Small World: The Tiny House Trend

Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by driverdan on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @12:09PM (#19087233)

I've already done the rough math. It'd use a Northern Tool 5x8 trailer that costs $550 or less on sale. The $1000 price point is for a basic box to sleep in and store possessions. There would be additional plans for larger builds and more amenities for people with a larger budget. No welding necessary, only basic wood construction.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by ip26 on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @02:29PM (#19088834)

That's not a trailer home, that's a dirtbag camper.

It's a fairly mature market, and FWIW basic wood builds tend to wind up being too heavy to tow with a small car.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by wyclif on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @06:44PM (#19091274)

What is a "dirtbag camper"?

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by ip26 on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @06:55PM (#19091334)

Dirtbag is rock climber slang for someone living life on the road ultra-cheap.

Camper, i.e. RV, popup, teardrop, etc.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by wyclif on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @07:24PM (#19091506)

Thanks! I suspected it had some kind of niche connotation.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by bluGill on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @12:21PM (#19087336)

That northern tools trailer is rated for 1000lbs - you won't be able to have 2 humans inside without breaking something.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by driverdan on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @12:47PM (#19087576)

It's rated for 1715lbs: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612541_20...

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by bluGill on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @02:30PM (#19088849)

I stand corrected. There are many different trailer models (over the years), with slightly different specs...

The point that they are too light duty for this use I think still stands.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by rthomas6 on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @12:48PM (#19087585)

Excuse me if this is a stupid question, but why is 1000 lbs not enough? I weigh 150 lbs. My wife weighs about 130. What in the world is going to weigh 700 more pounds?

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by katbyte on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @01:03PM (#19087792)

I’d assume 200 per person (a lot lot of people weight more)

Basic possession is 25-50 a person, and if you want to have anything beyond an empty unfurnished trailer bed/batteries/activity gear/food/water is going to start to add up fast.

For me I could easily add 75lb of climbing gear, 50lb of snowboarding. Basic Solar panel is 20, batter another 15 and so on.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by irrational on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @03:53PM (#19089731)

Weren't they talking about living in it? The wood and hardware will weigh considerably more than 700 pounds.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by bluGill on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @01:13PM (#19087926)

The frame and insulation adds up, as do clothing and personal items.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by benj111 on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @12:52PM (#19087641)

The 1000lbs limit would be whilst moving?

You aren't likely to be driving about with 2 people in the trailer.

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Re:Small World: The Tiny House Trend by rootusrootus on Tuesday February 05, 2019 @04:47PM (#19090185)

I think it's pretty safe to say that a tiny house on a trailer rated for 1000 (or 1715) pounds is not ever moving.

For comparison, the smallest, lightest travel trailers you can buy come in around 1500-2000 pounds dry. And they are not rated for full-time living. Anything more durable will quickly weigh a lot more than a 1715 pound trailer can safely handle.

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