QUICK FACTS:
Are Tiny Houses Legal In North Carolina: YES*
Tiny House Costs In North Carolina: $33,000 – $85,000
Tiny House Friendly Cities: Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro
Wishbone Tiny Homes Homes Arden, NC
PRICE RANGE
Models start at $139,000
Wishbone Tiny Homes are beautiful and efficient. The company has plenty of experience with Energy Auditing, Solar PV, LEED, and other green building requirements, focusing on resolving housing affordability gaps, especially for first-time homebuyers. The tiny homes are built in Asheville, NC, and range from 200-2000 SF. These North Carolina tiny home builders offer customization, tiny house plans, and project assistance to help you throughout every stage of your tiny house build. Wishbone Tiny Homes has been featured on Houzz.
Mustard Seed Tiny Homes Suwanee, GA
PRICE RANGE
Shells start at $15,995.
Models start at $56,000.
Tiny home builders right outside of Atlanta, Mustard Seed Tiny Homes work with customers in North Carolina. The homes are modern and customizable. Mustard Seed tiny home builders also work with nonprofit organizations to supply homes for people in need. The couple behind the company met while doing global mission work, and after living on the road for years, the tiny house life was a natural fit. Mustard Seed works on THOWs (Tiny Houses on Wheels) as well as foundation models. The southern tiny house builders have four base model homes and offer customization, design consultation, shells, and even a greenhouse model.
Perch & Nest Tiny House Farms Winston-Salem, NC
PRICE RANGE
Shells start at $10,500.
Models start at $67,000.
Fusing simple living and stunning design, Perch & Nest Tiny House Farms is run by a team of homebuilders, designers, carpenters, and licensed building professionals. These North Carolina tiny home builders are particularly fond of finding ways to incorporate reclaimed details and upcycling into their designs. They offer DIY tiny house shells, RV certified shells, and move-in ready tiny homes, as well as vacation rentals in North Carolina. Perch & Nest are also working on their own tiny home community park called Farm 704, where they will offer parking for THOWs.
Buck’s Tiny Houses Spruce Pine, NC
PRICE RANGE
Models start at $61,000.
Buck Stove is the parent company of Buck’s Tiny Houses. The company has been in business since 1971, when they began as first a general store and then a stove manufacturer, supplying high-quality products to their North Carolina community. Now, as they’ve grown into popular tiny home builders in NC, they’ve created many jobs in the area. Buck’s Tiny Houses offer several base models, as well as plenty of custom design options. The tiny homes are built in their facility and then shipped and transported as needed by their new owners.
Nanostead Marshall, NC
PRICE RANGE
THOWs start $230-$300+ per sq ft.
North Carolina tiny house builders, Nanostead specialize in sustainable, green building and agriculture, creating custom tiny homes, accessory dwellings, and offering design assistance. Nanostead was founded by Jeramy Stauffer, who first began his tiny house journey in 2005. He partnered with other tiny house building experts to create Nanostead. Their tiny house models have been featured on Tiny House Hunters and in many blogs. Jeremy also teaches a class on small scale living at AB Tech Community College and has taught at the Organic Grower’s School, making him a great resource for tiny living.
Kaufman Trailers Lexington, NC
PRICE RANGE
Starts at $3,340.00 and up.
Kaufman Trailers has over 30 years of experience offering utility and gooseneck trailers, flatbed, equipment trailers, and tiny house trailers in North Carolina. They are a member of the NATM (National Association of Trailer Manufacturers) and can deliver factory-direct nationwide. The trailers are rated up to 17,000 GVWR, with a range of options including detachable gooseneck trailers with a 55-ton capacity, making them ideal for tiny house builders.
Big Tex Trailers Greensboro, NC
PRICE RANGE
Flatbed Utilities starting at $3,100 and up.
Big Tex Trailers aren’t exclusive to Texas! This trailer company is top-rated across the nation, specializing in farm and ranch trailers, as well as tiny house trailers for North Carolinians. Their products are durable and able to handle the weight of a tiny house build. With so many outlets, it’s easy to find a Big Tex trailer dealer or farm supply retailer near you, including in North Carolina.
Ready For A Tiny Home Builder? Want To Explore Tiny Houses For Sale In North Carolina?
If you’re not quite ready to build your own tiny house from scratch, there are plenty of ready-made tiny houses for sale in North Carolina. You can find North Carolina’s tiny house listings on tinyhouselistings.com as well as other standard real estate sites. If you’re looking to buy a tiny house on wheels, be sure to check the tiny house sale listings in surrounding states as well—you may be able to easily transport your perfect tiny home! Above, we’ve listed several tiny houses for sale to give you an idea of what’s available in NC. Keep in mind that tiny house real estate listings are subject to change frequently, but here are some tiny houses for sale in NC to inspire you.
Is the tiny house community life for everyone? Well, no, but it certainly can make the tiny life easier, especially for newbies. Often tiny house communities are set up specifically to accommodate tiny house owners with parking for THOWs, water, sewer, and electric hookups. Some of these North Carolina tiny house community developments and eco-villages offer beautiful tiny homes that are move-in-ready.
Living in North Carolina myself, I’m a bit partial to the state. Still, between the weather and the tiny house-friendly regulations, as well as the abundance of great tiny house communities, I have to say North Carolina is the perfect spot to live (even if it wasn’t my home). Do your research beforehand, but there are many great tiny housing options, whether you prefer a tiny house on wheels or a tiny house with a foundation.
