Tiny Houses (Tiny Homesteads)

[PetrChelcicky]

Some thoughts from a German view:
Here the "tiny houses" are marketed as a progressive/woke idea in order to (a) solve our housing crises (housing becomes more and more expensive the more immigrants come) and (b) save the environment.
And both ideas are absurd. Tiny houses consume a lot of ground. From reasons (a) and (b) it would be much better to locate families in apartments in big apartment houses. Only, big apartment houses were the dernier cri in the Sixties when the GDR or France and others built complete settlements of them and people were enthused and did a run on them (Electricity! Water closets!). Then they got a bad name (Neighbour noise! Trash all over!) and nearly became a symbol for "slum". Sic transit gloria mundi.
Personally I am thinking about a "tiny house" underground in our garden, with windoows above. (We would never get permission to construct anything above the ground.) Have you heard or seen anything about this?

[temporal1]

Some thoughts from a German view:
Here the "tiny houses" are marketed as a progressive/woke idea in order to (a) solve our housing crises (housing becomes more and more expensive the more immigrants come) and (b) save the environment.

And both ideas are absurd.
Tiny houses consume a lot of ground.
From reasons (a) and (b) it would be much better to locate families in apartments in big apartment houses.

Only, big apartment houses were the dernier cri in the Sixties when the GDR or France and others built complete settlements of them and people were enthused and did a run on them (Electricity! Water closets!). Then they got a bad name (Neighbour noise! Trash all over!) and nearly became a symbol for "slum". Sic transit gloria mundi.

Personally I am thinking about a "tiny house" underground in our garden, with windoows above.
(We would never get permission to construct anything above the ground.) Have you heard or seen anything about this?

Regardless of housing type/description/cost, the mindset of residents largely determines success or failure.
Those who “are determined” to be moral and civil, conscientious, find ways to do so in adverse situations.
Those who aren’t, don’t. Deep remedies can be tough. Money, alone, doesn’t do it. Money is the relatively easy part.

If “all things are equal,” simple math quickly determines efficiency of practical cost+space, on paper.
Many hi-rises are desirable, even elite, others are slums. Same for single family.

It’s always difficult to compare the U.S. with European countries, one of the first differences is space.
Culture, politics, demographics, resources, geography+climate are all factors. Japan is a more difficult comparison, space, homogenous culture ..

The challenge is about when/where methods FAIL.
Peoples’ minds can’t be addressed by “simple math” on drawing boards. Or by fiat.
Heaven knows, it’s tried.

UNDERGROUND HOUSING (suggest a new topic) ..
Great topic! Many options. (not mobile)

Underground life is ancient. Lots of people live underground today, some under “gardens”/grasses, some under hi rise buildings, basement-level; sod huts/homes were used on the U.S. frontier, there was interest in the Cold War years ..
locally, i know of a few single family homes (still occupied) built wholly or partly underground (one in my neighborhood)!
Energy efficiency is a motivator. Passive solar.

Quick search results:

“underground home construction methods”
https://www.google.com/search?q=undergr ... e&ie=UTF-8

Per se, “underground” requires is a permanent physical footprint - which initially costs more.
From there, “building up” is where efficiency factors in. Every building requires some sort of foundation, or foot print, AND, roof. Adding levels in between begins to save money. (Many tiny houses on wheels have lofts, or more.) “Up” is efficient.

ohio jones may help out.

Build The Most Beautiful Underground House Villa by Ancient Skills


^^ “i’m a homemaker.”

[Ken]

Some thoughts from a German view:
Here the "tiny houses" are marketed as a progressive/woke idea in order to (a) solve our housing crises (housing becomes more and more expensive the more immigrants come) and (b) save the environment.
And both ideas are absurd. Tiny houses consume a lot of ground. From reasons (a) and (b) it would be much better to locate families in apartments in big apartment houses. Only, big apartment houses were the dernier cri in the Sixties when the GDR or France and others built complete settlements of them and people were enthused and did a run on them (Electricity! Water closets!). Then they got a bad name (Neighbour noise! Trash all over!) and nearly became a symbol for "slum". Sic transit gloria mundi.
Personally I am thinking about a "tiny house" underground in our garden, with windoows above. (We would never get permission to construct anything above the ground.) Have you heard or seen anything about this?

I've heard of people putting in basements where one did not previously exist.

But I've never heard of someone putting in some sort of stand-alone tiny house underground. I would think that would hugely increase the cost due to all the required excavating and if you have a high water-table you'd need to use a lot of sealants and waterproofing to keep it dry. Well, some people do that sort of thing but it is more for survivalist prepping sort of purposes rather than as a place to actually live.

[temporal1]

.. putting in some sort of stand-alone tiny house underground ..

