Common Tiny Home Sizes

With the degrading environmental conditions and worsening housing situations all around the world, the concept of ‘Tiny Homes’ has gained a lot of popularity. What is a tiny home, you may ask? Just as the name suggests, it’s a home that is much smaller than a conventional house. The concept of tiny homes came into being when more and more people started advocating for downsizing living spaces and living a simple life with only the essential needs. This is an eco-friendly, sustainable and affordable solution for people living independently or those struggling with a lack of shelter.

Just recently, the second richest man in the world, Elon Musk, sold most of his possessions and decided to move into a tiny home constructed by a las-Vegas based company. Musk is a self-made billionaire and the CEO of some of the most successful multi-national companies like Tesla and SpaceX. If he can choose to be more conscious of the environment and live a minimalistic life, so can we. It’s a lifestyle that addresses the current housing situation, heals the environment, allows you to be more mindful of what you need, and helps save money.

Average sizing:

The first question one might ask as they plan their switch to a conscious lifestyle is how big their tiny house should be? Tiny homes are priced according to the facilities that they provide, their size, design and structure. There are no tiny house sizing laws, so your tiny home can be any size you want, depending on your budget and needs. If we go by the general rule of thumb, sizes usually range from around 60 to 400 square feet. If you need a slightly larger space, you can go up to about 1000 square feet as long as you’re happy with it and it fulfils all your basic requirements. Research suggests that most owners opt for tiny home sizes between 150 to 200 square feet. If you’re venturing into the world of miniature homes, then use this sizing as your starting point. This is relatively the size of a college dorm room.

Factors that affect sizing

Tiny home sizes largely depend on whether the home is built on a trailer or the ground. A house built on the land is immovable, but a tiny home constructed on a trailer can be transported and moved if the need arises. However, a tiny home on a trailer has certain limitations.

Height:

Since a trailer-based tiny home is likely constructed on company grounds and then towed or shipped to the owner, it is essential to make sure that its size is portable. It should be readily transportable; it must be able to fit under bridges or overheads while it is being transported. Most bridges and major highways are built at about 13.5 feet tall. To be on the safe side, you’d want to make sure that your bouse is no taller than 11-12 feet so that it can travel safely and doesn’t get damaged in the process.

Length:

The bigger your house, the more load it will be for the shipping company. In most countries, one requires a special wide load permit to ship a tiny home wider than 8.5 feet. However, there are no limitations to how wide your house can be but keep in mind issues like roof overhang and use of insulation around the house and portability.

Width:

Since we know that certain factors have to be kept in mind while deciding how tall your tiny home can be and how wide, the only way to increase its space and make it larger is by extending its length. There is no other direction that we can build in; increasing length thus allows us to maximize the square footage and also meet the needed height and width requirements. However, another thing to know is the size of your tow vehicle and how much it can carry. The size of your house and the size of the truck combined should total to a maximum of 53 feet. A standard tow truck is about 22-23 feet long; hence your tiny can be as long as 30 feet.

Square Footage:

You can build as big as you want and select your own dimensions if you’re building on a solid foundation. However, if constructed on a trailer, you have to keep in mind that the square footage affects the size of the towing vehicle that you’ll need. Most people don’t want to deal with the inconvenience of towing a bulky trailer. Most owners opt for houses between 100-400 feet, with 200 feet being the most common choice. The true purpose of building a tiny home isn’t for the aesthetics or the trend, instead to contribute to environmental health and promote a simple lifestyle. Going any larger 400 feet simply defies that purpose and also makes the task of towing cumbersome.

Trailer Dimensions:

The trailer, which is the base of a tiny home, is another limiting factor to be considered. Since we know that the total height is expected to be around 13.5 feet, to determine the usable interior space of your home, subtract the height of the trailer from this number. Keep in mind the thickness of the walls and roof while you make these calculations.

Our Final Thoughts!

Tiny homes aren’t just trendy and modern but also highly functional. Having everything you need in a small-scaled place makes you wonder why we humans think that an excess of things is required in order to feel or be happy. It allows you to live a conscious and mindful life while also helping restore the rapidly degrading environment of our planet.

Living a good comfortable life doesn’t necessarily have to come at the expense of your entire bank account. Tiny homes resemble studio apartments and come well equipped with all the necessities one can need on an everyday basis; they occupy much less space and thus help create more housing options for people around the globe. There are several options out there if you’re considering purchasing one of these miniature masterpieces. Many renowned brands have come up with versions of their own, with unique styles, designs and arrangements.