Tiny House Hunters - General Discussion

[Mu Shu]

Omg I just can't with these people. I'm so mad that I'm stuck now with the tiny morons to put me to sleep. They annoy me so much I can't doze off.

Tonight I was confused with the youth pastor with the vocal fry wife because they ended up spending $175000 for a horse farm but live in the tiny home. Huh?

Then we have the downsizing idiots with 2 dogs who want room for a king size bed and 2 bathrooms. Oh. And a working fireplace too. So they ended up not really downsizing with a 600 sf log cabin.

I am so pissed at these tiny morons! The first time in more than two months when I want to spend a day watching HGTV, and what is on for TWELVE solid hours? Tiny morons!

I did catch the one in Orlando with college student couple. The first shack they looked at (dark wood exterior and lime green door) is for sale on YouTube. I did leave some snarky comments on it last year. Fun to see this stupid thing on my tv. The father was absolutely incredulous that his daughter wanted to live in the stupid fucking thing.

Oh, and the family of six moving from 2500 square feet in L.A. To 600 in upstate NY ostensibly so everyone would be forced into family time by the tight quarters. Uh, That's a great way to force your soon to be teen daughter to run the streets, such as they are. And your asses aren't downsizing to make your family closer. Your asses are broke.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Mu Shu

[Texasmom1970]

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.

This is what I think with every episode. I am only 46 but have the bladder the size of a pea. Me climbing down a ladder multiple times a night is just an accident waiting to happen. And as someone else stated a loft could be a great thing for little kids until everyone is sick and needing the restroom! Also aren't there some kind of laws when the kids hit a certain age boys and girls need separate bedrooms? Or am I imagining that?

[Sup wit dat]

I get the whole tiny house thing. If you read forums/Facebook posts, etc., people who live in them adjust very quickly to the size and regular-sized homes seem excessively large. Kind of interesting to read what it's really like from people who live in them long term. It's not all roses and sunshine but they really like them.

Otoh, I don't know why people with kids still living at home would choose a tiny house unless the other option is homelessness. I didn't find any posts about parents and their kids in a tiny home. My guess is the kids would avoid the tiny house and start spending all their time at their friends' larger homes.

A huge firestorm came through my area last year and burned almost 2,000 homes/businesses. (No homes burned around me but the fire came within 18 feet...yikes!!!). Anyway, there are a few tiny homes for people to live in until they rebuild and I gotta say they are freakin' adorable!!! Now that I've seen them in person I gotta say no RV in the world can hold a candle to these cuties! I definitely get the appeal.

If I were rich I think I'd buy some land and build like 50 unique tiny homes around 500 sq feet each, load them up with charm, and start a tiny home community. (All permanent foundations.) There would be strict regulations so the community stays nice, etc. I wonder if something like that would be popular, especially if hgtv or FYI or dyi did a show about it. Yeah, if only I were rich, lol!

[DownTheShore]

I'd live in some place like that.

The Ocen Beach cottages in NJ are similar to the kind of thing you're envisioning. The community rules regarding building are specific, and the owners heep voting to keep the roads sand instead of asphalt to enhance the beach feel. The majority of the cottages are about 625 sq ft.

Edited March 27, 2016 by DownTheShore

[biakbiak]

Also aren't there some kind of laws when the kids hit a certain age boys and girls need separate bedrooms? Or am I imagining that?

It's not against the law for kids to share a bedroom even if they are of different sexes. In most places if nit all Foster kids are required to have same sex bedrooms but otherwise it's not a legal issue. Edited March 27, 2016 by biakbiak

[Mu Shu]

I get the whole tiny house thing. If you read forums/Facebook posts, etc., people who live in them adjust very quickly to the size and regular-sized homes seem excessively large. Kind of interesting to read what it's really like from people who live in them long term. It's not all roses and sunshine but they really like them.

Otoh, I don't know why people with kids still living at home would choose a tiny house unless the other option is homelessness. I didn't find any posts about parents and their kids in a tiny home. My guess is the kids would avoid the tiny house and start spending all their time at their friends' larger homes.

A huge firestorm came through my area last year and burned almost 2,000 homes/businesses. (No homes burned around me but the fire came within 18 feet...yikes!!!). Anyway, there are a few tiny homes for people to live in until they rebuild and I gotta say they are freakin' adorable!!! Now that I've seen them in person I gotta say no RV in the world can hold a candle to these cuties! I definitely get the appeal.

