There is a fact finding mission that everyone goes through when they are starting out looking to go tiny. During this search, most people’s idea of what size they want their house to be changes a couple of times. There are definitely some pros and cons to the different sizes that are out there. Here are some of items to look over when considering your tiny house size.
Family Size
I know that this seems like a no brainer, but if you have two kids, they are going to need their own sleeping space. Two bedroom tiny houses are becoming more and more popular, and as I called out to in my article last week. But this also holds true in the other direction. My wife and I originally thought we wanted a 24”trailer with an additional 8’ building space over the fifth wheel. After walking around in a 28 foot tiny house, we decided that not only did we not need our idea, but the 28’ even seemed too big. So get out there and experience a tiny house in person. Read More: How to Find Tiny Houses Near Me
Stuff
You will want to make sure the home is big enough for your stuff. This can be hard since your ideas of what you need will surely change after your move. We’ve witnessed it over and over where people are concerned they are going to have enough room and then end up not needing it. The things they thought they just couldn’t live without end up not being as important. But the desire for some things likely aren’t going to change. For instance, you’re not likely to decide that you don’t want a washer and dryer after the move. Or that you wished you had a smaller couch. So, make a list of some of the larger items you’ll want and add them to a drawing at scale. This can really help in deciding the length of your house.
Towing
Dan and I recently took a 24’ tiny house shell out to Tulsa, Oklahoma. That's the finished product there. Turned out pretty good, huh? Well let me tell you a thing or two about driving a 24’ tiny house. There are definitely things you are going to have to think about and wind is one of them. Also, you are going to get worse gas mileage, but you would have that with any larger vehicle. And clearance is the the biggest one. Sure you want to build to the highest level you can, but you don’t realize how tall 13’6” is without seeing it first. Remember the longer the house, obviously, the more it weighs. And that means the bigger the tow vehicle that you need. Sure, I know, you likely aren't planning on moving it often, but 20 years from now (and yes, your home will last you even longer if you build it right) when your children are in charge of the house and want to take it across the country, you want them to be able to. Read More: Watch Your Roof! Respecting Tiny House Height
Building for Resale
As the tiny house movement continues to grow there are more and more people turning over their house. Whether they are just interested in building a new house to make what they have better or they are planning to build for others, think about what would resale. The most popular models are the 20’ and the 24’ sizes. They are easier to build, tow and sell and they don’t intimidate either way. Trying to sell a 12’ is tough, but for the right person, it is exactly what they want. We sold one the other day to a young lady who wants to have it for college. It is her permanent dorm room. But even in the last year alone, we have seen MANY more 28' and 32' popping up which means down the road, their should still be a draw for them.
Knowing if it is the Right Time
Which brings us to the next point. Are you really ready to go tiny? If you need to have a 32’ long with an 8’ gooseneck at 8.5’ wide and 13.5’ tall because those are the maximum dimensions you can have, you may not be ready to go tiny. There are plenty of ways to simplify your life without having to buy or build a tiny house. So seriously give it a real thought before you pull the trigger to do so. Read More: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going Tiny and 5 Signs You Aren't Ready to go Tiny Bigger isn’t always better for everyone and neither is going really, really tiny. Knowing what your goals are, truly going over what stuff you need to take with you, and doing a headcount of the kids and pets are just some of the things you need to do before building or buying your tiny house. What tiny house size do you want or have? What considerations went into your choice? Let me know in the comments below.
Published on 1/6/2023. Published in Tiny House Research.
