Tiny House Hunters - General Discussion

[Mu Shu]

As soon as you show me a house where I have to shit in a bucket in the kitchen, I'm out of there. That was worse than the "Tiny House Hunting" Boise couple whose toilet was behind a curtain in the bedroom.

I fast forwarded a lot of the episode.

Lol. I can't even poop in a proper bathroom with a real door 20 feet away from my boyfriend half the time. I couldn't live in a tiny house with another person because I'd die of constipation.

Don't these fools know how important bathroom privacy is? Not to be even grosser, but lady time is messy. You need privacy and separation to maintain any romance. Otherwise, it's just a sordid round robin of pee, poop, and everything in between. Might as well be a caveman. I tell you, it's devolution.

[DownTheShore]

The Lying Liars Of Cocoa Beach episode was on tonight - the ones that "buy" that shipping container that they put in the backyard of the house they supposedly have up for sale.

I liked the earlier episode of the teacher who already lives in the woods in a really tiny house who wants to move closer than his current hour-and-a-half drive to work. He actually moved into a larger space with an indoor toilet and shower. People wouldn't visit him in his other place because of the outhouse.

[Treehugger]

The Lying Liars Of Cocoa Beach episode was on tonight - the ones that "buy" that shipping container that they put in the backyard of the house they supposedly have up for sale.

I liked the earlier episode of the teacher who already lives in the woods in a really tiny house who wants to move closer than his current hour-and-a-half drive to work. He actually moved into a larger space with an indoor toilet and shower. People wouldn't visit him in his other place because of the outhouse.

I didn't realize the Cocoa Beach container buyers were Lying Liars.  This was my first viewing of the episode.  All I kept thinking over and over was WTH?  Where are your kids sleeping?  Where are you sleeping?  And then they bought the container, and I was yelling WTH at the TV.  Seriously, the parents were supposed to sleep on the pullout bed that didn't have enough room for two pillows?????  On the one hand, I guess it's great that they are liars and aren't really moving their children into a storage container.  On the other hand, these poor kids apparently have Lying Liars for parents!

 

The teacher episode was a more realistic take on possibly being able to live in a tiny home.  Too bad that he couldn't keep his chickens, but it's not difficult to understand that most neighbors wouldn't want chickens being raised in homes that are close together.

 

Again, though, I'm still at a loss for the Cocoa Beach family.

[DownTheShore]

Research by someone earlier in the forum (sorry, don't remember who it was) turned up the fact that the husband's company builds and sells those container units. He isn't merely in construction as was implied in the opening.

[Treehugger]

Mu Shu I can't even call it what you did, I just say I have to take care of business when I go to the bathroom. I am very private in bathroom matters, even going so far as to run water when I go number one. With this El Nina stuff going on and living in the country we are having a time with out septic tank. I am mortified when I can't flush after each time! We live in an older brick house that we completely updated inside but so far the outside has been on hold. But first on the list is new septic tank! It is expensive to keep pumping it out but whe have had to this year more than before because of the ground being water soaked.

 

Did the teacher who bought the fisherman shack count as a tiny house episode? I recorded it and glimpsed it at the end. I really liked what he got and the little bit of updating he did. 

The teacher who bought the fisherman shack did qualify as a tiny house episode.  It was a nice home.

[izabella]

I enjoyed the teacher episode.  The fisherman shack seemed like a nice place to live, plus it had running water and an indoor bathroom! 

 

I also liked that they showed him in his previous tiny house and how he was living out there.  Did they see what he did with that house?  Was he actually able to sell it to someone else who didn't care if they had to use an outhouse?

[roseslg]

Anytime I see that it's a week of tiny houses, I am irrationally peeved.   Stop trying to make tiny houses happen, HGTV.  No one cares.   I have it on, mind you, but I always sort of mentally tune out.  There are only so many tiny loft spaces for beds that you can see.  What about the middle of the night bathroom run?  Those stairs would be a death trap.    I am getting as tired of them as I am getting of hearing of the holy trinity (stainless steel, open concept, granite countertops).   Bah!!

 

At least on these episodes there is less talk of the trinity.   Perhaps people who want to change their lives could donate their time to some cause, try to help the homeless or something.   I find the whole thing a bit narcissistic 

[laredhead]

I keep wanting to yell at these people "just buy a nice camper or RV" because they seem to be more organized and built to be towed or moved around on a regular basis.  I certainly don't expect movable tiny houses to appreciate in value like a regular house, so I just don't see the appeal of them.

[biakbiak]

I like that they have been including real standalone houses that just happen to be tiny. If I was single I could live in the tiny fishing shack that the teacher bought. Also, the floors when he had them stripped and refinished were gorgeous.

