3 Steps To Going Tiny
Welcome to the tiny home 101
When people call us wanting to talk about building a tiny home, the conversation usually starts with the same questions. So we thought we would break it down for you here! If you are thinking about going tiny and building a tiny home, here are the 3 key things you should do some research on and consider thoughtfully before moving forward.
1: Choose the right builder
First and foremost, you want to find a builder that you trust. This is your HOME we are talking about! There are lots of builders out there and you want to find one that a) builds the type of home you need to fit your lifestyle/goals/desires and b) you resonate with, trust, and like working with.
You want to choose a builder that builds the type of tiny home you’re looking for. Do they have floorplans you like? Do they offer some customization? What is the quality of the products they use? Can they build for the climate you live in (or even the climate you may resell to!)? These are important things to consider and really research. Our original tiny home, The Fritz, was just sold and is on its way to its new home in Alaska. This was only a possible resell because we build our tiny homes for even the most extreme climates.
Quality is another important thing to think about. If you live in a big house, wear and tear is spread out over a large space. In a tiny home, where you use every inch of your space, wear and tear is more visible unless you use high quality materials. Bottom line - meet some builders. See you how you feel. Ask them these questions. Find one that meets your criteria and most importantly, that you feel good about building your home with.
3: Know how to finance it
Many of our tiny home clients are selling a larger home and using that asset to pay for their tiny home. If you require traditional financing, there can be challenges. There is no traditional mortgage for tiny homes. It’s important to have a clear sense of your budget. What can you afford, taking into account the assets you have and the potential credit you could access through personal loans or RV financing? There are lots of different builders who build at different price points. Fritz Tiny Homes is a luxury tiny home brand focused on the highest quality available and designs that are efficient and livable in any climate. These considerations are reflected in our prices.
Canadian financing is different from US financing and we are actively working to stay on top of both so we can offer you the best options.Once you’ve thought through exactly what type of tiny home you want to build and where, we can help point you towards financing.
2: Find a place to park it
This is another key question we get asked - where can I park my tiny home? There is no simple answer for this because there are different rules across countries, states, provinces, cities and counties. Do some research to find out a) what type of tiny home are you planning on building and then b) where you’re allowed to park it. Are you buying or leasing property? Are you renting a parking spot? Are you parking your tiny home in your backyard? At Fritz Tiny Homes, we build 4 different types of homes by code and there are rules around where these different homes can go. To get you started on your research let us point you in the right direction.
If you are in the US, visit Home - Tiny Home Industry Association
If you are in Canada, a great resource is the land directory at Tiny Homes in Canada - Canadian Tiny House Builders and News
We know these are big topics and can hardly be summarized in a few short paragraphs. But we hope this will get you thinking about some of the things you need to research before you build a tiny home. Similar to purchasing a new home of any size, these are big life decisions and we want you to move forward confidently and with intention. Once you’ve thought about, if you think Fritz Tiny Homes may be the home builder for you, then book a discovery call with us and we would love to hear all about your tiny home dreams!
