Tiny house as a first home solution for my son?

[rbstern]

Sorry for the long backstory; just think it's necessary to get accurate feedback.

My son, currently living at home, just recently graduated from college and landed a very solid job with a stable company, working remotely. We're extremely proud of him. He earned it with hard work.

He and his fiancee are starting to look at rental properties in our area. Pickings are slim in the nearby small towns. If they go to one of the small cities within a 45 minute drive (Gainesville, GA to the south, Anderson, SC to the north), there are many more choices. Pricier, and some iffy neighborhoods the wife and I would not love to see them living in.

We have plenty of acreage with numerous potential home sites, although 75% of our property is in conservation status until 2024. We've always told him, if he ever wanted to build a house on the land, we would help in any way we could. He's open to that. One possibility is building/buying some type of tiny home to put on the property; not a trailer mounted tiny house, but something built on skids, like a 14x40 shed that many people seem to be repurposing for something like this. My back-of-the-envelope estimations suggest a 500 to 600 sq foot building, set up as a 1 bed/1 bath, could be nicely finished for about $40K, including plumbing, HVAC, septic, electrical and fixtures.

We have no zoning restrictions. If we did it in reasonable proximity to our current residence, we could skip digging a separate well. They could use our Internet access (something he needs for his job; we have excellent 1Gbps fiber service). Electricity install would be relatively cheap because of the established power lines on our property. In other words, there are a bunch of fiscal advantages to making a living solution here.

Downsides we readily acknowledge: Less independence from us. Also, they'd be building equity in something that exists on our land. If they left, we'd very likely never rent it to anyone else; certainly not a stranger. We value our privacy. We expect to leave this place to him (he's our only child); barring a financial disaster that forces us to sell, all of the property will be his someday. Any property improvements theoretically benefit him in the long run.

We could also just wait until 2024, and carve off a piece of land on the other side of our property, for him to build a genuine, stick built starter house on. More independent solution for them. They'll have spent about $35K tp $50K on rent between now and then, if they rent until then.

So: Thoughts on tiny homes for this type of solution? What haven't I considered? What are the challenges involved with tiny house type solutions? Thanks in advance for the comments!

 

[fidowanttobe]

I would use a temporary/mobile home for 1 1/2 years and then do the stick built on site. Rather than a tiny on skids, the temp could be easily towed away again.

 

[MossRoad]

Congrats to your son, first. Big accomplishment.

One of my concerns about a tiny home is resale value. As with trailers, do they every go up in value or even hold their value? I'd look into that. I've watched quite a few tiny home shows. It would be a very big challenge to be that close to your significant other that many hours a day.

I told my wife that I could live in a tiny home if I had a huge pole barn with a full bath, sitting room and kitchen... (that's a house!)

Also, don't discount a duplex. Live on one side and have renters pay 3/4 or more of your mortgage.

 

[newbury]

Moss may be correct - Build a pole barn (just a barn), put the 14x40 inside. Maybe as an apartment in the back.
I've a 40x60 building where the original owner put a 15x40 apartment (kitchen/living room, shower, bathroom, bedroom) inside across the back. Makes a nice man-cave.
Just limit your use in the rest of the barn until they "graduate". Don't raise pigs

 

[cqaigy2]

In looking at tiny homes, I've found they are very expensive per sq/foot, and would be fine for vacationing, but not so much to live in. Unless like Moss said, you build a nice outbuilding to hold all yer stuff and winter/summer cloths that you aren't using all the time.

 

[Rustyiron]

I've thought (for my kids) about carefully designing a small house with later expansion being considered. Things like putting the plumbing for a little kitchen where it makes sense for a bathroom in the next "phase" and the new real kitchen (plumbing) is on the adjoining wall of the future addition. Rooflines and even headers and other structural considerations should all be considered as well.
Browse through some on line plans and look for something that you can build a portion of that will work.

 

[Jchonline]

Did they ask for this type of a solution or are you and your wife discussing it only?


If they have a child they will be looking for more room really quickly....Not sure if that is a consideration. I looked into Tiny Homes a bunch when we were considering a cabin on our place (and part time living).