[DownTheShore]

I did think it amusing that the teacher had been trying to reduce his footprint by living in the woods, yet he was driving an hour-and-a half to get to work.

[SmithW6079]

I liked Joel the teacher, and I loved the house he picked. I think he's one of the few tiny house people I actually believe "walks the walk" of tiny living.

While driving 90 minutes each way to work would seem to negate living sustainably, I think an aspect of his life in the woods was to help him cope with his break-up.

I also appreciated his desire for a loft he could stand up in, unlike Annie the artist the previous night, who thought a loft she had to crawl into was a good thing, because it made her feel like a kid again.

It's kind of a sad commentary on her maturity level when her college-age son had more sense than she did. I don't understand her desire to sell house before her son was even on his own. When he's home from school, where will he stay?

At the end, she said her old house hadn't even sold yet, but she was living in the tiny house.

And if you're mooching off friends or family by planting your tiny house on their property and using their electricity and water, you're not embracing "tiny."

I like that they have been including real standalone houses that just happen to be tiny.

I think the tiny house shows on FYI push the "tiny house = shed on wheels" concept, since almost all of those have the idiots saying how they want to trek around the country pulling their houses behind them. Edited December 21, 2015 by SmithW6079

[psychoticstate]

Here is another poster who really liked Joel the teacher.  His fisherman's cottage was gorgeous.  Wasn't that the place that didn't have an official door for the bathroom?  Wouldn't be an issue for a single person but if you have any company or live with someone else, there'd be issues.  Seems like he might be able to put some type of custom pocket or barn door there.  In any event, I just liked him in general.  He wasn't a complete loon and didn't seem as though he was hoping on the trendy tiny train.

 

I liked Annie the artist well enough too but I kept wondering what would happen to her if she had some type of illness or injury that might prevent her from climbing that loft.  And where on earth would her son stay when he came home?   Did she expect him to share that loft?  Granted, the place did look fairly cute when she got moved in but didn't they show her with two or three dogs in the beginning?  Where were they?

 

The Kewpie doll didn't bother me too much although I did wonder if their families could help them buy the $175k plot of land, could they not help them afford a little bigger house? 

 

And because it can't be said enough, any family with kids who is going tiny-mobile for shits and giggles has lost their ever loving mind.

[Grneyedldy]

I liked Joel the teacher and his fisherman's cottage too. Though I was thinking.....had I watched him purchase his first tiny house, complete with out house and bowl of water to shower with, you'd bet I'd be rolling my eyes. :-D

[SmithW6079]

Here is another poster who really liked Joel the teacher.  His fisherman's cottage was gorgeous.  Wasn't that the place that didn't have an official door for the bathroom?  Wouldn't be an issue for a single person but if you have any company or live with someone else, there'd be issues.  Seems like he might be able to put some type of custom pocket or barn door there.  In any event, I just liked him in general.  He wasn't a complete loon and didn't seem as though he was hoping on the trendy tiny train.

No, I think that was the second or third place -- either the tiny shed that he'd have to buy land for (and what a novel idea -- buying your own land for your tiny house, not mooching on a friend's property) or the beach house. I think Joel's main complaint about the fisherman's cottage was the floors and the loft.

[roseslg]

Joel was alright, but I kept thinking: there are better ways to deal with a breakup.   If I had to drive 90 minutes each way for work and live in a shack (albeit a nice one), that would be more depressing.   The artist was maybe on to something.  With a house that small, maybe her kids would never move in with her post college or come visit during the holidays.  Not a bad way to keep the kiddos at bay.  Another one downsizing after a divorce.   Go to Tuscany, or something.   

I wish there was an NYC apartment week (tiny apartments?), where they just showed those who lived in small apartments and what you could do with 300-750 sq ft.  I say this as someone who owns an apartment in NYC and wouldn't mind some more space.  Hey, let's fit a family of 4 into one bedroom apartments all across the U.S.  

 

Apologies.  I be cranky.  

[tessaray]

I didn't realize there was a  forum for the THH.  I'm weirdly fascinated by these shows (though I could never live in one). I don't have DIY or FYI or whatever channel some of them originate on, so I enjoy seeing them show up on HGTV.

 

I did feel bad for the college kid whose mother downsized him out of a home to come back to.  And where was she supposed to put all those arts and crafts supplies or do her art work?      

[aguabella]

Research by someone earlier in the forum (sorry, don't remember who it was) turned up the fact that the husband's company builds and sells those container units. He isn't merely in construction as was implied in the opening.

 

I researched the FL container family and probably linked some of the husband's info, not including their home address.  He was working f/t in construction and had set up the tiny house biz as a side gig, using their home as its address.  Given that, I believe their backyard container was serving as his model home.  By the episode's air date, he'd sold exactly 1 unit - to his aunt.  BTW, their home was never listed.

