The human scale of tiny homes & McMansions as fad

[kallen6879]

worst music EVER!!!

[onecrazywheel]

A person could not legally pull a trailer like this on a public road. You have to get REGISTRATION for it and a TAG from the DMV.

[TheDj269]

How is the durability with these? Say I wanted to move it across multiple states, would it hold up okay?

[TheCindlbergen]

Could not watch this because of the "music". Sounded like a Kennedy funeral.

[AntisocialVirtuoso]

test

[georgito619]

i know that the background music isnt the best but its not that terrible. just music lol. if you listen to nicki minajs new song thats a whole different story though lol

[mykwilwin]

i favorited this video very imformative i can't wait to build or buy one of these also the music almost drove me insane..

[crosspecans]

hush that too loud music. if i had it where i could hear the talking, then id get blasted with that loud bagpipe stuff. tiny houses are a good idea. do you just leave them sitting on those tires?? do you block them up if you were leaving it in one place for a year or so?

[AntisocialVirtuoso]

@crosspecans No you can't. The only place you could live out of this is on a camp ground. City laws wouldn't allow you to have this, even on your own property.

[crosspecans]

@AntisocialVirtuoso i live out in the county. no city laws. i have a friend in canada that might wanna come stay for a month or so a year. this tiny cabin seems to be the best idea. aint NO body gonna tell ME no. giggles.

[AntisocialVirtuoso]

@crosspecans Do you have to have it insured as a RV trailer? How does it work?

[crosspecans]

@AntisocialVirtuoso we paid cash to build it. insured?? nope. if it burns you build another. that being said, i do have a smoke alarm and a fire extenguisher.

[AntisocialVirtuoso]

@crosspecans if police officer pulled you over while you were pulling one of these down the road, he would fine you and not allow you to pull it anymore. IF you got into an acident and hurt someone, you would be sued and screwed finacially for life. THis is the way it would be in Canada. In canada, the only place you an park an RV is in an RV park.

[AntisocialVirtuoso]

@crosspecans Does it have to be registared as an RV? How do you get it insured? I just cant see an insurance company insuring a vehicle someone made in there back yard out of wood.

[ferdonandebull]

I like the little houses. However there is a reason for covenants and restrictions. I have a house that is in a covenant area and love it. I also have a small house in a rural area that is just fine.

The problem with the little houses the people building them are also building shacks. Not all but some. The shacks get abandoned and turn into a policing problem.

Small houses? Great idea. Covenants and restricted areas? Also a great idea.

[SuperChevymaster]

I love the Bagpipe music....how often to you get a chance to hear it

[magdalene74]

hmmmmm we have four kids including two teenagers, and this could be just the little love shack weve been looking for...

[divisioneight]

They ought to allow these dignified and personal solutions for shelter for the long term unemployed. I know of a few folks, out of work for a long time, who may indeed need something like this to call home. It just makes sense in this depression we are living in.

[captainpanic08]

'The Imelda Marcos of Tiny House People'. Truly a unique title.

[poorsurvialest]

you are righ government has overstepped but u know they cant tell a person where they can live i think its a fight we have to fight and it the government wants you to spend alot of money on a home they want u to borrow alot of money and be slaves to the system people nead to wake up and realize the best way to beat them all is to not use the banking system and quit liveing on borrowed bank money build homes like these that is the reaison these arn't fads

[poorsurvialest]

you are righ government has overstepped but u know they cant tell a person where they can live i think its a fight we have to fight

[Dregowz]

i wish i culd go ther

[guitargeek1122]

how big is the room of your own????

[TayDidJones]

i like every thing but that F#%$ing music man , gezzz its killing my ears !

[o0xst]

Good video, but I don't understand the loud bagpipe music. 

[AwesomeCoasters]

Sustainable development? As opposed to unecessary development? This is total bollocks!!!

[blacklable1960]

Nice video but the bag pipes are killing me...DAMN!

[MsDaddyDiva]

I soo want my own tiny house , just for like priviacy like geeze.

[thefrunj]

The content was great, the soundtrack was terrible.

[bluesjeon]

I have some vacant lots in lehigh acres,FL

It is zoned RS-1.

Can i park this house on my vacant lots?

Should i get a building permit or register mobile car before parking this house?

Plz let me the requirements for living in this house and park this house on my vacant lots

thank you

[kirstendirksen]

@bluesjeon I'm not an expert, but I know that in many US counties single family zoning laws set minimum size standards: usually from about 260 sq ft & up. So the house on wheels is a way that tiny home builders try to get around regulations, but they still are required to find a "legal" spot to park it. As for parking on your vacant lots, many counties might allow you to park a tiny home on wheels, but they don't consider it a legal residence. So legally you could park, but not live in it.

