Stealth Tiny Houses That Will Amaze You

Stealth tiny houses are a segment of the tiny living crowd that has been overlooked, and that’s just how they want it.

So what’s a ‘stealth tiny home?’

Some folks just want to sneak through life unnoticed. In order to ‘fly under the radar,’ they find ways to put a roof over their heads while leaving no paper trail and no trace of their residence. This segment of the society may acquire a vehicle or trailer that lived its previous life as a step-van, service truck, shipping container, utility trailer, or the like. The goal is to create a home inside while leaving the original outside appearance alone.

Examples of Stealth Tiny Homes

Stealth Utility Trailer Tiny Home

This stealth tiny house looks like your basic utility trailer, but inside it’s a full-featured tiny house.

The exterior boasts a top-of-the-line Renogy Solar package, four HD/Night Vision Security Cameras. The interior includes a DVR – TV, two remote control/rain sensing fans, and a 9K BTU mini-dual split heat/AC. It has a Murphy bed with storage underneath.

The rear doors open to reveal seven soft-close storage drawers. The middle drawer is accessible from the interior as well. It has a 30 gallon fresh water tank and a gray tank, making it off-grid capable.

This completely finished unit was for sale on EBay for $29,500.00*.

The only downside of a stealth tiny house is no windows, but when you open the side and back doors it can feel plenty airy.

Here’s a good YouTube® video showing a really clever converted cargo trailer.

Here’s another video and blog by Over The Top Cargo Trailer called the Spyder.

Stealth Cargo Trailers

The plumbing system is frequently a couple of five gallon water jugs. There’s really no room for gray or black holding tanks, so sanitary facilities like showers and toilets are also limited. Like in my old tent-trailer, the kitchen sink drains out on the ground. I thought it a huge upgrade when we added a five gallon bucket to catch the water. We used the gray water to drown our campfires.

We had a portable potty like the one shown here for nocturnal tinkles, and simply emptied it into the nearest outhouse or toilet when we had the chance.

U-House Stealthy Tiny House

Here is a YouTube® video showing a U-Haul™ converted into a tiny house. They didn’t intend to create a stealth tiny house, but they couldn’t afford windows so it looks like a basic box truck from all but the backside. Even then you could design barn doors that close over to look like a bare-bones truck.

Their biggest expense was the tiny wood stove shown here. More information on tiny wood stoves on this page. The owners were on a tight budget and reveal how they got materials for cheap. They made many clever design innovations-even a shower-but no bathroom. It works for them.

FYI: I do not recommend or condone draining the sink straight out onto the ground but anyway…

Here’s another page on converting a panel truck into a tiny home.

Stealthy Shipping Container Home

This unique shipping container tiny home wasn’t intended to be stealthy, but when the builder closes it up it’s just another container. His intent was to be able to still ship it anywhere he wants to go without damage. He can even send it on overseas. The result is a very clever home that locks securely and doesn’t attract any unwanted attention.

I’ve seen other stealthy shipping container homes. One, a set of three containers, opened up into a jungle research facility when the scientists needed to be there. Another looked just like a derelict tool trailer in a gravel pit when the owner was traveling for work.

EBay has several shipping containers built for other purposes like job site office (with a bathroom). There’s also one billed as a backyard office/gym that could easily be finished as a tiny home.

One Company’s Bread Truck Morphs into One Man’s Home

This stealth tiny home built by Vered Folkman spent most of its life as a bread truck. It still looks like a bread truck until closer inspection.

Vered says, “The house size is 20 square meters and it has everything my partner and I need. It has a bedroom with a shower, a dry toilet and lots of storage cabinets. We travel with the house in the desert and mountains, we cook great meals here, the children and grandchildren come and stay overnight, and we are happy.”

Cargo Vans Can Make Good Stealth Tiny Homes

This Chevy cargo van available on EBay for just $10,100.00*

I had a Chevy cargo van like the one shown here. It would make an excellent stealth tiny home by just adding window tinting. Mine had nifty pop-open side panels that made the interior light and airy.

One altruistic couple I saw used their van as their ministry hub serving meals to the homeless. At night they simply closed the doors and slept in their parking spot. Often a homeless shelter would provide them with a shower and bathroom. This is fine for a season or two, but eventually they were hoping to expand their family and move into bigger digs.

Stealth Tiny Homes Work Until You Get Noticed

Stealth tiny homes work until you get noticed. Then you need to be able to move on at once. This may be fine for certain individuals. It will provide a dry, safe place to sleep if you can’t afford a real tiny house. However, I advise you to do all you can to make it safe and sanitary.

You’ll never be able to get a certificate of occupancy, so you really don’t need to be concerned with building codes. If you buy property and plan on living there full-time, be prepared for zoning officers to show up at anytime.

Permanent Residence Required for Many Aspects of “Adulting”

The freedom of this lifestyle is also its downfall. There are many facets of normal US life that require a permanent residence. A driver’s license, vehicle registration, voting, health insurance, paying taxes, etc.

You may save a lot of money going without most of that stuff, but it will catch up to you eventually.

Bug-Out Bunkers

Sometimes called Bug-Out-Bunkers, stealth tiny homes provide some peace of mind for owners who know they can hitch up and head out at a moment’s notice. Planning on being self-sufficient if society breaks down, “preppers” proactively prepare themselves with survivalist skills. I used to think something like that was pretty far off, but after this winter’s failure of the power grid in Texas, the pandemic, and insurrection in Washington, it might be advisable to have a plan.

Tell us your reason for wanting to live in a stealth tiny home below.