If I were rich I think I'd buy some land and build like 50 unique tiny homes around 500 sq feet each, load them up with charm, and start a tiny home community. (All permanent foundations.) There would be strict regulations so the community stays nice, etc. I wonder if something like that would be popular, especially if hgtv or FYI or dyi did a show about it. Yeah, if only I were rich, lol!

I get the small house idea (500 to 650) square feet. 150 is 3 to 4 times smaller, and probably not workable for the majority of families and couples. If you worked the small houses right, you could easily have 2-3 private sleeping areas and some decent living space. I love the idea, but I don't have any money either.

The biggest problem is the illegality of living in these sheds full time. Life is stressful enough without worrying about the city kicking you out of the shed you just spent your life savings on.

I predict a tiny house hoarders edition somewhere down the line, BTW.

[izabella]

I predict a tiny house hoarders edition somewhere down the line, BTW.

 

Those tiny homes are too tiny for a hoarder.  Anything more than three pairs of shoes, an extra lamp, and maybe 6 tiny books in one of those tiny homes would make anyone look like a hoarder, lol.

 

These tiny homes don't have basements or garages, yet they're all so sporty and outdoorsy.  Where are they putting skis, snowboards, bikes, tents, backpacks, or other sporting gear?  Not sporty?  Ok, where are they putting their shovels and hoses for their vegetable gardens, where are they putting their winter coats and boots, and where are they putting the giant bags of dog food for their giant dogs in tiny homes?  I guess if they can live with a tiny dorm fridge as their "refrigerator" maybe they think the dogs will start eating less, too.

[laredhead]

I want to see  a week of Tiny House Hunters Where Are They Now episodes.

[proserpina65]

I get the whole tiny house thing. If you read forums/Facebook posts, etc., people who live in them adjust very quickly to the size and regular-sized homes seem excessively large. Kind of interesting to read what it's really like from people who live in them long term. It's not all roses and sunshine but they really like them.

 

I understand wanting to downsize and live in a small house.  I mean, I wouldn't want to do it, but I don't think anyone who wants to do it is crazy.  But these people who want to live in shipping containers and places roughly the size of big garden sheds mystify me completely.  I have my doubts about how many of them really stick it out long term, especially the ones with families.

[biakbiak]

When the writer and his fiancée started their tiny home search with a desire to travel the US, I immediately thought get a airstream and be happy hipsters! It wasn't an airstream (given their budget probably bot an option) but it was the wisest choice. They have hit the road, their blog . And he has an interview with Jim Harrison in USA Today from their road trip (it is apparently going to be a regular feature in USA Today) and a piece in The New Yorker from two weeks ago.

They bought the camper like this the did the redesign that we saw themselves.

Edited March 29, 2016 by biakbiak

[StatisticalOutlier]

They bought the camper like this the did the redesign that we saw themselves.

 

Well no wonder they liked it.

 

And what a shock that it turned out the yellow tiny house in Santa Barbara could be arranged to be left in place. 

 

I don't know what drives this nonsense where they can't tell the truth about anything, but it's annoying. 

 

Also on the Santa Barbara house--I can't believe that loft.  I noticed they didn't show him lying in bed; his nose is going to be 6" from the ceiling.  I've had less claustrophobic MRIs.

 

And I'm not into the TMI with the loud sex parents, but I can't help but wonder about the logistical challenges presented by the yellow-house loft.

[Grommet]

That tiny yellow house was ridiculous. No place to sit or lie down but the wee deck was nice.

 

I kinda hated the camper kids but they had a plan and made a good decision. I doubt their big dog is doing a lot of "running around" in there, though.

[Texasmom1970]

I lost count of how many times the Doula/Navy couple implied they had loud sex while looking for a tiny house with their four growing children.

I know I know they are married and have sex. But do we have to hear about it every two minutes, it was making me sick to my stomach!

[Texasmom1970]

I want to see  a week of Tiny House Hunters Where Are They Now episodes.

I am guessing some are headed toward divorce court. And the money they saved on their tiny house it being used for therapy for their unhappy children, especially the teenage ones. I remember one episode where they parents were showing their two teen age daughters they tiny house they bought over Skype. The look on the girls faces was priceless they were like are you shitting me!

[aguabella]

Nice that everyone's concerned about the various kids from the THH episodes.  I'm sure they're all fine.

 

I checked out the FL family and posted about it shortly after the episode first appeared.  Their home had been listed a grand total of zero (000) days.  Both parents were gainfully employed but the guy was starting a side biz selling container homes.  So, the back yard container was simply a model home for his biz.  IIRC, I directed everyone to his FB page, previously.

