Anyone Live in an RV/Tiny House?

[freebeard]

It's happening globally, depending on the equipment replacement rates of various industries. Farm tractors already have self driving modes (plow the perimeter and it works it way into the middle). If I were a truck driver, I think I'd want to be a roll-back truck operator. No heavy lifting loading and unloading, and robots won't be plucking motor-homes out of rivers any time soon.

It's hard to imagine a job, profession or line of work that isn't in jeopardy. Priest? Prostitute?

Further to my backing away from shipping containers, here's a link about something similar (although different) to what I'm working on:

Lightweight Living: Global 4-Season Geodesic Dome Homes

I see opportunity for, if not improvement, at least product differentiation.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Those geodesic domes seem interesting. Basically a high-tech igloo...

[freebeard]

Well, technically an igloo is a lesser-circle dome while these are greater-circle domes; but, yeah, only igloos and geodesic radar domes are viable in that extreme environment. Other examples of lesser circle domes are the Pantheon or the CERN dome.

I can't tell from the renderings, but generally these are made by squashing the ends of the tubes and stacking them on a bolt. My design has the fasteners tangent to the surface and only connecting 2 tubes at a time. One 20lb piece of steel I-beam and I'm ready for the next round of tests.

[Cd]

So besides build quality, what makes a 'tiny home' better than a tiny 'single wide' trailer house ? ( financially )

The idea seems appealing, but I need convincing that there is some advantage.

Seems to me that it's a glorified trailer house for hipsters that don't want to be looked down on as trailer trash.

[ME_Andy]

LOL, you have a point.

[Xist]

I think that I would like to bury a conex (or two), build a tiny house on top, and have a closet with a ladder or spiral staircase.

[Fat Charlie]

Build quality is important. You can count on it being around for a while, and when you sell it... it can still be counted on to be around for a while. "Hey, used single wide" isn't going to draw buyers the same way that "Hey, unique house that costs less to maintain" will.

I haven't had to search for a house in 13 years, but I remember being able to filter trailers out of searches even back in those dark days.

[freebeard]

The idea seems appealing, but I need convincing that there is some advantage.

'Tiny House' is an attempt to evade the authoritative oversight that 'trailers' are subject to. Similar with houses on old log trucks and houseboats. In fact the most flexible tiny house would be a trailerable houseboat.

I see I mentioned adventures in squashing tubing. 1/8" steel sheet lining a pocket in a 4x4 post isn't cutting it. The 4x4 is stiffer than the steel I was going to get, but the press needs a rigid female die.

With the product and a basalt fabric skin, I could do this:



A four-wheel trailer with a garage in the back for a motorcycle that docks and has an auxiliary bridge with joysticks?

[IamIan]

Originally Posted by Cd

So besides build quality, what makes a 'tiny home' better than a tiny 'single wide' trailer house ? ( financially )

The idea seems appealing, but I need convincing that there is some advantage.

Seems to me that it's a glorified trailer house for hipsters that don't want to be looked down on as trailer trash.

Personalization.
Make it your own.

One of the main points of the trailer is a factory produced product .. With only a few fairly minor variations / options .. it is that very factory production that make them less expensive in the first place .. but factory production has limitations in variability and personalization or individual products.

For example .. AFAIK .. no trailer is available OEM .. as a dome ... or a tree house .. or as an A-frame .. Made of brick .. Made of cement .. An Tiny Earth Ship .. etc.

That additional ability to be personalized brings additional potential .. weather that potential is utilized , or make any tangible difference to the final result .. will completely depend on the individual doing the personalization.

Even if the personalization potential is realized , not all persons would use it to personalize for financial benefit .. some would , others would personalize for something else .. but the potential for greater personalized build , is still greater in the tiny house , than a trailer... and financial personalization is one type of personalization.

- - - - - -

Financial benefit of DIY build new.

Unless you own a trailer factory .. most people are not able to build their own new trailer ... but the tiny house can be built new .. many are .. As they say do you want to spend time or money .. for the financial question .. a build new DIY can save financially money , by spending your time .. That potential financial savings for new DIY .. is not generally available for trailers.

- - - - - -

Remember a tiny house is not required to be built on a trailer / wheels .. that is an option .. not a requirement .. some tiny houses are not built on wheels .. they are just a tiny house.

- - - - - -

Future potential resale .. That ability to avoid/reduce the trailer trash image you mention is itself a re-sale / sale = financial benefit .. no matter how nice the trailer , come resale time it always starts with 1 strike against it just for being a trailer.

The image penalty the trailer has means .. An otherwise equal trailer vs a tiny house .. the tiny house will most likely resale for more $.

[Cd]

So I have yet another question. Since these buildings have to be built on a trailer to be classified as a 'trailer' , can you buy several of these and just sink the thing into the ground ?
Does it have to remain on the trailer ?

If so, could you attach two of them together to make a " double wide " tiny home , or would that change what the home is classified as ?

Finally, I saw this ad at the top of the page and like this design. It is a metal building that is " easy " to construct into a home, but it is not on wheels ....so this would be classed tax wise as a 'home", versus a trailer, so it would be taxed more heavily than something on wheels ...correct ?

I love the aerodynamic design and the aircraft hangar look. Imagine this thing in a hurricane / tornado . Air would go right over it ....if coming from the sides at least :-)