It’s important to note that the codes and rules can vary from city to city, so be sure to check out the different information for each area. Some cities allow you to park for only 180 days. Others have rules about ADUs (accessory dwelling units) and what you can and can’t put on your property. Some regulations are also in place about the square footage allowed. If you lean towards a NC tiny house community, many of these issues won’t be a problem for you. Of course, if you plan to build a tiny house in NC, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the rules.
One thing’s for sure, with beautiful weather and year-round outdoor activities, North Carolina is an excellent place for tiny house community living. There are plenty of spots that feel private, even if you’re near a city. Here are a few tremendous tiny house communities and areas to explore!
Charlotte
Charlotte is a city that’s big enough to have big city appeal without all the traffic and high cost of living. Charlotte has been growing fast, with the pace of new homes and apartments growing tying up code officials to not be able to keep up with demands for things like micro apartments and tiny homes. There are many tiny homes through out the area, but often tucked away to avoid prying eyes.
Asheville
In Western North Carolina, the tiny life has really taken off. Many tiny house communities have popped up in the Ashville area, like The Village and The Hamlet at Flat Rock. These NC tiny house communities offer lots of green space and have a private, “gated-community” type feel. Many feature amenities like dog parks, community gardens, pools, and even golfing.
Raleigh
Known for it’s Higher education schools like Duke, NC State, and Chapel hill being close by, Raleigh has also seeded local businesses and research institutions to be known as part of the “Research Triangle.” With a thriving local food movement, there are a lot of surrounding farms to facilitate the cities farm to table movement. You’ll find a lot of tiny home in bedroom communities around the Triangle. In 2020, Raleigh began to allow homeowners to build ADUs on their property. This allows for “mother-in-law houses” and small studios, satellite offices, and more.
Greensboro
Tiny Houses Greensboro is a nonprofit tiny house community that is working to address homelessness in the area. They’ve joined forces with the City of Greensboro to ensure that their tiny homes meet the zoning issues and building codes. Those who move to the tiny house community in Greensboro, NC are required to help with home construction and community improvement activities.
Mills River
Acony Bell is a NC tiny house community that has been growing in popularity since its founding in 2018. Offering over 50 tiny home sites for homeowners. This North Carolina tiny home community has many perks and amenities like a clubhouse, gardens, edible landscaping, hiking trails, and more. The community also features vacation rentals for those who want to get a feel for the tiny life before they jump in. With close proximity to Asheville, Mills River is an excellent place for tiny house living.
As I said above, because I live in North Carolina, I’m probably the most familiar with the state’s building codes and tiny house laws. Although there are some restrictions depending on the city, the state is very tiny house friendly (and a terrific place to live).
Tiny house friendly cities like Ashville, Raleigh, and surrounding areas provide plenty of opportunities to move into or build a tiny house that feels private yet still allows access to all the perks of living by a metropolitan area.
As with any state, I urge you to do plenty of research on North Carolina building codes for tiny houses once you decide on the area where you’d like to live. Below I’ve linked to many of the area-specific guidelines for NC tiny home builders in some popular North Carolina cities and counties.
Tiny House Laws In North CAROLINA:
Tiny House Building Codes In NC:
AREA SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
- Wilmington
- Winston-Salem
- Jackson County
- Asheville
- Chapel Hill
- THOWs are classed as RVs. Restrictions ease further outside city limits. RV living is limited to designated areas, maximum 180 days.
- Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are permitted in certain zones if your property is classified as Single Family Residential. You can find the minimum lot size for a single-family home at the Town of Chapel Hill site.
- Durham
- Lots for single-family homes require a minimum of 5,000 sq ft. The minimum size for a single-family home is 400 sq ft, per the Durham Planning Department.
- THOWs are classed as RVs. Restrictions ease further outside city limits.
- Raleigh
- Residential accessory structures (similar to ADUs) are permitted on the same lot as a single-family home. Follow the steps to obtain a permit.
- THOWs are classed as RVs. Restrictions ease further outside city limits.
*Disclaimer: The information provided on this website should not be taken as an expert opinion, consultation, or advisement of any kind. Building codes, home building, zoning, local laws etc are complicated and ultimately your responsibility to execute legally and safely. You must do your own research, consult with and verify with all applicable authorities, local officials, regulatory bodies, code and zoning officials, and city/state/federal governments. See our full legal page for further information here: https://thetinylife.com/about-us/legal/
Hello, I am wanting a tiny home as a primary dwelling in Greensboro, NC. I was wondering if someone could help me figure out how to accomplish this.
Buy the book and go to the code enforcement section of the City of Greensboro website. They should have a pdf available. Download it and then read it cover to cover several times. Then write down any questions you have and then make an appointment with code enforcement to discuss the questions you have.
Figure out what you want. How much it will cost you and how long it will take you accomplish that task.
Im looking to build tiny homes in the charlotte are please give me a call to discuss.
Thanks
Hi. I’m have physical mobility challenges and will not be able to live in a loft style tiny house. I need a bedroom on the ground floor, a large bathroom/shower and a ramp instead of steps to go into the house. Are you aware of any builders who would work with disability considerations? Thank you.
Are there any restrictions in Murphy NC?
Excellent article. Thank you! I’m from Chapel Hill and so grateful to folks like you for demystifying the process here in NC.
Sooooo interested in tiny living I have multiple sclerosis and shoes to live alone as long as GOD allows me too❤️. And I have $ but not much but can pay,..something. I want to be comfortable for me and my disability. Tina Speakman 6787551969
Interested
We are interested in several tiny homes for our area in Lumberton NC
Are tiny homes allowed on the ocean side of North Carolina?