Tiny Home Building Mistakes You Don’t Have To Make

Here are the most common tiny home building mistakes I see people make when they build their tiny houses. These are the issues tiny home occupants are most frequently seeking remedies for. It will be worth a few minutes of your time now to avoid big problems later.

#1 Using the Wrong Trailer

The biggest and most impactful mistake when building your tiny home is building on the wrong trailer. I know we all want to build as economically as possible, but skimping on the trailer is just dooming your project from the word go.

I know. You see YouTube® videos all the time about a guy who buildss a great tiny home on a reclaimed RV trailer he got for free.

Craig made a video about making his tiny home starting with an RV trailer. I knew he would regret it, and sure enough, a short time later it’s the first thing he mentions in this video:

Read my page on DIY Tiny House Trailers for more details.

I don’t know how else to warn you. DON’T SKIMP ON YOUR TINY HOUSE TRAILER. Everything else is fixable but if the trailer is bad, the whole project is bad. The house will develop serious structural issues soon and will fall apart around you from then on.

In addition, you may never get a title for it and trying to resell it could be difficult. No insurance company will go near it. On the road you’ll be a danger to yourself and others.

Budget between $3,500.00 and $5,000.00 for a good, professionally made trailer.

#2 No Moisture Mitigation

Craig’s second admitted mistake, moisture mitigation. This is the biggest issue facing tiny home owners.

Showers, cooking, perspiration, and breathing create moisture. If you’ve made a nice, air-tight box, all that moisture stays with you.  Design in proper venting, heating, and cooling to prevent unhealthy air quality and mold growth.

Forgetting that tiny houses need all of the infrastructure of a large house, just smaller, is an often-made mistake.

#3 Ignoring the Weight of Construction Materials

Tiny House Design & Constructions Guide. Click on book to order

If you don’t estimate the weight of building materials and interior decorations, you may put way too much weight on the trailer.

Even professional builders have blown it on this detail with disastrous results.

Refusing to compromise on that 300 lb porcelain farmhouse sink, or that cast iron claw foot tub, can spell disaster for your build. See if there is a lighter alternative to granite countertops.

A friend just told me her beautiful porcelain farmhouse sink cracked in six places when she moved her tiny. See my page about Saving Weight On Tiny House Tile.

Did you know plywood is lighter than OSB? You can save weight with smart framing if you take the time to learn how.

Sheetrock or Gypsum board has no place in a tiny home. It’s just powdered gypsum, pressed between to sheets of paper. It’s incredibly heavy and offers no structural integrity. It will crumble when moved, and those nice invisible joints will crack.

All during the build, you need to save every pound you can.

#4 Ignoring Zoning Laws and Building Codes

Assuming you can fly under the radar and avoid “the man” is a huge mistake. You must comply with local zoning laws and building codes. Officials have the right to tell you what you can and can’t do, even on your own land. Being proactive with code and zoning officials will help avoid conflict later. It can also save your countless headaches on getting your build financed and insured as well.

Building codes are changing to allow for tiny homes. Read Appendix-Q for instance. Now that there are building codes, you need to comply with the codes. Learn the required ceiling height for lofts, stairs construction, and required egress points.

If you ever want to sell your tiny home, you’ll be glad you complied with wall of the building codes.

#5 Living Room Comfort

Bench seats are great for storage and convenient for covering a wheel well, but frequently short on comfort. Make sure your living room is comfortable enough to spend a rainy afternoon or watch a full-length movie with all the occupants.

We can learn a lot from the RV industry on this one. Comfy recliners and fold out sofas are the way to go. Look into your furniture options in the design phase of your tiny house build so you have enough room for the comfort you’ll need.

While you’re at it, buy great mattresses for your beds and the best cushions for any jackknife sofas or other convertible furniture.

#6 Expecting A Tiny House To Do More Than It Can Do

By design, a tiny house can only offer so much. A bedroom or two, bathroom, kitchen, and living room, and it’s maxed out.

A lot of people think it’s just like a regular house but smaller, and it is, but because it’s small:

• You’ll never be more than a few feet from people in the bathroom.
• Kitchen noises and smells will fill the entire home.
• You’ll feel vibrations and movement from everyone moving about the house.
• Clutter can overwhelm a small space quickly. Everyone has to be good about putting things in their place.

Too many people

I cringe every time I see a family with three little kids on a tiny house show. A couple and a baby might be fine in a tiny house, but babies grow up. Teenagers need their space and privacy. Couples need some privacy. It’s up to you, but I don’t recommend more than a few people in a tiny house unless the alternative is being homeless. You need the space you need.

Sometimes you just need a break from the chaos, noise, and frenetic movement of a family. Outside may be your only option. Outside is an option on nice days. Using public amenities like a cafe might also work.

Not enough storage

Storage is always an issue. Make sure you utilize every space you have. Design in unique storage spaces.

Every piece of furniture needs to perform multiple tasks.

Things You Can Do To Avoid Mistakes When Building or Buying A Tiny House

Read all of the pages of this website. I cover most home building best practices and include videos the books to learn more.

“Pulling the Tiny Trigger”and “Tiny Houses: Where to Start” will give you a starting point, the impetus to get going, and the willingness to build your tiny house right. Make a vow to yourself to do it right.  If you can’t do it right at the moment wait until you can.

Start Planning

Make a list of things you need and want in your tiny home. Draw a floor plan that includes those things. Look for a professionally engineered floor plan that looks most like yours.

Tiny Home Builders tiny house plans have been designed with the Do-It-Yourselfer in mind. While some plans require extensive contracting experience to understand, they have laid out their plans in a simple step-by-step format. The placement of each piece of framing lumber is shown and complimented with a 3D rendering showing exactly which area of the house you are looking at, making the plans some of the easiest to build from.

Start Downsizing

Downsizing and living tiny is a journey. Getting rid of things takes time. Learning to live with less takes time. Avoid the “rude-awakening” when you show up to you tiny house with way too much stuff.

Read the story of our journey.

To Avoid Tiny Home Building Mistakes Attend a Hands-On Workshop

Join the experts from Tiny Home Builders for a hands-on workshop and learn how! We focus on giving you the knowledge and confidence needed to build your own tiny house. And because these workshops are hands-on, you leave not just more informed, but also with real-world experience. There is no better way to learn than by doing.

Workshop Schedule:

See the updated schedule on this page: Tiny House E-Courses and Workshops

NOTE: There are several price points depending on how early you book the class. An “Early Bird Special” could save you 30%. All of last years classes sold out.

What you’ll learn to do

Find out what tools are absolutely needed, and which ones are just nice to have. Also learn how to save thousands on materials for your tiny house using the same tricks as the professionals.

Learn the basics of framing so that you can build a house that is structurally sound and safe to drive down the road. You’ll learn firsthand while we construct and stand up walls.

Learn how to properly add layers to your house to add strength and to protect it from the elements. Water is the number one destroyer of homes, we’ll teach you how to protect your house.

Learn all the parts of the electrical system of your tiny house. This is the area that most people are more concerned about, but we break it down and show you that it’s really not that complicated.

Learn about the different types of plumbing products out there and which ones work best for tiny houses. You’ll then work with those materials to put together plumbing components.

This is the most popular design from “Tiny Home Builders.” You can order the unit in three sizes already built or just the plans.

Find out the best options on where to park your tiny house.

Our workshops are perfect for beginners. No previous carpentry experience is required.

Sign up early and get $50.00 off. Participants also receive $200.00 of additional product discounts.

Get a free digital copy of the best selling Tiny House Design & Construction Guide (shown above).

Receive substantial discounts on our plans, eWorkshop, and trailers, not offered anywhere else.