Minimum housing area

[Lursa]

Tiny homes are really not the answer. The answer is higher density housing like more high rises. A high rise can house exponentially more people in given area than tiny homes.

That said, I am fine with a tiny homes, I just don't think it is a solution to the housing crisis in high demand areas.

And more housing units isnt the whole answer...then you have much higher density in human numbers...just giving them a place to sleep doenst solve their problems or reduce their impact on the infrastructure. You also need more parking, services, etc.

 

[Lursa]

Thanks, man, I'll check it out. I'd rather go with a V8 than a V6, if it at all reasonable on the gas front...and my experience with GM has been awesome - my 2007 base model Impala has never let me down, and still has plenty of life in her at 150,000 miles (did the conversion to your wacky Imperial system, you're welcome...lolz). So I'd definitely look at a GM....though if I'm honest, I have wanted a truck for a long time, and I've always liked the F150's...like, since I was a kid. Not the whole reason to buy one, but it does factor in...hehe...

But definitely thanks for the link, man, you just made my lunch plans for me.

V8 all the way. Personally I'd go 3/4 ton (did) and diesel. But then I tow a horse trailer plus the truck camper in the bed.

Dont go diesel unless you are good at working on your own vehicles. Maint is way more expensive.

 

[OlNate]

V8 all the way. Personally I'd go 3/4 ton (did) and diesel. But then I tow a horse trailer plus the truck camper in the bed.

Dont go diesel unless you are good at working on your own vehicles. Maint is way more expensive.

Ha! Sadly I'm not, despite working for the automotive industry. They keep me in the office...

 

[Lursa]

Yep, it's best to have the tow vehicle weigh about as much as the trailer. A good stabilizing hitch (properly rated for the tongue weight) with sway control also helps.

Are you talking about the weight distribution hitches?

 

[ALiberalModerate]

And more housing units isnt the whole answer...then you have much higher density in human numbers...just giving them a place to sleep doenst solve their problems or reduce their impact on the infrastructure. You also need more parking, services, etc.

Right, but even then higher density housing usually results in higher density parking (parking garages under the housing and so on). Moreover, the kinds of young professionals that higher density housing appeals to, are also typically one car households at most and are much more likely to utilize public transit. The biggest barrier to higher density housing is typically zoning laws.

 

[Thx]

Tiny houses are expensive and not for everyone, although that vid I posted in post#2, about ten minutes in there is a young lady who built her own, looks pretty darn sturdy, (probably weighs a lot!) and she says she has about $3500 into it.

Another kid, a 16 year old, (I believe it is in the same video) is building his so he can start out in life mortgage-free. (Lol, he is pointing out the new stainless sink his dad got him for Christmas. )

But a genuine tiny house is probably not for myself, it'll be a used travel trailer at first and maybe a kit house down the road.

These people have a wide variety of kit cabins, some seem a bit pricey like those round ones, but others seem very affordable like this one for $4,400.



https://www.bonanza.com/listings/BZ...e-113-SQF-1-3-4-Logs-Free-Shipping-/471135830

(reduced price, only one left.)

Now that one is just shy of the 120 sq ft minimum a lot of places require, but here is a larger one for $20K.

image upload no registration

Almost 300 square feet, and it says free shipping.

I figure though, if they can sell one for $20K and make a profit I could probably build the same thing for something over half-price.

Two of my neighbors have kit houses.

Thx

 

[Lursa]

Right, but even then higher density housing usually results in higher density parking (parking garages under the housing and so on). Moreover, the kinds of young professionals that higher density housing appeals to, are also typically one car households at most and are much more likely to utilize public transit. The biggest barrier to higher density housing is typically zoning laws.

I dont know if that's true about couples having only one car...by choice. It's definitely a choice influenced by lack of parking or high costs for parking.

And not all cities are set up well for mass transportation. Most are scrambling on that now. Some are pretty good.

 

[WCH]

And it's one thing to do so in a part of the country with good weather most of the year and you can be outside alot. I saw one family on HGTV that was in South Dakota and had kids. :doh

They were literally going to sleep 2 of them in giant drawers.

I like for the children to have a space [as much as possible] away from my senses.

 

[Lursa]

I like for the children to have a space [as much as possible] away from my senses.

Well that's why outdoor space is always good. I live outside as much as possible, I love my front porch.

But SD in winter? Hard to throw the kids outside!

 

[Lovebug]

Well that's why outdoor space is always good. I live outside as much as possible, I love my front porch.

But SD in winter? Hard to throw the kids outside!

Loft space is always good. If you have a removable ladder, even better. Oh, and noise reducing head phones.

 

[ttwtt78640]

Are you talking about the weight distribution hitches?

Yes with bars and chains.

 

[WCH]

Well that's why outdoor space is always good. I live outside as much as possible, I love my front porch.

But SD in winter? Hard to throw the kids outside!

Them kids are tough...outside they go.

 

[Thx]

Here is something for those who figure they will be too old (at 60 maybe?) to get around; Dick Proenneke lived in the Alaska wilderness until the age of 82.



Thx

 

[Lovebug]

Here is something for those who figure they will be too old (at 60 maybe?) to get around; Dick Proenneke lived in the Alaska wilderness until the age of 82.



Thx

My Dad was like that. He could make something out of nothing and be happy with very little. A toothbrush and a few necessities, no fuzz. Not sure how many people are like that. I am not, that's for sure.

