, folks.

I can't imagine getting up in the middle of the night to attend to the baby and having to crawl on my hands and knees in the dark.

Good lord, having had two newborns this seemed like such a bad idea.  Those kids are going dive the couple batty.  I understand the need for wanting a small space that does not cost too much, but what is wrong with a regular small house?  A tiny bungalow, in a low cost of living area, should not be that expensive or hard to maintain.

Whenever I see the need for portability, I think RVs are often a much better option.  The only thing is that nice RVs can be expensive, so the tiny homes usually cost less, but it depends on the model.

[psychoticstate]

Most of these tiny house shows I ff to the end to see the result because I don't care for the "drama" in the middle.  I watched the new episode of Tiny House Big Living with the circus performer from St. Louis and watched the whole program.  I liked the home builder and her dad and I have to say that I was impressed with what she did, especially for the small budget (I think she said she spent $10-11k) and the very tiny space (less than 200 square feet.)  I generally think most of these tiny mobile home builders are insane but I think she made very good use of her space.