Benefits of Tiny Homes

The tiny home movement is in full swing and you may be curious about why anyone would want to live in such a small space. Tiny home living seems extreme at first, but it actually comes with a huge amount of benefits.

While you may need to work on your organizational skills to overcome the limited space, consider the benefits below when you think about living in a tiny house.

What is a Tiny Home?

Tiny homes are just that – small houses that are just big enough for everything you need. Tiny houses are considered to be 400 square feet or less and as small as 60 square feet in size. A tiny home can either be on wheels (like a trailer) so that you can drive it around and park it in different places, or it can be a freestanding structure, with or without a foundation.

Tiny house living is  much more than feeling like you live in a big city studio apartment. Tiny home living has become a social movement, with people moving into small homes for a number of interesting reasons. For example: it’s more affordable than a larger home; it has a relatively low environmental impact; and the small space forces you to embrace your inner minimalist and get rid of unnecessary material items.

Advantages of a Tiny Home

People who have embraced this type of living speak highly about their many benefits. Benefits worth noting include:

•  More Affordable. A tiny house costs a lot less to build than your average family home. According to The Tiny Life, it’s possible to build a tiny house for $23,000 on average. The average price for a full-sized house, by contrast, is $275,000+ – more than 10 times as much. Cutting back on housing expenses enables tiny home owners to put more money toward luxuries (such as travel), saving for retirement, or simply work less.
•  No Mortgage. Most people can’t afford to buy a house without taking out a mortgage, which only adds to the long-term cost. The Tiny Life reports that 68% of tiny house owners own their homes free and clear.
•  Lower Energy Use. Tiny houses don’t just cost less upfront – they’re also much more affordable to maintain. Bills for electricity, water, and waste are all much lower in cost.
•  More Freedom. A tiny house has a small footprint, so it doesn’t require a large plot of land. Many small houses are built on trailers, so you can take them along whenever you are ready for a change in scenery. For many people, this is a way to enjoy a life on the road without giving up all the comforts of home.
•  Easy Maintenance. A tiny house is easy to take care of. With less space to clean and fewer appliances to repair, tiny house owners can expect to spend less time on chores and more on life outside the home.
•  Living Simply. A tiny house doesn’t have room for any kind of excess materialist items like bulging closets, unneeded electronics, knick-knacks, etc. Tiny homeowners get down to the essentials, keeping only the items that truly enrich their lives.
•  Great Starter Homes. Tiny homes are an increasingly popular way to get onto the property ladder, especially in areas where conventional homes are wildly out of reach financially. Some tiny homes can still be expensive because of overengineering or design elements, but if you’re looking for something fairly simple, cozy, and are willing and able to put in some of the work yourself, a tiny home can get your foot in the door.
•  Efficient by Design. Many tiny homes are designed to be energy efficient and eco-friendly. Tiny homes are intended for “off-grid” living and are reliant on wind, solar, and micro hydro power for electricity. Smart design can incorporate eco-friendly heating, cooling, or power elements, and the smaller space is in itself easier, faster, and cheaper to heat and cool. They are also efficient in ways of organizing. A well-built tiny home will include super unique ways

There are a number of factors to consider when thinking about transitioning to tiny home life. If you want to live in a town where tiny homes are available or can be parked, if you’d like an affordable housing situation, if you want to lower your environmental impact, and if you enjoy getting creative with your space, then a tiny home may be worth it for you.

The biggest factor to consider is the fact that you’ll be living in a space the size of a studio apartment – and if you have a partner, children, or pets, the space may start to feel even smaller. Consider finding property that gives you lots of outdoor space to thrive in!

Are you interested in transitioning to tiny home living? La Pera’s General Contracting in Panama City and Tampa, Florida designs and builds efficient, beautiful tiny homes that fit your unique needs! Our construction and building services extend to the interior and exterior design of a property, rounding out the overall home building experience from inception to completion. We pride ourselves on our commitment to all construction projects and are available to answer any questions you have day or night. We have 2 locations, one in Panama City, Florida and another in Tampa, Florida. Contact us today for a free consultation!