It has always been the dream to one day have your own little corner of the world. With housing costs skyrocketing, many people no longer see themselves as becoming homeowners. The Tiny House movement is gaining momentum, but most of them are some sort of glorified, custom built trailer. Couple the cost of the trailer-built home with the money you’ll spend for the extra heavy duty super duper truck that you need to move your home, and, well, for that amount of money you can probably find an alternative that will better fit your needs.
Most of us still want our little corner of the world, and we really don’t want to have to move it. If you are searching for an alternative to mobile Tiny Houses, there are some out there. No, they aren’t glorified sheds lacking amenities and homey-ness. These are full-fledged homes that can keep you happy for a long time.
Alternatives To Tiny House Living
Katrina Houses – http://katrinacottagehousing.org
These were originally developed after Hurricane Katrina, as an alternative to the FEMA trailers in which people lived in. Katrina Cottages were designed by Marianne Cusato and are little houses that were meant to be built quickly and easily to provide a long term solution to the thousands of homes that were destroyed by the hurricane. These range in size from 544 square feet up to 1800 square feet. The KC-544 offers 2 bedrooms, living room, bath, and front porch! Although the larger sizes aren’t what I would consider a Tiny House, they do show the versatility of the plans and construction. Lowes even offers kits for some of the models of Katrina Cottages. How cool is that?!?!
Arched Cabins –http://archedcabins.com
These are nifty little units that are sort of A-Frame shaped. They range in size from 8 x 8 feet up to 24 x 40 feet, so you can find a size to fit your requirements. Built from sheet metal, insulated, and they have a variety of color options for the exterior finish. They provide the insulated shell, and they have options to provide the foundation, delivery and installation. You will still need to finish the inside, but with so many affordable choices offered, you can build just exactly the size you need. Oh, and if you still want your Tiny House on wheels, their smaller units can be built on a trailer base.
RV or Trailer
I’m including these together because the construction and styling is similar. If you want to have a mobile Tiny House, why not stick with these? There are many advantages to choosing this over the trailer built Tiny House; namely the weight and vehicle needed for towing. It is also easier to find a place to park an RV or trailer.
RV’s and trailers are built for small space living, designed to maximize every square inch. You can get them in very small to very large sizes, with rooms that slide out to make your interior even larger. They are well insulated, have many choices, and can be financed, which may be an issue with a custom built one. The major drawback is the styling can be bland, but that can be changed easily to suit your taste. You can even customize the floorplans to accommodate your needs.
If you are seriously considering downsizing to a Tiny House, you’ll need to ask yourself these questions: Stationary or mobile? Custom or pre-fab? How much stuff do I want to keep? How much space do I really need? Once you have answered these questions, you can narrow your search to find your Tiny House.
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