[MickScarborough]

@kirstendirksen The government has overstepped its authority. We never gave it permission to enact these laws.

[kirstendirksen]

@MickScarborough I wonder if it was simply "government" responsible for minimum size standards, but also voters asking for them. There is no federal mandate that I know of so I believe these restrictions were enacted county by county which makes me wonder if it was more just homeowners (voters) worried about their property values declining if someone parked a trailer in a lot next door. Or even just their views.. these tiny homes are much more attractive than the mobile home my grandma lived in.

[arumdevil]

@kirstendirksen or more likely it was the property developers who were 'well connected' and persuaded the people in the position do to so, to impliment minimum size standards so the developers make more money.

[NCHollop]

@MickScarborough True, but silence is sometimes implied permission.

[joshuapaulshow]

@bluesjeon We own 20 acres in West Texas... and are moving to it in April. I've started a blog about this and everything. In nearly any rural area, (like our commune in west Texas) you would be able to park this home anywhere you want- as long as you have the permission of the land owner, or you own the land yourself. Since the lots belong to you, you should not have a problem- but check to be sure- :)

[joshuapaulshow]

@joshuapaulshow If you want to see the website and blog, (we just went live 2 days ago) we write about all sorts of Green Living ideas such as this one- and for people like yourself, offer tips and ideas. Check us out if you like- we can give each other encouragement! sierrablancacommune.webs.com

[dth3545]

all i wanted to do is check out the prices, but you have to sign up and log in, why do you have to give everybody your personal info just to look.

[kirstendirksen]

@dth3545 Here are the prices sent to me last year by Stephen from the Little House on a Trailer:

10 x 12 $12,000

Cedar House $17,500

Caregiver $25,000

Art Space $40,000

Office $50,000

[KesslersCross]

@kirstendirksen I have to say those prices are pretty steap compared to what they would cost to build. I have a company that builds small log cabins and we actually built one on a trailer for 5,000 and sold it for 8,000. I believe it was a 12x12. With those prices they would have to be making an extremely high profit.

[MickScarborough]

@kirstendirksen I can buy a wood frame or even cement block home with 2 bedrooms and a total living space of 1000 sq ft on 1/4 acre for the price of the Art Space. This is some overpriced stuff here.

[kirstendirksen]

@MickScarborough I'm definitely not in any position to say what prices should be. I simply filmed this video. But I do know that the cost of living (real estate and labor) in the part of the country where Stephen is based are high. I would also assume that if someone could do it for a lot less they would. Perhaps there are some costs of doing business that are high. My point of the story was more about the options that exist for housing and less about price.

[thestudyoffur]

i find your video to be excellent

[ValiantVendetta]

I'm wondering how safe these houses would be to live in, they look real easy to bust into.

[nightrush13]

me: excuse me sir where's the bathroom

stranger: oh you just dig a hole in the bushes

me: thankyou

stranger: no problem :D

20 minutes later I ended up in the hospital

stranger: what happened?

me: a cobra bit my ass !

[dasalekhya]

4:40 - did YOU hear ?? DID YOU?? people ALWAYS lived within means - as less as possible - somewhere we forgot that value...

[MonsterMeg26]

holay fackin bagpipes! -covers ears-

[roflrocksmysocks]

I like the idea of it, but when it comes down to getting a tiny house for myself, i'll probably build it. I find myself questioning the build quality.

additionally, that music is terrible. I could do with it being there, but drop the volume to a more tolerable volume.

[99cachorro]

It's good that things are shrinking. Lets shrink government!!!

[BadassCeino]

Can I haul one of these with my Honda Element?

[IvyOmega]

How does the heat/cold isolation work? Does it even have any?

[ilovepokerguy]

Bagpipes are awsome.

[raymondguy]

Bagpipes were originally used to make a small army sound bigger. Success, but why it is used for anything other than frightening animals is beyond me.

[snowman358]

will these be a good club house?

[shaynapunim1]

The bagpipe music is assaultive! Pleeeaze change the music; you'll do yourselves a huge favor.

[Najma202]

that background is a little loud!

[kynesful]

I think people would rather get a trailer than this.

[omjeremy]

Interesting idea, but if you look at his website, he's trying to sell some of these tiny homes for as much as 50k. Someone's making money off of this.

