The difference between a tiny house a mobile home or trailer?

I get this question a lot: what is the difference between living in a tiny house and living in a mobile home/trailer?  It’s hard to put into words but I’ll give it a try.  First off a Tiny house doesn’t need to mobile, they can be built as a traditional slab foundation.  The purpose of having your home on a trailer, is that it allows you to get around many building codes due to the fact that people at city hall scratching their heads saying “its kinda like a trailer”.

Aesthetics:

I feel there is a much larger push for aesthetics than your typical RV, Trailer or mobile home.   The cost per square foot of tiny homes, is often much higher than your standard built homes.  The limited space means you much pain painstakingly maximize every inch.

tiny house looks better than an RV or camper

The use of high quality building materials, meticulous design and some style are a huge departure from the quintessential mobile home.  I would even go a far to say they are often built with these tenant (materials, meticulous design and style) more so than most traditional homes today.  I live in Charlotte, NC which has see and continues to see huge growth.  Thousands of new homes are being built every year and they lack these things.

Philosophy:

A big driving cause for people wanting to live in these homes is because they want to downsize.  They have been buying into the notion that bigger is better for most of their lives and have come to realize, well maybe its not better or maybe it is not for me.

tiny house living as a lifestyle

In our world of consumerism, our culture of ownership, we have come to see that materials things are not the most important things in our lives.  While we still  participate in this consumer economy, it is at a much lesser degree. We have changed the focus of importance from things to people, relationships and free time for pursuit of things which hold intrinsic value to us.  The key thing to realize is that we choose to live in a small house because of the lifestyle it affords us.

Environmental Impact:

There is a very strong underlying trend which is associated with living small.  By doing so, you contribute much less in terms of emissions, waste, etc.  A tiny house requires allot less materials to build and can be built of renewable resources.  At present the average construction of a home yields over 4 tons of waste to build.  While you may not be a “hippie” or a card carrying member of Greenpeace, you know that because of you, the earth will be a little bit greener and that’s not a bad thing.  In addition to using less resources, it takes less resources to run and keep up.  When you are heating and cooling a tiny house it takes the same amount of energy as small bedroom.

Efficiency:

Tiny homes are built to generally be a normal house quality, often better.  While many trailer/mobile homes and RV/campers are not.  One thing of note is the insulation, these homes are well insulated and often better than a traditional home.  This results in a greater return on energy spent on heating and cooling.  This is one example, but in general, you see better efficiencies across the board.

Financial:

The financial benefits are astounding, from no mortgage, to less costs of renovations, maintenance and initial building costs, you save allot of money.  The average home price (before the economic downturn) was around $230,000 by conservative estimates!  Tiny homes have been built for as little as $5000, much less than many of us pay in rent or mortgage in a give year.

living debt free in a tiny house

Time and time again I here the woes of neighbors who are in financial trouble, who were laid off and had no way to pay their mortgage.  I have seen people be slave to their homes, forcing them to get a second job and spend more time away from their families.  Is it worth it?….maybe not.  While being smart with your money and having a budget are concepts that should be used by anyone, you begin to see how its much easier to stay in the black during hard times.

The average person will spend a third of their income over their lives on housing.  Crunching the numbers on the typical home in America, based off the US income average for a single person, we will typically spend $465,000 in our life time. (based off US census 2007 information)   I personally would rather allocate that money to travel, education, hobbies or charity.

DIY and the Renaissance man/woman spirit:

Now this will not apply to all of you, in fact, it may not be any of you, but a large appeal is creating something with your own two hands.  The costs savings are obvious where labor cost of construction often amount to about 40% or more, but its more than that.  In America there many of us whom would be classified as white collar or have specialized trades/skills.

There exists a conflict within me which I find unsettling, that is:  If our way of life were to cease to exist tomorrow, what good am I?  I specialize in human resource consulting, where does that fit into things, if the grocery store ceased to exist, if the power was never going to come back on. While this probably won’t happen, the idea of knowing that I have no real worldly skills (carpentry, metal working, farming) is unsettling.  What is more, these things interest me as hobbies as I like to tinker.

The notion of a Renaissance man, originally from the Latin phrase “homo universalis” translating to Man of the world, was a phrase used to describe a person who excels in many areas.  This is something that I feel is missing from modernity and perhaps creates a conflict in our world which focuses on specialization.  Perhaps building a tiny house help address this….but that might be a reach.