 

Likewise, I believe the Monterey woman was promoting her doula practice and trying to raise awareness of that birthing option.  I'd rather not link a home address but if you check out Monterey Doulas, she's the proprietor.  The biz' address is a rental home 1 or 2 miles away from the one and only Monterey area naval outlet. 

 

That address is also listed as their residence.  (He must have housing benefits.)  They've lived there, in the rental home, since 2013, the date her biz bio references as the moving date from VA.  So, I believe the summer camping story but figure they settled into base / rental housing upon arrival in CA.  (If HH, original recipe, had been filming in Nor Cal, they would have gladly signed up for it, IMHO.) 

 

Based on the new episodes popping up on my dvr, I believe they're overproducing THH seeing it as the hot, new trend, with the added benefit of a younger viewer demographic.  I doubt the market's large enough to support so many episodes.  Plus, I know they've referred potential HH participants to various tiny house builders.  If the producers need to create the market themselves, they're hurting for participants and will contrive (fake) more episodes, ala HHI.

 

One thing the producers do well, however, is prevent participants from inserting too much personal advertising and promotion into their episodes.  (I know these couples try to slip it in but the editors exclude most of it.)  Sure, some of us quickly locate their info but the participants expect / want that and willingly provide both their business alias and surname.

 

Bottom line, besides the summer camping trip, my estimate is that the CA and FL kids have lived full-time in their camper and container, respectively, for no nights whatsoever.  No need to worry about them.  They had fun playacting with their parents, shooting THH for a week.  Meanwhile, their folks collected $500 plus some promotion.  No worries.

 

If we looked into other episodes, would we find extenuating circumstances?  I'm certain we would.  In fact, I could start a list right now.  Hey, if anyone's up for it ... your turn!

Edited April 5, 2016 by aguabella

[DownTheShore]

Just saw the episode with the divorced artist, Annie, who has a college-aged son. She downsized from the large family home.

She, of course, picked the smallest TH, the one with absolutely no room whatsoever for her art studio. She moved her TH onto farmland, once again conveniently owned by a friend. I could never move to a TH because I don't know anyone who owns a farm.

She had a thing for open shelving; having to take a step back to open a cabinet door was her big bugaboo. However, there seemed to be no way to secure any of the items onto the shelves if she ever decided to move that TH, nor did she seem to give that any consideration.

I did like the homes by that builder and I noticed that they all did have smoke detectors installed. I personally would have taken the second one, the one with the side bump-outs. That one, I thought, was livable and was very well thought-out.

[OpieTaylor]

I personally would have taken the second one, the one with the side bump-outs. That one, I thought, was livable and was very well thought-out.

 

I agree, that was a very nice tiny house.

Edited April 5, 2016 by OpieTaylor

[ChromaKelly]

Loud Sex Couple was cringeworthy. My kids often watch HH/THH with me and I was glad they weren't in the room for that one. Yuck. 
I have taken to betting on the house that fulfills the least of their requirements being the one they will choose. If they insist they must have a separate sleeping area, they will pick the one that doesn't.

[aguabella]

I'm sure the loud couple is safely ensconced in their rental home but yeah, they needed a warning message before that episode.  Or, how about some editing?  Well, sex sells and the couple definitely received the attention they were looking for!

Edited April 7, 2016 by aguabella

[aguabella]

When the writer and his fiancée started their tiny home search with a desire to travel the US, I immediately thought get a airstream and be happy hipsters! It wasn't an airstream (given their budget probably bot an option) but it was the wisest choice. They have hit the road, their blog . And he has an interview with Jim Harrison in USA Today from their road trip (it is apparently going to be a regular feature in USA Today) and a piece in The New Yorker from two weeks ago.

They bought the camper like this the did the redesign that we saw themselves.

 

Thanks for posting the links, biakbiak.  We were probably checking them out simultaneously.  They sounded, to me, like one of the more believable stories that THH has produced.  Naturally, however, it was obvious that they'd selected the trailer and previously redone it given both the woman's description of her dream pad and its practicality for their upcoming travels.

 

They also fit my previous, upthread description of a natural progression for one of these couples.  According to the blog, he was struggling back in Lincoln, career wise but may find his way over the next year.  I can see them eventually returning home or to their next desired area of residence, getting married and settling into a non-Mcmansion single family home.