 

When I checked out his social media, he'd received 2 extremely basic questions and had taken months to respond.  Good luck with that, huh!  Needless to say, I believe he was play-acting with the family on HH, hoping anyone who searched social media for FL container homes would find his biz..

 

So, if he's a Lying Liar who Lies (LLWL), wouldn't we classify all HH and HHI (plus other spinoff) participants as such?  They start off with a false premise, i.e. that they're searching for a home.  (100% of them already either closed escrow or executed a lease.)  They sign a contract turning over all control to the production company.  The producers determine the plot, setting up faux conflicts for dramatic purposes  Given that the home was previously selected, any conflict between the couples was already resolved.

 

I don't research many house hunters (on a percentage basis) but over the years have reviewed numerous HH/HHI backstories.  Have yet to find an episode plot that was entirely accurate.  Is the FL container guy worse b/c he applied to HH for business purposes?  (BTW, as most of you already know, that isn't unusual, either!)  WRT realtors who appear on HH, does anyone know a realtor who would bad-mouth their clients on national television?  In my area, they'd be known as ex, former and/or failed realtors!

 

Anyway, it's reality television, i.e. not real and full of LLWL !!!  Stepping off soapbox, now - lol ...

Edited December 23, 2015 by aguabella

[AnnaRose]

So, if he's a Lying Liar who Lies (LLWL), wouldn't we classify all HH and HHI (plus other spinoff) participants as such?  They start off with a false premise, i.e. that they're searching for a home.  (100% of them already either closed escrow or executed a lease.)  They sign a contract turning over all control to the production company.  The producers determine the plot, setting up faux conflicts for dramatic purposes  Given that the home was previously selected, any conflict between the couples was already resolved.

 

I don't research many house hunters (on a percentage basis) but over the years have reviewed numerous HH/HHI backstories.  Have yet to find an episode plot that was entirely accurate.  Is the FL container guy worse b/c he applied to HH for business purposes?  (BTW, as most of you already know, that isn't unusual, either!)  WRT realtors who appear on HH, does anyone know a realtor who would bad-mouth their clients on national television?  In my area, they'd be known as ex, former and/or failed realtors!

 

Anyway, it's reality television, i.e. not real and full of LLWL !!!  Stepping off soapbox, now - lol ...

 

I do, and I've posted about that before.  (It might have been on TWOP though, I don't recall.)   Most people were like, eh, it's reality tv so there's nothing wrong with it.   But to me, I honestly don't understand how people can go on television and publicly lie like they do.  (Or why they do it - it sure isn't because of some big monetary incentive.)   I could never do it.

 

I haven't seen too many of these tiny house episodes.  I saw the tail end of the one referenced above with the family and kids.  That was so weird, and the little that I saw of the storage container was extremely unappealing.  The whole thing is just so crazy. 

 

I saw the teacher episode though, and really liked him a lot, especially that he was so moved by his experience with the peace corps that he was striving to live a less materialistic life.   The hour and a half drive was negating any carbon footprint savings though.  Did he get a job in a different location after he was already living in his first tiny house?   I don't recall if anything like that was mentioned.

 

I noticed he did say he had a washroom in the tiny house but liked to bathe outdoors... so maybe the outhouse thing was a producer driven exaggeration? 

 

Anyway, I was very glad he chose the fishing shack/cottage.  It was really cute after he fixed it up, and the outdoor space was pretty too.  I was especially glad he didn't choose the portable one that had no door to the bathroom and needed an expensive lot to park it on.   I really don't get why anybody buys those things... way too many downsides.

 

The last option was larger but not very attractive at all, inside or out... so I'm glad that wasn't his choice.

 

I hope that teacher is happy in his larger tiny home.  He seemed like a lovely person, as did his friend who was helping him house shop.

[tessaray]

I do, and I've posted about that before.  (It might have been on TWOP though, I don't recall.)   Most people were like, eh, it's reality tv so there's nothing wrong with it.   But to me, I honestly don't understand how people can go on television and publicly lie like they do.  (Or why they do it - it sure isn't because of some big monetary incentive.)   I could never do it.

 

In my local area, there was a couple who were featured in the newspaper (it's a small city, what can I say?) and it was interesting reading between the lines, the things they couldn't say but kind of hinted at.  In their case, I think the wife thought it would be fun.  

 

Since I watch just to peek inside the homes and to see some cool scenery (HHI), I don't have a problem with people playing along.  Though it would be easier to suspend disbelief if they had more realistic choices.  Sometimes I'm afraid my eyes are going to roll back in my head so far they'll get stuck.  :-) 

[DownTheShore]

I researched the FL container family and probably linked some of the husband's info, not including their home address.  He was working f/t in construction and had set up the tiny house biz as a side gig, using their home as its address.  Given that, I believe their backyard container was serving as his model home.  By the episode's air date, he'd sold exactly 1 unit - to his aunt.  BTW, their home was never listed.

