While deciding to build a tiny house can be exciting, it is essential to realize that it takes a lot of planning and hard work to accomplish a long list of tasks before you are ready to buy a trailer for your very own tiny dream house.
Here, we’ll be sharing our to-do list with you, and hope it can help you start your tiny house preparation – whether you’re starting next week or next year.
1. Be Sure It’s What You Want
This seems like an obvious starting point, but there’s more than basic knowledge required here. If you want a tiny house because you believe they’re cute, you might want to do a little more research and actually live in one for a week before actually going through with it. There are plenty available to rent for that hands-on experience, and it will be a great learning curve of how much space you actually need, what creature comforts you can or can’t live without, and whether it will be the right lifestyle for you.
2. Connect with Tiny House People
Even with the abundance of resources available online, you’ll still have queries that can only be answered by people who have gone through their own tiny house experience. People who have already been through the tiny house experience know all the ins and outs, and are definitely worth getting to know!
3. Limit Your Belongings
Down-sizing (or decluttering) is a massive part of living the tiny lifestyle. Once you’ve decided this life is for you, it is surprisingly easy to differentiate trash from treasure. Driving down the road to your new home, with a trunk full of your tiny house essentials, can be a liberating feeling.
4. Assess Your Needs
A lot of what we think we require in a home is sold to us through developing trends and marketing. A tiny house is an opportunity to shed the surplus and create a home that fits your personality like a glove. For this step, we recommend writing a list of all your weird quirks and how they influence your interaction with the living space.
5. Figure out a Floor Plan
Whether it’s on paper or digital, it’s essential to render your design ideas into a visual medium. Quick Tip: Use chalk or masking tape to outline different rooms and house dimensions on the ground so you can work out how large or small the space will be.
There are many exceptional ready-made tiny house floor plans available on the market. But because everyone’s requirements are diverse, don’t be afraid to alter an existing project to better suit your tiny lifestyle. As you get started, try to answer the following questions about the tiny house essentials:
- Where will your house be located? Or is it Mobile?
- How much outdoor space is suitable?
- How big do you want your home to be?
- Will your tiny home be off-grid or utilize utilities?
- Will your tiny home adhere to building standards and local laws?
- What are your primary goals for a tiny lifestyle?
6. Create a Budget
Ideally, if you’re inclined to build within a year, you need to have enough funds accumulated to at least get started. If you’re not prepared, a tiny house can grow into a financial black hole if you don’t jot down what you require for your tiny home, research prices, and record your expenses.
In terms of savings, it’s necessary to have a savings account simply for your tiny house so that your reserves don’t get confused and accidentally used.
7. Hire an Expert
This is optional, but incredibly worth it. Even if you have a relatively firm grasp on what you’re trying to accomplish in terms of your design, it can never hurt to have an expert give their opinion.
Much of how you determine what you want your tiny house to look depends on your talent as a communicator, builder (if you don’t get a builder in), and your budget.
Suppose you discover yourself to be without the ability to construct a home from scratch, but experienced enough for fundamental carpentry and additional tasks. In that case, there’s a good chance that buying a DIY kit is the best fit for you. These kits don’t require a ton of handiwork and are, for the most part, ready to be put together with a few essential tools. This will also save you money on labor costs.
If you’ve got the expertise in building your tiny home from scratch, then developing from plans would be an excellent decision. You can then pick your own supplies, but you’ll also have the option to use designs as a starting point and add your personal customizations as you go forward.
Should you find yourself with no construction ability, then you’ll want to begin comparing prices of the DIY kits and contractors in your area. If you have the financial means, then going with a skilled builder would be practical.
Experienced tiny house builders will be able to support you with individual add-ons and subtleties that a DIY kit can’t give.
Final Thoughts About Building Your Own Tiny Home
If you would like to find out more about tiny house lifestyle, feel free to go through our other articles that cover everything you need to know about tiny houses.