 

A couple more tidbits for anyone who doesn't care to peruse your great links:  they purchased the trailer for $1,600 and spent about a year of weekends renovating it with his father.  Yep, you can guess who did a fair amount of the work.  Here's his article about that process: 

 

                         http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/dad-renovating-trailer?iid=sr-link1

 

Jamison, their "agent" had reno'd the episode's first option as a combo man cave and vacation tiny for his family ... and possibly a vacation home rental, if anyone's interested in vacationing in Nebraska!  Here's more info on that:

 

                         http://tinyhousetalk.com/creative-midwest-tiny-house/

 

And, finally, here's the second place they toured during their "search".  Apparently the seller was reno'ing it as a bachelor pad for himself but his fiancé/wife desired a place in town.  (Kinda' funny, the guy fits one of the other scenarios I mentioned upthread.)

 

                        http://tinyhouselistings.com/listing/lincoln-nebraska-12-dual-axle-tiny-house-on-wheels/

 

A comment on their blog's THH show page exposes what's probably the episode's biggest lie.  They indicated the second option's selling price was $17K, IIRC.  It's listed for $35K.  Ouch!  A commenter called them out about it, complaining that she felt her friend would never receive anything close to his asking price, given that change.  

 

The moral of the pricing story, IMHO:  get it in writing before filming, always!  Otherwise, the producers will make any and all changes they deem necessary to further their plot.  Am almost 100% certain that never happens in HH, original recipe but it doesn't surprise me.  It's much easier to verify an actual listing price on the multiple listing service. 

 

And, did the couple share any juicy details about their THH experience?  No, no and no - at least not on their show page or in the comments, to date.  They gave the stereotypical info, i.e. so much fun filming and great crew!  And their response to the guy's friend regarding the listing price?  It was something along the lines of "oh well, whatever", IIRC! 

Edited April 10, 2016 by aguabella

[Texasmom1970]

Just got through watching the Portland artistic couple. I totally would have picked the floating house. It has been a dream since watching "Sleepless in Seattle."

 

Okay and I know the premise of this series is to show how tiny these houses are I get that. But I swear every time I hear one of the house hunters say its so tiny, so small, there's no room, etc., etc. I want to jump through my television and punch them in the throat.

 

Maybe its my pre-menopausal hormones taking over but news flash idiots a house smaller than the average garage is gonna be a big sacrifice in many ways! Ok rant over back to our regularly scheduled programming.

[Kohola3]

There's tiny and then there's just stupid.  You cannot, for a hot minute, tell me that those who live in colder climates can possibly cram winter jackets, boots, sweatshirts, etc. in a closet that is a foot wide.  And unless they do laundry every single day there never seems to be enough space to put more than one or two sets of clothing let along enough to last for more than a few days.  Do they store things in a trunk on the roof?

 

Heck, my robe and slippers would fill up one of those itsy bitsy closets.  Of course, I would probably need to replace my nightclothes on a regular basis after wearing out the knees crawling around the loft on my way to bed.  

 

Bet every one of these nuts will need bilateral knee replacements at an early age.

[SmithW6079]

Okay and I know the premise of this series is to show how tiny these houses are I get that. But I swear every time I hear one of the house hunters say its so tiny, so small, there's no room, etc., etc. I want to jump through my television and punch them in the throat.

Maybe its my pre-menopausal hormones taking over but news flash idiots a house smaller than the average garage is gonna be a big sacrifice in many ways! Ok rant over back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Then I'm menopausal too -- and I'm a guy -- because I want to do the same thing.

[debraran]

I'm hormonal too, but the words, "too tiny" and "natural light" get way too much air time. One Tiny House show, if they said "so much natural light" one more time, I was going to shut it off. ; )

 

The family of 6 who looked at the 3 homes got a lot of flak but they also made the home very nice. The kids seem okay with it and they might have had their reasons. They seemed wealthy enough to own such a large home, maybe a little overdrawn and thinking it would get worse with tuition's, etc. 

I love the stairs. 

What I didn't get was the outhouse/cabin...who would even entertain that idea? How would the kids get to school? I think the show did that for effect, they do stage things and between us, do you REALLY think all the couples see is 3 homes and then have to decide? No sane person would part with their money on 3 choices, one always horrible.

 

this is a facebook page from their blog:https://www.facebook.com/tinyhousefor6/

[debraran]

There's tiny and then there's just stupid.  You cannot, for a hot minute, tell me that those who live in colder climates can possibly cram winter jackets, boots, sweatshirts, etc. in a closet that is a foot wide.  And unless they do laundry every single day there never seems to be enough space to put more than one or two sets of clothing let along enough to last for more than a few days.  Do they store things in a trunk on the roof?

 

Heck, my robe and slippers would fill up one of those itsy bitsy closets.  Of course, I would probably need to replace my nightclothes on a regular basis after wearing out the knees crawling around the loft on my way to bed.  