 

When I checked out his social media, he'd received 2 extremely basic questions and had taken months to respond.  Good luck with that, huh!  Needless to say, I believe he was play-acting with the family on HH, hoping anyone who searched social media for FL container homes would find his biz..

 

So, if he's a Lying Liar who Lies (LLWL), wouldn't we classify all HH and HHI (plus other spinoff) participants as such? 

No, I would classify him as a LLWL, because he wasn't even buying a new home, and lied about what was happening with his current home. At least the ones in escrow did actually "hunt for a house" prior to the filming. This episode was just a lie from beginning to end, and merely a means to drum up interest in his side business. He falls into a separate HH class.

Thanks for that background research you provided for us, btw. :-)

[aguabella]

I agree DownTheShore - certain HH participants take the fakery to a new level.  If we had an All Stars category, he'd make the top ten!

 

Here's my question:  at what point do the producers bear some responsibility, if we care?  They could have simply rejected the FL container house guy's application instead of manipulating the facts, allowing him to promote his side business.

 

In fact, what bothers me is that the producers appear to be actively promoting tiny home ownership, in general.  Real estate isn't always the best investment (and shouldn't necessarily be considered an investment, IMHO) but I'm not convinced that the tiny house movement, if one actually exists, improves matters.  (More info on this, later.)

 

Any time, DownTheShore.

[izabella]

I don't believe tiny houses are any kind of good investment.  Unless it's a tiny condo or a small house somewhere near civilization and tied into water/sewer, it seems like it would be really hard to find someone to buy a 200 sq ft tiny house in the middle of nowhere with an outhouse or composting toilet.

 

That's why I wish the teacher who bought the fisherman shack had said what he did with his tiny house.  My guess is he still owns it and is essentially taking a loss on whatever he bought it for because there would hardly be any buyers for it.

 

The producers are promoting it because it's the latest in tv show ideas.  It's clear when you look at Tiny House World with the foreign locations - that show is mostly the kind of small apartments we've already been seeing on HHI, only repackaged as Tiny House hunting.  We've seen Adrienne Leeds in Paris show us tiny apartments often on regular HHI, and we've especially seen a lot of tiny apartments in Tokyo, but they were never called Tiny Houses until this fad came along.

[topanga]

 

In fact, what bothers me is that the producers appear to be actively promoting tiny home ownership, in general.  Real estate isn't always the best investment (and shouldn't necessarily be considered an investment, IMHO) but I'm not convinced that the tiny house movement, if one actually exists, improves matters.  (More info on this, later.)

Improves which matters, aguabella? I think living in a tiny home can help environmentally if the homeowners are using less fossil fuel to heat and light their homes and less water for everyday maintenance. And if you have less room for stuff, theoretically you're not buying as much Stuff, therefore reducing your carbon footprint.

 

--But I'm curious about trash collection. Will you get trash pickup if you aren't a city resident paying city taxes, or do you take your garbage someplace? 

--Recycling is easier since most cities have recycling drop-off locations. 

 

But can someone explain what a composting toilet does (ewwww), and where you're supposed to do with the raw sewage compost you create? 

[DownTheShore]

One of those shows said the tiny house community was treated as a trailer park. I can see that as being a viable way of creating high density housing but still having access to city services.

A bunch of tiny houses on a lot landscaped to afford as much privacy as possible might be a good choice for seniors who want to downsize (as long as the bedroom is on the main level) but who don't want either wilderness living or senior housing apartments.

[Mu Shu]

Improves which matters, aguabella? I think living in a tiny home can help environmentally if the homeowners are using less fossil fuel to heat and light their homes and less water for everyday maintenance. And if you have less room for stuff, theoretically you're not buying as much Stuff, therefore reducing your carbon footprint.

--But I'm curious about trash collection. Will you get trash pickup if you aren't a city resident paying city taxes, or do you take your garbage someplace?

--Recycling is easier since most cities have recycling drop-off locations.

But can someone explain what a composting toilet does (ewwww), and where you're supposed to do with the raw sewage compost you create?

For whatever reason, tiny housers evade the composting question. Apparently, the toilet is vented, which draws the liquid from the poo so it is odorless. Apparently sawdust/Spanish moss/cat litter is used to mask the pee odor. I completely don't believe that the poo will dry fast enough to be odorless. As for disposal, it is illegal to toss human waste in garbage cans/bury it, but that's what they do. I guess they never heard of cholera.

I love the idea of compact, affordable homes, but the waste issue needs to be addressed better than pooping in a glorified litter box. Also, 2oo square feet for more than one very tidy person is stupid, especially when kids are involved.

