Certification of tiny homes has been a tricky topic for years now. I’ve been skeptical of many of the certifiers because I haven’t always seen the benefit. Last week’s conversation with Jenifer Levini only increased that skepticism. But this week, I’m happy to bring you my conversation with Alex Ontiveros from Pacific West tiny homes. Pacific West has been in the certification business for a long time, and in this conversation, we’ll see if Alex can convince me whether tiny house certification is worth it. Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net/162In This Episode:The certification process explainedRVIA or ANSI: what qualifies for which?Egress windows and their importanceWhat is the cost of certification and what does it include?Why should a DIY builder have their tiny home certified?Materials, techniques, and systems that comply with codeDo you really need a contractor?The effect of the pandemic on the tiny house movementSend us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

The legal landscape of tiny homes is one of the most frustrating and confusing parts of the tiny house movement. In fact, “tiny home” isn’t even a legal term, so municipalities have had to figure out what form of existing law they fit into. My guest Jenifer Levini is a housing and land use lawyer, and author of Building, Occupying & Selling Tiny Homes Legally. I would consider this episode a must-listen: Jenifer walks us through the 6 types of tiny homes (from a legal perspective), why codes are critical for safety, RV vs. residential code, and her take on avoiding bad players. I hope you stick around! Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net.161In This Episode:Tiny house isn't a legal term: here's an overview of the lawWhat are the different categories of tiny homes?Is it worth paying to have your tiny home certified?The ins and outs of egress windowsHow to ask if you can live legally in your tiny homeMythology about registering your THOWWhat a good builder looks likeAre you getting a great deal or being ripped off?This Week's Sponsor: Tiny TuesdaysDid you know that I personally send a tiny house newsletter every week on Tuesdays? It's called Tiny Tuesdays and it's a weekly email with tiny house news, interviews, photos, and resources. It's free to subscribe and I even share sneak peeks of things that are coming up, ask for feedback about upcoming podcast guests, and more. It's really the best place to keep a pulse on what I'm doing in the tiny house space and also stay informed about what's going on in the tiny house movement.To sign up go to thetinyhouse.net/newsletter. I'll never send you spam and if you don't want to receive emails, it's easy to unsubscribe.Send us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

 SquareOne Villages is an amazing organization creating self-managed communities of cost-effective tiny homes for people in need of housing in and around Eugene Oregon. My guest Amanda Dellinger is the Community Relations Director, and if you’re curious about tiny home villages, this conversation is a must-listen. We start by exploring the co-op model for housing and delve into all the details of how these tiny home villages are funded, built, and maintained. Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net.160Send us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

 The concept of Lifestyle Design certainly predates the tiny house movement, but I see the two as very linked. Enter today’s guest, Jessica Malone, a lifestyle design coach who lives tiny herself. In the interview, we’ll talk about the difference between Decluttering versus Downsizing, life hacks for easy minimalism, and the mindset required to succeed. I hope you Stick around! Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net.159In This Episode:Clutter is more than just 'stuff'Minimalism vs Decluttering: Are they the same?Tips for where to start and how to declutterFocusing more on what you do want and less on what you don'tShould you build your tiny house yourself or have it built for you?This Week's Sponsor: PrecisionTempPrecisionTemp is making one product to solve two issues that I know everyone deals with in a tiny house: running out of hot water and heating your tiny house. PrecisionTemp has made the amazing TwinTemp Junior propane tankless water heater, which provides unlimited hot water for your tiny house and hydronic heating. This means you get warm heated floors, so there are no cold spots. It's designed specifically for tiny houses and features whisper-quiet operation as well as high efficiency. If you want more information on how PrecisionTemp can help make living tiny easier and more comfortable visit precisiontemp.com. While you're there, use the coupon code THLP for $100 off the TwinTemp Junior plus free shipping. That website again is precisiontemp.com coupon code THLP for $100 off the TwinTemp Junior plus free shipping. Thank you so much to PrecisionTemp for sponsoring our show.Send us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

