Anyone Live in an RV/Tiny House?

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by Cd

What are things to think of and watch for ? Obviously flood plain areas and such, but what else ?

Landing paths.

[order99]

Originally Posted by Cd

Where would you guys suggest looking* for information on what to think aboat when buying land and such when you are thinking of building or buying a tiny home ?

My sister found me a wonderful plot of land - 3.7 acres, hilly views, a tiny creek, privacy from neighbors, and starry nights.
It's just out of what i can afford, but what if i could ?

What are things to think of and watch for ? Obviously flood plain areas and such, but what else ?

Thanks

(* any web sites or search terms you could suggest ? )

Local Zoning laws.

There are several counties in NC that regulate the minimum square footage of your build so that you honestly can't build a small or tiny house. If I had the time and money to build one from scratch, I would be placing my creation on a trailer in order to get it classified as an RV and bypass those regulations...but then of course you need to comply with RV regulations instead, and in most parts of NC you can only set up an RV for non-mobile use in properly-zoned RV parks...etc etc.

(For the record they are just as Anal concerning full-sized dwellings. My Dad and his fellow parishioners wanted to add a lift to the local Church for the more disabled attendees-with their collective knowledge of building and electrics plus volunteer labor, they estimated $ 3000 or so...by the time Johnston County was done estimating multiple inspections, licensing etc the estimate had swollen to $120000. These were the same idiots who refused to let me get a composting toilet for the bathroom because "we don't know what that is and don't have a code for it"...idiots. One of the many, many reasons I sold my house and changed counties...)

Back to your question though-check your local ordinances before building/placing. Some states will let you build small permanent dwellings as 'guest houses', some will only let you place trailered versions on 'trailer parks', some will let you build them as 'non-permanent residences' (can only stay in them 20 out of 30 days a month), some will let you put them up as 'temporary' (somewhere to crash as a prelude to building a 'real' house) and some states don't care what you build on your own land at all.

If you are lucky enough to live in a state that lets you do what you want with the land you supposedly own-do you have access to power, water and septic? Do you even want access? A few batteries, some solar panels and a few small wind generators and you're off the Grid...does that small creek flow all year? You have access to cheap hydropower, refridgeration (seal in airtight container and submerge) and washing water. Do you want a disposable toilet, outhouse or a septic service? Do you want a tiny electric heater or propane? Do you want 144V with a converter from battery, a direct 144V plug-in to Utilities or go 12V all the way (with Marine appliances all the way)? Piped water for drinking, local well, rain catcher, or just a big barrel you fill from the creek and sterilize and filter?

If you're thinking of something permanent (of any size) i'd draw up a rough guide of what you want first, contact your regional Planning Commission and let them red-pen your plans so you know what you can legally do in your state, Then-unless you take the Outlaw option-you can forge ahead with your plans...

Of course, nothing is stopping you from building a Tiny House trailer, camping out on the land while you actually decide what you want and then sell the trailer later!

[Cd]

Geeez ...what a headache.

Makes me realize that the guvmint would tax a fellow for putting up a tent if they could !
( Which I'm sure it already is 'illegal' somewhere to live in a tent !)

[freebeard]

( Which I'm sure it already is 'illegal' somewhere to live in a tent !)

Pretty much everywhere except BLM land. Especially in urban areas or protest sites. Build on a school bus and it's the DMV. Build on a barge and it's the Coast Guard.

For a counterpoint consider RBFuller's Dymaxion (delivered by airship) or the Dyodon:


https://dprbcn.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/les-utopies-gonflables-jean-paul-jungmann-et-le-groupe-utopia/

The link is a good introduction to the radical politics of inflatables, Archigram and Ant Farm. Recommended.

The inflatable moment: pneumatics and protest in ’68:

The Utopie architects drew on technical and aesthetics sources as diverse as Buckminster Fuller, research by the American military, the London group Archigram, and American comic books, and were inspired by the political and philosophical writings of Henri Lefevre. In their work they presented a vision for a built world in which buoyancy, ephemerality and mobility would replace the inertia and represion that they believed characterized the architectural urbanism of the postwar.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

All that zoning laws are supposed to prevent slumlording, but the government itself ends up like a slumlord at those public housing developments.

[freebeard]

It's all structured to protect a rentier class.

You can't build what you want because it needs to be seizable and resellable by a banker.

[order99]

Originally Posted by freebeard

It's all structured to protect a rentier class.

You can't build what you want because it needs to be seizable and resellable by a banker.

And of course the whole idea behind a DIY Tiny House or RV is to get it built without recourse to Banks whenever possible, which is the real reason for all-inclusive laws rather than a simple loan condition or Term of Lending by the issuer. After all, where would Banks be if most people could live as they choose without needing a mortgage?

Then there are all the Contractors who would be out of work, likewise builders, bricklayers, plumbers...oh, and those more wealthy Homeowners who went into debt getting their Dream House and don't want to see those trailers spoiling the view...

In a world ruled by men(rather than sprawling imaginary fiction-suits with legal standing which use human bodies as the cells of its unnatural flesh)I could see the following simple guidelines work just fine for the United States:

1) Draw up some preliminary sketches and a tentative list of materials for submission and let the County planners take a look-if they don't think it is safe you can build it anyway, but Insurers have the right to refuse Policy and likewise Loan Agencies can set Terms of Lending.

2) Is there a method to dispose of human waste? If not, is there a strong possibility of environmental contamination/health hazard? This will affect others than yourself.

3) Do you own the land? If not, is the owner okay with that and willing to document his attestation?

4) Do you desire water and electricity? If so, do you want some certified installers/inspectors to assist? If not, you might not be insurable...have you taken local conditions into account? We can help you with that-your taxes have already paid for us after all...

Using these simple guidelines, a person could build anything they want as long as Code 2 is given proper due (as it affects others). Now i'm not saying that Child Protective Services might not wish to conduct a quick look-see if you move your young children into an unpowered shack with an outhouse and no running water or insulation, it would likely be uninsurable and ineligible for a bank loan and you would need to fully disclose any all information on the building to prospective buyers...

But it would be yours, you could live in it and it would be paid for. It was good enough for Henry David Thoreau dang it, why can't it be good enough for us if we want that option?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

It's all structured to protect a rentier class.

Seems like it's actually structured to keep excuses for the gov't to collect higher taxes. Even the higher profits of banks due to the mortgages ends up being taxed...

[greenfeeder]

Try to find a place that has little to no building codes if that's your thing. I know a friend who lives in Delta, CO just for that reason. He bought a yurt locally from WeatherPort and lives there. He just plopped it down on some land!