[Neurochick]

Joel was alright, but I kept thinking: there are better ways to deal with a breakup.   If I had to drive 90 minutes each way for work and live in a shack (albeit a nice one), that would be more depressing.   The artist was maybe on to something.  With a house that small, maybe her kids would never move in with her post college or come visit during the holidays.  Not a bad way to keep the kiddos at bay.  Another one downsizing after a divorce.   Go to Tuscany, or something.   

I wish there was an NYC apartment week (tiny apartments?), where they just showed those who lived in small apartments and what you could do with 300-750 sq ft.  I say this as someone who owns an apartment in NYC and wouldn't mind some more space.  Hey, let's fit a family of 4 into one bedroom apartments all across the U.S.  

 

Apologies.  I be cranky.  

 

I love this post.  That's what gets me about the tiny house movement.  There are people in NYC who live in small spaces and they make it work, no need for a show about them.  I think downsizing is great, especially if you're older and single.  I wouldn't want to have to clean a four bedroom three bathroom, big kitchen home, if I was by myself.  

[Vanderfabulous]

You have a point, Neurochick.

 

I lived in 400 square feet of space in downtown Chicago for 10 years, with three cats and a dog.  We managed just fine.  It's all about designing and managing your space efficiently, being realistic about what you need vs. what is merely a convenience. 

 

That's why I enjoy this version of House Hunters.  I look at most of these spaces and think, "Yeah, I could do that!"  And all those comments about "It's so tiny!" or "I need more storage/larger appliances/whatever," well that just defeats the purpose of moving to a tiny house. 

 

I also love looking at the spec living spaces at Ikea.  One of the most brilliant spaces I ever saw was less than 300 square feet.  It incorporated absolutely everything someone would need (note:  I said need...not want lol).  It's so inspiring to me.

[AnnaRose]

I lived in 400 square feet of space in downtown Chicago for 10 years, with three cats and a dog.  We managed just fine.  It's all about designing and managing your space efficiently, being realistic about what you need vs. what is merely a convenience. 

 

That's why I enjoy this version of House Hunters.  I look at most of these spaces and think, "Yeah, I could do that!"  And all those comments about "It's so tiny!" or "I need more storage/larger appliances/whatever," well that just defeats the purpose of moving to a tiny house. 

 

I also love looking at the spec living spaces at Ikea.  One of the most brilliant spaces I ever saw was less than 300 square feet.  It incorporated absolutely everything someone would need (note:  I said need...not want lol).  It's so inspiring to me.

 

Yes, I would love to see more well done small spaces.  Something like this apartment featured on Apartment Therapy, which is one of my all time favorite small homes - http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/jennifers-streamlined-simplicity-house-tour-220288

 

It's one of my favorites, and it's only 325 square feet.  I could live there, happily.

Edited December 26, 2015 by AnnaRose

[camom]

Just saw Jessica, who was looking for a TH in Portland to park in her friend's yard.  She wanted a tiny house, but wanted a dishwasher and washer & dryer.  She wanted everything from a full sized place in 200-300 sq. ft.

Edited December 27, 2015 by camom

[KLovestoShop]

Just watched the divorced man from San Diego who was looking to move from sharing a house with his ex. Of the three places he was shown, I thought only the first one qualified as a true tiny house. The other two looked more like regular houses in a permanent setting. I really liked the third house with the great views, but he did take the real tiny house on wheels.

BUT, I had to watch the episode with the sound off because I could not stand his sister's voice. She sounded like a chipmunk on helium, and was totally irritating.

[Neurochick]

To me, most of these tiny houses seem like NYC studio apartments except they're houses.

 

I kind of like them because there's been this trend in the US that big house, car, whatever means success.  A lot of times that's not true, especially if the people with all these big things are slowly or quickly going into debt.  I'd rather have a small apartment so I can go away twice a year, than have a big house that'll become a money pit.  

 

Now what I don't like are the lofts.  A loft may be okay for awhile, but the novelty gets old fast; some people have to get up a few times to use the bathroom, and what happens if you break a bone or have surgery?

Edited December 27, 2015 by Neurochick

[Mu Shu]

Just watched the divorced man from San Diego who was looking to move from sharing a house with his ex. Of the three places he was shown, I thought only the first one qualified as a true tiny house. The other two looked more like regular houses in a permanent setting. I really liked the third house with the great views, but he did take the real tiny house on wheels.

BUT, I had to watch the episode with the sound off because I could not stand his sister's voice. She sounded like a chipmunk on helium, and was totally irritating.

The sister had an annoying voice, but she was trying to drum some damn sense into "Girard 2.0" or whatever he called his dumb self. I'm not sure this guy has ever had sex, and much like the dumbass teacher who bought a shed, he'll likely never get any.

