You may have seen dozens of aesthetic pictures scattered across your social media feed of picturesque tiny houses. Minimalism has grown to be a trend among the youth, with many ditching their traditional lifestyles for a less-cluttered way of living.
The difference between a smaller house and a “tiny” house is the area of living space enclosed. Tiny houses have a dwelling space of 400 to 600 square feet.
There are multiple monetary benefits to adopting a tiny house lifestyle. As much as 55% of tiny house owners have significantly higher savings as opposed to the average American. Additionally, 89% of tiny house owners have lesser credit card debt than average American homeowners. Another advantage to tiny house owning is that 78% of dwellers own their house as opposed to the 65% of traditional homeowners.
Tiny houses also account for lesser natural gas and electricity usage, leading to a significantly smaller carbon footprint. A tiny house is estimated to use close to 7% of the energy that a traditional home uses.
If less-clutter and minimalist living sound appealing, owning a tiny house might be your way to go!
What are the benefits of living in a tiny house? Let’s find out!
The Benefits of Tiny House Living
There are numerous advantages that tiny house owners will experience in their 600 square feet and fewer living spaces. For instance, with less space, there is less storage as opposed to traditional houses.
The result is a less-cluttered lifestyle. As a tiny house owner, you will have to get rid of things that you do not require and curb frivolous buying. Your tiny house needs to hold the essentials and nothing more, reducing the clutter you may be privy to in a larger house.
If you are as eco-conscious as we are, know that living in a tiny house is very sustainable for the environment. Because tiny houses do not occupy too much space and require lesser materials for construction, a lot of items can be repurposed and recycled. For instance, you could consider using eco-friendly acrylic chairs that can add to the beauty and aesthetic of your tiny house. Additionally, these pieces of furniture are also safe for the environment.
The amount of energy required to power a tiny house is much lesser than that consumed by larger houses on the market. The result is not just a smaller carbon footprint, but much higher savings with lesser amounts spent on electricity bills.
If you are a neat freak and enjoy living in clean and well-maintained places, tiny houses are the best option for you! The smaller spaces are significantly neater and easier to clean, allowing you to enjoy the results of all your elbow grease.
The Challenges of Tiny House Living
Tiny house living may seem like the ideal choice for you, but the lifestyle does come with challenges that need to be taken into consideration.
For instance, a tiny house owner needs to significantly downsize all of their possessions and furniture, allowing it to be accommodated in the house. With a lot less storage space, tiny houses may not be the ideal accommodation for families.
Tiny houses also account for smaller amenities such as compost toilets and smaller appliances. These will also require regular cleaning. Simple living is not easy and can be very challenging if you are used to a certain lifestyle before making the shift.
Even the slightest disorganization in your tiny house can create significant clutter and be a hassle to you. Yes, cleaning up your space will not require as much time as a larger house. However, you will need to continually clean and pick up after yourself, a lot more than you would if you had more space.
You may additionally have to employ DIY home renovation ideas regularly if you are looking to raise the value of your property.
Should You Build or Buy?
The average nationwide cost of a tiny house is USD 300 per square foot, as opposed to the USD 150 per square foot of traditional houses. The latter can be estimated at 2531 square feet, as opposed to the 600 square feet area of the former. This makes tiny homes a great deal cheaper to build or buy, as opposed to larger houses.
Tiny homeowners looking to build their space will have to shell out USD 20,000 to USD 60,000 on the materials for their house. Building permits will also have to be taken into consideration, with the average permit costing around USD 1350 nationally.
Another aspect that will be taken into consideration is the foundation upon which you will be building your tiny house. Foundation costs for a tiny house can range from USD 52,000 to USD 55,000.
You may even be considering a tiny house on wheels, which can cost you USD 60,000 to USD 80,000 to build.
On the other hand, there are several pre-built tiny homes available that cost around USD 75,000 depending on the number of amenities and level of luxury.
Another option for you to consider could be purchasing a tiny pre-built and preowned house that can cost as little as USD 10,000 to USD 30,000. The disadvantage with purchasing pre-built tiny houses is that they cannot be customized to your requirements.
If you are looking for tiny houses that are built according to your requirements and specifications, expect to shell out close to USD 150,000. You can choose to pay upfront, saving you a considerable amount on mortgage costs. Did you know that 68% of tiny house owners do not have mortgages?
Depending on your finances and requirements, you can choose to either go the DIY way and build your own home from scratch. Or you could consider purchasing a tiny house on the market and enjoy the preinstalled amenities.
Remember to make your decision wisely based on your current financial circumstances and what you aim to achieve with a tiny house. You will soon have a space on your hands that you can call your own at almost half the price of a traditional house!
