Let’s talk tiny houses. This trend is sweeping the nation, and while we’re all for saving money and going minimalist, tiny houses have a dirty little secret. Cute, compact and money-saving, these tiny trendsetters have more than a few issues that you should know before cleaning out your savings accounts.
1. THE CODE
Okay, so you just bought a tiny house. Awesome, right?! Not so fast, you can’t just plop it down anywhere. In order for your new tiny house to sit on piece of land (even if you own it), it must meet certain codes. Most tiny houses DO NOT meet those codes.
Small manufactured homes do! Coming in at less than 500 square feet, tiny manufactured homes are the perfect solution for your small living desires. These minuscule homes are built to code, so you can buy land or rent it and place it there without a problem.
2. THE COST
Here’s the thing, you’ll definitely save money in a tiny house in the long run. But to get a home with all the bells and whistles, you’re going to need up to $70,000, which is a sizable chunk of change for 150 square feet. Now if you’re a single person on the fly, this might work for you, but families and couples may need to reconsider.
Small manufactured homes start at just $25,000 and you get double the space of the average tiny house! You’ll still have all the modern bells and whistles you love at a comparable price. Plus you’ll have a home you know is safe.
3. THE SAFETY
We don’t know where you’re reading this (hopefully somewhere super fun), but we are coming at you from beautiful sunny Florida. Only here’s the thing: Florida isn’t always sunny. In fact, we have these pretty scary things called hurricanes. Tiny homes are not tied down in any way, which makes them pretty susceptible to the elements.
Many people believe manufactured homes are more susceptible to the elements than site-built homes, but the truth is that modern manufactured homes are just as safe as site-built homes.
4. THE SPECS
Want a customized tiny home? You could build it yourself with some sweet YouTube tutorials, or you could have a tiny house architect design and build it for you. One is scary, the other is costly. Your best bet for securing a reasonably-priced tiny home is to purchase a used one. In that case, you’re still getting the hefty price tag, and whatever updates you’ll need to do too.
Small manufactured home builders, like Fleetwood allow you to customize your home with many modern options. You can choose from stylish options like wood floors and granite counters, and much more!
5. THE SPACE
With the average tiny home coming in at just 120 square feet, you don’t have much room for, well, anything. When you see pictures of a tiny house it might feel doable, but the truth is 120 square feet is the size of a small guest bedroom or a den. Now imagine cramming your entire home into that space. For many people, somewhere between 500-1,000 square feet is the perfect compromise when wanting to downsize. Most small manufactured home start at about that size and offer you affordability, safety, coding, and space.