I recommend against it. Let them go their own way and help where you can.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

Barndominium. When they leave, you get a heck of a shop with a mother-in-law apartment so they can come visit with the grandkids.

Better yet. Tell them "Fly. Be free". Let them figure out life on their own.

 

[dieselcrawler]

The "tiny house on skids" could easily be put into place on the property not under restrictions at the moment and utilize the existing utilities you mentioned, then just move it to the 'other side' that you deed off to him once the restrictions are no longer in place. Investments is not lost, they could continue to live in the tiny house at the new location or just while a larger house is built. That's the beauty of the tiny house, it can be moved reasonably easy, with little to no damage or distress.

I will stress this... make sure you're listening to what they want. My wife and I ran into this issue with my parents and hers, we wanted to build on family land, had a plan that would have benefitted everybody and kept the family together. The end result both times the subject was discussed (10 years apart) led to us buying our own farm nearby years ago, and more recently, relocating 3 hours away. It became obvious that what our parents envisioned and what we needed were very far apart.

Communication is key.

 

[alexpops]

Have you talked to your son about the solution? More importantly, did he talk to his wife? If they are both amenable to the idea of being so close, (and you all get along well) then I would go the Big shop with apartment approach until they get into a financial position to be "on their own". I left home at sixteen with no intention of looking back, & even though I'm close with my Dad now, my wife didn't want to be too near, since mine is typical of Eastern European families (don't value privacy of family members, show up unannounced, & have all sorts of "helpful" advice whether it's asked for or not) ... her family was a bit different. I'd say your son is on a good track & may well stay on a good track whether he gets cheap living arrangements from you or not. Bigger question (IMO) is whether the wife can.

 

[Doughknob]

Things on skids build equity there!?

Here that is considered temporary and adds no equity. It is treated like a car on the property that has a value of its own and can be sold separately……

 

[Diggin It]

I see a LOT of portable building type things that look like mini houses. I always figured that if anything happened to this house, I'd get two of those and arrange them with a breezeway between, one for the BR and LR/Den/Office and the other for Kitchen and bath. Maybe even allow for a third one at some point.

But I have no idea what they sell for now.

 

[dirttoys]

If you have the resources build a big shop with some finished space. It would be temp for them, and guest quarters for you once they move along.

If you want to help them by giving them some ground, and helping them build a house you are a good parent. Make sure the land is not in a place you will miss it if they split the sheets, or want to sell and move.

Best,


ed

 

[rbstern]

Appreciate all the comments, both about the physical building and the relationship component.

I'm about 70% through a 36x36 barn build. Don't anticipate needing another barn/man cave/toy storage structure. And that barn will be relatively full with equipment/off-season boat storage, and NOT set up for a living space.... "It's mine I tell you! All mine!" [laughs diabolically with a crazy look in his eye...]

As for the relationship stuff: We're being really careful in communicating thoroughly with my son about this. Couching every conversation with: It's important for you to do what you feel is best for your future. We're offering this as an option if you think it's useful. His fiancee isn't up to date on the very latest aspects of this conversation. We've included her in past conversations about deeding them some of the land to build on, a couple of years out. We're leaving it to him to loop her in on this latest wrinkle. We know she likes the idea of a tiny house, but we're not clear on whether she thinks living this close to us would be a problem. We'll let our son hash that out with her. Don't want to put her in the uncomfortable position of having to tell future in laws to go pound sand. We don't want to control their lives, but we do want to maximize their chances of success, if they want the kind of help we can give. Ultimately, up to them.

 

[mikester]

If you are allowed to sever land in the future place the home in a location that's good for a severance and will leave you with two desirable properties. Plan on a separate well and septic. You might even want to talk with a couple of real estate agents to give you suggestions on how you can maximize value on two properties vs your single one.

Depending on your stage in life you might want to downsize and move into the smaller house yourself!

Consider building to Passive-house guidelines.

