Frequently Asked Questions
In 2011, Ed was introduced to the concept of tiny houses. Having recently developed an active retirement community in nearby Rome, GA, he saw value in creating a rustic downsized community for pre-retirement and vacationing. Below are some frequently asked questions we and others in the tiny house industry have addressed since the concept was reintroduced in 1999. After reviewing these FAQs, please fill out the Contact Us form and give us a little more detail about your plans for tiny living. We look forward to meeting to you!
Design
The age range of our communities is all over the map. We have couples in their 50s with teenage kids. Pre-retirees have adult children who might bring babies for visits.
However, leased lot communities is not Accessible. We use river rock and gravel for roads and pathways so neither strollers nor wheelchairs are currently possible. If you want to include Accessible features, we can work with you regarding lot location, as well as materials used for your own driveway, walkways, and entry.
All plans can be customized to an extent, within the legal parameters of delivery and zoning. It is best to tour several different designs and pick the attributes you like best. Then pick the floorplan that is closest to that and make your changes.
You have 13′ vertical height to work with and you can forego the loft, and consider a Murphy bed, convertible furniture, or additional square footage.
The loft is a good sleeping area for anyone who would normally sleep on your sofa — overnight guest, children, etc. Lofts as the only sleeping area may not be realistic for someone over 50 if crawling is required. Likewise, items stored in the loft may also require crawling to retrieve them so consider the design and depth of your loft.
A tiny house is a residential structure that is typically sized under 600 square feet. There are 2 accepted designations:
1) THOW (Tiny House On Wheels) which can fit on a trailer have max dimensions of 8 feet 6 inches wide, 13 feet 6 inches tall, and 40 feet long providing a total maximum of about 340 square feet. With proper vehicle, you could tow this size tiny house yourself.
2) Park Model RV (PMRV) which is 396-399 square feet and feels a bit like a bright 1 bedroom apartment. These can be up to 14 feet wide but require permitting and tractor-trailor truck for moving.
Do this exercise when considering a tiny home: Determine where you spend the most time in your current residence. Measure the exact space that time occupies. For most people, it’s a bathroom with shower/tub, bed, sofa with table and chair, kitchen table, kitchen appliance area, and maybe a porch. These spaces are easily accommodated in a 400 sqft tiny house. You can then adjust space requirement up or down based on your personal preference, and whether you intend to live in the space full time or keep it as a home base for outdoor activities
Typical RVs aren’t built to be used every day like a house. Since they’re expected to be moved frequently, the materials used in the construction are lighter weight and often less durable. RV’s can start to look pretty worn after a much shorter time than you would expect with a house. They also aren’t built to be maintained like a house. When was the last time you heard of someone putting a fresh coat of paint on their RV or putting a new Roof on after 25 years. Tiny houses are built just like a conventional house with all the same, or better, materials.
