The Tiny House Movement

[WanderlustVagabond]

I was just curious if any of you are at all familiar with it (I'm sure you are) and just general feelings about it. I think it's amazing, I mean I really want to get my van going and travel for a while. but eventually would like to get some land in the south. I've always had a draw to Georgia even though I've never been there more than driving through. Anyways if anyone is interested here's a link with a plethora of information on small space living maybe it'll spark some ideas for van conversions or whatnot.

http://tinyhousetalk.com/

Keep your head up
Nick

 

[Patrick46]

LLoyd Kahn's ideas, blog, and lifestyle are a big topic on here Nick!

I've seen a few of the 'tiny houses' up close, and they're neat as all heck!!

 

[WanderlustVagabond]

Have you heard of Jay Shafer and tumbleweed tiny homes? they're building em on trailers its pretty cool

 

[Patrick46]

You bet!!

I've spent WAYYYYYY too many hours scouring the interwebs on tiny houses.

But I like most all types of alternative living styles, and especially one's where being mobile or living off the grid is part of it.

 

[sparky1]

I did a rent to own 8'x12'shed built by Amish. delivered ,they set it up, great shed (quality).
- then one day I was at local lowes, Farmville, va, saw a 8x10 kit- with military discount 10% off. $239.oo
NOT a problem bought it they delivered it-$$--I quickly realized--chip board would not last-so I bought 3 sheets outdoor grade for flooring and 4.x4's to beef up the bottom, like skidders.to keep it level on 4" blocks. had to buy tarpaper & shingle to cover roof. I put it together as the instructions said, not a problem-If I can put it together any one can. I am very pleased with it.no windows or insulation yet but solar panels are bought for both sheds/tini houses.
sparky1.

 

[jeanontheroad]

I have seen a couple of these. Are you talking about the stick-built ones on trailer frames? One, in particular, had woodwork of a quality that made you think you were standing inside a piece of fine furniture. My only gripe is that most of them have a sleeping loft, which is not good if you are old and creaky.

Watch the zoning where you buy you land. Even some remote areas may have square foot restrictions you don't like. One person I know got around that by submitting plans for a large house with a detached garage and a boat dock, and then just building the garage and the boat dock. He gets away with it because there are no time requirements for completion and he keeps his lot meticulously clean. He's been there for 15 years and no one has complained. I think the neighbors actually like green break among all the houses.

If I were young and looking for a really cost effective home base, I might look into filing a mineral claim out west.

 

[sparky1]

this county has a 150 ft set back--crazy, i'm 20 miles from nothing..ag land---no buildings on that 150 set back, not a well or septic--road front is 1,644 ft--x 150 ft---pay taxes on it can't use it.
I just bought shed's ---stationary right now---easy to put trailer frames under them.
sparky1.

 

[jeanontheroad]

150 ft sounds like an easement for future road widening or sewer work. Lucky you.

 

[sparky1]

this road was here during the civil war===they paved it after I bought in 84,,,they do nothing to it-took me 4 years to get power and longer for a phone line,,,20 miles out--you drive to the small PO box to get your mail..

---

no sewer, no nothing AG land is Farm land---no water /well.,no trash collection-no mail delivery no easement-no cable tv, no gas lines. this is NOT city life.. 20 miles to a store. cows & horses, goats,.
my neighbor to the north is long distance on the (DIAL UP PHONE) only thing out here.
just no reason to have 150 ft set back, from a 20 ft wide country road,

 

[Patrick46]

just no reason to have 150 ft set back, from a 20 ft wide country road,

so, stick some old trailer axles under your sheds.

I would.

the most they're gonna do, if they even do ANYTHING at all...is tell you to move it back however many feet it is to make it legal. Just don't build anything permanent in that space.

 

[sparky1]

right now I have my work van, camper van, Casita camper & farm truck up there & 2 carts with fire wood in then sitting @ my fire ring. when I camp out up there. it's fenced in-& tonight Hunting season finishes up---not to worry much now.
Yes, looking for some trailer Axles to move them if I have to-Thanks--

 

[Johnny Utah]

Love the tiny houses. I think they share many of the same principles as van dwelling, i.e. minimalism, lower costs, smaller carbon footprint, etc. Probably the main difference is mobility. Tiny house occupants plan to stay in one place for a while usually (even if one is built on a trailer frame for travel). And costs for different homes can vary wildly. I watched a youtube clip about a lady who saved money by building one out of a shipping container.

 

[jeanontheroad]

Yes Johnny, a lot of tiny house builders do want to stay somewhere long term. The problem is that the movement has split and become schizophrenic. There are those who want to live a fairly normal life, but just on a more compact scale. Then, there are those who see the movement as the latest fashionable trend and want to start Tiny Hoouse yuppie villages where a lot the size of a dining room table costs $130,000 to buy in. The tiny houses end up on wheels because of zoning laws and the zoning laws are established by towns that are concerned about their tax base and homeowners were are concerned about the atmosphere and property values in their neighborhoods.

Personally, I'd like to find an area where I can buy some land, put up a pole barn for DH's hobby workshop, and lay a concrete pad for the MH for extended stays. We did find a place that looked like that on Turtle Flambeau in Wisconsin years ago, but it turned out that even they had restrictions that zoned us out.

 

[sparky1]

this is why I bought Ag (Farm land) beside the set back, not many restrictions. (Right now) thing could change any day. love it out here in the boonies, 20 miles from town & NO real neighbors.

 

[jeanontheroad]

Sparky: ag land

Me: TheTurtle Flambeau acreage was all woods in the middle of nowhere when we wanted to buy it. It was owned by a CG owner, but he wasn't using that part and he needed some cash. We were perfectly willing to have a well dug and a septic system installed. We would have left most of the 30 acres as it was. We wanted to clear about a half an acre for the septic field, an outbuilding for tools and the pump, a cement pad for our TT, and enough open space for camping friends and family to gather. The zoning people were looking at the large vacation homes people were building in the area and preferred that.

 

[sparky1]

sorry to hear that- there are no businesses here,(1) family owned farm supply, so fancy won't happen here, no one to show it off to. I've been here 29 years, very little has happened except small mom & pop businesses closed, NO fast food, for over 22 miles. one gas station between me & town, just to rural for working people. that need services. or think they do.
have a great Night all -0- expected tonight-

 

[Patrick46]

That entire Park Falls region is part of Wisconsin's NorthWoods Vacationland area...and all the yuppies from Milwaukee & Chicago are buying up everything for top $$$ to build their vacation homes on.

You'll hafta move farther South, down by Goodrich to find cheap farmland. Anywhere there's a lake nearby is gonna jack the prices and bend the county's thumbprint on what you can/or cannot do with it.

 

[jeanontheroad]

We were looking to buy 30 years ago. The yuppies were just discovering the area, then. We may or may not eventually look for another piece of land. We are old, now. Northen winters have lost their appeal. Hubby needs to have access to medical facilities and I am getting creaky, too. Sparky's ag land sounds good if we can find a few acres where the winter's are less harsh then WI to do it. That's a few years down the road, after we've spent some time seeing the west. All we both know, now, is that we are tired of the Tampa Bay area. Too crowded, too noisy.

 

[sparky1]

I found mine thru (united farm reality) advertised in Mother Earth News. I have Lived in HOA's & will "never" do that again. lost it to divorce, I love the quiet even if it has no frills. this is what I wanted,
Retirement is about NO stress,& a laid back life,
3 degrees here this morning, bundle up people. cold again tonight.
keeb.& the Bob Tail cat.

 

[Jim_Rockford]

been checking his stuff out on Youtube..
pretty neat