Andrew Morrison - Tiny House Designing, Building, & Living

Publisher: Mike Sanders

Associate Publisher Billy Fields

Acquisitions Editor: Jan Lynn

Development Editor: Rick Kughen

Cover Designer: Ayanna Lacey

Book Designer: William Thomas

Compositor: Ayanna Lacey

Proofreader: Jamie Fields

Indexer: Tonya Heard

PRODUCTION, LONDON

Digital Producer: Alex Valizadeh

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DIGITAL OPERATIONS, DELHI

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Editor: Etika Kapil

Operations Coordinator: Md Tauhid Nasir

First American Edition, 2017
Published in the United States by DK Publishing
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Copyright 2017 Dorling Kindersley Limited
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Published in the United States by Dorling Kindersley Limited.

ISBN: 9781465462701
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2016956289

This digital edition published 2017
eISBN: 9781465466303

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idiotsguides.com

We lovingly and humbly dedicate this book to three exceptional human beings:

Our two children: Paiute and Terra. We dont know too many teenagers that would have been as enthusiastic about shifting into a tiny house lifestyle as you two were. Thank you for your trust, support, and for always inspiring us to be the very best versions of ourselves.

Eileen Betty Morrison, who always taught us that in life, the important piece is to be true to oneself. The rest? Well, those are just details

Introduction

The story of small and tiny shelters is as old as mankind. Save for royal and ultra-wealthy families, lives were typically born, lived, and lost within the walls of little, humble abodes for thousands of generations. Isnt it ironic that its the story of the tiny house that has hit center stage when in fact, its really the tale of the modern-day house that deserves our attention?

Todays average American residence is a heavyweight champ scaling in at an unprecedented 2,658 square feet. Never have we seen larger average homes on our soils. In a worldwide competition, we would stand on the gold podium.

But how did we get here? What are the implications? Where do we go from here? And is all this extra square footage making us happier?

The tiny house movement is a diverse collective of people from teenagers to octogenarians, including all walks of life from military personnel, teachers, artists, scientists, professional athletes, musicians, financial investors, and millionaires, to those recently escaping homelessness. Many of us simply grew tired of working hard to pay for a house that was larger than necessary and that we rarely spent time in because we were wasting so many hours commuting and working to pay for it.

Weve been living in our tiny house since 2013 and are happier here than in any other place weve ever lived. All our needs are met, were out of debt, and our family is thriving. Assuming we never move from here, we will never, ever have another housing payment again. That peace of mind is priceless.

Our new life didnt begin in the blink of an eye though. Instead, it began over the course of a few years. At first, our path rarely seemed clear, but in time, the guideposts became brighter. Our hope is that our experiences help shed light on your own tiny house journey.

We encourage you to take the plunge into your own downsizing, minimalism, and tiny house living adventure. Youll never know whats on the other side unless you dare to begin.

How This Book Is Organized

Weve broken this book up into four distinct parts, 20 chapters, and two appendixes to clearly explain all aspects of tiny house living, from downsizing all the way to the installation of the final finish detail. Heres a breakdown of how its all laid out:

legalities surrounding tiny house living. You learn how to safely tow a tiny house and the details surrounding road restrictions, permit requirements, and route-mapping strategies.

, takes you room by room through a tiny house and addresses important details in each area. We guide you through options for furniture, appliances, layouts, costs, and more. We teach you how to be honest in your assessment of what you need versus what you want. And where would a tiny house book be without an open conversation about toilets? Dont worry, we cover that, too.

, takes you into the process of tiny house design, whether you want to do it yourself, hire it out, or buy an existing set of plans. You learn what foundation option is best for your situation as well as how to ensure that engineering principles keep the structure safe, especially while being towed. Lastly, we cover how to read construction drawings like a pro and get you on the path toward building the very best tiny house possible.

, covers the nitty-gritty of the construction process. We show you how to find a great builder, how to work with subcontractors, and how to be your own general contractor. We cover the best tools for tiny house construction and how to acquire them without breaking the bank. We teach you how to anchor your house to a trailer, how to frame floors, walls, and the roof, how to install windows and doors, and how to add all the finishing touches for a beautiful end result. We talk about utility installations, loft access options, and ventilation. Lastly, we cover living off-grid, how to create a tiny house appropriate solar system, and how to bring water to your little abode.