That modular home was a glorified trailer which was about half the size of a normal trailer, but it was the best option, as long as there is a certain percentage the lit rent can be raised annually. Yes, lot rent. It's still a trailer. Still, it had a sense of permanency, unlike his stupid box on wheels which can't be parked long term legally probably anywhere in his area.

[roseslg]

To me, most of these tiny houses seem like NYC studio apartments except they're houses.

 

I kind of like them because there's been this trend in the US that big house, car, whatever means success.  A lot of times that's not true, especially if the people with all these big things are slowly or quickly going into debt.  I'd rather have a small apartment so I can go away twice a year, than have a big house that'll become a money pit.  

 

Now what I don't like are the lofts.  A loft may be okay for awhile, but the novelty gets old fast; some people have to get up a few times to use the bathroom, and what happens if you break a bone or have surgery?

Yeah, what happens when you're drunk and need to go to the bathroom?  those steps where you have to pull them down isn't appealing at 3:00 am.   

 

Right now it's 3 of us in a one bedroom apartment.  We have even managed to carve out some office space and have a regular dining room table.  Mind you, it's not a big space, but you can design the space accordingly.  Maybe a show where a space designer goes to different small houses/apartments and show them how to maximize their space?  

[limecoke]

Add me to the list of those screaming, "Buy an RV...buy a van conversion...buy a trailer!!!" These people drive me nuts, especially when they say, over and over, that something is just too small. You're buying a TINY HOUSE you nitwit!!!

I suspected there was something dicey about container family, because the whole episode made no sense. You're going to sleep on a pull out mattress right next to your growing children?? Really???? Right.

Can anyone explain a compost toilet? I thought it was illegal to...errrr...compost and use human poop.

Edited December 28, 2015 by limecoke

[auntjess]

Can anyone explain a compost toilet? I thought it was illegal to...errrr...compost and use human poop.

 

A bit off topic, but has anyone else seen those commercials for mascerating toilets for your home, that doesn't need plumbing, and you can put them in a closet?

I wonder if they're similar to composting toilets.
 

[mojito]

 

I'd like them to show a retired couple looking for a tiny house, people with arthritis and the need to urinate frequently at night.

It would have to be something out of the Jetsons. Something that would, after all the buttons are pushed, collapse down to one story.

 

I haven't been watching these shows lately, but tuned in recently and saw that Cocoa Beach couple. Right away, things didn't add up. She's a server at a Mexican food restaurant and he's in general contracting, and soon they were both out of jobs because they worked for the same company? Did the brother and sister end up sharing a bed just a few feet above the parents' bed? I see the possibility for all sorts of dysfunction coming from that scenario. 

 

I would think that buying insurance for those homes must be a nightmare. Or do people bother? Are there even any kind of building standards for those things? 

[tessaray]

Can anyone explain a compost toilet? I thought it was illegal to...errrr...compost and use human poop.

 

A bit off topic, but has anyone else seen those commercials for mascerating toilets for your home, that doesn't need plumbing, and you can put them in a closet?

I wonder if they're similar to composting toilets.

 

 

I'm no expert but on some shows when they mention human waste/compost they mention it going on trees and stuff like that, not food for humans. 

 

A composting toilet is designed to start the waste breaking down more efficiently than the old outhouses from a hundred years ago. They can be expensive but I would imagine you wouldn't want to skimp on something so important.  The link below has an illustration that is kind of interesting.  

 

http://www.letsgogreen.com/how-composting-toilets-work.html

 

The one thing I don't get is the bucket in the corner (non)option.  Human waste has to be handled correctly or it can cause some really serious health issues.  

[mojito]

Okay, I've watched a couple more shows, and now my mind's wandering:

 

I am so understanding the desire to downsize and live simply. It does feel good. What's striking me as false, though (not counting the teacher who had been living simply all along) is how some people frame their decision as a lifestyle choice when, in fact, hardly any of them have any money to spend on a tiny house.

 

I'm guessing that you can't get a mortgage on a tiny house, but getting $70K or so in from the sale of your home when you're downsizing doesn't seem extraordinary. So it seems like a lifestyle choice out of financial necessity for most people, from the shows I've seen.. Most people don't have more than enough to purchase a tiny home, they barely have enough to purchase a tiny home.

 

Another thing I've wondered: What do people do when they sit their homes on other people's property as far as water or electricity for that 'fridge is concerned?

 

I think tiny houses are pretty silly. They're too small.  What's wrong with going small instead? It's less painful (you can keep more of your stuff), less cramped, less restrictive (you have a better chance to grow into it), and I suspect, cheaper. Your kids won't have to watch or hear you get your freak on, guests can use the second bathroom, the dogs'll be happy, you won't see Haverty's commercials referring to your house as a tool shed. 

