I’m frequently asked what the hardest part of building a tiny house is. People expect that I’ll respond that it’s the electrical or the plumbing (the two tasks that seem to scare people the most), or perhaps attaching the house to the trailer. But really the hardest part is just getting started, and taking that first real step. By real step I’m not referring to the planning phase, while technically that is where you start when building a tiny house, it isn’t a commitment (it’s easy to walk away from an unstarted plan).
It’s human nature after all to resist change and to avoid the unknown. And for most who are building a tiny house, since many have no construction experience, that means a tremendous amount of firsts. Then, beyond the construction, you’ve got the actual living in a tiny house. Something that isn’t exactly common quite yet and thus not ‘normal’ as viewed by society.
Those can be really scary. Some people consider living in a tiny house and then immediately abandon the idea thinking that they just can’t do it (and for some, they are right since it isn’t a fit for everyone). I’ve seen others that have been in the planning phase for 5 years and that have attended 5 workshops who can’t seem to move past the planning stage. That doesn’t count as getting started :).
While building and living in a tiny house can seem insurmountable when looking at everything that goes into it at once, you can do it. Just look around on the internet and see the countless individuals and couples who you wouldn’t think could do it, doing it. The difference is they picked up a hammer and got started.
Every once in a while an article or blog post comes out showing a shed being used as a tiny house. And while it is definitely possible with some sheds, there can also be some challenges. The sheds that most people are converting (or try to convert) into homes are not your typical little 8x8 metal shed...
Many people can do the basic electrical wiring of a new fixture. For the most part it is black to black, white to white, green to green. But when you get into more advanced techniques like wiring the same light to be controlled from two different switches, some people get scared. Fret no further, as Dan Louche is here to teach you the understanding of the 3-way switch.
The popularity of tiny homes has been increasing over the last 10 years or more. Several reality TV shows have popped up to show us in great detail the excitement of planning for and building a home that is less than 400 Sq Feet. Not to mention that these homes are usually on a trailer which opens up the entire world to our wonder lust!
There are several different ways to build a house, each having their own advantages and disadvantages. The most common approach is called ‘stick-built’, which refers to the 2x dimensional lumber used to construct a wall.
In this guide we’ll discuss how to attach your tiny house to your trailer. There are different ways that this can be done, with each method having its own pros and cons.