Tiny House on Wheels or a Foundation?

There are two main reasons why Tiny Houses are built on wheels. The trailer classifies a Tiny House on Wheels (THOW) as a caravan so you won’t need a building permit, saving you time and money. Add to that the flexibility to move and take your home with you and it’s no wonder THOWs are a popular housing option.

In our Blog Granny Flat vs Tiny House we take you through the key differences to help you figure out which one’s right for you. Here we do cover some overlapping content but we’ll focus on helping you choose between a trailer, stumps or foundation for your Tiny House.

The Design and Build 

At Aussie Tiny Houses we build all our homes in accordance with the Australian Building code. We design and build within the size and weight limits of Australian road regulations so your house can be towed. Your Tiny will come with a VIN number, pre-registered with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads. 

Tiny Houses don’t require Development Applications (DA) approval from council but councils can limit the amount of time someone can permanently live in a caravan and this may impact on your decision about where to park. This ruling varies around the country. We’re a member of The Australian Tiny House Association and recommend you read their information on Planning Regulations.

A Tiny House on stumps, sometimes called a demountable, or a concrete foundation will need a DA and be built according to the Australian Building Code for your safety. Again, please check with your local council for details.

A THOW could be converted into a permanent dwelling by removing the wheels, axles and setting it in a concrete foundation or sitting it on stumps. It will need the standard council approvals and be treated as a primary or secondary dwelling.

A Tiny House built on a custom trailer can be completed and delivered in 3 months from signing off the design! This can save you time, location restrictions and money you’d otherwise encounter building a house on a foundation.

A Tiny House on a foundation can be built using a wider range of building materials than a THOW. This allows for greater design flexibility in terms of height, floor size and shape. 

The flexibility to move if you want or need to is part of the appeal of a THOW. An employment opportunity interstate doesn’t mean total upheaval when you can take your home with you! In the case of a natural disaster, a THOW could be moved. 

Utilities

Setting up and disconnecting utilities on a THOW is as straightforward as a caravan. Our standard models come with a flush toilet, hose attachment, powerpoint and are solar ready. Most of our clients are semi-off grid. They connect to the electricity supply of the main house on their shared property, have a compost toilet and purchased their water tank locally. 

Kirra and Anthony needed to move their Tiny House after building a deck and establishing their off grid set up. Listen to how they moved everything and towed their THOW to the new land on the Towing Guide Blog.

Home loans

Obtaining finance for a Tiny House on a foundation or stumps is fairly standard and similar to a regular home loan, depending if it’s for a primary or secondary dwelling. 

THOW finance doesn’t always fall under a caravan loan. A personal loan is typically sought for a THOW. However a THOW typically costs less to build than a permanent dwelling which makes them an affordable option. 

Owning the land your house sits on requires residential zoning approval and council rates. You may need to get mains water or electricity brought to the property or confirm the local council approves off grid options. Most of our clients share resources and rent an area of property from friends or family. We love this community approach! 

Tiny Houses on foundations are likely to become popular as a housing solution in the future. They will require compliance with building regulations, a development application and may not be approved with sleeping lofts. 

We’re working with our in-house Architect Richard to design houses for Australians to live sustainably. Our mission is to create freedom through a lifestyle change. 

At the moment we’re concentrating all our efforts on our Tiny House on wheels models due to the large demand. We’re planning to start building Tiny Houses on foundations in 2022. If you’re interested in a Tiny House on a foundation or have a question Contact Us.