Tiny House Nation - General Discussion

[Noirprncess]

This topic replaces the old Tiny House Nation forum which has been vaulted at the location below:  http://forums.previously.tv/forum/1063-tiny-house-nation-v/

[Noirprncess]

Given that the last few episodes have features widely delusional folks, I almost named this, Delusional Much?

 

Watching S3E15 - the couple goes mountaineering and camping every weekend.  I don't believe that this couple will move into the tiny house PERMANENTLY.  Over weekends Yes, but for day to day.... Nope.

[debraran]

I think Tina and Luke will, she's been pretty active on FB and they designed the house. Maybe not for many years, I but i think they actually will live in theirs. They are selling the design and from what she said on FB, not planning on children. They also added a lot of nice things later, a railing for the deck, a nice porch,some kitchen items and replaced Zack's door because it warped. They are hoping to turn it into a table.

The photographers home is for sale though (she's sick), the last one where the wife had so much makeup, etc.  and the beach house is still for sale, and I'm sure many more will be in the future.

 

This article explains some of the drawbacks.

https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/nation/tiny-houses-the-tiny-house-dream-is-actually-a-nightmare

Edited July 5, 2016 by debraran

[debraran]

Another home.....http://tinyhouselistings.com/listing/hinesville-ga-12-330-sq-ft-thow-3/#comment-24467

And on the THN Facebook page, you can win a vacation in it, so I'm confused but maybe they need the cash until it sells.

[Noirprncess]

This show has basically turned into a digital real estate board with so many of the homes going up for sale as soon as the episode airs.

[auntjess]

The Tiny House Nation : Unpacked, had a new current air date, but when the couple both worked at a family driving school, I knew I'd seen it before.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20150719/ENTERTAINMENTLIFE/150719164
It seems to have been aired some time in July 2015, but I don't see a thread for it.
All of my channels are recycling shows it seems. 
 

[debraran]

Yes, it said "new" I guess because they added new content, but I laughed because some of them are not even in the homes anymore. The couple with the roof deck have had theirs for sale for almost a year.

Next week, is a family with kids and she's pregnant (really) but the house does look bigger, at least the lofts, but scary. You hear the wife say she has no concerns as the toddler is climbing into the loft....none? Will be interesting.

[auntjess]

Is this a different family from one with 3 kids and a pregnant wife, who bought the old bus recently?

[debraran]

This is a new show, maybe the last this year...they showed the preview and it was a larger tiny home with larger dormer/lofts so it jutted out on the sides. I can't find the preview on the site yet.  It was quick but John is asking wife about trepidation about having baby there and later, you see their older child (2/3?) climbing up stairs or ladder to loft and Mom saying she felt good about things now. I wanted to jump in and make sure she didn't fall.  I hope they show all the railings and other things, zoning or no zoning in the show, it wouldn't be right to not cross all the t's with kids.

 

What really scares me is that the promo said 200 sq feet...I expected 400. In TV Guide:

Tiny House Nation

200 Sq. Ft. Family-Friendly House

A family-friendly home is sought by a couple expecting their second child.

Edited August 7, 2016 by debraran

[psychoticstate]

I watched this epi with the toddler and expectant parents.  First, that little girl was beyond cute.  And very smart.

I like that the did put some security measures in place although I was still worried about her going up and down the stairs (better than a ladder.)  How her expectant mother was going to go up and down a ladder was beyond me.  And while the hammock for the newborn was cute, it scared me.  Could the baby fall out?  Suffocate?  And where is he going to go as he gets older?  If they remain in the tiny house, he will clearly have to share the other loft with the toddler. 

I never understand why some of these buyers feel their tiny home MUST be mobile.  Do all of them work for themselves or have jobs that allow them to be traveling across the country?  Do all of them have family/friends with land they are allowed to squat on?  I just don't get it.

[debraran]

34 minutes ago, psychoticstate said:

I watched this epi with the toddler and expectant parents.  First, that little girl was beyond cute.  And very smart.

I like that the did put some security measures in place although I was still worried about her going up and down the stairs (better than a ladder.)  How her expectant mother was going to go up and down a ladder was beyond me.  And while the hammock for the newborn was cute, it scared me.  Could the baby fall out?  Suffocate?  And where is he going to go as he gets older?  If they remain in the tiny house, he will clearly have to share the other loft with the toddler. 