Going against the status quo:

The paradigm of what makes you successful, a big house, job, spouse, 2.5 kids and a dog all with white picket fence sounds nice, till you realize its being shoved down your throat.  While you can certainly be happy and seek this life, it isn’t for everyone, infact, I don’t think it is for allot of us.  It is not that they are wrong and we are right, that their plan is flawed or drives some agenda, its that it is what society tells us we want, when we should be the ones who decide what we want.  There are many socialized pressures that tell us what to do, what to buy, how to live, etcetera etcetera.  This doesn’t come out of wanting to be deviant, to get back at something or someone, or to be a rebel, it is being what we want to be.

That’s the basics of how a tiny house is different from a RV, camper or mobile home.  They are quite different in many regards.

79 Comments
  1. test comment!

    • You’ve made some great points and I am considering purchasing a tiny home. Not sure yet on if I want to buy one already built or have one built myself. I wish you had elaborated more on why a tiny house is better than a mobile home. The problem I’m running into is that with a mobile home, land is included, not so with a tiny home. I have to purchase the land separately and I’m not sure how that works with a veteran’s loan. Any suggestions?

      • Land is not included with a mobile home, you typically have to pay ‘lot rent’. Been there done that. Try container home instead, get a welder and cutting torch, and you are in business.

        • And you end up with an ugly steel box with windows! Where is your sense of style?

          • …a home to live in IS a home regardless…I’m an Artist. I would understand THAT. Any home is going to cost you money…I wouldn’t begrudge the chance to live in a container home and get rid of living in Public Housing which is a nightmare with the crazy people all around me who are Drama Queens…a container IS a step up from NOTHING…think about that…IF I had more skills to live in the woods, I’d ditch Public Housing and live in the woods but I don’t know enough…living in the woods is a whole other game you have to Be Prepared for like The Boy Scouts teach you…

      • so whats the problem;? tiny home; not acceptable. mobile home is about the same; just make it better construction.

    • I will be an empty nester in 2017. For the past 22 years we have lived in our 2100 sq ft home in a nice neighborhood on California’s central coast. Our home was fine when two parents and two kids grew up here, but being widowed 11 yrs ago, and nearing the time of facing my home each morning with most of the rooms not being used regularly, I would buy a tiny home on wheels in a flash if I knew where I could place it.
      Since we purchased our home for $205K in ’94, we had enough equity and low payments to keep afloat after my husband’s death and the economic downturn. Maintenance costs, property tax, utilities among other things make tiny house living seem like the perfect way to really live. What I would miss though is a spot to call my own and a garage for my car (Prius). What I would not want to happen is I pay space rent nearly equal to my current mortgage. I never thought about equity or insurance costs until those points were mentioned in another post. I just want to call my tiny home my own. To own it outright. I hope that should I decide to sell, my tiny home would be desirable to others. My current home has red shutters which I love but my tiny home will be industrial/modern. I think my kids and cats will love it.

      • Penny Lane
        OK this is 3 years on from your initial comment but maybe this idea may be useful for others;
        You have a place. How big is the garden/yard for the house you have and own?
        Maybe a tiny home in where you are could be workable.

        Pros
        1) You know the area and most likely have friends there already
        2) the big house could be rented out and bring you income.

        Cons
        Managing the whole shebang… but hey! you could probably afford to pay an agent to handle the tenants.

    • Yes, what is the difference in a Tiny house and a Mobil Home? That is what the search engine said you would address. You don’t have to purchase land with either option. People were buying Mobil homes in the 60’s. There was a movie with Lucile Ball about that.

    • There’s no cost benefit – the greatest value and benefit of “real estate” of traditional homes is appreciation over time. There is no single greater investment potential for the American citizen then their dwelling. Traditional homes are experiencing an explosion in value as the marlet strengthens. 10%+ annual increase is not uncommon many area. “Tiny Houses” experience no such benefit. These “Renaissance ” people as you call them are only sacrificing future wealth with the short sighted promise of paying less today. Life isn’t easy. There’s no short cuts to financial independence. Hard work, planning, and time. That’s it. Silly short cuts like “tiny houses” (trailers can be on a foundation too, and they’re still trailers), and “the gig economy” are just short cuts that cut their choosers short in the end.

      • “There’s no cost benefit – the greatest value and benefit of “real estate” of traditional homes is appreciation over time.”

        If by appreciation over time, you mean inflation, then, yes, homes built on a solid foundation “appreciate” over time; well, unless they don’t (see inflationary bubbles and https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2013/09/27/11-reasons-why-i-never-want-to-own-a-house-again/#e5b09d142fa7). However, the cost vs. benefit analysis after age depreciation, mortgage interest, cost of maintenance/upkeep, housing improvements, housing taxes, housing market glut in multiple markets, job risk, increasing student loan cost, and an aging population definitely factor into this equation.

