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What are the biggest drawbacks of living in a tiny house?

tinyrealestate.com.au - Pros and Cons of Going Tiny - Tiny Real Estate

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Pros and Cons of Going Tiny Posted on The Tiny House Movement by ame in Small Houses Tiny houses are the biggest rage in sustainable living around the world. And for good reason. Tiny houses are an adorable, practical, cost-efficient and sustainable way to live. Tiny home residents have numerous choices on how and where they want to live.

Pros of Tiny Living

Let’s face it. Tiny Houses are just cute. There are so many ways you can design a tiny house. Because you are dealing with less materials and fewer building costs tiny houses can be designed in a unique way that meets your needs. Tiny houses maximize their size by having clever ways to use storage and place appliances. Your square footage will be less however, you will be using that space more wisely.

Practical

Tiny houses are practical and cost less to maintain than the average house. A tiny home will save you substantial dollars on utility bills. In fact, many tiny home residents have solar energy and composting toilets alleviating electric and sewer bills. The only bill you may have is propane to run a stove and heater. A tiny house will allow you to live without a mortgage. A tiny home costs less to build so can be purchased in full or with a much shorter bank loan. You can also purchase design plans and build it yourself – purchasing the materials as you go. According to The Tiny Life, a tiny home can be built for as low as $23,000.

Sustainable

Do you want to lower your carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the environment? Tiny houses can be built with sustainable materials. They are a great fit for solar energy. With a tiny home, you can access off the beaten path locations and get closer to nature. Sustainable living also means being smart consumers. By living in a tiny house and not having as much storage space you are forced to think carefully about your purchases. This means buying less and being sensitive to the over packaging of products. So you are saving money and doing well for the environment. Tiny houses are very energy efficient. Having a smaller space to heat or cool is important. In addition, most tiny houses are built utilizing green building methods and are well insulated and have efficient windows and doors.

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Versatile

A tiny house gives you so many options. You can park it in the back of family or friends property. You can purchase land and place your tiny house on your own property. Do you desire to travel? You can put your tiny house on a trailer and see the world. A tiny home is unique because it can give you the comforts of home with the ability to travel. Campers are great – for camping – but they are not built with the intention of living in them. A tiny house gives you all the comforts of home – just in a smaller package.

Cons of Tiny Living

I will admit there are a few cons to living in a tiny house.

Space

The biggest con is – you guessed it – space. A tiny house does have much less floor space and less storage space than a traditional home. It takes time to adjust to living in a smaller space. Less storage space does mean lots of hard decisions when you go from a traditional space to a tiny space. Choosing what to keep, what to store and what to get rid of can be difficult and heart wrenching. Keep in mind that purging can also lead to a feeling of freedom and less anxiety over “stuff”. Having your possessions organized is very important because in a tiny house you have to use every bit of space efficiently. A little disorganization in a small space can easily feel like a tornado came through. Getting professional design plans can help you build the most efficient tiny house.

Finding land

Finding land can be a problem for any home builder. A tiny house has both the advantage and disadvantage of needing a smaller space. In some urban areas cost of even small lots are incredibly high. Although more places such as Tiny House parks are popping up.

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Clearly, you will not have room for dinner parties or hosting out of town guests. You simply will not have the space or the capacity to cook a large meal. However, outside barbecues are a possibility.

Legal Gray Area

Tiny homes sometimes fall under a legal gray area. Many municipalities do not have zoning laws or policies when it comes to the tiny house. Some places may consider your home an RV if it is permanently mounted on a trailer. Country requirements vary so it is important to do your homework and find out what laws cover the tiny house where you live. Some areas of the USA and Australia have laws on the minimum size of a house and what constitutes a house.

Towing

Tiny houses are great for travelers or seasonal movers. The con is the towing. You do need a large truck or SUV that can tow the weight of your home. When building your tiny home you must consider the weight of the house and the towing capacity of your vehicle. Author, Ame Vanorio is a big fan of living tiny. She lives in a 860 sq ft “green” cabin that she and her son built themselves. Ame is a freelance writer who specializes in environmental issues and sustainability.

tinyrealestate.com.au - Pros and Cons of Going Tiny - Tiny Real Estate

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