[phobos2k2]

Wow and they promote a healthy diet and lifestyle as well because an obese person couldn't live in a tiny home like that...

"Frank..you there!? Hey listen I bent over to put on my shoes and my ass got wedged in the kitchen/living area. I'm gonna need a saw, a tub of Crisco and some rope. How soon can you get here?"

[TheDjJudasX8]

If 400 square feet is the smallest one can do, and a person so 3 or 4 of the 400 square feet homes on the same lot? I would just place them side by side. 1 could be the bedroom, 1 could be the bathroom, 2 could be the kitchen, and a 4th could be a sound for TV and music.

[Kheldarren]

I want to move to a small house, but some of the prices I see on the website are what I'd pay for a full sized house where I am. I saw a nice prebuilt shed with loft the other day that was about $13k and could easily be made into a great 2 story small home.

[CimaraNyx]

hahaha....same here. Loved the little houses, the music was sooo annoying!

[Charles2337]

Now I can have extra cash for cool cars. =)

[OpticalFascism]

Love the bagpipe!

[robertplant634]

that music is fucking dreadful

[Entrayalicious]

I would actually like to have one of those when i get older.. And if it isnt legal then, then i'll ask if i can plant it somewhere in one of future friends space :P

[RHJunior]

Too bad they want as much for those tiny houses as you'd pay for a full-size one...Tumbleweed Homes, the SMALLEST one they offer is tens of thousands of dollars. It's smug ego-vanity purchasing, just like those stupid little hybrid cars.

[ThaliaNiurka]

my lord, if a tornado pass over there, they will blow like in the Wizard of Oz story.

[SuaveMariMagno]

Ok, I saw where (and how) to cook, bath, sleep, work, keep food and clothes, but where to do laundry?

[kirstendirksen]

@SuaveMariMagno If you didn't want to use a laundromat, you could get a European style washer. They're pretty small and spin dry your clothes so you can then hang them on the line fairly dry. I lived in a 400 sq ft apartment and we kept our washer under the kitchen sink. Did a video called "A tiny apartment for 2: 400 square feet with tub & laundry" youtube.com/watch?v=QXo1gu_k2U­o

[beisaaa]

cry cry cry big houses suck... ya right... 400 sq feet is soo small... 2000-3000 sq feet is nice for 4 ppl...

[abby1747]

holy fucking bagpipes. make it stop!

[plainlyspoken]

First about the houses as that's more important than the soundtrack people! I love the idea--I wasn't clear though how the bathroom works or if there is one as this would be a deal breaker for most of us. Also, how is it heated and cooled?I can see myself buying one for my backyard as a writing office away from the demands of the family. Now the soundtrack: I actually like the music! but I like Celtic music. Or hit different parts of the song rather than the same few bars?

[theiran]

So how much would the caregiver's cottage cost as around a 400 sq. ft. house?

[HBT7O7]

house the size of my pigeon loft xD

[drgigolo]

How did this become popular in the North Bay? I go there all the time, but never see these things. I like houses that are small, like 800 sq ft. These might be too small.

[emurphy66]

I would get a tiny house if I wasnt a tad clausterfobic and wouldn't get stirrcrazy easily and if i wasn't so tall...well maybe I'll get a large tiny house...

[janetenn]

god how i hate the music! if it wasn't for that i would have clicked like or even favorites

[kirstendirksen]

@janetenn You're totally right. I made the video and hate it now as well. Not sure what I was thinking. Though after listening to it shortly after posting, it made me change my ways and now I only use music when really necessary.

[barirdeeee2]

@kirstendirksen wats the name of the music?

[janetenn]

@kirstendirksen i had assume you were (maybe) going for a: down to earth, folksy, "regular joe" tone or mood. but went overkill on the folksy. btw the volume was a tad too loud, louder than the voices making it distracting but still a very good and informative vid

[kirstendirksen]

@janetenn You're right on both points. Wish I could swap it, but too late. Part of the problem is my music library. It's just copyright free music loops from the Apple program Garageband. I wish I could compose my own stuff, but I lack that talent. Though I have a few musicians right now helping me out by composing some stuff for me. This is more for a documentary project I'm doing, but I'm very open to giving any amateur musicians credit for songs in exchange for letting me use them.

[DrTerminus]

@kirstendirksen you have one opinion. consider mine a "thumbs up" for both the video and the music. Thanks for sharing this! I'm really excited about the little house concept.