        When you add/subtract all of these items together I would argue that most homes after the housing market crash fall on the neutral end or, worse, on the negative spectrum in that a homeowner puts more money into the house than she or he receives after the sale, AKA “negative equity”.

        Mind you, this doesn’t factor the hidden cost of being tied down to a mortgage with job opportunities that require rehousing or the risk of buying a home at peak price, only to have that market bubble burst in the 20-30 years it takes to pay off a mortgage. If you don’t lose your job in that time, you will definitely experience negative equity on your home.

        So, no, homeownership, while historically seen as a financial asset, is no longer a “sure-thing” in terms of financial payout when accounted for inflationary growth vs market decline, and that kind of financial risk is not for everyone. It also DOES NOT GUARANTEE EQUITY.

        Then again, the Tiny Homes movement, while seen as a way to save money, is not about saving on the cost of building a home. Some tiny homes DO save money, but the movement is about reducing wasted space, living with less, rejecting mass-consumerism, and establishing positive environmental capital. The cost to our environment and our health in the form of traditional industrial economics is unsustainable, and the Tiny Homes movement is one way of establishing that personal capital in the form of “unseen cost-benefits”.

        • Your comment is very true and positive things have changed since the decline of the housing market. True there is a big potential for financial gain with housing but now it seems there is an ever-increasing risk. Tiny houses off of the same amenities of security and a place to stay with less upfront risk for a greater potential and enjoyment of life by our own choosing not by what we have to do to maintain our own housing

      • Gee, tell us all how we OUGHT to be living, please! Since you’re so much smarter than every one of all of us.

        A home is NOT an investment in the same way gold is not an investment. It is a “store of value”. It’s “value” rises and falls relative to every other home out there.

        That said, I was able to retire ten years early when I sold my house in Las Vegas and moved to rural Arizona where my house, which happened to be small but not tiny, cost me just $17,000! I bought it as a weekender a few years before and paid cash for it. I invested the equity and relative appreciation I realized from the sale of my Las Vegas home. I am now living a much simpler, cheaper, life now. Much cheaper than I lived in Vegas.

        My point is, I had to MOVE in order to realize any “return on investment” from my house. If I’d stayed in Vegas and bought another home just like mine it would have been a lateral move. I would have realized no “return on investment”.

    • I still don’t quite understand why a tiny home would be better than a 5th wheel or trailer. Our 5th wheel is gorgeous, comfortable and can stand harsh winters in Idaho as well as sweltering summers.

      • A tiny home is “different” and “better” than a trailer or a fifth wheel only in that you design and build it yourself, normally from wood not sheet metal.

        I personally hate the way trailers and fifth wheels are designed and laid out to look EXACTLY like a “real house”, just a lot more cramped!

        What intrigues me about tiny homes (I don’t own one and probably never will. My home is a converted trailer on a foundation that’s less than 700 sq.ft.), is how cleverly designed, arranged, and personalized the space is. Each one is a unique expression of its owner. That’s why I enjoy reading about tiny homes and watching videos. Also the same reason I watch videos of car, van, camper, and trailer “nomads”. People are expressing themselves via their unique housing choices. I can’t imagine anyone moving into a traditional “stick” house making a video about how they were personalizing their space. I guess they could but no one seems to be doing it. I’m not sure I’d watch them, if they did.

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  4. This is a great summation of the reasons for spending more time and money to build your own tiny house on wheels than to buy a pre-made mobile home. For Arlene and I, aesthetics and the renaissance spirit were big motivators, but nearly all the others apply too.

  5. Have you ever looked at a trailer? I mean, really looked at one? They were cutting edge, modernist architecture at one time, the 'Modern Prefab' of 50 or 60 years ago. Somewhere along the way, they became poor people's housing. Why?

    They're impermanent. They're mobile. They're small. They're built with lightweight, poorly lasting materials. They're inexpensive. They depreciate in value, not appreciate in value. The small/tiny house movement is well on it's way to repeating all of these mistakes, especially with the various mobile tiny houses like those made by Tumbleweed and it's competitors.

    • Actually, there are many mobile/manufactured homes that are really well made and large. We have purchased a Solitaire manufactured home that is built with 2×6 exterior walls, a fireplace, 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms. However this biggest problems that I’ve noticed is with the financing and the insurance. Even though we have excellent credit, the interest and insurance rates aredouble that of a site built home making it less affordable.