 

[jamesrage]

After someone has raised a family in one of these, get back to me.

I occasionally watch those tiny home shows and wonder how many of those people would be still living in those homes a couple years later. Sure people all around the world live in tiny homes and people during our grandfathers and great grandfathers time raised families in tiny homes. But most likely they do it because its either that or they are homeless. Its one thing living in a tiny home when your other choice is the streets and its a completely different thing when you don't have to live in a tiny home.

 

[itsforthekids]

No. Everything eventually works out.

 

[Thx]

My Dad was like that. He could make something out of nothing and be happy with very little. A toothbrush and a few necessities, no fuzz. Not sure how many people are like that. I am not, that's for sure.

He had an advantage in that he was a carpenter in the Navy.

And he worked really hard to build that cabin, packing in all the tools and materials.

I tried to find the full original documentary, it has been a PBS staple for decades, but didn't see it.

Reminds me of a doc we saw in school way back when about an Alaska gold miner who built a boat to travel up the river, then disassembled it back to boards and hauled it up over a mountain and reassembled it at another river on the other side.

Thx

 

[Lursa]

I occasionally watch those tiny home shows and wonder how many of those people would be still living in those homes a couple years later. Sure people all around the world live in tiny homes and people during our grandfathers and great grandfathers time raised families in tiny homes. But most likely they do it because its either that or they are homeless. Its one thing living in a tiny home when your other choice is the streets and its a completely different thing when you don't have to live in a tiny home.

The ones that crack me up are the ones that want to keep their king-size beds

 

[Thx]

"But what about The Brady Bunch, how are they all going to fit in there?"

What about them? No one said a large family was going to have to live in a tiny house, no one said anyone would have to live in a tiny house.

But is it okay with you, if someone decides they want to live in one?

Some people don't want to spend the rest of their life paying off a mortgage for a McMansion they don't need, they should be admired, not derided...

Some people like to tout their "conservatism," well where is it on this topic?

Thx

 

[PleasantValley]

I voted YES, there should be no limits on how small a dwelling should be.
Their should only be minimum requirements for sanitation.

Personally, i would not want to live in an area where housing is getting less and less affordable and taxes keep getting higher and higher.

You can still buy a $15,000 house, but it will be in Bugtussel, Boondock.
Import your money and sunshine.

 

[PleasantValley]

Reminds me of the home of Glenn Villeneuve (Life beloew zero). That guys fascinates me. He lives very simply, owns no power tools, is very self sufficient, always comes up with new ideas....)Of course not all of us could/would live in Alaska, or are capable of living a self sustaining live, esp when we get older and/or less healthy.
We should ask ourselves what we really need, how much space is necessary to make us happy? We made a huge mistake buying a large home and can't wait to sell it. We are looking into buying some land to afford our privacy, and hope to avail ourselves to what that land has to offer, including solar and wind power. We aren't sure about a tiny home vs travel trailers. Travel trailers would accommodate the occasional travel more so than a tiny home. We have thought about buying 2 small ones, one for daily living, the other for a bit of extra storage, guests and travels.

Every time i think about "off grid" living up on my proprety, I think....what if...
Then sanity returns.

That TV show, "Live Free or Die" reminds me of the expression "broke-assed hippies".

I like throwing a frozen hamburger patty on the George Foreman and eating it about 2 minutes later.
I also like refrigerators and air conditioning.
I know I CAN live off-grid if it is forced on me, but why if you don't have to?

Taking a hot chick to my place for dinner should not involve skinning a squirrel.

 

[PleasantValley]

Have you ever heard of Mick Dodge?



He has lived in the Olympic Forest for more than 25 years now, living off the land except for the occasional cheeseburger attack he satisfies in Forks Wa.

Oh, and he is not crazy as he seems, he just likes to put on for the camera and mess with the camera guys.

(well... maybe he's a little nuts...)

Now I'm not going to go that hardcore, but it does demonstrate that the forest can provide.

Thx

...and how often does he get laid?
Showers are a requirement.
If he was in my territory, I would let him come in a spare room just to shower.

 

[PleasantValley]

I am really surprised they aren't catching on more. It is so intriguing. Now and then we see one coming down the road, but it is not very often. Even those TV shows seem to have fizzled out. Not sure why.

Lovebug, I think the TV shows fizzled out because at the end, the cost of them was in the $80,000 range for some.
40k and 60k for most.

That is just silly.
I quit watching because of that.
Depending on the town, you can get an older complete house for that.

 

[Thx]

...and how often does he get laid?
Showers are a requirement.
If he was in my territory, I would let him come in a spare room just to shower.

How often does any 70 year old get laid?

I don't know, the ladies seem to like him, the series is more about living off the land than his romantic exploits or lack thereof.

But, check out the other episodes of the series, maybe they delve into that.

(Oh, and he seems to bathe pretty often, so it might be a stretch to comment on his hygiene...)

Thx

 

[PleasantValley]

Tents and yurts worry me a bit in bear country. We looked at concrete dome homes. Can't come up with the name of the builder, but the ones we visited were hurricane and tornado resistant, anchored into a thick cement floor, had 2 br, 1 ba, sm kitchen and were about $ 25, 000, and felt very cozy and comfy.

I would LOVE one of those.
I have always been a bit apprehensive about sleeping in a tent in bear country.
I am not used to bears or cougars at all.
I would want some sheet metal between them and I.

I guess that makes me a "wuss" too, OlNate.