[kirstendirksen]

@DrTerminus Thanks. I must have liked the music at some point. But now I must admit it seems too loud and a bit jarring. Well, I'm glad at least one person didn't mind it. The little houses are fun. And I'm amazed at how many there are in that part of the country.

[pdrwood]

@janetenn would you rather have some straight up gangster rap? I bet people don't find your interests interesting either.

[willem01]

@janetenn turn-off the sound, turn on audio-transcribe?

[dromycatcher]

@janetenn

hahaha I was also annoyed as hell by that shitty NOISE and it goe so fucking loud grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[thefutureshopper]

"The Mcmansion is the fad", I've been saying that for years;) What a waste, and its all rotting away! I keep telling "them" those are over! I am inspired by your tiny houses, we are not going quite as small, though, but we are shooting for zero sum, with ac and stuff. maybe 500 -1000 ft. Keep up the good work. Jeffro

[Passengertrains4ever]

@thefutureshopper I agree, this man nailed it perfectly when he said, "The McMansion is the fad." Couldn't agree more. Those houses never seem to be 'homes', and seem empty in more ways than one. Something between 800-1000 square feet would be most ideal for me.

[pentogram23]

id like some litrature and prices for these houses...please.

[kirstendirksen]

@pentogram23 Stephen has a website. Either google "Little House on the Trailer" or it's just littlehouseonthetrailer . com

[SufferInJuly]

My stinkin' plan is to be mega-rich by Christmas so that I can buy a top-of-the-line house-trailer.

[InuvikPhil]

So many people would be better off in one of these than in apartments. Why? RESALE value.

Your rent disappears every month, but you could build one of these and easily pay it off in a couple of years --- I would prefer this to loud neighbours and crummy apartments anytime!

[jobirgheidi]

What an inspiring video.

[AngelBones84]

I would love to live in a tiny house someday . Right now we have 2 , growing , boys and need a bit more room , but still live small in a house thats 1050 sq foot . It enough for everyone , 3 bedrooms and 2 baths . We live simply , so for now , its space enough . :)

[BarkleyBell]

What a really good idea! I love living small.

[honeyxbee18]

love the houses, hate the bagpipe

[earlymusicus]

These are great! My dream for retirement. And I think the super-rich should be re-named the stupid-rich! Wealth is wasted on rich people.

[dogongood]

Bathroom?

[kirstendirksen]

@dogongood Most of these have bathrooms except for a couple that are meant as add-on space for an already existing house (like one he calls "A room of one's own"). For another video with Michael where he shows more detail in a bathroom (like the incinerating toilet) see "Little house on a trailer: 12 feet wide is not a tiny home".

[CitizenKane380]

Really enjoyed the info in the video. But that music was just awful

[Anothercoilgun]

Legal, if I hear that word one more time I am going to vomit.

[deezynar]

I'm glad he said these are RVs and fall under the "building code" that RVs do. That means that things are not as safety minded as residential building codes. The reason is RVs are rarely occupied for more than a couple weeks a year. When you live year round in an RV you increase the chances you'll have some kind of problem.

One thing about this video that's silly is the attack on big houses & saying they're going away. Big houses now use far less energy than my small older house.

[njabulani]

Hey, I passed up this place or a place like this on I-10!!

[OrganicTexas]

I love small-scale! Smaller environmental footprint forces us to get rid of all the useless crap we accumulate over time. Great video!

[N89J00X]

Thanks for the info!

[N89J00X]

I love them! What is the price range?

[kirstendirksen]

@N89J00X I asked Stephen from the Little House on a Trailer company who appears in the video. Here are the prices he sent me:

10 x 12 $12,000

Cedar House $17,500

Caregiver $25,000

Art Space $40,000

Office $50,000

[njabulani]

@kirstendirksen whoo, nevermind

[23HappyApples]

@kirstendirksen Wow! For that much you could buy cheep property.....and with something on it.

[MACKATTACK1970]

@kirstendirksen Too much!

[plainlyspoken]

$50K is a lot. You can actually buy a real house for that!

[fadingdreams300]

@plainlyspoken wow, where do you live? In my city a 800 sq foot house is minimum $350 000 it is ridiculous

[lala412]

@fadingdreams300 I don't know where @plainlyspoken is, but go to homes.com and search houses in Ponca City OK - prices are a LOT less than where you are. Probably have to go a little higher for one in good condition or a good part of town, but they would almost all have a lot more than 800 sq ft! And if you want to put the work in to fixing one up, you can get one a lot less than 50K. One down the street from me - I think 1200 sq ft - sold for $30K a while ago. Not bad, just old.