    • I think the manufacturers of tiny houses has done some great marketing w/this concept. It’s on TV, the internet, and promotes a freer, alternative lifestyle of not being tied down to a mortgage, etc. You can place your tiny house on someone else’s property and let them deal w/taxes, etc. Are they good for resale? What about privacy issues? Security?

    • Thank you! I’ve been saying this and few are listening. I don’t think tiny houses are the solution to anything. The owner builds no equity. They won’t have anything when they’re ready for children. They’re too expensive to be reliable housing for poor people, and there’s a problem with where to put them. Many communities don’t want them and zone them out, or fail to zone them in.

      • You can consider that the equity you would build in a traditional house be the money you are investing with. You can always buy a house and rent it. Also, if your tastes or circumstances change down the road and you decide to buy a traditional home again, you can use your tiny home for a guest cottage or a rental.

        As far as having children, build a tiny home with an extra bedroom.

        Home is where the heart is. But…you must do your homework. Where to put it is always key and if you cannot stay there forever, what is your plan B. We are fortunate to have options and to think out of the box!

        Not everything is for every one.

  6. What's wrong with impermanence, inexpensive, lightweight, small and mobile? Those are the goals of this movement. As to "poorly lasting materials," that only makes sense if one chooses to use, poor-quality materials. The small/tiny housing movement isn't about gaining market value nor about cutting-edge/modernist architecture.

    You have entirely missed the mark.

    • I know those are the goals of 'the movement'. My point was that it's being doomed to the same fate as trailer homes because of it. You can write all sorts of essays explaining why your tiny house isn't a trailer, but in end, most tiny houses (at least the mobile sort) will almost certainly end up the same as the trailer homes have- crumbling, rotting, poor people's housing with a stigma attached to such a degree that people feel the need to write lengthy essays explaining why their house isn't really a trailer.

      My point was, 50 or 60 years ago the 'trailer home movement' if you will, was in the same place the tiny house movement is today. Many of the goals are the same, the construction is the same, the problems are the same… and the fate of the movement (and the houses) will be the same.

      Impermanent, inexpensive, lightweight, small and mobile sounds good to certain people at certain points in their life, but it does not last, you're essentially building disposable houses. It's short sighted to the extreme.

      • Large houses are wasteful. They encourage accumulation and packrat behaviors. They may be seen as a symbol of wealth because they cost more to build and maintain. People that are purchasing large houses for that primary reason have bought into the "whoever has the most toys wins" philosophy of America. Above the foundation, per square foot, a Tumbleweed tiny home weighs as much as or more than any other timber framed house. It must be nice to predict the future with such certainty regarding the fate of these well built tiny houses. They are heirloom-quality structures that can stand the test of time and weather far more abuse than many more traditional dwellings. My particular home design is modular so if I marry and have children, I can add to the house easily and grow as I need, rather than feel forced to purchase and maintain something more than what I need.

        • Well, there are also people – like myself – who don’t like to be squeezed into tiny spaces, and who have children. I can’t seen the appeal of having a tiny house when there are to be 5 people living in it. A modest-sized house fits my needs perfectly.

          • Im sharing a home currently with my two wee ones and hubby, and even now i cant stand how much CRAP people keep trying to give my kids. Give me two small rooms with dressers and ill build a couple toybox/benches for the munchkins. If it doesnt fit, you dont need it. Go outside and play.

            I remember having so much junk as a kid that i could layer it 6 inches high over the floor, fill the closet to over flowing. I remember my mom filling trash bags full of junk that i never played with because there was so kuch it was a safety hazard and throwing it out. I do not want that for my kids. They need to learn to respect what they have.

            Kids need memories, not stuff.

        • Here is my take:

          Large homes can be wasteful; however, building a tiny house uses more material and has a higher environmental impact than simply restoring an existing small home.

          Modern mobile homes can be very nice. They can far exceed the look of a tiny home, and they are less expensive. A used double-wide remolded by the buyer still would give a sense of DIY independence, and it can be legally zoned as a structure.

          One could refit an exsisting RV with upgrades have less environmental impact than a tiny house, less financial investment than a tiny house, and still be extremely efficient.

          You are free to live where you choose; however, if these are truly the reasons you are considering a tiny house, your logic is flawed. From an outside perspective, it appears that this movement is about attention seeking. If you want to be noticed and a part of the counter culture, build a tiny house. If you want to really help the environment, renovate the structures already exisisting.

          • Also, my question is can you live in an RV in the winter time in P.A.?