I never understand why some of these buyers feel their tiny home MUST be mobile.  Do all of them work for themselves or have jobs that allow them to be traveling across the country?  Do all of them have family/friends with land they are allowed to squat on?  I just don't get it.

I don't understand either, it's rarely legal. And foundation homes can have more additions and you can add on later.  The Mom was on FB THN and answered someone who thought it was over the top with an infant, that she was aware of how it would be, but I asked about railings. She said when baby was mobile, she would put railings on her loft. Scary to me but to each his own.  They had to downside clothes a lot also with little space. Really cute kid though and I agree, smart as a whip,  and hopefully she will comply with safety rules. Her son has arrived (Noah) and she did comment it is an adjustment.

Some of the tiny homes had a lot of storage and places for clothes, etc. and storage in steps, unique things, but I guess every tiny house can't be like that. I'm sure the price goes up considerably.

[debraran]

One more to add to the list:

http://tinyhouseswoon.com/custom-contemporary/

[Noirprncess]

So when does the Adam and Gabrielle tiny house go up for sale???. 

I hope they stop picking folks with unrealistic requests for the new season, if there is one.  This is getting tiring.

[auntjess]

I've been watching some Tiny House Luxury, and they do high end homes, but even for couples, I think the dual purpose items may be a pain.

[Jellybeans]

I wish a developer would design a community of 500sqft or so of foundation homes, all under $100k.  Ya know, with plumbing, heat, etc..

Edited August 20, 2016 by Jellybeans

[auntjess]

Stairs and rails?  Egress windows, fire extinguishers?  Yep.  Would be nice.

[debraran]

When you bring children in the mix, you need railings and gates and the like. Kids are so fast, you look at a text and they are up the ladder.

I think every year it's on, less couples stay. I know the "backpackers" are happy, the wine house is still going strong, but so many have sold. I think foundation homes usually are fine but THOW are harder to keep.  Some couples find it more expensive than others, some have to rent land or park space, some have to go to the Laundromat, some found they had to upgrade heating or outside wood trim because of leaks. Some found composting wasn't something they took a liking too but a flush toilet wasn't available.

I just don't understand why these checklists aren't gone over beforehand. Is the 15 minutes of fame worth it? As one happy participant told me, it's 50/50, with THN,  they add things but you do it on their time frame, their film schedule and you can't show your home for a year or whenever it will air. They also have to have it started or almost done and although many think Zack does a lot of it, he usually is helping a large crew who don't get mentioned in every show.

2 hours ago, auntjess said:

I've been watching some Tiny House Luxury, and they do high end homes, but even for couples, I think the dual purpose items may be a pain.

Where do you see Luxury Tiny homes? That sounds interesting. JellyBeans,  I would love a community of affordable housing under 1000 sq feet with all the space saving devices we see. Great starter home or homes for small families or elderly who don't want a big space or senior living home.

[auntjess]

There were some on this afternoon (Sat. 8/20) on DIY.
The one I saw wa $120k.
The couple wanted no loft, but a largish living room, and a bedroom, on the ground floor.
The living room was built on a platform, with the bed, dining table, and chairs all built in to pull out.
I see it's an HGTV show, but I saw it on DIY.
http://www.hgtv.com/shows/tiny-luxury

[debraran]

Thanks, I'll check it out, although my old colonial was about that and much larger, I don't think I could spend that much for 1 bedroom....on the other hand I see people spend 300,000 on a tiny room in San Francisco.  To each his or her own.

Thanks again,will watch the one with 3 children (!) and then check out the new ski THN tonight.

Edited August 21, 2016 by debraran

[Noirprncess]

This ski one is again filled with crazy expectations out of 240 square foot.  A hot tub???? Really people?

[NewDigs]

On August 15, 2016 at 3:03 PM, psychoticstate said:

I watched this epi with the toddler and expectant parents.  First, that little girl was beyond cute.  And very smart.

