Is a "Tiny House" an RV?

[Cloud Dancer]

Well, I had not thought of that. In that case, I too have a tiny house. It is RVIA compliant, it's 40 feet long, and has a big diesel engine in the back.

[Sweetbriar]

I'd place them more in the Park Model towable class. Not something that would last multiple camping seasons traveling from home to a campground every other weekend but something you can park at a seasonal or permanent site with facilities.

Would I live in one? No, I like a bit more room but if I ever decide to dump my Class A and go with a cabin in the woods a tiny house might be worth looking at.

[winniman]

We saw one in a rv park but I cant remember where it was. Nevada or Arizona. We talked to the owners, and he said it needed a oversize load permit to move it due to the height. That would make them not very feasible for moving often. This one was set up at the rear of the park. It looked like it was more or less permanent. I think the main appeal of them is the fact they are built to take cold better than your typical rv. Living in an rv in winter can be less than fun when the temps did well below freezing.

[bill14729]

I was always under the impression an rv had to be Approved by RVIA and I have never see a sticker next to the door on a Tiny House so no they are not a RV.

[keymastr]

One of the tiny house shows specifically mentioned the RVIA requirements and even showed the inspections, (several of them). Very much like an inspection of a stick built home. The difference here was that the inspection was done remotely with video from a laptop.

When it was done they sent a certificate and a sticker. I don't remember what the inspection cost but basically you have a sticker that costs a few hundred dollars. I seriously doubt that there was an RVIA inspector watching over my trailer or even saw it before the sticker was applied. All you need to do is look under the skin of almost any RV to see 110 wiring that would not meet inspection to know that the sticker isn't worth much.

[matt2525]

I can't see these as an RV since they are made to sit more than travel, kinda like a park model.

At first I couldn't understand why someone would build this instead of buying a TT that is purpose-built and made to travel. Then as the show went along, I fully understood. It's basically a way to do what you want with no rules, regs, or accountability.

Build your own mobile home or park model. No permits, no inspections, no licensing, no qualified skills. No special insurance since the towing vehicle covers a trailer, no home-owners insurance. Probably way overweight for the trailers they build on.

I'd be interested in seeing how these things do going down the interstate. I'd bet one would leave major droppings along I-10 from Lake Charles west to NO or I-12 through East BR !

[Gary RVRoamer]

They do not qualify as either an RV, a mobile home, or a house, i.e. most fail to meet the standards (building codes) for any of those things. There are "destination" RV trailers and RV park models of similar sizes that do, but the so-called tiny houses seen on tv rarely do. While some zoning is based on preserving property values, e.g. a minimum square footage, most of it deals with minimum sanitary facilities, minimum fire and storm safety, occupant safety (especially children), and so on.

They also fail to meet what most people would consider minimum living standards, but that's a personal matter rather than a legal one. Some people live in caves or card boxes and think its OK, but for most of us that would be bare survival!

[Myrons31]

The naming it a "tiny house" is really just trying to get away from the derogatory term "trailer." Soon to come is the changing of the names of mobile home park or trailer park into "tiny house park, Or anything else..

It's a trailer. We all know it's a trailer. They just don't want to say they live in a trailer because it could possibly lower their status which is very important to them.

I lived in a trailer. In a mobile home park. Back in the day. Never once thought about calling it anything but that.

[azpete]

ive looked at these tiny houses. they can be had with any kind of fixture you want. i do not see the fascination with these. you can buy a very nice fifth wheel or trailer for much less money. it seems a lot of women, and some men find them "cute"
thats about the limit of admiration for me. otherwise, they are useless for traveling.

[dons2346]

Originally Posted by bill14729

I was always under the impression an rv had to be Approved by RVIA and I have never see a sticker next to the door on a Tiny House so no they are not a RV.

I have seen a couple with the RVIA sticker on them.

Some reading on the subject Tiny House Q&A: RVIA Certified Tiny Houses

[scep]

Originally Posted by George Schweikle

Just for conversation, I see Tiny House programs on HGTV, and wonder what people do with these things with respect to location, electric, water, sewage, etc. With what appears to be residential style construction some appear to be overloaded for the trailer chassis frame. I have never seen one in a traditional RV park.

.
The problems with them start when you squat one on a old pharts spread.

Odd how you never see the evictions.

[LETMGROW]

The TV shows are entertaining to watch but to me the whole concept is just plain stupid. Would anyone really want to live day in and day out in one of these undersized chicken coops?
I have too many other interests to limit myself to no extra space. Hunting, fishing, ATVing, snowmobiling, working on my land with my tractors and equipment and having tools and equipment to service all my big boy toys.
Where do you put all the kids and grandchildren for Thanksgiving dinner?
A refrigerator large enough to hold my beer supply would take up 1/2 of the whole living space.
If anyone really wanted to live cheaply in a small space they might better rob a store and get locked up in a cell with more space and everything provided to them.
Lynn

[les.warden]

Originally Posted by LETMGROW

The TV shows are entertaining to watch but to me the whole concept is just plain stupid. Would anyone really want to live day in and day out in one of these undersized chicken coops?
I have too many other interests to limit myself to no extra space. Hunting, fishing, ATVing, snowmobiling, working on my land with my tractors and equipment and having tools and equipment to service all my big boy toys.
Where do you put all the kids and grandchildren for Thanksgiving dinner?
A refrigerator large enough to hold my beer supply would take up 1/2 of the whole living space.
If anyone really wanted to live cheaply in a small space they might better rob a store and get locked up in a cell with more space and everything provided to them.
Lynn

Seems mostly the younger generation are obtaining these. The shows I’ve watched have the young people getting one, then placing it out on their parents property. Expensive way to get out of the house...on their own....to the backyard.

[ThePowells]

Originally Posted by les.warden

Seems mostly the younger generation are obtaining these. The shows I’ve watched have the young people getting one, then placing it out on their parents property. Expensive way to get out of the house...on their own....to the backyard.

Or maybe the parents are actually paying for it.