      • I have lived in a conventional stick built home (12 yrs.). I then bought a large “Modular Home” on a basement, with 4 bedroom, 3 baths etc. (9 yrs.) This home was actually built better than most “Stick Built” homes. After my children left, I then purchased a “Double Wide” home; 1600 Sq. Ft. on a 1/2 acre of land (11 yrs. to present) and during this time, we also owned a 400 Sq. ft. “Park Model Home” as a weekend getaway on the river and paid lot rent. I am a professional Skilled trades Electrician by trade, involved in the construction of many grades of new homes. Our Park Model home has 2×6 walls, was insolated, double thermo-pane windows, full size appliances with vaulted ceilings and cost about $35,000 new. We loved this home and under good care, it held up excellent over the years and offered all the comforts two people could ask for. I would definitely take a 400 sq. ft. “Park Model” home available with loft over a hand built tiny house any day. Our “Double Wide” which is permanently based has actually increased in value over 10 yrs. and looks as good as new. This has nothing to do with being a hardcore environmentalist. It has everything to do with using the space that is necessary to make you happy, without excess, at a reasonable price. I have seen many quality homes that were abused, poorly maintained and depreciated in value. The problem with the mobile home industry is that the majority of owners have been low income people, many single moms with multiple children with little ability or concern in maintaining there homes, causing premature aging and failures. This is not necessarily there fault, but does lead to the degrading comments about mobile homes. The only nice 100 year old homes are those that have been extensively maintained. In other words, get something you are comfortable in, can afford and be willing to maintain. If you plan on trashing out the place, it don’t matter what you buy, it will lose value.
        Bottom Line: With 2×6 wall structure, insulated windows, Good Vinyl siding and quality shingles or a steel roof, your home, no matter what the size will last – if maintained.

  7. Whomever wrote this article is really misled. First, a small house is a small house and whether it has wheels on it or not is really irrelevant. Actually, many newer park-model trailers are every bit as nice and materials as "upscale" as a stick-built home. This article came across as very snobby to me, because the topic of interest here is enjoying and relishing small spaces and examining how others have done it so we can hopefully do it one day; not in debating that a trailer has less expensive parts. I think whomever wrote this article misstated many facts. I hope most folks will continue "the cause" and explore small spaces OF ALL KINDS – including those with wheels on them. Think small and be small and don't be led astray by writers like this one that are apparently hung-up on stereotypes.

  8. Has anyone checked out The Venus Project? https://thevenusproject.com
    I would really really like to see a "tiny house" on wheels built to Venus Project standards.

    PS – I live in a "vintage" 50's trailer that I fixed up very nicely. But I don't like the metal walls and lack of insulation. It's pretty well planted where it is and won't be going anywhere soon, so I consider it a "tiny house".

    • Hi Ilana, what upgrades have you made? Do you happen to use a washer/dryer? I have been searching online about campers/travel trailers, tiny houses, container homes because….i just want to live within my means. I am leaning towards a travel trailer or mobile home. A travel trailer is already made and i can just move it to an rv place. mobile home is already made & i have a 2 yr old…so we may need privacy and our own rooms…what if he wants his friends over?

  9. As I see it small is small. Our 240 sq ft retrofitted travel trailer, with added insulation, Euro-made front loading washer-drier, energy-efficient dishwasher, bath tub, queen-sized bed and apt-sized kitchen appliances is very liveable for two and a large cat. In it we have been able to reduce our resource consumption to 15% of average. Of course it is not "chic" to live in a travel trailer, and I admit they are not nearly as "cute" as Jay Shafer's tiny homes, but is "cute" the issue? We have neighbours whose live-in RVs are 35-40 years old. They are pensioners who couldn't begin to either build or buy a "chic" tiny home, but who live very well and consume few resources. The people here take pride in their places. Most have lovely gardens and flowers, attractive decks, and are meticulously maintained. Why the snobbery? Isn't the purpose behind the small home to enable us to live sustainably, or does it only count if you are in a "Tiny House" which looks like a child's playhouse? Our "Tiny House Village" is called an RV Park. Twenty-five year round residents, and 50 summer residents. We live on the beach, we have a community garden, composting and recycling programs, and social activities, and there's always someone with a helping hand nearby.

    • Absolutely.I’ve always thought Tiny House was just a new version of trailer home. Some tiny’s even have wheel bases.
      And there’s nothing wrong with many mobile home parks. Some have pools…rec areas. .common gardens. Like regular house neighborhoods, there’s nice and not so nice. The writer is a pretentious snob.
      Personally, I like big. I enjoy space. But roll on trailer dudes. You’re the original. I welcome any conscientious, well maintained trailer communities to my area.