 One of the best ways to spend time as a family is traveling full-time. Traveling together can be fun, interesting, and educational for your children too. But it can also be difficult. My guests today are Jessica and Will Sueiro, and they are two parents who have done it successfully. They left the American rat race in 2014 and haven’t looked back. In this interview, we’ll get into the nitty-gritty details of full-time travel as a family- from health insurance and medical care to homeschooling and finding friends. I hope you stick around! Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net.158In This Episode:Making it happen, instead of waiting for it to happenHow much space do children need away from their parents?Medical insurance when you're traveling fulltimeThe language barrier isn't much of a barrier at allMaking an income on the road (pre and post-COVID)Monthly budgets and keeping expenses downThe questions that everyone should ask, but don'tThis Week's Sponsor: Tiny House DecisionsTiny House Decisions is the guide that I wish I had when I was building my tiny house. And it comes in three different packages to help you on your unique tiny house journey. If you're struggling to figure out the systems for your tiny house, how you're going to heat it, how you're going to plumb it, what you're going to build it out, then tiny house decisions will take you through the process systematically and help you come up with a design that works for you. Right now I'm offering 20% off any package of Tiny House Decisions for podcast listeners. Head over to https://www.thetinyhouse.net/thd and use the coupon code tiny at checkout!Send us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

 In some ways, the Yurt is the original tiny house on wheels. If you’ve never seen one, a Yurt is a portable, round tent covered with skins or felt and used as a dwelling by nomadic groups in Central Asia. In America, Yurts have been popular since the ’70s, and I’ve wanted to interview a yurt dweller here on the show for some time. Enter my guest, Kevin Obrien, who lives year-round, off-grid in his yurt in New Hampshire. Kevin will explain why he chose a yurt over other forms of housing and what the benefits and drawbacks are for full-time living. Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net.157In This Episode:What is a yurt?Is a yurt appropriate for cold-weather climates?Where to buy and what you can expect to pay for a yurtWind, cold, and heat: the yurt can handle it allKevin's unique sleeping arrangement sounds super comfyNo fridge? Off-grid cooking and food storage solutionsPlans for the interior of the yurtThis Week's Sponsor: PrecisionTempLet’s face it, most Tiny House dwellers want their homes to be small, but not uncomfortable. That means reliable, unlimited, hot water. PrecisionTemp’s propane-fired hot water heaters reliably provide unlimited hot water, and they’re specifically designed with tiny homes in mind.  With their patented VariFlame technology, these are the only gas-fired tankless water heaters approved by RVIA and are ANS certified. Features such as cold weather and wind protection, precise electronic temperature control, and onboard diagnostics are standard. With higher efficiency and 55,000 BTUs of power, these units produce far more hot water than traditional water heaters. And since they don't come on unless you want hot water (or to protect against freezing), you may find that you use as little as half the propane or natural gas as before. So go ahead and take that long, hot shower! PrecisionTemp is offering listeners of the Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast $100 off plus free shipping using the coupon code THLP. Send us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

Is it possible to convert a cargo trailer into a tiny home? On today’s show, I take with Nicoll Davis, who currently lives and travels full time in a 112 square foot converted cargo trailer with her husband Jake and their dogs. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the photos and total cost of the conversion. Oh, and a few days after scheduling my interview with Nicoll, I saw her featured prominently in a New York Times article about tiny home living during the pandemic. She wasn’t happy with how she was portrayed, so we start there. Stay tuned! Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net.156In This Episode:Why a cargo trailer and what did the conversion take?What happens when your campground closes suddenly?The cost of the build and where everything is storedHow to travel full-time with 3 dogs - and an essential piece of equipmentTips on cargo trailer conversionsAbout the misrepresentation in the NYT articleSend us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

