Building a tiny home in your backyard may not be something you have ever thought about. This is something that you should take a look at, though. Tiny homes are cheaper to build, they save on energy costs, and they are sustainable. These are all great reasons for building one of these structures in your backyard.
Is it legal to build a tiny house in my yard? Yes, it is legal to build a tiny house in your yard as long as the building does not exceed 1,200 square feet. If you plan to build a home in your yard, you may not need an engineer if it is less than 600 square feet.
In this article, we will discuss f building a tiny house in your backyard. We will also go over the steps you need to take to build this type of structure on your property. Armed with knowledge, you may decide to start building a tiny house in your backyard today.
Is it Legal to Build in Your Yard?
Building a tiny home in your yard is not only legal but it can be done cheaper than other methods. If you are thinking about building a tiny house on your property that does not exceed 1,200 square feet, you do not need to hire an engineer.
The foundation of any new construction must be completely disconnected from any existing foundations or other buildings on the property (with one exception). Typically, new foundations are made of concrete or a combination of concrete and driven steel. Check with your local planning department for specific construction requirements in your area.
Things You Need to Know About Building a Tiny House in Your Yard
One thing that you need to know about building in your yard is the cost. It will be cheaper and easier to build a tiny house in your yard than building an actual home. A tiny house usually costs less than $30,000 to build. Building an actual home can cost more than twice that amount and may take six months to complete. Building a home can also cause some wear and tear on the land because it’s heavier and requires more space for the foundation.
Another thing you need to know about building in your yard is the size. A tiny house can be any style or size. A tiny house on wheels also has a maximum width of 8 1/2 feet and 40 feet, with an overall exterior height of 13′. Three things must be done to ensure the tiny house is up to code requirements. The house needs a permanent fire sprinkler system, carbon monoxide/smoke detector, and lightning protection system.
Some people decide to build in their yard because they are afraid that it will get taken away or torn down by the city or the government if they build an actual home. It is illegal for the city or any other organization to take your home away from you unless it’s a matter of public safety and health. If you are building in an area with specific restrictions on building there, you can request a permit through the city or county government. In that case, they will allow you to move the house within the same location before taking action against you.
Another reason that people build tiny houses in their yards is for environmental reasons. A tiny house doesn’t need to include a kitchen and many other large features present in traditional homes. This helps save space and electricity, water, and other resources. The average energy used by a tiny house is less than $75 per month when the house uses no utilities.
Building a Tiny House in Your Yard
There are steps that you need to take when building in your yard. The first step is deciding what type of house you want to build and the size. The next step is contacting your local planning department for any zoning restrictions in this area. Then, you must set up your boundaries and living space before starting construction on anything as well. Finally, decide where to build and start the process.
Decide on Size and Type of Tiny House
Building a tiny house in your yard is pretty straightforward, but first, you need to decide if you want to build a single-family or multi-family tiny house. The widths for these houses are 12′ and 8 ½ ‘ respectively, while the lengths are 28′ and 40’ respectively. The single-family home will be more popular than the multi-family one, though both have benefits that you can consider before deciding which house you would like to build.
The second thing you need to figure out is what type of foundation will be used for your house. You can have a traditional foundation or one that is built into the ground. A traditional foundation will require more room to build than sinking your house directly into the dirt on your property, but it won’t cost as much money.
Another big thing that you need to figure out is if you want the tiny house to be permanent or not and if you want to live in it full-time or not. Many people use tiny houses as a vacation home or weekend getaway house, but others prefer to stay in them all of the time. This may affect what types of materials you decide to use for your tiny house.
With just those two questions answered, you can start planning how large and what style of tiny house you want to build. The average size for a tiny house is around 100 square feet, but people who don’t plan out their houses correctly may end up with less living space than expected. When deciding the style of the house, keep in mind that there are different regulations for each one, such as building codes and zoning restrictions.
During the design process, you may want to consider adding solar panels to your roof. These can be placed on the flat surface of roofs and will help save energy costs each month. You can also use one or two metal walls instead of plywood which helps create an open feeling for those inside the house. When deciding how many windows you want, you must also consider how much natural light will be coming into the house and what type of view you want to have each day.
Zoning Restrictions and Permits
The next step is to contact your local planning office to see if there are any zoning restrictions or permit requirements that must be met before you can begin constructing your tiny house. Many cities have regulations on how large a tiny house is and what style it must be built-in, but if you’re not planning to live in it full-time, then these regulations will probably not apply to you.
Once you find out what zoning restrictions or permit requirements you must follow, you can contact your local planning office once again to see if they offer any tiny house templates that are already completed. This will save on paperwork and money, so be sure to check with them before spending a lot of time trying to create one yourself. If you have the plans starting in a CAD program, you can send these plans to the planning office, and they can tell you if it’s compliant or not.
It is highly recommended that you work with a designer during this process because the tiny house will often need some engineering to meet code requirements, even if your building dimensions are within the accepted parameters of your city/county. This isn’t to say that you need to be an engineer to build a tiny house but working with one may make the whole process smoother.
Setting Up Building Location and Boundaries
Finally, make sure that you have space available to build your tiny house safely without anything getting in your way. Before you begin building your structure, be sure to mark off an area to work with because this will help prevent any accidents from happening while working on the project. Make sure that you know what your property lines are in case the tiny house is larger than you think it’s going to be and will go over onto someone else’s land. Keep in mind that you may need to apply for a variance from your local zoning board, and even if it’s small, they can tell you the dimensions on how big is too big.
It’s also crucial that you know where the underground cables are so you can avoid them as much as possible while building your tiny house. If they run diagonally from your land and you can’t avoid them, then you may need to have a professional come in and bury the cables further. Also, know what type of power is running to that area because if it’s underground, then it will prove to be difficult when building your tiny house on site. You’ll want to make sure that your structure is located away from power lines, water lines, and any other underground cables which will help prevent damage to the home.
Staring the Build
After you’ve gotten approval for your tiny house, you can start construction on it. Remember to not make any changes once construction has begun because if there are any major changes like putting in a full kitchen or bathroom, then the entire process will have to be started over again so plan things out carefully before starting this project.
Summary
Building a tiny house in your backyard can be an affordable, environmentally friendly, and enjoyable way to live. The process of building one is more involved than you might think, but it’s worth the time and effort if you’re looking for something different from traditional homes. To start, consult with your local planning office about any zoning restrictions or permit requirements that exist on your property where you want to build this type of structure. Next, find out what square footage is required for living space because most people do not know how much space they need when designing their own tiny home. It will also take some patience during the design phase, so make sure to work closely with professionals like architects and engineers who have experience dealing with these types of projects before starting construction yourself.