 

Bet every one of these nuts will need bilateral knee replacements at an early age.

One show John Wisbarth showed the couples how to put their winter coats in throw pillows instead of stuffing or foam. Made me laugh, "What throw pillow is my down jacket in dear?" : )  But seriously for kids, that kind of thing might be novel. 

One woman in an interview said her dad made her storage under her house and another used her station wagon for extra paper towels, etc. If you had land that you owned, a shed might work,

Edited April 16, 2016 by debraran

[Kohola3]

One show John Wisbarth showed the couples how to put their winter coats in throw pillows instead of stuffing or foam. Made me laugh, "What throw pillow is my down jacket in dear?" : )  But seriously for kids, that kind of thing might be novel.

 

Well, I don't know about the snow where John lives but when I come in, my jacket is WET.  No way I'd stuff in in anything until it was dry which brings up the question of where one hangs wet coats, hats, gloves, etc to dry them out before "stuffing" them.  Plus, living in northern MI, I have a serious winter jacket which would make one hefty throw pillow.

 

I bet no one walks through any of those scenarios before making this decision.  Of course, most of them are a) fakes or b) just wanting their 15 minutes of fame.  I want a revisit story in 2-3 years to see if a single on of them is still living tiny.  My bucks are on a resounding no.

[debraran]

Oh to be fair,  he meant off season. : )  But still, they need space during the winter too. 

 

Well, I've seen googling, that on their show, a few have left, some you just don't hear about, maybe they should have a "look back in a year" show. The Rocky Mt couple on Tiny House Nation had a lot of issues which is easily googled, leaks, no internet, etc and had to move out. The first family they did where they made a castle theme for their young daughter, left their home within a year I think. They couple where they made a roof deck has theirs for sale on Tiny House Listings. I heard the musician family left too, either pregnancy or other family issue. 

Some only want a few years, but I really think they feel, especially the young ones, it's like a doll house or fort but nicer. They should be required to live in one for a weekend and really go over every little thing that could go wrong. Downsizing is stressful, but so is not having space, adequate water pressure, laundry and a multitude of other things. 

 

I feel the tiny homes on foundations are more logical and probably have a higher success rate. 

[Neurochick]

I have friends, a married couple who now want a tiny house.  When they first met she had a condo that was about 550 square feet and they'd like to get a home that size.  She's been throwing stuff away, and her feeling is, when you buy something, you throw something away (my feeling as well).  I can see that, what I don't get with the tiny homes is the loft space.  Lofts are nice when you're young, not great when you're not so young.

 

As for the size, I live in NYC and lots of people live in studio apartments, so there is that. 

 

I think it's interesting when I watch HHI that so many Americans scream about how they need space and everybody needs to have their own room, and a walk in closet, and a HUGE ass kitchen even though no one cooks; I think people have been conditioned to need so much space, that if you don't have a house that's 47748949 square feet, you're a loser.

 

I'm sure the loud couple is safely ensconced in their rental home but yeah, they needed a warning message before that episode.  Or, how about some editing?  Well, sex sells and the couple definitely received the attention they were looking for!

 

 

I'm confused.  Why should they have a disclaimer?  It's not like they were going to have sex on the show.  I mean if it weren't for sex, none of us would be here.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Neurochick

[SmithW6079]

I mean if it weren't for sex, none of us would be here.

What about test tube babies? They're conceived without sex. :-)

[Neurochick]

What about test tube babies? They're conceived without sex. :-)

 

True.  That and artificial insemination. 

Edited April 18, 2016 by Neurochick

[debraran]

My goodness many people in Europe live in small spaces, it's all they have and they survive. It's what you are told you need and some people feel claustrophobic in small spaces especially if they aren't used to it.

I used to work with many wealthy people with large homes and most were never in them, I always found the really large homes,cold, but that's me.

 

I think the sex comment was kind of out of place because it was obviously put in to make people laugh or listen, especially when said more than once. Sometimes I like to forget the staging and reality part of it, I was reading a lot of the homes shown on Tiny House Hunting aren't even for sale...but it is fun.

[psychoticstate]

Just got through watching the Portland artistic couple. I totally would have picked the floating house. It has been a dream since watching "Sleepless in Seattle."

 

Okay and I know the premise of this series is to show how tiny these houses are I get that. But I swear every time I hear one of the house hunters say its so tiny, so small, there's no room, etc., etc. I want to jump through my television and punch them in the throat.

