Anyone Live in an RV/Tiny House?

[vskid3]

My wife and I would like to eventually live in a tiny house, we especially like this design.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSzgh3D7-Q0

We're thinking of moving into an RV to test out how we like living in a small area and because we don't have the time or resources to build a tiny house right now. Its currently just us and our two small dogs, 10-15lbs each. I'm really back and forth between a trailer and a motorhome. Trailers seem to have more space for a given size and price, but we would have to get a truck to be able to move it. Motorhomes are their own transportation, but the cab/driving area takes up a good amount of space and the idea of having our house in the show to have the tranny or engine replaced isn't very enticing. We would definitely be going used. Budget isn't set in stone, but I'm thinking around $20k including tow vehicle, if necessary.

Anyone have any experience with living in an RV full time or something of similar size?

[redpoint5]

Why so large; planning to entertain a troupe of clowns?

I recommend prison or living in the back end of a Subary Legacy. Both are cheaper/simpler.

Seriously, if there is one thing Texas has a lot of, it's room to spread out.

[bobo333]

Ive been interested in/planning a 'tiny house' build for a while now based loosely on that design, hopefully I can get it off the ground in the next year or 2 to escape the rent/bills trap that conventional housing is these days

Surely a budget of 20k can get you into a professionally built tiny house? my budget is less than half that but i will be doing most of the work myself

[fusion210]

I've kind of looked into it, it seems perfect aside from extreme weather. I'd love to just buy 9+acres and live in a tiny home. Solar power, rain water, and a compostable toilet. In the next year I will probably be building one in my driveway, because I'm certainly not buying a $20k home on wheels.

[Cobb]

Im finding anything after going from 1400 to 800 sq ft that 800 is just too small. I cant imagine a 45 or 90 sqft home.

I use to follow a guy on youtube with a solar cabin. Then he showed he had another 10x10 ft shed with his appliances, generator, water, water heater in it. Thats cheating as everything was suppose to be in the home.

[bobo333]

EDIT: double post my bad

We dont really get much extreme weather where i am so thats not an issue for me

The whole idea is to reduce your dependance on 'things' so if you're finding 800sqft too small maybe you still have too many 'things'?

I guess it depends how many people you have with you as well, 800sq ft could be plenty for a couple but no where near enough for a family of 5

[dirtydave]

This past year I moved from a 1100sf house to a 500sf apartment. I gave away everything I didn't want and moved in. Traded some furniture with friends / family / scavenged all new stuff..
I have to go to the laundry mat instead of the basement, is that cheating? lol

One day I'm going to get a B class RV and drive it around the midwest.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by bobo333

The whole idea is to reduce your dependance on 'things' so if you're finding 800sqft too small maybe you still have too many 'things'?

Doesn't work, though. Dependence is a state of mind. You can be just as dependent in 800 sq ft as in 8000, you just spend more time figuring out how to store stuff and move around. I say this having spent long periods living in small trailers (around 160 sq ft), out of cars - small ones! - and extensive bike touring & backpacking.

Now reducing costs is maybe a good point, but a poorly-insulated RV could easily cost more to operate than a larger house designed for energy efficiency.

[larrybuck]

I have lived in 2 travel trailers for 16 of the last 17 years.
I definitely have opinions on this!!!
Life always brings unexpected changes. I had a park model 35', and now in a Holiday Rambler Alumalight 32' that is just right for me.
I STRONGLY suggest you FORGET the motorhome idea. Not enough space, mechanical upkeep, HAVING to have it insured.
Keep life simple! Buy a good used 5th wheel, KEEP it in good condition... A payment to have it moved to where you want it is quick, and cans the need for any truck.
Find a NICE RV park with DISTANCE between neighbors, some places allow an outside gazebo or storage shed. If you have a falling out w neighbors, you can ALWAYS easily move to another place. Keep your money in your pocket for enjoying life rather then always paying for STUFF.
Just my 2 cents worth, but PLEASE!!!!...don't trap yourself w a motorhome!!! It would just be a big weight around your neck!!! I have friends who live in one, and w 3 in their family, its like a prison cell.
Trailers, especially 5th wheels, have so much open space.
All I need is a oil filled quiet electric heater which handles things nicely w/0 having to listen to the propane/electric furnace kick on and off waking me up!
For $485 a month, I get free electricity, free garbage, free water, an extra car there, and internet, total quiet at night, room to put yard things outside, like the gazebo (my motorcycle garage)
Not all RV parks are like parking in a Walmart parking lot! Many are beautiful places; finding them is a treasure!

[IamIan]

The right tool for the job.

If you need to relocate / move frequently that makes for different design choices than if moving / relocating will be a rare event.

Traditional RVs (motor home or 5th wheel) are primarily designed around the assumption of frequent relocating / moving... if that's what you will be doing they might work for you.

A tiny house ... weather it is built on wheels or not .. is instead primarily designed as a house ... even if it is tiny .. as such they don't tend to relocate/move a well as the traditional RV style .. but they can gain advantages due to the difference in design intent.

Moving into a tiny house is on my list .. currently expected in the next 1-2 years... I already live in a studio apartment .. This studio apartment is less than 300sqf now .. and it could have been designed / laid out better than it is ... but that's just me .. and millions of others who also live in such spaces .. but that is not for everyone.

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One advantage of a tiny house is that it is even more expensive items don't increase the over all house cost as much ... It takes more materials and $ to insulate a 2000sqf house than it does to equally insulate a 200sqf house... it takes more materials and $ to put high insulating energy efficient windows in a 2000sqf house than it does a 200sqf house ... etc.. etc.

Of course just being tiny doesn't require you to make any such investment .. it is entirely possible to build a drafty , very poorly insulated , energy hog of a tiny house .. but if you want to have a highly insulated , and or high efficiency house ... it will cost you less materials and $ to do it in 200-300sqf than if you tried to be equally insulated / efficient in 2000+sqf.

There are numerous companies that make them for you (if you aren't the DIY type) ... there are also numerous examples of people who built it from scratch themselves (if you are a DIY type).

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One other thing to seriously look at before you drop and major amount of $ on this project ... is your local laws ... In many parts of the U.S. there are restrictions that directly or indirectly prevent the 100% full time residence in a tiny house ... although AFAIK Texas is one of the least restrictive states for this ... but it is important to know for certain before you drop the $.