    • Sounds lovely! Where?

  10. A lot. Not allot.
    This is not meant to be shown on the website. It’s just a note to the author.

    • Not to mention why doesn’t the letter “eye” show up in anyone’s posts… Weird

  11. The pros and cons are important to me…..enlightening and adding necessary information to make a decision..my first comment in response to construction of a tiny mobile tiny house…..or a tiny house on a traditional concrete slab.

  12. I found this article looking for the reason why the tiny house idea is so different from mobile homes. I have to say, I think the article lost the focus of its original subject matter.

    First off, how do you start with Aesthetics when through the article you slam “keeping up with the Jones’ type of thinking?” Yes, tiny houses are prettier on the outside than trailers. But doesnt that just put you in the same conforming to nonformance category that those hipster glasses do? You are not special if everyone else is not special in the same way. So, contradiction number 1: Tiny houses are for those who do not believe in keeping up with appearances but would like to keep up appearances.

    That brings us to Efficiency. While I agree that a smaller home is more efficient (and I own the smallest house in my area), the tiny home is not the model of efficiency. All you have done is shift consumerism from you, to those you depend on. Yes, you do not have land, but you are parked on someone’s land. Yes, you do not use as much energy, but you are using someone’s energy. Or if you are not, then you use generators that burn petroleum based products or you use solar panels that are inefficient and again are made using a lot of resources. If you want efficiency, bury your home in the ground. You will need next to nothing to heat and cool it, but then that is not really all that “cool” looking is it? Contradiction #2: Use materials that require a lot of energy to produce so that you can feel better about how much energy you are not using.

    Then we get to financial. You will not have a mortgage payment, or high rent, great. What you do have is a depreciating, throw away structure that has used all new materials and costs you about $20,000 to build. There are thousands of used mobile homes in this country for sale for half that. Where does the recycling and reusing factor into this. Why would I not buy an aging mobile home for $10,000, use the extra money for a battery bank, panels, wind turbine, and composting toilet, and really live the dream. Why by all those new materials, isnt that consumerism. Contradiction #3: Tiny homes are much cheaper than other housing situations and yet, they are not.

    DIY, my favorite. You are not going to build a tiny house that meets your expectations. A tiny house is harder to plan and build than a traditional house. The engineering and planning that goes into it is far more complex due to the space restrictions. If you can not build a full scale house, dont think you can build a tiny house. You will end with bad plumbing, bad wiring, a leaky roof, or worse. Then you will need to purchase more materials and hire someone to fix it. There goes your efficiency, finanacial, and environmental impact gains.

    I guess that leaves us with going against the status quo. Isnt that the only thing you are really doing here? You can write article after article about the “movement” but it is not any different than every generation’s movement before you. Listen to Eric and study history before you repeat it. We have enough rotting mobile homes junking up the country, we do not need a new wave of rotting tiny house junking up more space in 15 years.

    My advice, as an engineer, is to buy an old mobile home, bury it in the ground, and plant wind turbines on top of it. It may not be pretty but it certainly accomplishes the goals you are trying to achieve.

    • Thank you, Clint

      I also felt like the original comparison between mobile homes and tiny houses got lost way early in the article. My bf has been watching many videos about these tiny homes and their building process and has mentioned a couple of times to me. I had considered purchasing a mobile home to save money in housing while I pay off my student loans before he mentioned these tiny homes, and frankly I didn’t see it as a better option since many of them are much more expensive than a regular simple mobile home, and has the same “property” issues as well (need land to park the house in, and depreciation).
      I appreciate your comment, and Eric’s as well. I got better answers to my questions by reading them.
      Seems like cheapest option is to get a mobile home and insulate it better.

      No hate to the author at all, but you (author) did lose track of the original contrast, bro.

  13. As I see it, a tiny house on a trailer is basically a mobile home you’ve made yourself. There is nothing wrong with a tiny house, and nothing wrong with a mobile or trailer home.

    It is whatever you want it to be.

  14. A house is not mobile. If it is mobile, then it is a trailer.

  15. I was hoping to learn the difference between a tiny house and a mobile home by reading this, but instead I just read a preachy philosophical piece on how I should live, save the world…and buy a tiny house. Sounds like a bunch of B.S. marketing to me. I’ll have to do a little more reading to see if there is any significant difference now because this article was a complete waste of time and did not help me at all to make a decision on which one to buy when the time comes.