I like that the did put some security measures in place although I was still worried about her going up and down the stairs (better than a ladder.)  How her expectant mother was going to go up and down a ladder was beyond me.  And while the hammock for the newborn was cute, it scared me.  Could the baby fall out?  Suffocate?  And where is he going to go as he gets older?  If they remain in the tiny house, he will clearly have to share the other loft with the toddler. 

I never understand why some of these buyers feel their tiny home MUST be mobile.  Do all of them work for themselves or have jobs that allow them to be traveling across the country?  Do all of them have family/friends with land they are allowed to squat on?  I just don't get it.

Bold mine.

We usually kind of snort and wonder just how often they will actually move those things.

I liken it to liveaboard boat life. Once you get all unpacked and comfy it can be a major production to just go for a quick sail.

And it's difficult to picture some of those things actually going down the road. I'm reminded of that Bacardi house party commercial.

Edited August 27, 2016 by NewDigs

[debraran]

Someone said a tiny house mom from last years show realized driving with a house on tugging behind, the difficulty steering and parking and getting gas often, made the "traveling to new places" less joyful. If you had a very tiny home like Zack does, it probably isn't more than a U haul  but I could never tow one of those larger houses around.

The husband in the newer ski house show had a blog about their first few weeks. They didn't have hot water because of issues with propane, etc. and the learning curve is steep but they are happy. If I had children, I would much rather have a small cottage or condo, just can't have everyone in an unsafe loft. Even on Little House on the Prairie, they had the smaller kids sleeping ground level. ; )

Edited August 27, 2016 by debraran

[NewDigs]

Plus, once they get to a location where they can plug in, etc., it starts costing real money. Some camp/rv grounds charge by the foot with lots of littl extras. And living off the grid? Generator noise gets old fast. 

[debraran]

5 hours ago, NewDigs said:

Plus, once they get to a location where they can plug in, etc., it starts costing real money. Some camp/rv grounds charge by the foot with lots of littl extras. And living off the grid? Generator noise gets old fast. 

That reminds me of youtube videos of tiny home nation called, The first 24 hours.....one of them had the couple really moving in, not the props they use on the show and how much space their things took up. You could barely hear them with the generators going but without them, they didn't have electricity.

One woman who was criticized for selling her home quickly, (and that is her business really) said it cost a lot more than she thought. The renting of space (if you aren't squatting illegally) or own land, was costly and she had trouble with internet services. The composting toilet wasn't working as well as she liked and going to the laundromat was costly and took time.  She couldn't save at good sales because she couldn't stock up on costly items that were half price...little things to some, but to her, it added up. She also found it hard to have things fixed on her house and without insurance, it could add up. Having a tire go on the road wasn't like a car tire and cost her over a thousand (not sure why) It was also very hot and air cost her quite a bit even with a little space. I notice in many tiny homes for sale and updates on THN when they return, many fans, fans in the loft (sometimes 2) fans in living space, it must get very stuffy.

They now have internet pages on tiny home expenses to think about BEFORE buying but many just feel small equals cheap and it can, but not for everyone.

Edited August 27, 2016 by debraran

[debraran]

This is the youtube pages from the first 24 hours. Matt and Kelsey had a smoke filled house and Liam and Laura showed how fast it fills up when your stuff goes into it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaeYzff3P8Y&list=PLtVb-8zASjtE2644l_UZ6RT-e0Jx54UpD&index=5

 

Edited August 27, 2016 by debraran

[NewDigs]

Wow. I doubt that either of those tiny houses are going to be moving down the road soon. I was surprised at the, what seemed to me to be, fairly substantial kitchens. One looked to have a washer. (I had to watch on mute and there were no ccs)

I think both couples would have been well-served by going to boat shows and seeing what mobility really looks like though each house had some nice finishing touches. 

Hope Matt hasn't hurt himself doing gymnastics from the loft to the lower level.

Oh, and storage gets expensive too. And you can bet they've got storage. Used to be a liveaboard boater and it's the nature of the beast.

Thanks for posting the vids!

[debraran]

20 minutes ago, NewDigs said:

Wow. I doubt that either of those tiny houses are going to be moving down the road soon. I was surprised at the, what seemed to me to be, fairly substantial kitchens. One looked to have a washer. (I had to watch on mute and there were no ccs)

I think both couples would have been well-served by going to boat shows and seeing what mobility really looks like though each house had some nice finishing touches. 

