Tiny House Blog

Let’s hold onto summer for a bit longer, shall we? Actually, many of these tiny fiberglass trailers can probably insulate you pretty well from the impending winter.

Fiberglass trailers first became popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but since then several dozen companies and manufacturers of fiberglass trailers have been developed.

A fiberglass trailer is usually built out of two parts. A top part and a bottom part. Each created from a mold or form and then attached together. The benefits of this is there are fewer parts to create and replace and the insulation is more effective. Continue Reading »

Throughout the year, owners of tiny trailers will gather together for rallys or gatherings, in order to show off their designs, bargains or builds. The best way to get ideas for a tiny trailer is to go to one of these trailer gatherings. You will also end up meeting a wide range of really great people.

I recently went to a teardrop trailer gathering outside of Austin, NV. This was my third gathering and while there were only about 20 trailers, it was a wonderful way to see what other teardrop enthusiasts are capable of building and creating. Most gatherings will have over a hundred trailers. Continue Reading »

I recently came across these photos belonging to Scott, who traded in his $1,400 mortgage for a hand-build vardo and a rental lot in a KOA campground.

It took Scott about three years to build the vardo, but he wanted to give it a style like an old gypsy caravan. He calls himself a modern gypsy and as a carpenter, was interested in how to create a tiny house that could withstand highway travel. Also, he built it on the fly.

“I did not have plans. I did not create plans prior to building. It was engineered as I went. The trailer frame dictated how I was to attach the floor and walls. Materials dictated how I was to do the rest,” he said. “I had been saving wood for the project when I first thought about building. I was working in construction as a carpenter, and the amount of wood that was being thrown out over the course of time supplied the means. Before construction actually started, I had saved over a pallet of 2×4s, a dozen 2×12s and various lengths of 2×6s and 2×8s. Materials on hand actually dictated how I was to build.”

The vardo was built just like a house, 2×4 foot walls, all 16″ apart. The framing is held together by exterior grade deck screws and 4″ galvanized nails. Lag bolts, carriage bolts, hurricane straps, hurricane ties and braces are used throughout.

His little home is complete with computer, stereo, fridge, appliances and a/c. He watches movies on his PlayStation. He created a canopy that attaches to the roof, to create outdoor living space and performed a stained-glass treatment to the windows in the cupola.

“I get a lot of passersby, stopping to ask questions, see what I’m doing, or just smile,” he said. “I usually respond ‘It’s nothing new, we’ve just became more efficient at it (as I point to all the fancy motorhomes and trailers), it’s just a modern interpretation on an old design.’”

By Christina Nellemann for the (Tiny House Blog)

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On the way back from a camping trip at Mammoth Lakes last weekend, my husband and I saw this tiny house for sale off Hwy 395 near Topaz Lake. I called the builder/owner to get some more information.

Tracy Pope is a consultant in San Diego. He built his tiny house while living in Sacramento with plans to put it on a friend’s twenty acres in Mono County. The Mono County permit process and a future move to Atlanta, GA forced him to sell the house. He originally wanted to sell it for what he put into it: $6,500, but he is now selling it for $4,000.

The house is unfinished and was subjected to 110 mile per hour winds last winter. The house sustained some damage when it was knocked off square by the wind.

“My friends thought it would tip over in the winds, but it did just fine.”

However, for someone who wants an almost completed house to work on, this would be great. It is fully insulated and has pine siding, a propane stove, refrigerator, a portable boat toilet in the small bathroom, and a 26 gallon water bag in the ceiling for the sink and the unfinished shower. The sleeping loft can fit a king sized mattress. Pope used a Mexican chiminea for heat and said it worked really well. I really liked Pope’s choice of windows, especially the windows under the eaves.

The house is built on a 20-foot trailer and is 105 square feet. It is 13-feet high with 10-foot ceilings. Pope recommends that the house be towed to its new home and kept there. It is not designed to be towed around to different campgrounds.

Pope enjoyed the process of building the house and in the future would like to build another one.

“It is self sufficient and kids love it,” he said.

If you are interested in Pope’s tiny house, contact him at his email (tracy (at) tracypope.com) or through the Tiny House Blog. The house is located about 6-7 miles south of Topaz Lake on the West side of Hwy. 395 in California.

By Christina Nellemann

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Are you looking to become an expat in Costa Rica? How about living in a shipping container? You can do both in one tidy package from Container Homes by Jimmy Lee. Lee designs and delivers surprisingly airy and open shipping container homes with a full kitchen, bedroom and a small bathroom.

Visit the video gallery

Jimmy Lee and his shipping container home

Each of his homes is earthquake, fire and hurricane proof. And since they do stay within Costa Rica, you probably don’t have to worry about heating the place. He is selling a 45 x 8 x 9 foot finished home for $17,000, and a land and home package for $60,000. You can also order the raw containers from his company and build your own house. A 20 x 8 x 8 foot container sells for $2,700 and a 40 x 8 x 8 foot container sells for $3,600 to $4,100. Transportation costs are extra, but he can have a home delivered to you in 3-5 weeks.

This might be the best time to purchase one of these home/land packages. Costa Rica is no longer an undiscovered paradise. When I visited the country about 10 years ago it was just starting to cater to travelers, and now it’s a refuge for American and European expatriates. Prices are only going to go up.

Before opening up his business, Jimmy worked as a Greenpeace team leader for six years in Washington, D.C. He left Greenpeace to study to become a chiropractor. Weeks after receiving his Doctorate he moved to Costa Rica where he has been established for ten years as a chiropractor in the town of San Ramon, Costa Rica. He is also a yoga instructor.