    • My sentiments exactly…we are “old hippies” and the best option for us was to purchase a nice piece of land with an old manufactured home on it. As time and money permit we are insulating and generally making the home more energy efficient. We choose not to judge or stereotype as this article does.

  16. I don’t see the benefit of a “Tiny House” … If “Tiny homes” only cost $30K to build .. then I would. Unfortunately contractors have caught on and correupted the market. 70k for a “tiny home”? NO .. that cost point is HORRIBLE vs. a mobile home.

  17. None of these reasons apply only to tiny homes. Mobile homes are also environmentally friendly, cheap, sometimes mobile and good for downsizing. To claim that the tiny house is better than a mobile home is to disregard the thousands of people living sustainability in mobile homes who have been doing so long before the trendy mobile home movement. Just because tiny homes are more aesthetically pleasing it does not make them better and I would argue that mobile homes are actually more sustainable.

  18. “The average home price (before the economic downturn) was around $230,000 by conservative estimates! Tiny homes have been built for as little as $5000, much less than many of us pay in rent or mortgage in a give year.”

    There are houses in Detroit near $5K (major crime too), but you get land (and tax) as well. Land is a lot of what makes a traditional house expensive. You’re not suggesting the $5K includes land as well?

  19. I just would like to know why all the letter I s are missing? (The letter that sounds like “eye”)

    • LOL, I have no idea how that happened. I had “i”s in the original message. Very odd.

    • It’s only what you are seeing. I can see all of them.

  20. !! Lower case eyes are gone again! This is weird..

  21. Oh, I thought you were speaking specifically to me. Yeah, all the lower case eyes are missing from everyone’s reply..

  22. Having watched Tiny Houses on HGTV I cannot help but think that “Tiny Houses” are just a more pleasant and politically correct term for mobile home or trailer. If a tiny house has wheels it is a trailer. So this whole tiny house fad is pure BS.

  23. Eric, unless I’m incorrect, I believe tiny houses are not built with cheap materials like mobile homes. They are built exactly like a traditional home, same materials, except instead of a slab, they are attached to a trailer, much like a houses built on pillars.

  24. Around 1995, I worked in the building department of a small county in Virginia.

    Our rule for mobile homes was that if the wheels remained on, it was classified as a mobile home and its value depreciated.

    If the wheels were removed and the structure was placed on a permanent foundation, it was classified as a house and its value tracked the overall value of the housing market.

    Other counties and other states may do things differently.

  25. Less is more at least i feel that is the case. My wife and I want to build a tiny home and live in it full time up in Washington or Oregon.

  26. Please give credit where credit is due:manufactured homes are the original tiny homes. They are not the same as they were in the 50’s. Where have you been? They’re beautiful, they’re efficient, they’re innovative, AND they’re safe and built to HUD codes. Don’t waste your time building a tiny home if you do not know what you are doing. Purchase a manufactured home. Great way to downsize or to work up!

  27. Swell article. Please fix: “In America there many of us whom would be classified as white collar or have specialized trades/skills.” Thank you.

  28. im looking at building a park model type home.. so i get the size of a trailer but built like a house with a foundation and stuff like that

  29. So much hatred !!!!

  30. I really appreciate if I get one of houses me my son

  31. The main point of a tiny house is that it is small enough to be powered and even cooled by a moderately sized solar array. They are intended to be self-sufficent, off-grid shelters with modern-day amenities. They use their small size, high efficiency windows, shades, solar panels, solar water heat, composting toilets, fresh water storage, rainwater, or wells, etc to achieve this. Mobility is a side effect of independence. In that respect they are different from an off-the-shelf RV, trailerhouse, park model, or modular home that is designed for utilities. They are more like a modern log cabin. Actual use doesn’t always follow intent, but if there is one thing that distinguishes the tiny house intent it’s solar and a large bank of batteries.

  32. The difference between a mobile home and a tiny house is that..

    Well.

    Tiny Homes is a fad. Just like the millennial child thinking they’re living in the 70’s driving a 1973 VW camper van. Or the hipster dragging the boler camper he paid $9000 for.

    And it will pass.

    Fashion over function.

    As a freelance architect I find the whole movement silly. I am not bashing anyone who has spent the time to cram themselves in one of those boxes and pretend they love their handmade bowl and single spoon.

    I’m only laughing at them for not exploring their options better.

    I mean, its great when you fart and the whole house can smell it.

    But this isn’t going to be a “thing” in the next 10 years.

    I wish people would expand they’re knowledge on the building industry.

    …..then there’s the whole shipping container movement which I won’t even touch out.