Hope Matt hasn't hurt himself doing gymnastics from the loft to the lower level.

Oh, and storage gets expensive too. And you can bet they've got storage. Used to be a liveaboard boater and it's the nature of the beast.

Thanks for posting the vids!

Yes,  A  few couples mentioned renting storage bins or using a family basement and one made a shed. One lady proudly said her station wagon was her Costco storage, tiny didn't mean she gave up the 12 roll paper towel bundles. lol

[holly4755]

I had an outdoor shed with my trailer and used it for beach stuff and out door furniture. I never moved it though, the town rule was that it had to be tied down with hurricane ties. we also did not have composting toilets, but boat toilets and grey water tanks. I had mine attached to a sewer as long as it was not going anywhere. 

[debraran]

I wonder when tiny homes are in certain areas, about safety in storms. You don't see the tie downs etc you have to do in RV parks.  Once I remember Zack Giffin saying being in a very cold environment, they had to make sure it had very good insulation and covering underneath to keep pipes (and them) from freezing and a certain roof but also if your home is that small and tight, adequate ventilation or you can get sick from the heater or fumes. I think they should discuss safety much more often,they aren't doll houses.

I think some of this was supposed to be funny but he makes some points that should be thought of before investing a lot of money in one. For an older couple (which TH shows hardly ever show) they probably wont be into resale, but a younger couple will be.

http://thetinylife.com/tiny-houses-suck/

 

The tiny house "handglider" had updates on an instagram account, he had propane issues and frozen pipes, and another tiny house nation participant said they did also. A connector wasn't put in, they blamed the rush of 1 wk. It was camera ready but not live in ready. I think they ended up selling theirs but Brian, the handglider I think is still in his.

Edited September 4, 2016 by debraran

[auntjess]

Didn't the hang glider live in a pulloff of a road in a national park?  I thought he'd have been evicted.

[debraran]

6 minutes ago, auntjess said:

Didn't the hang glider live in a pulloff of a road in a national park?  I thought he'd have been evicted.

I don't think he stayed in one place...the original spot was way too windy and I think he moved around. I saw this and some other posts https://www.instagram.com/shangrilittle/

I like to see how many stick with it because it seems a lot don't.  I wonder if they have enough if the show will entertain the idea of following up with them. If too many have sold or moved on, it might hurt the show.

[debraran]

Add another to the pile...zoning is something that is cramping a lot of owners.

http://tinyhouselistings.com/listing/park-city-utah-12-300-sq-ft-incl-lofts-custom-craftsman-on-wheels-featured-on-tiny-house-nation/

[debraran]

And a nice BNB rental

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3903669?sug=51

[debraran]

http://tinyhouselistings.com/listing/issaquah-wa-12-kelsey-and-matt/

 

I didn't remember this well, but I do remember the puzzle in the pic she wanted to keep.

[auntjess]

On ‎9‎/‎5‎/‎2016 at 6:03 PM, debraran said:

Add another to the pile...zoning is something that is cramping a lot of owners.

How is a house with an OPEN loft "designed with a family with two young children in mind,..."
 

[debraran]

I asked and they said they planned on putting rails up when the baby got older....I don't understand why they aren't put in initially in many tiny homes...especially is THN is helping, make that a request. I know with me that "nesting" instinct could never have an open loft like that even if the baby was tiny.

[Snarkette]

Just when you think the show can't get more ridiculous: Big Family, Tiny Challenge. "Hey, let's bust into these people's lives and give them 15 minutes to pack"

[debraran]

I thought if it was more realistic and not typical reality show stuff, it might have been better. Get a family that really wanted to try it and wouldn't have a small composting toilet and 5 people and it might be useful. So many of the THN houses go for sale in a year or less,  let them try it out first.  I don't know why anyone needs such a huge home, I never found them appealing, somewhat cold, but to each his/her own. I think the upkeep must be so expensive. I hope they find a nice home that is more workable.