 

Maybe its my pre-menopausal hormones taking over but news flash idiots a house smaller than the average garage is gonna be a big sacrifice in many ways! Ok rant over back to our regularly scheduled programming.

 

Me too!  The outdoor space on the floating home was great too.

 

They didn't say exactly how far out of Portland the home, with the land, they chose was.  That place didn't make any sense to me - - the kitchen was much too small and he wanted a wood burning stove or something.  She needed a place to make her jewelry and the area was deemed too small on first look.  So they went over their budget to buy this place and then sunk another $8K into building a shed to use as a work area?  And they have a store in the Portland area?  Wonder how long their commute is?   

 

I'm with others who are tired of hearing about all the wants.  You can only get so much with 200 square feet (or less), you idiots.  I like natural light too but I wouldn't want a 200 square foot trailer to be nothing but windows - - no privacy.  If you want a loft space to sleep in, guess what?  That means you're going to have a ladder and no head room.  So quit acting confused about the ladder and then looking at the loft and saying "it's so small!"  The people who want a full sized bathtub in a tiny home are just morons.  And quite possibly my biggest pet peeve are the people who are so concerned about having room to entertain and host overnight guests.  If you have that many visitors and overnight guests, maybe tiny living isn't for you.  I personally would much rather stay in a hotel than in a dualing loft or pullout sofa in a trailer but maybe that's just me. 

[OpieTaylor]

They didn't say exactly how far out of Portland the home, with the land, they chose was.  That place didn't make any sense to me - - the kitchen was much too small and he wanted a wood burning stove or something.  She needed a place to make her jewelry and the area was deemed too small on first look.  So they went over their budget to buy this place and then sunk another $8K into building a shed to use as a work area?  And they have a store in the Portland area?  Wonder how long their commute is?

I, too, was puzzled about why they moved so far from Portland - I think they said that property was a couple of hours away. So they can afford rent on a shop in Portland, with employees, and 5 acres, a tiny house, and they built a big shed? Gosh, jewelry and Tshirt making must be lucrative!  

[biakbiak]

I know I complained about the couple a few weeks ago with a gazillion kids who kept talking about their sex life but everytime I see a couple moving into one of these houses with a coffin like loft, I don't understand how two people can sleep there together much less do anything other than sleeping! Hell you can barely sit up and read in most of them!

Edited April 19, 2016 by biakbiak

[Grommet]

I know this show is every bit as staged as HH Full Size (maybe even more so!) but I can always tell which closet they've already purchased because it's the most inappropriate, least wish-list-fulfilling of any of the places shown. The tall guy who home brews buys the place with a loft he barely fits in and a micro-kitchen. The woman who wants a homey cottage gets the ugly little RV so her husband can CPA on the road.

 

I'd much prefer to see people dealing with the reality of tiny house living and not gushing about "all this storage!" when looking at one shelf.

[KLovestoShop]

My pet peeve is when these Tiny Housers say "It's so small". Do they not know the meaning of a tiny house?

[DownTheShore]

Those ones that stick their tiny home out in a field somewhere, and aren't outfitted for solar (and why aren't these tiny houses made with solar panels incorporated into the rooftop?) what are they using for electricity - a generator? Bet the sound of that really disrupts the bucolic serenity of that field.

[debraran]

Those ones that stick their tiny home out in a field somewhere, and aren't outfitted for solar (and why aren't these tiny houses made with solar panels incorporated into the rooftop?) what are they using for electricity - a generator? Bet the sound of that really disrupts the bucolic serenity of that field.

I wonder about Internet too when they are far from anyone else, having a space for computer is always mentioned. And what about any mail if you don't have a real address?

[debraran]

I found this about a real Tiny House Hunter experience with filming, etc.

 

https://elenahitstheroad.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/tiny-house-hunting-tv-style/

 

Interesting and exhausting experience.

 

On the bottom of the page, under "related" is the experience of a real couple who made their tiny house and hit the road, but I wonder how much money you need to do that since you aren't really working.

Edited April 20, 2016 by debraran

[Grneyedldy]

My pet peeve is when these Tiny Housers say "It's so small". Do they not know the meaning of a tiny house?

My pet peeve is when they say "it's too large". Really? Ya think you won't be able to use all 240 sq. ft.? C'mon.

[Kohola3]

I wonder about Internet too when they are far from anyone else, having a space for computer is always mentioned. And what about any mail if you don't have a real address?

 

I don't think we are supposed to wonder about the practicalities.  Mail could go to a PO box unless you move around which is the premise of some of the stories.  I doubt a big honkin' satellite dish would look too good attached the side.  Electric, gas, sewage removal for the ones sitting in  the middle of a filed? Dunno. There is a lot of stuff that doesn't add up.

