News Archives - Seattle Tiny Homes

Parking Options for Your Tiny Home

January 6, 2019 4 Comments

Many people would live a minimalist lifestyle if they were given the opportunity. However, tiny home builders get asked one question more than any other. “Where can I park my tiny house?”

The issues have shifted from Why would anyone want to live tiny? To I want to live tiny, but how?

There are dedicated people and organizations who have devoted their time to furthering legislation to make tiny living legal in all 50 states, but we aren’t there yet. So research remains your best tool. We aren’t your local municipality or state government so it is important to know your zoning and coding restrictions and regulations.

If you are one of those who are sold out for tiny life but feel held back by parking restrictions and state by state illegalities, here are four options for parking your tiny home.

A Tiny House Community

Tiny house communities are becoming more common across the United States as those pioneers of the tiny house movement continue to push for the legislature to legalize tiny homes. These communities are hosted by a diverse group of landowners who lease spaces–some full-hook-ups and some boondocking–to tiny house owners. Many are designed like a typical campground, though most are focused on sustainability so they may have a shared spaces such as a garden. Others are more wooded and offer much more privacy and seclusion than a typical RV park.

RV Campground

Not all tiny house communities are RV friendly much like not all RV parks are tiny house friendly. However, legally, if your tiny home has been built by a manufacturer who certifies them with an RV or RVIA certification, an RV campground should be an option for you. There are, however, other stipulations to research such as your size. For instance, most national parks will not allow any rig to park overnight if its length exceeds 42 feet.

On Residential Land or Agricultural Property

This can be shaky ground, so tread lightly and do your due diligence with researching your local area. Every municipality is different. However, many people are parking in a friend’s back yard, or renting a spot from someone looking for extra income. While the situation may not be permanent if local officials decide to make an issue, this kind of space can be a great option for an extended period of time.

In states that frown upon tiny houses, folks get around that by parking on land that is zoned agricultural. Because many farmers hire seasonal help who might pull and RV or have small campsites or cabins for them, not much has been said to disrupt these more full-time parkers.

So the answer here is clear: Do Your Research. Start at the top within your municipality and ask questions. Otherwise, check out the other options for where to park your tiny.

Anyone who lives tiny will always tell you that parking is the biggest fear for potential buyers. However, they will also attest that they know very few folks who have been asked to move their tiny house. As long as you do your research, and be mindful of your location, living tiny can be the dream you’ve always hoped it would be for you.

Please note that nothing in this article should be construed as legal advice. Because every municipality is different, it is critical that you do your own research and make your own decisions about parking a tiny house.

Seattle Tiny Homes Named a Top 40 Seattle YouTube Channel to Follow

October 25, 2018 Leave a Comment

Seattle Tiny House

We’re honored that Seattle Tiny Homes was just named #22 in a list of top 40 Seattle YouTube channels to follow by our friends at Feedspot. These Seattle YouTube channels were ranked based on criteria like:

Total YouTube channel subscribers, video views, and video uploads
Quality and consistency of videos
YouTube search ranking

You can check out the full list of the top 40 Seattle YouTube channels at Feedspot’s blog.

And, take a moment to visit Seattle Tiny Homes’ YouTube channel for the latest videos. You’ll want to subscribe to our channel while you’re there. Thanks for checking it out!

The Importance of Proper Plumbing in a Tiny House

June 7, 2017 Leave a Comment

Have you ever felt an earthquake? Do you remember what that was like? Imagine what a house experiences during an earthquake: it has to bounce, bend, stretch, and sway, hopefully all without structural or superficial damage. Now think what a tiny house on wheels must endure in everyday travel down the road.

Each component of a house on wheels must be engineered to endure the jarring gauntlet of potholes, speed bumps, rumble strips, railroad crossings, and stop-and-go traffic, and come out unscathed on the other side. Though largely invisible, a tiny home’s plumbing is no exception to this rule, and is among the most important systems to preserve intact in a tiny home.

At Seattle Tiny Homes, we know how vital a sturdy plumbing system is, both for the comfort and quality of your living experience as well as the protection of your home. We commit to providing you with leading-edge technology that will keep the water flowing for many years to come.

Ben Klassen, our craftsman in charge of construction, wants to show you some of the secrets of our tiny homes’ plumbing, which he says can be one of the most complicated steps in the building process. With years of experience in remodeling and new construction, Ben calls Wirsbo plumbing hardware, which comes standard in all our new units, a “bullet-proof system.”

Produced by Uponor, Wirsbo AquaPEX crosslinked polyethylene tubing is both simple to install and highly reliable. The strength of the AquaPEX tubing and of the compatible ProPEX expansion fittings makes it an ideal fit for homes on wheels, whose water lines, among other unique stresses, can be susceptible to freezing. Not to worry, says Ben, as the Wirsbo system can withstand freezing. That said, each home comes with low-point drain valves for easy winterization, just like an RV.

Before our tiny homes are finished, you can see parallel half-inch red and blue (hot and cold) AquaPEX pipes threading their way around the house, connecting kitchen, bath, and laundry areas. The elbow and tee joints we use to route the plumbing through the house are attached to the tubing with the ProPEX expansion fitting system, using a tool designed specifically for that purpose. These expansion joints allow for more flow capacity than standard crimp or clamp connections, and the tight bends achieved with AquaPEX tubing help save space, which is always at a premium in a tiny home.

plumbing in tiny house — Red and blue (hot and cold) Wirsbo AquaPEX plumbing pictured in an Alki tiny home under construction

The finished product—which uses no glue or minimal threaded connections—only grows stronger with age, producing a plumbing system that will last a lifetime. That’s why you can rest easy in our tiny homes after a long and bumpy day on the road, knowing that, though you can’t see it, you are surrounded by premium plumbing that won’t let you down.