[psychoticstate]

I hated that episode.  Were we really supposed to believe that they sold their house, had a month to vacate and had no idea where to go?  And John just showed up at their door, they had zero idea this was going to happen and they had 15 min to get their stuff?  And WORSE . . . that after 2 weeks of going from a 5000 sq ft house into a 300 sq ft tiny home with 1 bathroom, the adults sleeping in the "living room" and all 3 teens crammed in the upstairs loft, where nobody has any privacy, the mom would cry about leaving that tiny home??  And the dad thought it was all fine and dandy? Seriously?  And let's not even start with the dad having a poker night and the kids having friends stay over.  

At least the oldest son was keeping it real with his comment upon seeing that the tiny house was gone: "Good riddance." 

The composting toilet was gross.  I thought it was wrong to basically make the oldest son do all the work insofar as carrying the bucket through the house (with warnings not to spill it) and pour it outside. The dad should have done that, especially since he was so gung ho about it.  And did he not work for the entire two weeks?  He had a home office in their 5000 sq ft monstrosity; he certainly had no room for anything in that tiny home.

They mentioned an HOA that dictated every home in the subdivision had to be at least 3000 sq ft.  I imagine the HOA would have had to agree to allow the tiny home to be parked in the driveway - - so the homeowners surely knew John and the tiny home were coming.

I don't know - - the episode rubbed me the wrong way.  It should have worked, making people try out the reality of a tiny home before buying one because it's trendy.  But a family of 5, possibly with a pet (I swear I saw a pet door in their garage) should look at a foundation home rather than a tiny mobile one. 

Gah.

[psychoticstate]

On 9/21/2016 at 3:31 PM, debraran said:

http://tinyhouselistings.com/listing/issaquah-wa-12-kelsey-and-matt/

 

I didn't remember this well, but I do remember the puzzle in the pic she wanted to keep.

$70,000?  Are they high?  And saying there are 2 bedrooms is a bit of a stretch to me.  They have 2 lofts. 

I vaguely remember this tiny home.  I have no memory of the homeowners whatsoever. 

[debraran]

It was a so-so episode, they were going to move in together but weren't sleeping together yet, so they wanted separate spaces, that was the unique angle for the show.

I was surprised the techy couple sold theirs so fast, they wanted all these do-dads in it, they loved it and now it's been for sale for a few months. The one with 2 kids, she was homeschooling and they had a sink upstairs in the kids loft, they are selling, the husband said she is going to school now but they just aired the show. That seems to be a reason a few couples have given.

They wanted 80,000!  My 2 bedroom condo when my kids were little, was under that and I had a normal kitchen and living room and deck.

http://tinyhouselistings.com/listing/park-city-utah-12-300-sq-ft-incl-lofts-custom-craftsman-on-wheels-featured-on-tiny-house-nation/

Edited October 4, 2016 by debraran

[Snarkette]

I suspect a lot of these tiny movementers are AirB&B'ing their "new life" (so supplemental income, as seen on Tiny House Nation!),  using it as a second/vacation home, or create an artificial basement on a relative's land until they move on to a real home.

The show is really all about a downsizing cult ("downsize but maintain your middle class status, but simplify and lower your debt"), the participants include a fair number of opportunists as well as some misguided cultists, and an awful lot of put upon children, pets, and spouses.

Lacking from this show: studio apartments, trailer parks, moving out to someplace in Wyoming, and proper toilet hook-ups that neither compost nor burn. "Ted Kaczynski with upscale counter tops!"

[debraran]

Yes, I've seen some BNB's, I knew the one built by a river (for the kids to be outdoors) would be a perfect one. Gets good reviews but that wasn't "on wheels".

I only see a handful, but many aren't flipped too quickly and the double price is a turn off to many, just because it was on THN. There are many small homes and THOW's that have nice things without Zack Giffin making them and since the show emphasizes one "problem", it might not be that buyers.

I do think a lot of people can downsize and there is a lack of housing for many, but the show is more about young couples who want one to do whatever and although some make it through, the last year, the show has take a turn and been more about showing off the sponsors, the build itself and not really a long term goal. 

I don't think I'll watch the THOW shows as much since I get claustrophobic thinking of being in a long box but I did like the on foundation builds or double trailer builds.