PetrC may clarify, i don’t believe he was suggesting this.

[temporal1]

2025

Elon’s ideas have appeared earlier in this topic. Pages 3+6

(Dated Nov 2024) / Elon Musk Unveils Tesla’s Affordable 2025 Motorhome: An All-Electric RV for Under $17,000
https://californialuxuryhouses.net/elon ... der-17000/

.. With its sleek design, eco-friendly features, and Tesla’s reliable technology, the motorhome sets a new standard for RVs and could inspire other manufacturers to innovate and prioritize sustainability. If Musk’s vision comes to fruition, Tesla’s motorhome could open the door to a new era of travel, where people can explore the world in a self-sustaining, affordable, and environmentally friendly way.

^^i would like to look at one.
Lots of people are using RVs for (tiny) housng.

i would expect orders would be backed up for years.

Request:
Vandalism/politics were non-issues in this 2017 topic.
Please keep it that way in this HOMESTEAD category.

[Valerie]

2025

Elon’s ideas have appeared earlier in this topic. Pages 3+6

(Dated Nov 2024) / Elon Musk Unveils Tesla’s Affordable 2025 Motorhome: An All-Electric RV for Under $17,000
https://californialuxuryhouses.net/elon ... der-17000/

.. With its sleek design, eco-friendly features, and Tesla’s reliable technology, the motorhome sets a new standard for RVs and could inspire other manufacturers to innovate and prioritize sustainability. If Musk’s vision comes to fruition, Tesla’s motorhome could open the door to a new era of travel, where people can explore the world in a self-sustaining, affordable, and environmentally friendly way.

^^i would like to look at one.
Lots of people are using RVs for (tiny) housng.

i would expect orders would be backed up for years.

Request:
Vandalism/politics were non-issues in this 2017 topic.
Please keep it that way in this HOMESTEAD category.

I am definitely interested!

[Neto]

Some thoughts from a German view:
Here the "tiny houses" are marketed as a progressive/woke idea in order to (a) solve our housing crises (housing becomes more and more expensive the more immigrants come) and (b) save the environment.
And both ideas are absurd. Tiny houses consume a lot of ground. From reasons (a) and (b) it would be much better to locate families in apartments in big apartment houses. Only, big apartment houses were the dernier cri in the Sixties when the GDR or France and others built complete settlements of them and people were enthused and did a run on them (Electricity! Water closets!). Then they got a bad name (Neighbour noise! Trash all over!) and nearly became a symbol for "slum". Sic transit gloria mundi.
Personally I am thinking about a "tiny house" underground in our garden, with windoows above. (We would never get permission to construct anything above the ground.) Have you heard or seen anything about this?

I've heard of people putting in basements where one did not previously exist.

But I've never heard of someone putting in some sort of stand-alone tiny house underground. I would think that would hugely increase the cost due to all the required excavating and if you have a high water-table you'd need to use a lot of sealants and waterproofing to keep it dry. Well, some people do that sort of thing but it is more for survivalist prepping sort of purposes rather than as a place to actually live.

I didn't see this post until Temp & Valerie revived this thread.
I assume you are speaking of doing this "in the modern era". "Dugouts" were the common approach in the first wave of settlements in the Great Plains. The house was no longer there, but you can still find the indentations in the hill side where the first house and barn were on what was my grandparent's farm (where my dad grew up).

A friend of mine here in Ohio built a 'basement house' here in Holmes County, and I've seen others as well, both here & in Oklahoma. My friend here built the basement first, planning to later build a house on top - it was all he could afford at the time. It probably has house on top now, but he & his wife sold it as it was & moved out of the area.

[barnhart]

To PetrC's point, small, independent, cheaply built housing is very near the top of the most expensive housing because it is not built for long term interests. My grandfather traveled to the small village in the upper Rhine where his family migrated from in the early 1700's and found the very house they left behind, still inhabited by extremely distant cousins and with the family name in the stone over the door. Housing built for hundreds or possibly thousands of years is the least costly. It takes investment, commitment and stable social structures but it is the most affordable strategy. As PetC points out the current tiny house trend is based in the opposite values, independence, isolation, weak social and family bonds and unstable economies and communities that cannot support multiple generations in one place.

[JohnL]

After the NC flood disasters last Fall there were a lot of folks who lost their homes. There were people who donated their rvs to provide temporary shelters for families. We only had a small 1400 square foot basement but two smaller families lived there until their homes could be rebuilt. One family had to have a completely new home. It’s made up of three of those park model trailers connected together. It cost less than a traditional stick built house.
We also have tornadoes and there’s folks who built their houses into hillsides kind of like a daylight basement thing. Their heating and cooling bills are cheaper because the soil is the best insulation.