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I'm obsessed with alternative and tiny housing.

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Aztechnology

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Everything from Earth Ships, tents/yurts, tree houses, pallet homes, salvaged material, container homes, tiny houses... you name it. What really sparked my interest was about six years ago when I saw this video. Ever since then I've been hooked on the concept.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-iFJ3ncIDo

For me, utilizing space efficiently, living more sustainably (solar, composting, rain collection etc.) and most importantly increasing quality of life by increasing flexibility in work due to reduced expenses is a big goal for me.

I think I may spend upwards of two hours a day, especially in the last few months watching youtube videos and reviewing documents and designs pertaining to this kind of thing.

Here's some channels on youtube that I like that cover alternative living and help me get ideas. I've even started doing some research into zoning and construction laws, and I'm doing some designs in 3DSmax for fun to create some spaces I might like.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoNTMWgGuXtGPLv9UeJZwBw

https://www.youtube.com/user/kirstendirksen

https://www.youtube.com/user/explorealternatives/videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/relaxshacksDOTcom/videos

and of course a channel for listings particularly, but help suss out some great, desirable features

https://www.youtube.com/user/tinyhouselistings

So my question to you GAF, is have you ever considered it? Are there any of you who are currently living alternatively? What did you pursue and how do you like it? Did it help you attain your goals of either reduced costs or simplification of your life? Also what are your favourite videos, sites or other resources?
 
I think a yurt would be interesting to try just because I like an open floor plan.

I know from seeing episodes of Tiny House Hunters on the TV at the gym that I would go insane really quick.
 
I'd rather live somewhere where I wouldn't have to move walls and beds and latches all the time.

That's just me though.
 
I could do it easy. I think making homes out of shipping containers is a really good idea personally, cheap, modular and easily placed.
 
I lived in a container home for like 5+ years when I was little. I didn't think it was anything special.
 
They are interesting, but definitely not for me. I do have a fascination with RVs, which are similar in some aspects, though.
 
I live perfectly in small spaces but those designers homes with "every inch used" that you need do fold your home like an origami you want to eat something makes me want to kill me. I am asleep ! I don't want to fold my table, push my bed and take my pillows from a random drawers. Just writing it makes me lazy already

Imagine doing that insanely drunk !
 
Korey said:
I'd rather live somewhere where I wouldn't have to move walls and beds and latches all the time.

That's just me though.
Click to expand...

I mean in most tiny homes you don't really have to, it just takes maximum advantage of vertical space and such. Like a lofted bed platform over a kitchen, or slide out bed under a kitchen instead. Most tiny homes are basically just like an apartment that's somewhat self sustainable.

Like take a look at this for instance.

https://youtu.be/ddLxMSpBUzw

What is that shirt he's wearing? (Native American I think?)

Personally I'd need something just a bit larger, because I absolutely need to have my gaming setup. But yea. I love it.
 
FreeMufasa said:
Living in Japan for 4 years.....nah bruv. Manz need his space
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Dorm space was near perfect for me. Honestly a small room, bathroom and kitchenette was fantastic. Granted I would only do this living alone, or with a partner. Introduce kids and no way in hell. That's generally why I'm leaning towards a container house.
 
So it's basically Mickeys caravan :D
77895cfa83d7e2d92a9b43efb46f12f1.jpg
 
gdt said:
No way man. Too much work.

Oh shit gotta pee, let me build the bathroom real quick.
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Haha did you take a look at any of the channels? Most have easily accessible bathrooms. Also not all are extremely tiny. That apartment video just Kickstarted my obsession years ago.

Personally I really like the concept of a wet room bathroom to save even more space. I'd probably have earth tone tiles instead of just straight metal.

3b642a41785054d14becdade0ac8dae6.jpg



But most the bathrooms are like this.

images


They generally have bathrooms with full size shower or tub/shower combo.

Metalmarc said:
This one though, is my Favourite so far, The Futuristic Man Cave

https://youtu.be/GbzmlbWRo-0
Click to expand...

Oh yea that one was great. The chair with a beer fridge dispenser lol. I'd love a place like that but I'd have stairs wrap around. Screw ladders.
 
I love it myself. It goes to show that providing choice for communities is what leads to innovation in housing and changes communities for the better.
 
I've always thought tiny homes were neat, but only for a single person. I think even a couple gets pretty cramped in those spaces. I'd like to see some tiny homes utilize an almost pop out feature like you see some tour buses have, kind of like the deck that the alpha tiny home, but it being a room instead.
 
I do think extreme space utilization and modular design would get very old and annoying quickly. Pushing/pulling for every minor task will drive me crazy.
 
vikki said:
I've always thought tiny homes were neat, but only for a single person. I think even a couple gets pretty cramped in those spaces. I'd like to see some tiny homes utilize an almost pop out feature like you see some tour buses have, kind of like the deck that the alpha tiny home, but it being a room instead.
Click to expand...

