Building and/or parking without local approval is setting the Tiny House owner up for a version of living “under the radar”. It is not for the faint of heart as you could get a knock on the door at any moment. Most of you are investing a year if your life and your life savings to achieve this dream. The truth is that ” under the radar” is becoming more and more difficult as we complete more and more tinies and they are being marketed on TV. The sleeping dog of enforcement is beginning to stir and wake up. Once awake, all tinies will be targeted.
The best advice I am giving is to:
A) build to meet ALL codes (foundation-based IRC as well as wheel-based ANSI)
B) document your build with photos and inspections by a local licensed architect or engineer.
C) build to be convertible from wheels to foundations.
D) invest a lot of time trying to get the local laws changed where you want to live.
E) have a multi-level backup plan.
Aside from the inspection issue, there is a potential problem with insurance. If you are not built to code, you cannot get insurance, and without insurance, you could be denied access to parking, loose everything in a theft or fire, or be sued if a guest is injured.
David Ludwig,
Tiny House Solutions