[izabella]

For me, it's always:  where are they getting WATER from?  I know they usually only have teeny tiny showers, but you still need water for it, and for the sinks to wash with even if using bottled for everything else.

[KLovestoShop]

When we travel for an extended period of time, all our bills are sent via email and then we find a place with free wifi and pay our bills online.  Lots of people get ebills for everything.  That's probably how many of those tiny house people live from day to day.

 

But I also wonder about the water issue.  I don't see any water heaters, so are you stuck with taking cold showers?  Do you have to heat your water on a hot plate to wash dishes?  I just don't get it.  At least with a camper, if you go to an organized camping area or a place with hookups, you can get water and sewer.  My niece and her family have a camper and they go to places like Jellystone Park or KOA Campgrounds and there are water, sewer and electrical hookups for their camper.   A long time ago, we did a camping trip to the Grand Canyon and they had a lot of different camp areas, some really nice with all the amenities and others that they call "rustic" where you've got basically nothing but outhouses.  We were stuck one night in the rustic and we vowed never again.  I need the basics of life like a hot shower and a real toilet.

[debraran]

Every Tiny House is different but I've read some had tanks, some used a hose at hookups to do dishes with cold water and most used compost toilets that don't use water. Zack Giffin said his tiny house doesn't have a shower....for some, it's not for the "delicate". ; )

[chessiegal]

We're sailors, and I've read articles by people who live on their sailboats and sail around the world. They use commercial mail services to get their mail.
 

Edited April 20, 2016 by chessiegal

[aguabella]

I found this about a real Tiny House Hunter experience with filming, etc.

 

https://elenahitstheroad.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/tiny-house-hunting-tv-style/

 

Interesting and exhausting experience.

 

On the bottom of the page, under "related" is the experience of a real couple who made their tiny house and hit the road, but I wonder how much money you need to do that since you aren't really working.

 

Thanks for locating the blog!  She gave a detailed account of her filming experience.  Even though she didn't disclose anything that was unknown to me, I doubt the producers would be thrilled with her post.

 

And she said they allowed her to work as a gopher for a couple of hours on another THH filmed in the same area?  Well, good for her.  As an employer, personally, I'd only hire someone who cared enough to read my nondisclosure and respect it.  (But, that's just me.)  I'm sure they either didn't know about her post and/or she hadn't written it up at that time.

[debraran]

Thanks for locating the blog!  She gave a detailed account of her filming experience.  Even though she didn't disclose anything that was unknown to me, I doubt the producers would be thrilled with her post.

 

And she said they allowed her to work as a gopher for a couple of hours on another THH filmed in the same area?  Well, good for her.  As an employer, personally, I'd only hire someone who cared enough to read my nondisclosure and respect it.  (But, that's just me.)  I'm sure they either didn't know about her post and/or she hadn't written it up at that time.

Yes, her blog is quite extensive. It echos a little of what I read before, a very staged, obviously, but interesting experience.I didn't realize that many homes are not for sale or rentals and the entire focus is what they end up with. I guess I never gave it that much thought, so don't contact fake realtor about a home you saw there. ; )

THN participants have had less blogs/interviews, but some have given interviews early on, some happy, some not. I think they might have changed their contracts a bit. One young woman who will have her tiny house show in May, said on FB that they aren't allowed to show house early and talk about it, but as we've seen, many are not even in them in 6 months. The surfer house is for sale now too!

Edited April 25, 2016 by debraran

[aguabella]

Yes, her blog is quite extensive. It echos a little of what I read before, a very staged, obviously, but interesting experience.I didn't realize that many homes are not for sale or rentals and the entire focus is what they end up with. I guess I never gave it that much thought, so don't contact fake realtor about a home you saw there. ; )

THN participants have had less blogs/interviews, but some have given interviews early on, some happy, some not. I think they might have changed their contracts a bit. One young woman who will have her tiny house show in May, said on FB that they aren't allowed to show house early and talk about it, but as we've seen, many are not even in them in 6 months. The surfer house is for sale now too!

 

Actually, she didn't post anything that was new to me but I've been around HH since the beginning and am very familiar with their filming methods.  (Others can confirm - I've been droning on about this topic for years, lol!)  They haven't changed their documents since before THH was started.  Always a few, however, who don't pay attention to the details and simply sign away.  And, because they have a tougher time finding participants for THH, they're faking more backstories and thus, there's more info to leak.

