Welcome to Tiny Homes, an idea that is more popular with minimalists than with neighborhood associations and zoning boards. We'll point out the fun parts. You'll have to check out the logistics and legalities - - but where are the wheels?
The temporary address is Rainier, that's the town, not the mountain - though if the mountain blows, the town will know. There it sits, a 340 square foot tiny house with the classic 1 bedroom (loft) and 1 bath (only 3/4, but that's better than most tinies), for $39,700. That's a big tiny for two reasons: 1) it is 10 feet wide, and 2) they add the 10 foot x 10 foot loft area into the square footage. Why not?
This tiny has more than most in many ways. Most tinies are small enough to encourage extreme minimalism. Can you get yourself down to 300 things, 200, 100? Some do. These folks prove that a tiny space can hold a lot. They filled it with standing shelves full of the varieties of a typical life. A full-sized L-shaped couch, thick queen mattress, and good heavy wood furniture. Personal style still has room for expression.
You might not buy all of that. They'll sell you the furnishings for a bit extra, but what you can count on getting is a tiny big enough for a big refrigerator, a stacking washer/dryer, a regular toilet, a conventional shower stall, and headroom. A little extra space provides a lot of comforts. About the only concessions seem to be a built-in oven or range. Maybe they just forgot to mention that.
Regardless of how it gets filled, it was built with the now-conventional wood floor, walls, and ceilings; though this is a notch up because the floor is bamboo, the wainscoting is pine, and the bathroom is cedar. There are plenty of windows, and a covered porch that could become part of a larger deck. It is a handsomely finished and trimmed house.
What it isn't is finished. It needs some painting, venting, skirting, and quite possibly wheels. The house must be moved, and while many tinies are built on trailers that come with wheels this one doesn't seem to have any. So, there are a few extra costs to keep in mind; but also keep in mind that this is proven house because it has been lived in. Their experience is worth something, too.
· Tiny In Rainier [THL]
· All Tiny Homes coverage [CS]
Written by Tom Trimbath