Foundation for a Tiny House

The internet is amazing. So much information out there. More than one can take in. It's no different for the tiny house movement. There are a lot of different tiny house ideas, but the one thing these houses have in common is that they are not permanent structures - at least not in the sense that they are fastened to the ground. Typically they are on wheels so that they can be treated by local authorities as an RV, and not as a house. This also gives them mobility, so that they can be built in one spot, and moved to another, or even treated like an RV and taken across country.

But that is the starting point for a tiny house - wheels - or more specifically, a trailer. There are a few different types of trailers. Gooseneck trailers can be used and the area above the hitch can be a loft as with the MiniMotives design by Macy Miller. But more commonly a flat trailer is used. Some trailers have the bed raised over the tires, which makes for a nice wide area to build on, but the downside is losing some house height. The raised floor takes away from the 13'6" or so that is the typical limit for vehicle height on roads. The most common trailer to use is a utility trailer, with the house attached to the bed, and working around the fenders. You lose a little bit of space inside the house over the fenders, but you gain several inches in house height.

Most commercial trailers need some modification to provide a good foundation. Side rails, gates, front bars, and sloped rear ends give the builder some extra challenges.  The trailer has to be able to support 10,000 pounds or more, so axle capacity is a major issue. A custom trailer is another possibility.

Yesterday, I confirmed my order for a trailer from Tiny Home Builders, Dan Louche's company.

I chose one of these trailers because it is designed for a tiny house. The sides are built out with angle iron, and instead of wood decking, it has two steel beams running the length of the deck. I like the idea of drilling through the floor framing into these beams and side angle irons to bolt the floor down to the trailer. I chose an 8' x 20' trailer. Unfortunately, it won't be ready for a couple months. But then again, I probably won't be ready until then either. I don't even know the floor plan yet. But I do know that it will have to fit on an 8' x 20' trailer.

I had hoped to discuss my options a bit more in this post. But for now, let just say that my criteria for a tiny house are:

1. fits on 8' x 20' flat trailer
2. has an interesting and practical roof line
3. has plenty of windows
4. bed on lower level, or accessed by stairs instead of ladder
5. plenty of storage for clothing and other items
6. has an entry on the side
7. some separation between bathroom and kitchen
8. room for a TV, desk, chairs, table, wood  stove, water tank, etc.

Those are my priorities, somewhat in that order, for now. Certainly, there won't be a perfect design. These aren't all black and white choices. And I have to keep in mind that aesthetics is important, but this house must be practical to be viable for off-grid use.

Floor plan ideas next time.