As we gear up for another season of hands-on workshops, we look forward to empowering more people with the knowledge and confidence to build there own tiny house. It is amazing to see the transformation that occurs in just one weekend! Our attendees over come there initial fears and doubts and get even more excited about their tiny house dream. Dan takes our attendees through all the major steps involved in home building in an entertaining and comprehensive way. Not just anyone can build a tiny house, everyone can. Even you! Here are just a few of the many reasons why you, too can be a tiny house builder.
When you look at a full sized home, there is a lot of space to cover. You could be looking at upwards of 2000 square feet. That could include multiple floors which make your electrical and plumbing even more of a challenge. You have to worry way more about structural integrity and cost of materials. For a tiny house, everything is really scaled down. You normally have one bathroom, way less square footage, and although structural integrity is still important, you aren’t building up three stories. There is also less walking back and forth to where you are set up, no need to crane anything up to a second floor, and truth be told, if you were to make a mistake, it is normally easier and less costly to fix. The process can be sectioned out into bite size mini projects. This allows you to feel confident and not overwhelmed.
When you are building your tiny home, you are going to spend some time on a ladder. There is no way around it. But because the max height that you are building to is 13’6”, you are never really high up off the ground. Handing things up to the roof is a lot easier when you only have to go up one story. You are also going to need a lot less power cord and air hose length than if you were building on a big house. Multiple ladders or platforms make this process even easier.
Setbacks, infrastructure, and sight-lines are just a few of the considerations that you have to take when planning to build a permanent structure on a piece of property. But when you build a tiny house on a trailer, you have little concern. If the sewage line needs to exit the property on the west side, you simply move the house over there. Don’t like looking at your neighbors? Turn the house towards the sunset instead. Try doing that with your McMansion. And the best part is, if you ever have to move, you can take the house that you love with you to the next destination.
The standard size home takes about 7-12 months to build. A tiny home can be completed in 3-4 months depending on your skill level. The difference in production time and overall expense is huge difference. As a DIY'er with a job, building a tiny home on the weekends and during your spare time can be a satisfying project. With every new section complete you can see how your hard work is paying off. You can stand back and feel your stress dissolve, as you visualize your life with less bills, less stuff to clean, more freedom and life satisfaction!
Believe it or not, with little to no construction experience, you too can be a tiny house builder. The fears of electrical and plumbing are easy to conquer with a little instruction. With the right tools, you don’t have to be a he-man to put a tiny house together. The hardest part is having the confidence to step past the haters and over the pessimists to realize that you really can be a tiny house builder! So what is holding you back? Are you ready to go? You are not alone. Every year we train and support about 200 people at our in person workshop, along with countless other that use our online videos and resources. You are in good company when you join the Tiny Home Builders Family! Let us know in the comments below how you plan to start your tiny house journey.
When you are building a tiny house, there are many potentially dangerous situations that will come up during the construction process. Don’t get discouraged – with a few tiny house construction safety precautions and some properly paid attention, you will be a pro, build a beautiful home and actually live to tell about it. Here are five Tiny House Construction Safety Precautions that will help you know how not to die while building your tiny house.
Moisture is one of a builder’s biggest concerns. Water can damage wood, ruin structural integrity and even cause toxic mold which can lead to severe health problems. The good news is with weather and vapor barriers acting as your mold prevention, you will be well on your way to a safe, happy, dry environment.
A few years ago, Dan and I embarked on a shed style, tiny house shell for a customer. Dan, of course, has been through this a time or 20, but for me, this was to be my first tiny house build. I was excited and anxious to see the man who I view as the “Zen Master” of tiny house building, Dan Louche, in action. There was much for me to learn so now that we are complete. I thought I would share my top five tiny house lessons learned.
I’m frequently asked what the hardest part of building a tiny house is. People expect that I’ll respond that it’s the electrical or the plumbing (the two tasks that seem to scare people the most), or perhaps attaching the house to the trailer...
One of the biggest fears that people have, when building their tiny home, is properly installing the plumbing. Whether they are afraid that they are going to flood their house or just have a small leak, most people will pay an exorbitant amount of money to have a plumber come out and take care of it.