 

If I wanted to go small and be mobile, I'd get a trailer. If I wanted to go small and stay put, I'd consider a small custom prefab/modular place that could give me more sq ft for the same or smaller price than these tiny homes. You're also dealing with companies that have been/will probably be around for a while. Surely they can whip up a 600 sq ft house with cubby holes, built-ins, and lofts.

 

I want a "Tiny House Hunters: Where Are They Now?" show.

 

Okay, I've done enough thinking for the day.

[DownTheShore]

Was watching the woman who moved from the tiny house in Alaska back to her hometown which I think was Buffalo NY, and wanted a tiny house there. 

 

Her main concern was having a bedroom on the main level so that she could sleep in the bed with her three rather large dogs.  All I could think of was, "Woman, get a human partner instead of canine ones". She seemed like a nice person and a fun aunt, but she was the dog version of a cat lady. 

 

-------

 

Every time one of those tiny house hunters says that they don't know what they're going to do with all the space in a 200 sq. ft. trailer, I want to throw something at the TV. 

[izabella]

Every time one of those tiny house hunters says that they don't know what they're going to do with all the space in a 200 sq. ft. trailer, I want to throw something at the TV.

 

Same here!  I want to yell:  Really?  Let me give you some suggestions, starting with a real bathroom and real refrigerator.  I don't care if you never cook; you need more than a dorm fridge to hold your beer.

[Neurochick]

I think tiny houses are pretty silly. They're too small.  What's wrong with going small instead? It's less painful (you can keep more of your stuff), less cramped, less restrictive (you have a better chance to grow into it), and I suspect, cheaper. Your kids won't have to watch or hear you get your freak on, guests can use the second bathroom, the dogs'll be happy, you won't see Haverty's commercials referring to your house as a tool shed.

 

 

But the thing is, not everybody is married, not everybody has kids.  And I've been in apartments here in NYC that just have one bathroom (gasp!).  My issue with tiny homes is that stupid loft.  A loft may seem cute but not good for the long term, then again, a very large house doesn't make sense to me in the long term either.  I mean if someone buys a large house, do people think, "how are they going to get up and down the stairs/clean the place, when they get old?"  

 

Her main concern was having a bedroom on the main level so that she could sleep in the bed with her three rather large dogs.  All I could think of was, "Woman, get a human partner instead of canine ones". She seemed like a nice person and a fun aunt, but she was the dog version of a cat lady.

 

 

If that were a man, would folks think that?  Maybe she doesn't want boyfriend to live with her; at least she won't have to worry about the dogs cheating on her and giving her diseases.  I wonder where the term, "cat lady" came from; no one says boo to a man who never marries.  No male word for "spinster," wonder why.

Edited December 29, 2015 by Neurochick

[biakbiak]

But the thing is, not everybody is married, not everybody has kids.  And I've been in apartments here in NYC that just have one bathroom (gasp!).  My issue with tiny homes is that stupid loft.  A loft may seem cute but not good for the long term, then again, a very large house doesn't make sense to me in the long term either.

Ywah the loft bed is the worst! That and not having a big enough couch to lay down on when I am sick, tired or just feel like vegging are why I couldn't live in one, vacation for a week or two?Sure but not much longer. When I evaluate a space to see if I could live there, I always think if I could live in the space if I had a broken leg and how would it be when I had the flu, very few of these tiny houses would pass the test.

[Pine]

Are they giving the prices of these tiny houses?  I just saw the one built by a family in Oregon for a lady and her husband in Seattle.  What did they pay for it?  I was surprised that the builders went to Rejuvenation for $$$$$ when the same lighting can be bought at Home Depot for under $100.  I know, because I just had one of those cords with the Edison bulb put into a rental unit of mine for under $25.  Give me a Airstream over any of those clunky tiny homes on wheels.  JMHO of course.

[DownTheShore]

If that were a man, would folks think that? Maybe she doesn't want boyfriend to live with her; at least she won't have to worry about the dogs cheating on her and giving her diseases. I wonder where the term, "cat lady" came from; no one says boo to a man who never marries. No male word for "spinster," wonder why.

Yup, I'd say the same thing about a guy who'd prefer sleeping with three dogs in his bed. To me that's an adult who merely replaced sleeping in a bed full of stuffed animals to the real thing.

She just has to worry about mud and fur and ticks in her sheets.

"Cat lady" is a specific phenomena separate from being a "spinster"; a."cat lady" is usually unmarried but she can also be in that state due to being a widow or a divorcée.

An unmarried male is a batchelor. Questioning why a man never married, until recent times, might have led to the question of possible homosexuality - because of course, so the thinking would go, all men want to be maried to have a woman available for sex, right? - and no one would have wanted to touch that topic. Being labeled a spinster doesn't normally question a woman's sexuality, merely her attractiveness in the great game of snaring a husband, while the word batchelor has managed to remain free of negative connotations.