[holly4755]

well considering my beach home was an 28 foot RV, I never had any misgivings except during tornado warnings. I was in the process of removing the dinette set which would have opened the room up a lot when Superstorm Sandy damaged it.  Right now I live alone in a multi bedroom house and am thinking it is over time to leave for a smaller place as upkeep has become a problem. Now time to get rid of an attic full to the brim of vintage clothing from the 60's and 70's and 4 huge boxes of ornaments, and the magazine collections for decades ago. ... lots to sell or donate.heh - I absolutely would love to downsize to under 500 sq feet or so with low maintenance lawn, but it is getting rid of everything. ugh. So I do understand downsizing, just not quite as much and not with a composting toilet.  RVs come with flush toilets,  they just don't use as much water and you can go to pumping stations if you are in a proper mobile park to empty the tanks. So many of these houses that are in cold places, I wonder where their source of water is and how they keep it from being frozen in winter.  And the houses attached to the grid, where are the wires? how do you detach when you move, My park you had to have your trailer winterized and not occupy it from november until mid april. But they did have hoses to attach for water and sewer service and power stations for your plug, heck they even had cable sections. what do these people do out in the middle of nowhere? 

[debraran]

Good question on water and many do get frozen pipes, you have to insulate well and prepare.  But yes, if it's not a decoration, where does a steady amount of water come from if out in the woods or even in Mom's backyard? Where does the electric come from when they don't show wires....tv magic, it's not really functional? One couple on a "24 hour later" video, had generators buzzing but that couldn't be for long term use.

I heard on guy on youtube say he has to be very careful, has a small water tank, but how does he refill it in a remote area?

They can do a whole hour on just answering questions.

[holly4755]

at the beach, you could stay in winter but you have to provide you own water and sewer (get someone to pump out your waste from your grey water tank, which most of these tiny homes don't seem to have. ), so my neighbors got a huge water bladder (100 gallons or so) and had someone come and fill it when they needed water, but when it was really cold, they packed up and stayed with their kids, the bladder was expandable and apparently did not burst.  

ETA they had electric wires around the hoses so they would not freeze, I don't think they took that much care of the water badder.  they were still plugged into the electric set up at the park, we each got separate electric bills. 

Edited October 4, 2016 by holly4755

[psychoticstate]

Maybe I'm just a mean and heartless person but no way would I build my house solely around the comfort level of my child. (Of course I would also not have a tiny house on wheels.)  How is that huge loft for the little girl, with the parents sleeping on a pull out trundle bed in the "living room", going to work when she gets a little bit older?  There is no privacy for ANYONE.  And while that chalkboard may block out sunlight for her, what about the parents?  

And the entire episode I was thinking "where are you fools going to put your clothes???"  Never addressed until the update when said fools mentioned "hey, we found out there was nowhere to put our clothes so we had to put baskets underneath the sofa."  Well, gee, maybe if they had been thinking about where they were going to put their own things instead of being so focused on their daughter's play area, and crafting area, and area to have friends over, etc., that might have been addressed before they moved in.

Gah, maybe I've just reached burn out level on this show. 

[debraran]

That was a very weird show, I dozed between the middle to right before revealing home so I thought I missed something and watched some "on demand". No, it was that dumb. He wears dress shirts and she has dresses I"m sure, winter jackets and boots, etc. I don't believe they can put those things in 4 under couch boxes. (maybe socks/tee shirts)  I have never seen such a lack of storage in the 3 years watching. No floor storage, hidden stair storage, nothing. They can't even stand up in the loft because the ceiling on their bed/living area had to be raised to fit the bed...so for the kid fine, but for anyone else, a pain in the neck. I also thought it seemed odd that on air anyway, except for Zack bringing up pantry storage, no one said to them, "You have no storage options. "

I might be wrong, but if that is for sale soon, I don't know who would buy it except someone who thought the loft was okay for them and had no children.

The coolest thing for me was the giraffe...that was nice. ; )

I hope the next one is better, based on a "French" theme.  This one just felt really "off" in some way.

Edited October 11, 2016 by debraran

[psychoticstate]

Why do none of these people ever think about where they are going to put their (and their children's) clothing???

[holly4755]

what I wonder is with all these people having to sell when they have no place to put the trailer, why is this not being addressed. Like making them RV standard so at least they can go to an RV park.