He believes that shipping container homes are the most environmentally sound form of home construction on the market. It’s been estimated that 85 percent of the building materials used in each shipping container home have been recycled. Also, the foundation design is less expensive, uses much less material and is faster to install. The infrastructure for transport already exists, so the container homes can be easily moved by ship, truck or train. This component reduces the amount of transport time. Everything is delivered in one trip. You don’t have to pay for multiple deliveries of separate construction materials. Additionally, no building permits are required. Because the unit is on its wheels, it is referred to as a “non-permanent” structure.

The 45 foot container home includes:

• The wheels. This unit is attached permanently to its base
• Total insulation on all walls and the ceiling, backed by fibrolite board
• All bathroom fixtures. Shower, toilet, sink, mirror, shelves and tile
• Kitchen counter, sink and faucet, shelves, breakfast bar with two benches
• Bedroom rug, shelves and bamboo curtain rod installed
• All windows and doors are equipped with metal bars
• Ceiling fan in master bedroom and lighting
• All electrical outlets and light switches
• Interior and exterior paint

The home does not include the following. However Jimmy’s company could supply the following for an additional cost:

• Furniture and appliances
• Second bedroom if requested
• Transportation to your destination
• Solar power
• Rainwater catchment system
• Hot water pump
• Bamboo roofing (the container naturally has its own roof, this would be on top of that)
• Deck

The first step to ordering from Jimmy is to visit the prototype and decide what changes you would like to make. If you cannot visit, and wish to place an order, you can do so and then as soon as the model home is picture ready he will send you the photos. A deposit of 50% is required to begin the building of your portable home. Estimated time to completion is between 3-6 weeks.

By Christina Nellemann

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Now seems to be the time of year for suffering from Spring Fever, road trip ache and travel woes. Maybe the only way to remedy these ailments is to live vicariously through other travelers.

I have recently fallen in love with Kristy and Sean Michael who are living part time out of their 25-foot Airstream trailer. They recently got married and spent their honeymoon in the Airstream, and are documenting it on their Long Long Honeymoon website. The videos of their life on the road are amusing but also informative.

Albeit they still have a house that they are living in and the trailer right now is temporary, but their journey and their love for each other and the road is an encouragement to others to take advantage of what life has to offer. I found the website to be a love letter to the simpler life, and a classic American icon.

By Christina Nellemann

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I recently re-watched the movie, “The Station Agent”, and afterward began fantasizing of living in an old train depot. Finn (Peter Dinklage) is a man born with dwarfism who loves trains, and is willed an abandoned train depot by his elderly employer. I thought that a small, restored train depot would make a perfect tiny house, especially if you don’t mind the sound of trains.

Finn’s depot was filmed at the Newfoundland train station in Dover, New Jersey. I found a few other beautifully designed train depots in the area that have been converted into museums or historical markers.

The train depot used to be a visitor’s first view of a new town as the train they were on came chugging into the station. According to the Railroad Station Historical Society, railroad stations are designated locations along railroad lines to serve the handling of passengers, freight, and other commodities; as traffic control, maintenance, and/or communication centers.

Newfoundland Depot, New Jersey

Bonegap Depot, Illinois

Hoschton Depot, Georgia by ChapterHouseInc. and Waymarking.com

Often stations were marked by buildings including depots, towers, and maintenance facilities and almost always by a sign visible from the tracks. The word “station” is often used interchangeably with “depot”, but it refers to much more or less than a depot. The word “depot” is appropriate for a structure serving the public at a station.

We would love to hear of any train depots or other structures near you that would make a wonderful tiny house: a silo, an old train car (a la Maude from “Harold and Maude”), an old barn, a firestation or even a lighthouse.

Ashland Depot, New Hampshire by the Grafton County Historic and Genealogy Society

 Oberlin Depot, Ohio by Ohio Bikeways

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After doing a post on teardrop and vintage trailers a few weeks back I thought I would do a post on the ultra-modern T@B. Since it was introduced a few years ago, the T@B trailer by Thor Industries has exploded as a popular alternative to a larger, heavier travel trailer.

The T@B is known for its European design, styling and lightweight construction. They are about 16 ft long and can be purchased for between $9,000 and $20,000. The full trailer stands at 7 ft 9 inches and the interior height is 5 ft 9 inches. It weighs under 2,000 lbs unloaded.

Courtesy of Chris Dunphy

Courtesy of T@B

The T@B, which stands for Take America Back, also has all the amenities of a larger travel trailer (heating, air conditioning, fan, sink, refrigerator, stove and storage) but can be pulled with a smaller car and has no need for electronic brake control. The only thing the T@B does not have is a bathroom and shower. A port-a-potty can be installed. The Clamshell T@B even has a kitchen that opens up in the back, like the classic teardrop trailer.

The T@B also includes:

• Several floor plans
• Alufiber® construction
• Surge coupler attached to the hitch
• Seating area that becomes a 60 x 70 inch bed
• A covered area for a 20 lb. grill-style LP propane bottle and deep cycle RV battery
• A 5 gallon fresh water tank and on demand water pump
• A 25 amp power converter
• A marine grade amp with removable 20 foot power cord
• Smoke, propane, and carbon monoxide detectors

The T@B, because of its people friendly design and comfort, could be used for a temporary home or one that is more permanent. I came across several websites of people who live in or take extended trips in their T@Bs. I was specifically interested in the modifications they did to make the their T@B more comfortable and suited to their living needs.

Wanderful: Mark and Katie, and their chihuahua, Mister, decided to leave everything behind and travel across America in their custom T@B

Tabventures: Lynne takes extended trips with her dog, Millie

Chris Dunphy lived in his T@B for two years, before he upgraded to an Oliver

Mike and Trisha Kennedy travel in their T@B

Al’s T@B Mods: A list of T@B modifications

By Christina Nellemann

Courtesy of T@B

Courtesy of T@B

Courtesy of T@B

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