Edited December 29, 2015 by DownTheShore

[aguabella]

 

 

 

Improves which matters, aguabella? I think living in a tiny home can help environmentally if the homeowners are using less fossil fuel to heat and light their homes and less water for everyday maintenance. And if you have less room for stuff, theoretically you're not buying as much Stuff, therefore reducing your carbon footprint.

 

--But I'm curious about trash collection. Will you get trash pickup if you aren't a city resident paying city taxes, or do you take your garbage someplace? 

--Recycling is easier since most cities have recycling drop-off locations. 

 

But can someone explain what a composting toilet does (ewwww), and where you're supposed to do with the raw sewage compost you create? 

 

That'd be "matters" WRT to R/E investment, i.e. from a financial viewpoint.  (Sorry if that wasn't clear.)  If tiny home purchasers value carbon footprint reduction over their long-term financial health, then that's their personal choice, IMHO.

 

BTW, I realize that tiny home residents may save $$$ on their monthly rental plus other costs.  They'd need to live in a tiny home for an extended period of time to realize sufficient savings to offset their initial home cost, however.  To date, there's little or no resale on these units.  (More on that, later.)  For that reason, the minimal (when compared to the large initial expenditure) reduction in monthly housing costs, I consider the carbon footprint reduction a personal choice.

 

Great idea to air WATN episodes for HGTV's tiny home series, Mojito.  Unfortunately, I don't see HGTV having the gumption to do it.  Unless they check in with these homeowners very shortly after they've made the purchase, before the glow wears off, I doubt they'd find many homeowners living in them after any extended period of time. (Well, ok, maybe they could check in after only a year or so.)  We'll see!

 

And would they find many owners using them as truly mobile homes?  (HGTV loves to promote the glamour of that option.)  Nope, doubt it.  They're destined to end up permanently parked somewhere - like mobile homes.  To solve the utility issues and waste, etc., I believe we'll see tiny home parks cropping up, the same as the traditional "mobile" homes.

 

Good questions, Neurochick.  BTW, I do hear people expressing concern when middle-aged homeowners, usually with children out of the nest, purchase large homes. 

 

True about cat ladies and the male-female bias, from what I've seen, DownTheShore.  I know plenty of single, hetero, over 40, never-married, bachelors.  (Agree, a bachelor is probably single and never-married by definition, lol.)  Nobody questions their lifestyle choice - at least in my world.

Edited December 30, 2015 by aguabella

[WendyCR72]

Hey, all! Consider this a very friendly reminder to keep this to the HGTV episodes in question, just to avoid any potential confusion. (I still don't see how grown people live in those places, by the way!)

 

If you all want to talk non-HGTV Tiny House Stuff, feel free to do so here.

 

Thanks a bunch!

[SmithW6079]

And I've been in apartments here in NYC that just have one bathroom (gasp!).

I grew up in a three-bedroom suburban house with one bathroom for six people. The horror! The horror! How we managed to survive to adulthood is beyond me. Edited December 30, 2015 by SmithW6079

[Mu Shu]

What gets me about the tiny homes is that you have to pay lot rent to park them. Unless you own land, you're just renting still and not getting any equity because your house is not a legal full time residence. They are trailers. Trailers don't appreciate in value.

I'm still shaking my head over the dummy who bought an almost windowless shed. There is no way that thing meets fire codes with that stupid loft, aka crawl space he's endangering his daughter by having her sleep there. If that place catches fire, They will not survive.

The other teacher wisely chose the actual small house with a bedroom he could stand in. That property will hold and increase its value over time, while the glorified trailers depreciate. That was well done small living. Two people with little stuff could live there pretty comfortably. I also liked how he re did the floors, and his decorating style.

I'd like to see more sensible people like him, and less sheds and dummies who want to poop in buckets.

[DownTheShore]

I'd just like to see more sensible tiny home buyers, like the teacher with the fisherman's cottage.

I'm tired of the starry-eyed noodle brains who want to go small, but still want their bathtubs, and full-size appliances and king-sized beds. And who want to fit two people and multiple pets in that space.

I want to hear about the nuts and bolts of tiny living. What do you do when you don't have a friend or relative who happens to own a convenient piece of farmland? How are those composting toilets working out when someone's got the runs? Have they ever fallen off the loft ladder, or banged their head on the loft ceiling during sex? When they wash dishes or use the washer, where does the waste water go?

[SmithW6079]

What gets me about the tiny homes is that you have to pay lot rent to park them. Unless you own land, you're just renting still and not getting any equity because your house is not a legal full time residence.

A lot of the people they highlight are mooching off friends or family by parking their tiny homes on those friends' property.