 

Thanks again for posting her blog, debraran.  Hmmm, it won't surprise me if that link disappears at some point!

[aguabella]

I'm sure the loud couple is safely ensconced in their rental home but yeah, they needed a warning message before that episode.  Or, how about some editing?  Well, sex sells and the couple definitely received the attention they were looking for!

 

I have friends, a married couple who now want a tiny house.  When they first met she had a condo that was about 550 square feet and they'd like to get a home that size.  She's been throwing stuff away, and her feeling is, when you buy something, you throw something away (my feeling as well).  I can see that, what I don't get with the tiny homes is the loft space.  Lofts are nice when you're young, not great when you're not so young.

 

As for the size, I live in NYC and lots of people live in studio apartments, so there is that. 

 

I think it's interesting when I watch HHI that so many Americans scream about how they need space and everybody needs to have their own room, and a walk in closet, and a HUGE ass kitchen even though no one cooks; I think people have been conditioned to need so much space, that if you don't have a house that's 47748949 square feet, you're a loser.

 

 

I'm confused.  Why should they have a disclaimer?  It's not like they were going to have sex on the show.  I mean if it weren't for sex, none of us would be here.

 

I'm sure you knew I was joking when I mentioned the warning label, Neurochick, that had been suggested by a previous poster.  As I indicated, above, "sex sells". 

 

They'd been living in a Monterey rental home, not a camper, since camping across the U.S. from Virginia over the summer.  I'm certain the husband wanted to add some titillation to the episode so we'd all remember it and discuss!  Mission accomplished, right?

 

Bottom line, however, besides having fun, filming an episode and playacting with their kids, I believe they hoped to raise awareness of home births and doula practices.

[StatisticalOutlier]

I'm coming at this from an RV angle--I've lived in a 40-foot motorhome (400 square feet when the slideouts are deployed) for 12 years now, traveling around.

 

 

Those ones that stick their tiny home out in a field somewhere, and aren't outfitted for solar (and why aren't these tiny houses made with solar panels incorporated into the rooftop?) what are they using for electricity - a generator? Bet the sound of that really disrupts the bucolic serenity of that field.

 

Solar panels add height, and for the movable tiny houses, they use every bit of the 13'6" road-legal height already.  Or, actually, they do make thin solar panels, but they're inefficient and you need a lot of real estate to get much electricity out of them, and tiny houses don't have it.

 

Also, with a pitched-roof tiny house, the panels might be pointing the wrong way depending on where it's parked.  And you can't be in the shade, obviously, and some people really like their shade. 

 

The good news is that LED lights and laptops and TVs don't use much electricity, but hair dryers and water heaters and microwaves sure do.

 

However, to use solar panels, you have to have batteries to store the electricity, and batteries are pretty big and VERY heavy.  For a TH on a foundation, you can build a place for them, but for a movable TH, it's an issue. 

 

 

I wonder about Internet too when they are far from anyone else, having a space for computer is always mentioned. And what about any mail if you don't have a real address?

 

You can have a p.o. box, but you still have to have a "physical address" for some purposes--voter registration, driver's license,some banks and brokerage houses, health insurance.  You can use a p.o. box as a "mailing address" for almost any purpose, but there sometimes has to be an underlying physical address somewhere.  I use a friend's house, which is ridiculous because it's considered the "garaging" address for my vehicle insurance and that's just not true, but it's a necessary fiction.

 

Internet is okay if there's a cell tower near you but it's a drag not having a home hard-wired super fast connection with unlimited internet.  There's a new generation of satellite internet out there that's pretty fast (previous satellite internet was just a little better than dial-up), but it's not unlimited like cable or DSL.  And you have to have a pretty big dish.

 

 

But I also wonder about the water issue.  I don't see any water heaters, so are you stuck with taking cold showers? 

 

Considering that some of the tiny houses we've seen don't even have a toilet, I wouldn't be surprised if some don't have a water heater.  But they make 6-gallon water heaters for RVs that are quite small and I assume that's what these THs have.  Or maybe an on-demand one--they don't take up much room. 

 

I noticed in the blog linked to above, the Asheville woman is using a BUCKET as a toilet because she's not hooked up to sewer.  Or, more accurately, as a back-up toilet since she usually uses the one inside her friend's house whose back yard she's parked in. 

 

And she's draining her "gray" water (shower, sinks) on the ground.  That's illegal in many places.  She has the permission of the landowner, which is nice, but it's not something I'd advertise.

 

But again, we have a tiny house owner whose lifestyle requires a friend who'll let her park it in his backyard and use his toilet.