# Tiny house living



## FrancSevin

When my son sold his Connecticut house of 5 years, he made a decent profit  well over $55K after commissions.   He moved to St louis MO with his girlfriend and their new daughter but couldn't find a place on which they agreed to settle.  So the moved into an apartment.  After a year they moved again to another apartment.

Meanwhile the spent money on cars ,guns and Ammo.  The rest, they just wasted.

The apartments here cost as much as a house payment $ 1,300 a month triple net. And it has no real privacy.  So they are thinking of, once again, moving. 

This time to a tiny house concept. Said another way, a large, Park model, RV

33 foot with two bump outs.

Lot rent is $450 to $550 a month  and includes water, sewer, trash disposal, lawncare and electric.  

I find a lot of young people, and retirees, are doing this. I know we have done so for our Springfield MO week end bungalow in the OZARKS.


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## FrancSevin

This be it.

Some mobile home parks allow RV's set on a permanent basis.  My Springfield MO bungalow is in such a place.

Add a small portable barn , some under skirting and a deck, you are set for easy and cheap living.

My son is saving about $1,000 a month. Just in the rent payments. Against his rent payments, the trailer will pay for itself within the first year.


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## Doc

Good luck to them.   Not for everyone but if it works for them it is sure better than paying rent.


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## FrancSevin

Thanks Doc.  My son is 51 and hasn't had the best luck with women, his health or employment.

He does fine working for me  but his current squeeze a  bundle of problems from drug abuse to fidelity.
I don't think she will last long in a tiny house format. She can't keep house, cook or laundry. As for the young baby girl, she had her other kids removed by the state.  So we worry.  About her and the adorable little girl

 Him, on the other hand can endure most anything. Like his dad.

And that's fine with me as she has made his life hell.  It shows in his work and I need better than I'm getting.   

All that said, he finally got smart and realized his spending was obscene. And I think MOM cut him off ( finally) as well. 

Hopefully, this new awareness will breed some responsibility.  Meanwhile he lives in a trailer park. No shame in that, but he can do better.

I hope this works out.


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## mla2ofus

Now is the time to start getting some insulated skirting under it.


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## Melensdad

I think many of the trailers, especially the ones with bump outs are MORE LIVABLE than the "tiny houses" that I've seen on TV.  Can't imagine living in a "tiny house" but a nice size trailer would probably work a lot better!  

Financially I think he is doing well.


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## FrancSevin

Melensdad said:


> I think many of the trailers, especially the ones with bump outs are MORE LIVABLE than the "tiny houses" that I've seen on TV.  Can't imagine living in a "tiny house" but a nice size trailer would probably work a lot better!
> 
> Financially I think he is doing well.


I've always chuckled at the "Tiny house" shows on TV. Damn things are cute but expensive. $80K for like 360 to 540 Sq Feet.  You can by a mobile home 12 X 60 for that. 

Or a very well equipped, super sized, top line, RV that doesn't use a stock tank for a bath tub.

Well built RV's tend to have more amenities and better functioning layouts.  Both RV's and mobile homes have cheap fixtures no matter what you pay, but a good fully functional RV unit over 40 feet X 8 feet, one  you can tow behind your own vehicle, are $50K to $90K new.

My 40 foot Jayco Park Model has 8' ceilings, two master bedrooms, a bathroom bigger than the ones in my house.  It was $55K new but I got it at a steal, 3 years old with only 200 miles on the chassis for under $20K.  I got it from a guy who took it in trade on,,, wait for it,,,; a custom Tiny house.

It has three bump outs that make it about 420 Square feet. Yeah, the bump outs make a huge difference.  We love the place and plan to retire with it as our main residence.  



mla2ofus said:


> Now is the time to start getting some insulated skirting under it.


Yes.  Very important.  On my Jayco, we built 8" X 2' frames lined with insulation and covered with diamond embossed foil and overlaid with white plastic trellis material.  Capped with composite decking it looks great and has no maintenance.  We will do the same with the Terry Trailer.  

Also, the bump outs need roofing modifications if opened permanently. They are flat roofs which hold water, leaves and tree branches.  Now that we are definitely a permanent setup in Springfield, I'll be doing that before winter sets in.


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## NorthernRedneck

Our seasonal camper is a bumper pull 33ft with 3 slides. We're quite comfortable with 6 kids in it. Separate bedrooms in front and rear. Decent size bathroom with corner shower. We could live in it quite comfortably if needed.


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