    We are meant to enhance our standards of living from a long history of building & architectural design.

    What has happened is now people are living in a 8.5 foot wide home because that’s the widest limit based on state/province road width capacities.

    Argue with me – I’ve studied this movement since its fruition when the first man used it to become a multi-millionaire. He – btw – does not live in his box anymore.

  33. What would you people here suggest for someone who is sick from living in an apt with toxic mold…having to leave everything behind. Went to apt #2 & that wasn’t good either had a roof lea & dry wall after 2 wks is still 100% & had to walk away from that…now back in the motel again & soon will be in the truck. I cannot heal until I have a clean safe place to live that is cheap. I lose $$ every time I disconnect & reconnect utilities & I’m on limited income..disabled. I’m looking forward to your ideas. Thank you.

    • Hi there. I know this might sound ridiculous, but I read an article recently about a woman who was chronically ill, and it turned out to be from the mold in her camper, which she was living in out of necessity. She had lost her job due to always being ill and couldn’t finish the home she had started to build and ended up living in her camper. After going to see a multitude of doctors, someone (can’t remember who) told her they thought it could be mold allergies. In desperation, she spent several weeks in the desert in a tent. Perhaps you need to live in a drier state? I hope this suggestion is achievable and helps you!

  34. Having read the various comments on Tiny homes VS. trailer home issues made me want to explore the concept if Tiny homes a lot more than I originally had. I have lived in a trailer, a traditional home and yes, the dreaded apartment living and just recently read about Tiny homes. Sounds different. What attracted me was the cost.

  35. I noticed that you are in Charlotte, NC. I am in Hickory but I have a camper on a 1 acre tract of land in Burke County, NC. I can’t get power to my camper. I have been told that I have to have a minimum of 400 Sq ft living space. DI’d you have a problem getting power? How many Sq ft is your tiny house?

  36. Fannie may will begin financing mobile home loans soon.

    Http://naihorizonblog.com/fannie-mae-to-provide-mobile-home-financing-to-tenants

  37. So the difference is marketing. Good job marketing it, though.

  38. Location, Location, location.

  39. I think a tiny house is a great idea for someone who likes to travel and needs a base camp to come home to.

    Some observations I’ve made about tiny houses –
    Why don’t people cover the wheels or use some type of lattice or underpinning to hide the gap under the tiny house?

    The best tiny houses I’ve seen have high ceilings and a good sized sink in the kitchen.

    A fabulous location with a great view is essential to make living in a tiny house something I could handle long term. Where would someone find such a place to park their home? Seems that you would need to buy such a lot.

  40. It’s obvious that the author of this hasn’t seen a well built mobile home lately. My inlaws just purchased one with a price tag near $200k. The materials are of quality. When some people think of a mobile home, they think of a container with windows. If you saw the pictures from the inside of my inlaw’s, you would have no clue it was one. They are basically the same thing. A home on wheels-one is just smaller. They both can both be moved (any home can virtually be moved- but these come prebuilt with ready to move equipment.

    If you put lipstick on a pig – it’s still a pig.

  41. ___123___The difference between a tiny house a mobile home or trailer? | The Tiny Life___123___

  42. Thank you for your article, it brought me more than I was searching for.

    The image of the Renaissance man and the paradigm paragraph struck a chord.

  43. First I would like to say, I have a good job and good credit. A small 2 bedroom home in my area is $300,000 for a fixer upper, not move in ready!! I have been seriously looking for someone to build me a tiny home because I honestly cant afford a “real” house!! My kids are grown and gone and I am sooo tired of paying rent!! Every year my rent goes up but my wages do not!! Here in Canada they went $130,000 for a “base” price for a tiny home, $30,000 for an RV….. Are tiny homes really worth an extra 100 grand????

  44. I’m not seeing where you addressed the differences in tiny homes from mobile homes Though it’s obvious that tiny homes are using high end materials, that can easily be done with mobile homes. I can buy a $5000 mobile home, gut it and remodel for 30,000 and it will end up just as high end as tiny home.

  45. Rents go up usually because taxes and other costs the landlords have to deal with go up. For example: Minimum wage goes up? Well then the wages of the office workers and cleaning staff at the apartment complex rise and thus, an increase in costs the landlord has to offset. And then you have taxes and fees (property taxes, taxes on utilties and such), which in some areas (Like by me in Chicago) are going up all the time.

    But hey, you gotta pay for that ” Free Healthcare” somehow right? Or do the liberals in CA think the same as those in the USA, and are under the impression of the rich paying for everything?

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