Figuring out how to get your tiny house a supply of water is one of the biggest challenges you’ll face living off-grid. Wouldn’t it be great if we could simply capture and use the water that falls out of the sky? I had always thought that rainwater harvesting in a tiny house would be inconvenient and ineffective due to the small roof size. Enter today's guest, Brad Lancaster. Brad is a tiny house dweller and author of several award-winning books about rainwater harvesting, and he has completely changed my mind. Not only is rainwater harvesting doable in a tiny house, but I’m actually planning on implementing some rainwater capture in my own setup. Don’t miss this conversation with Brad Lancaster so you can learn how to get started with Rainwater Harvesting!Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net.155In This Episode: Overview of rainwater harvesting strategiesWinter water tipsHow to keep the water clean to avoid having to treat itDoes a dirty roof affect rainwater harvesting?Brad's system and what happens during a droughtWhat effects will rainwater harvesting have on your living situation?Legalizing and incentivizing rain and gray water harvestingGraywater differences, uses, and passive heating/coolingSimple is better (and cheaper): Brad explains whyHow to harvest condensate This week's sponsor: Tiny TuesdaysDid you know that I personally send a tiny house newsletter every week on Tuesdays? It's called Tiny Tuesdays and it's a weekly email with tiny house news, interviews, photos, and resources. It's free to subscribe and I even share sneak peeks of things that are coming up, ask for feedback about upcoming podcast guests, and more. It's really the best place to keep a pulse on what I'm doing in the tiny house space and also stay informed about what's going on in the tiny house movement.To sign up go to thetinyhouse.net/newsletter. I'll never send you spam and if you don't want to receive emails, it's easy to unsubscribe.Send us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

Michelle Jones discovered the tiny house movement well before most of us, struck up a friendship with Dee Williams, and had her 84sf tiny house built by Dee’s company PAD. She’s been quietly living tiny in Portland, OR backyards for 11 years now, and in a lot of ways, tiny living has helped to guide and inspire her unconventional career choices. In this interview, Michelle shares her reflections on living tiny for 11 years and some of the unexpected things she has learned along the way. Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net/154In This Episode:Living tiny before it was a thing: Michelle's instincts, journey, and "aha" momentsIs there room for a relationship in a tiny home?Getting to know your tiny house and preparing for the different outcomes of difficult situationsSetting up systems for your environment and the importance of redundancyHow living tiny helped Michelle realize and pursue her purposeBuilding your house out of materials that are meaningful to youStaying tiny for 11 years: how to keep from accumulating too muchWhen living tiny helps you connect with and depend on your communityWhat the Wayfinding Academy does differently than most institutions of higher learningMichelle's tips for finding tiny house parkingThis week's sponsor: Tiny TuesdaysDid you know that I personally send a tiny house newsletter every week on Tuesdays? It's called Tiny Tuesdays and it's a weekly email with tiny house news, interviews, photos, and resources. It's free to subscribe and I even share sneak peeks of things that are coming up, ask for feedback about upcoming podcast guests, and more. It's really the best place to keep a pulse on what I'm doing in the tiny house space and also stay informed about what's going on in the tiny house movement.To sign up go to thetinyhouse.net/newsletter. I'll never send you spam and if you don't want to receive emails, it's easy to unsubscribe.Send us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!

The home you build or buy may be the single biggest purchase you’ll ever make. That’s why choosing the right builder is such a consequential decision. But since we’ll only ever need to do this once or twice in our lives, it’s very easy to be taken advantage of, or miss red-flags before we plunk down our life savings on a tiny home. My guests this week, Paul Dashevsky and Jon Grishpul started the company GreatBuildz to connect homeowners with reliable, pre-vetted contractors. In the interview, I’ll ask them the tough questions about what to look for in a contractor, and they share so many gems! Don't miss it! Also, Paul and Jon created a downloadable checklist "How To Choose A Contractor" and they're making it available to listeners of the show. You'll be able to download that at thetinyhouse.net/153.Full show notes and images at thetinyhouse.net/153In This Episode:You have homework: the steps you should take before you call a contractorThe basic things your contractor must have and whyCan licensed contractors legally build you a tiny house?How to determine whether a contractor is right for youTypes of contracts and what to look for when comparing bidsWhy you should read the contract or have an attorney help you outShould your builder provide a warranty?Payment schedules and reasonable expectationsYou hired an out-of-state builder. How do you check in?This Week's Sponsor: Tiny House EngageIs this the year that you're finally going to embark on your dream of living tiny? If you're serious about building or buying a tiny house, then I'd like to personally invite you to my online community where you can connect with other tiny housers, get your questions specific questions answered, and get support on your journey.  If you need some encouragement or just need to know how someone else solved a problem, you’ll get those answers in Tiny House Engage. I’m also very active in the community, answering questions and keeping an eye on things, so if you want to interact with me, this is a great way to do it. Send us a textSupport the showListen. Subscribe. Rate. Review. Apple Podcasts Spotify More... Follow Ethan. Mastodon Instagram Pinterest Facebook Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!