Passive House International

passivehouse-international.org

A well constructed, energy efficient home is nicer and cheaper to live in for the long term Remember this rule of thumb - 80% of a building's cost is in the day-to-day operation over the lifespan of a building i.e. heating and cooling and maintenance costs, not the initial construction cost.

Here's a very good reference for you on house design considerations for more energy efficient living.

Amazon.com

 

[alexpops]

Assuming the "relationship" stuff works (AND you really have no zoning/permit issues), a 20x36 lean-to (walled in) tacked on your 36x36 might be the ticket. Little bigger than your original tiny house, your storage stays yours, & son will eventually inherit a bigger shop/shed/kids room. You don't plan on hammering/running a forge/or tuning dragsters between 2 and 5 am do you?

 

[Spike56]

Appreciate all the comments, both about the physical building and the relationship component.

I'm about 70% through a 36x36 barn build. Don't anticipate needing another barn/man cave/toy storage structure. And that barn will be relatively full with equipment/off-season boat storage, and NOT set up for a living space.... "It's mine I tell you! All mine!" [laughs diabolically with a crazy look in his eye...]

As for the relationship stuff: We're being really careful in communicating thoroughly with my son about this. Couching every conversation with: It's important for you to do what you feel is best for your future. We're offering this as an option if you think it's useful. His fiancee isn't up to date on the very latest aspects of this conversation. We've included her in past conversations about deeding them some of the land to build on, a couple of years out. We're leaving it to him to loop her in on this latest wrinkle. We know she likes the idea of a tiny house, but we're not clear on whether she thinks living this close to us would be a problem. We'll let our son hash that out with her. Don't want to put her in the uncomfortable position of having to tell future in laws to go pound sand. We don't want to control their lives, but we do want to maximize their chances of success, if they want the kind of help we can give. Ultimately, up to them.

Another option *might* be a travel trailer ? Of course you need hookups, but you'll need electric & sewer anyway. You could pull it inside the shop / barn for now ? If she thinks living too close it not acceptable, hook it to the pickup and drive away... find a trailer park ?
I have been considering a large enough barn / shop and putting a travel trailer in there that would be semi-permanent ? Havent thought thru all the hookups, especially venting if the heater/water heater/ oven is propane / gas.

 

[jyoutz]

Why not just a large travel trailer or mobile home for temporary use? At least they are easy to resell.

 

[rbstern]

Assuming the "relationship" stuff works (AND you really have no zoning/permit issues), a 20x36 lean-to (walled in) tacked on your 36x36 might be the ticket. Little bigger than your original tiny house, your storage stays yours, & son will eventually inherit a bigger shop/shed/kids room. You don't plan on hammering/running a forge/or tuning dragsters between 2 and 5 am do you?

The relationship stuff does work. Eight years ago, he was a miserable-to-be-around teenager. But he outgrew that and learned how to lean into responsibility. He earned his professional skills by apprenticing for me while in college. He participated in running the business, working with clients. He shares household chores with us. He's a quality roommate and former co-worker that happens to also be our son. High level of mutual trust; he knows we want what's best for him, and he's always concerned about our well-being.

We're pretty rural, but our county is now starting to actually institute a building inspection process because of recent growth. However, the zoning remains unchanged. We are free to build what we see fit.

Adjoining a living space to the new barn doesn't work, and it's not just because of the overnight noise window. My son's living space has to also serve as his workspace. I might be in the barn making all kinds of noise. I can't be in there grinding, cutting, hammering, if he's in a conference call on the other side of a wall.

His living space would have to be isolated enough to give him the same peace and quiet he enjoys in our house. A tractor or a rooster off in the distance is fine, but that's about the limit.

 

[old and tired]

I would also recommend a travel trailer, we lived in one for 10 years so we could save to pay cash for a modular house. We built a roof over ours with a porch. We let a friend park their camper near our (new) house. They ended up buying a cabin on a creek which only has a spring to feed the toilet and she stays at her camper on our land most of the time for the convenience / social aspects but she loves her cabin. She'll upgrade it some day.

When you can give them some land, they can move the camper over there until the house is built.