Last week there was a meeting with principals of two leading Tiny House inspection companies, Alex Ontiveros from Pacific West Tiny House and Barbara Reilly from Bildsworth International. They were able to get to know each other personally, and to discuss the state of tiny homes, development of a uniform construction code, and ways/means for using similar inspection standards/protocols while maintaining an independence of business practices.
They discussed the UCI effort and ways we can leverage Chuck Ballard’s (Pacific West Associates) long standing experience in code development and facility inspection practices, as well as Alex’s work for Tiny House RV inspections alongside Barbara’s company’s work in reviewing and recording key points of a more residentially compliant process for tiny home construction. Others with experience in code development are of great interest, and likely to be among the team leading this effort toward ANSI accreditation. Many among you have pledged your support, so please accept my sincere thanks without specific shout-outs.
I’d like to say it’s as easy as drafting a new code and submitting it for blessing, but ANSI has a more stringent protocol that we’ll be required to follow… which makes this seemingly simple task a harder process, yet one that begets a true industry standard and long term housing development solution for off-site construction and compliance inspections of Movable Tiny Houses.
Things are moving, but… haltingly slow. ðŸ™
Like many of you, we’re all busy folks who are heavily involved in supporting the movement through our more altruistic and unpaid efforts.
That said, there’s been great progress the past three months with an alignment of leading inspection companies and builders/suppliers working in the tiny house space, along with an identification of like minded of hand-raisers willing to pitch in and help with heavy lifting as we lay a solid foundation. Our industry associations are further formalizing themselves, and a “call to committee” of peer groups for code development and consensus sessions marches forward on a near horizon.
For those of us with dynamic “doer” personalities, slow-n-steady is always frustrating, but my money remains on the fact that this open and intentional approach is likely to win the long race for the greater good of the Tiny Home community at large.
Wishing your all the best.
GoTiny! – Thom ðŸ˜