Cart Before the Horse

[Maggie]

Has anyone of you guys built a tiny home on wheels before you got the wheels, and then somehow put it on a trailer later? That expression, "putting the cart before the horse" is one my Dad used to tell me I was doing with many projects I wanted to do and if he was still on this earth I'm sure he would say that's what I'm wanting to do now but I'm tired of waiting and I want to build my tiny home on wheels before I get the "wheels," or rather the trailer. I can't afford to get the trailer until I sell my property but while I'm still on my property I have a perfect place to do build it inside my shop which is 28' x 64' with very high ceiling and huge automated roll up door. I have the tools to do it, and an old wooden building o my property that I could reclaim lots of materials to build it. I'm trying to figure out a way I could build it so that I could later back a trailer underneath it, then let it down onto the trailer and bolt it to the trailer somehow. Your constructive thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[highest_vision]

You might consider visiting one of those places that sells sheds and delivers them. The shed is built and later loaded onto a trailer. Not exactly the same, but it might give you some ideas for how to load your future house. I don't know that you could get building ideas from the sheds, they usually do temporary bracing to haul them and they generally aren't meant to spend much time on the road.

 

[MrNoodly]

I was involved in something similar. I helped a guy build a camper to go on his flatbed truck. We built it on the ground, then with the help of six young, strong and fearless friends, four floor jacks and several dozen shipping pallets, we jacked that sucker up enough to back the truck under it. Amazingly, no one was maimed or crushed in the process.

 

[MrNoodly]

I suppose you could build it on blocks high enough off the ground to slide a trailer under when it's done.

 

[highdesertranger]

what type of trailer do you plan to use? it would almost have to be custom built which makes it much more expensive. highdesertranger

 

[maki2]

You should first pick out the model of trailer you want to use so that you can design the tiny house to fit onto it. You need to do it that way because of wheel well locations.

Then you need to also factor in the height of the trailer, how high the tiiny house has to be lifted up to clear the wheels on the trailer when it gets set back down, etc. You won't know if it is possible until you have some real world dimensions to work with. As to lifting it up that can be done with house jacks but you have to put structure in the right place for lifting it that way.

You have a lot measurements to take and a lot of calculations to make before you begin. To make it easy create a 3D CAD model, not just of the tiny house but also the trailer and the building you are doing the build in and door opening on the building. That way you can check for clearances before you get started.

 

[highdesertranger]

I would be very careful. manufacturing tolerances are not that tight with trailer builders. highdesertranger

 

[ckelly78z]

How mobile will you plan on being with this tiny home...many don't go down the road very nicely, and require towing permits to move (anything wider than 8.5'), and a large truck. Thoughts have to be given to surviving the wind, and stress of road travel, so nothing blows off.

If it were me, for less money, and work, there are ALOT of used travel trailers out there that are ready to live in, or tow down the road.

 

[RoamerRV428]

yea there is a reason for that old timey statement....cart before the horse sometimes is not a good thing.

trailer first, then build.
safety, floor plan, alignment, vehicle use might change, who knows.....I wouldn't do it in that order for me personally but whatever floats your boat spend your money as you see fit in any order you want in the end, but if funds were truly limited etc...then do it in the right true order would be my suggestion.