Tiny House

[catndahats]

I know one person that has lived in a tiny home for a couple years, downsized from 1500ft. Retired, single, moved from 1600' to 400ish ft. They like it.

In reality, It's not for me. It probably depends on location...the person I know lives in a hipster "tiny home" community...cool setting sort of----it's just a trailer park to me....too many people per square foot, and essentially no room for guests.

Leading up to retirement, my wife and I wanted to downsize from 2000ft. since no kids at home, less maintenance etc...pursued building a 800-1000ish ft cabin on land away from the city. Our goal was more land, less house. For a couple, that is a good size, room for stuff and guests. Between houses, we did live in our 80sq.ft teardrop camper for a couple months, and we are still on speaking terms. It is fun for a while.

In the end, we bought an old 2000ft farm house on 1/4 acre, and spent 3yrs restoring/remodeling. I guess I am more into recycling old homes...this is our 3rd. Economics-wise, our cost was very similar to building a small cabin, so for us it works.

We don't fully utilize all the space by design. We probably spend 98% of our time in 1000ft. It's zoned for air/heat, and still have room when friends/family come visit. But we do have a wonderful, large sun / music room that we really enjoy. And after 4ish years, I'm glad that I don't have acreage to care for.

Plusses of tiny homes in some areas of our state is that you may not pay property tax if the tiny home is on wheels--technically mobile, just tax on the land. Also, small is less expensive to maintain and hopefully less to insure. Negatives in any small space regard washing clothes and cooking space, and lack of storage...just practical daily matters. Those are a couple of reasons that I considered.

[Tnfiddler]

We just recently moved into a smaller home and gave up about 1500 sq ft. One thing it made me realize is that we have too much stuff! We’re learning to use every inch of space to maximize storage and will be having some big yard sales as soon as the weather gets warmer.

[rdeane]

My husband and I move to the North Carolina mountains every spring and stay in a 37-ft fifth wheel until October. We have a home in central North Carolina, so we go back every two weeks for one day to do laundry, check on the house, and allow me to have a mandolin lesson. We couldn't stay year-round in the RV, but it's comfortable for half the year. I have enough room in the bedroom closet for two guitar cases and a mandolin case.
Our two cats seem to enjoy the RV as well. When we return to our 1200 sf home for the winter, it seems like it's huge. I think I could possibly live in something about 800-900 sf but year-round would be difficult for us to have less square footage.

[Neil K Walk]

Originally Posted by wvblues

So after my wife and I have been traveling full time we've realized we really do not need the space we thought we did. When we stop traveling in a few years we've decided to build a smaller or tiny home.

Has anyone taken this jump? Any ideas for guitar spaces in smaller homes and spaces.

Just thought I'd start up a conversation on this.

Nope, but I’ve got two teenagers. I also grew up in a “house” on wheels with a tin roof that taunts a God who like to smite them with tornadoes so I only see such a concept in my rear view mirror - and by that I mean a tow behind and visiting national parks. You do you though.

[Draft Guitar]

I have a 200 square foot cabin on a big parcel in the mountains. No electricity, no water, no bathroom (but I do have a nice outhouse). I do not live there full time.

I love being there and could live in it full time if it were just me. I get by just fine with cooking, cleaning, playing guitar, etc...

I've thought about adding another 200 square foot cabin and connecting them with a "hallway." You could consider a few "tiny houses" connected by hallways. That would give you multiple rooms with a little bit of separation for noise reduction.

[catndahats]

connecting several via hallways to fit needs is a really good idea.

Your set up sounds wonderful to me...wife may disagree regarding outhouses and no electricity

Originally Posted by Draft Guitar

I have a 200 square foot cabin on a big parcel in the mountains. No electricity, no water, no bathroom (but I do have a nice outhouse). I do not live there full time.

I love being there and could live in it full time if it were just me. I get by just fine with cooking, cleaning, playing guitar, etc...

I've thought about adding another 200 square foot cabin and connecting them with a "hallway." You could consider a few "tiny houses" connected by hallways. That would give you multiple rooms with a little bit of separation for noise reduction.

[Draft Guitar]

Originally Posted by catndahats

connecting several via hallways to fit needs is a really good idea.

Your set up sounds wonderful to me...wife may disagree regarding outhouses and no electricity

I will admit one thing, while my cabin is tiny, my basement is HUGE!

[catndahats]

Just, "WOW!"
fantastic photo...can't remember where exactly (Carolinas?) They hold concerts in a large cavern...in your case who needs a music room!

Originally Posted by Draft Guitar

I will admit one thing, while my cabin is tiny, my basement is HUGE!

[rdeane]

The cavern you are probably remembering is near Murfreesborough, TN, where they filmed the Bluegrass Underground seen on PBS. I can't recall the name of the cavern. But there was a huge chandelier hanging from the roof of the cavern. Very cool (literally, at about 50 degrees all the time).

[hubcapsc]

We built our own house. It is still not finished...

After the septic tank was installed at the building
site, we got an Argosy travel trailer to use as a
kitchen and a bathroom and we lived in our
"prototype house" for a couple of years...



-Mike

[catndahats]

Yes, that is what my fuzzy memory was trying to recall.
So, with the huge basement/cavern DraftGuitar, would it still be a tiny home?

Originally Posted by rdeane

The cavern you are probably remembering is near Murfreesborough, TN, where they filmed the Bluegrass Underground seen on PBS. I can't recall the name of the cavern. But there was a huge chandelier hanging from the roof of the cavern. Very cool (literally, at about 50 degrees all the time).

[RP]

Originally Posted by catndahats

connecting several via hallways to fit needs is a really good idea.

Until you need to heat them. My 880 sq. ft. cabin is fairly open except for the bathroom and two bedrooms. Although I leave my one bedroom and bathroom doors always open, there's a noticeable temperature differential in the winter when the wood stove is going...

[Draft Guitar]

Originally Posted by catndahats

Yes, that is what my fuzzy memory was trying to recall.
So, with the huge basement/cavern DraftGuitar, would it still be a tiny home?

Yep, the cave has a separate entrance. I've thought about geothermal AC but the humidity would be a problem.

[Draft Guitar]

Originally Posted by RP

Until you need to heat them. My 880 sq. ft. cabin is fairly open except for the bathroom and two bedrooms. Although I leave my one bedroom and bathroom doors always open, there's a noticeable temperature differential in the winter when the wood stove is going...

It would be the perfect application for mini-splits though.

[Draft Guitar]

Originally Posted by rdeane

The cavern you are probably remembering is near Murfreesborough, TN, where they filmed the Bluegrass Underground seen on PBS. I can't recall the name of the cavern. But there was a huge chandelier hanging from the roof of the cavern. Very cool (literally, at about 50 degrees all the time).

If I recall, the name of the cave is simply "The Cavern." Probably the worst name for a cave in history, but a really cool use!

My primary cave in the picture is named "Fractured Falls." When it rains hard there is an extremely impressive waterfall inside.