Wirsbo plumbing benefits include:

Glueless, threadless connections that strengthen with time
Freeze tolerance
Space-saving joints and tight bends
Full-bore joints and fittings that don’t restrict flow

As you can see, proper plumbing in a tiny house is critical. If you would like to learn more or want to get started on your tiny house dream, contact us today!

Tiny Home Success Story: Chris Silva

March 1, 2017 Leave a Comment

Meet Chris Silva

As an advocate of sustainable living, the tiny home movement was quick to catch Chris’ eye. Chris believes that it is important to show the world how easy it is to live simple and that the amount of work put into building a tiny home may be a lot less than people realize. Here is his tiny home success story.

Although Chris was a recent UCSB graduate and crafty in the ways of woodwork- the skills needed to build and frame a tiny house were new to him. But with his DIY dream in sight, he wasn’t going to let anything stop him.

How He Did It

First, Chris did a lot of research. There are many different companies making tiny homes so he had a lot of options. By observing as much as he could, talking to other tiny home builders and learning from their mistakes, Chris worked to make his dream a reality.

Along with finding the right materials, Chris also had to find a temporary place to park the home while he was building. With his construction site secured and materials selected, it was time for Chris to find the right foundation for his tiny house.

Just like any other tiny home, Chris’ vision was specific and personalized. Based on certain design aspects, Chris’ trailer had to be specifically designed to make sure his house would sit securely. A foundation is vital to any house and a tiny home is no different.

Because Chris chose a Seattle Tiny Homes trailer, he was able to customize the trailer build. He ended up spacing the axles further apart than normal to give his home the maximum stability.

The End Result

With hard work and help from some friends, Chris successfully built a tiny home for a low cost.

A unique learning experience later and Chris was finally ready to unveil his idea to the world. He first showcased his DIY tiny home at the Santa Barbara Earth Day festival. The tiny house on wheels generated a lot of interest and excitement.

Displaying his tiny house at events is how Chris is able to communicate his message and promote his movement called “Sustainable Obtainable.” Chris has lived in his tiny house for the past eight months and plans on continuing to do so.

Ultimately, Chris hopes to continue to display the benefits and conveniences that living tiny can bring. He also has interest in creating a sort of community café based around tiny homes. Chris has found that living tiny is a great way to save money. And he has realized that choosing to build it himself saved even more.

If you’re ready to move forward with building your own tiny house like Chris did, we are here to help. We offer trailers that are completely customizable to meet your needs, as well as DIY plans. Of course, if you want us to build your tiny house, we’ll work with you to personalize your home and build it to the highest standards of quality. Contact us today to get started!

7 Tips on How to Build a Tiny Home Yourself (From Someone Who Actually Did It!)

February 23, 2017 1 Comment

The tiny house movement has caught the interest of people across the globe. From college students looking for cheap living to cities searching for efficient housing, the tiny house hype doesn’t seem to be dying down any time soon. While many different companies have emerged selling tiny homes of different variations, there are many people who want to build their tiny home themselves. Whether you’re focused on saving money through sweat equity or interested in the crafty details, doing it yourself is a great option. So, how can you build a tiny home yourself?

Chris Silva, a UCSB graduate from Santa Barbara, California, decided to take the DIY approach when it came to building his tiny house. Believing in the tiny homes vision, Chris started a group called Sustainable Obtainable Tiny House Project.

His goal? To show the world the benefits of living small and how easy ‘doing it yourself’ really can be.

After a lot of research and a few months of hammering and painting, Chris was ready to showcase his new tiny home at local festivals- starting with the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival. Here are some tips he learned in the exciting process of building his own home . . .

7 Tips on How to Build a Tiny Home Yourself:

Figure out zoning/parking – Some cities are picky about tiny home parking and others aren’t. Make sure you have a living spot in mind before you invest your time and money.

Find the right trailer – A foundation for a tiny home is as important as any home. Chris chose a Seattle Tiny Homes’ trailer because of our ability to customize the trailer to best fit his needs. The trailer was custom built with specifically placed axles. This would allow his tiny house to have the most stability and support for living and transportation.

Find a place to build – Assembling your tiny home can take time, especially if you’re not in a hurry. Make sure you line up a consistent, safe place to park trailer while you’re building your home on it.

Be persistent – Knowledge comes to those who seek it. Search around for the best deals and never feel like you’re asking too many questions.

Hunt for deals – Chris was able to get many of his materials at cost and even benefited from some donations. Hunt around for good deals on materials and see if you can score some freebies.

Seek consultation – Learning from trial and error is good, but learning from the trial and error of someone else is even better. There are lots of DIY people out there happy to share their ideas and methods. Be sure to soak in as much as you can.

Let professionals do the hard stuff – Unless you’re a plumber or electrician, hire professionals to do those parts for you. It’s important to do it correctly the first time and safety issues can arise if done incorrectly.

Key Takeaways

There are many more aspects to building a tiny home yourself, but those pointers should help you get started. Remember, you’re not the only one whose done this, so don’t feel like you’re building alone.

The amount of work can seem daunting; after all, you are technically building a house. But Chris assures that it’s a positive experience and gets better as you go. Chris was able to build his house much cheaper than a tiny house would normally cost by utilizing the above tips.

If you’re ready to move forward with building your own tiny house, Seattle Tiny Homes is here to help. We offer incredibly detailed building plans for the Alki – one of our most popular models. We also provide trailers that are completely customized to meet your needs. Of course, if you want us to build your tiny house, we’ll work with you to personalize your home and build it to the highest standards of quality. Contact us today to get started!