Many of these tiny homes are attached to trailers that can be driven around. If it's common for many couples to have multiple cars, why not also have multiple tiny houses? One attached to each car. When you want to "dock" just put both tiny homes together.
 
vikki said:
I've always thought tiny homes were neat, but only for a single person. I think even a couple gets pretty cramped in those spaces. I'd like to see some tiny homes utilize an almost pop out feature like you see some tour buses have, kind of like the deck that the alpha tiny home, but it being a room instead.
Click to expand...

I think that's why container homes are so good. They are so easily expanded and build modular if you should so need and can be extremely cheap (depending on location) , they're durable, easy to insulate. Are nearly indestructible, which helps with insurance.

The only thing is they can be a little too industrial. But it isn't too hard to dress them up a little. Maybe some wood slatting, creepers/vines on the side with trellises to break up the industrial look.
 
uncelestial said:
Tiny Houses are the ukulele of living spaces.

http://www.hipstercrite.com/2015/05/22/dear-people-who-live-in-fancy-tiny-houses/
Click to expand...

That killed me lol. I was in stitches almost the whole time. It definitely has good points too. I think for me if I decided to do this it would be for bachelor living pretty much exclusively. Maybe with a partner if we reallllllly got along well. Then it would turn into a mobile home solution, plunked down as a vacation home or backyard rental or something. I just know you can build one for a few years rent and that isn't such a bad deal.
 
I am currently looking into options for home like that myself. From what I've read Earth ships are not worth the effort. The tires that they use will eventually start off gassing slowly making the occupant sick. Yurts on the other hand are nice but they tend to have zero in the way of soundproofing so you will hear everything. These alternate home a nice butt they need land. Admittedly Our Generation really needs to focus on making these things more viable because the idea of working full-time for years on end to pay off some 30 year mortgage is just unappealing. The biggest problem that a lot of these structures faces building codes. Because everyone's used to these conventional home most cities don't have anything on the books to accommodate such home designs.
 
junpei said:
I am currently looking into options for home like that myself. From what I've read Earth ships are not worth the effort. The tires that they use will eventually start off gassing slowly making the occupant sick. Yurts on the other hand are nice but they tend to have zero in the way of soundproofing so you will hear everything. These alternate home a nice butt they need land. Admittedly Our Generation really needs to focus on making these things more viable because the idea of working full-time for years on end to pay off some 30 year mortgage is just unappealing. The biggest problem that a lot of these structures faces building codes. Because everyone's used to these conventional home most cities don't have anything on the books to accommodate such home designs.
Click to expand...

Yea from what I've been able to ascertain the reason so many people go so small is to fit on trailers to avoid zoning and construction requirements. Most seem to find friends with property and park on land with an existing house that is up to code. Generally seems that loopholes or petitioning your city and getting lucky are your options unless you want to spend a lot.

Peru said:
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tumblr_n946thqqdo1s2wio8o3_r1_500.gif
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image.php


Don't try to kill my dreams with Donald memes.

Do you have the source of these gifs, I want to see the bit lol.
 
what if you have a huge dump in one of these? Then surely your entire living space will smell like something died in it rather than just your loo?
 
Aztechnology said:
I mean in most tiny homes you don't really have to, it just takes maximum advantage of vertical space and such. Like a lofted bed platform over a kitchen, or slide out bed under a kitchen instead. Most tiny homes are basically just like an apartment that's somewhat self sustainable.

Like take a look at this for instance.

https://youtu.be/ddLxMSpBUzw

What is that shirt he's wearing? (Native American I think?)

Personally I'd need something just a bit larger, because I absolutely need to have my gaming setup. But yea. I love it.
Click to expand...

Well, in that video the guy had to slide out a ladder and then slide out a table and benches to have somewhere to eat or even sit, considering the whole place had 0 chairs. Which is my exact point: I wouldn't want to have to do that shit just to live normally.

Not sure why someone would voluntarily want to live like this when they can just...not.
 
I've secretly always wanted to live in a trailer park. I love white trash people and the white trash aesthetic, ever since I watched Trailer park boys as a kid I've wanted to do it, but alas there are no white trash trailer parks in England, just chavy caravan parks for old people.
 
I think tiny houses are pretty cool, but I can't help but judge people on HGTV when they have like 4 kids and decide to cram them all into a 200 sqft box because they want to get in the tiny house train.
 
I'd like a tree house but I'd like to attempt to do a lot of it myself. If I had the money I'd go crazy and get one that spanned multiple trees with bridges and stuff.
 
Almost makes me want to be a bachelor again LOL. No way I'd share something like this with more than one person, but still fascinating.
 
I'm totally with you, OP.

Having grown up around a lot of sailboats, that is where I first got the bug for super efficient design, both in spatial arrangement and low-footprint living.

Currently obsessed with prefab modular homes like these:

http://www.mekaworld.com

http://www.coodo.com

these things look amazing, are structurally very sound and low footprint. I often fantasize about selling my Toronto house and building an amazing pad with these, all paid for up front.

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When they can fully 3D print them, these will be really incredible.

I've looked at BONE homs and other prefab modular approaches (Karoleena in Canada builds the entire house together on a factory floor) but the modular stuff is awesome, because it is like LEGO. Plus all set for solar/watre reclamation and so forth.

by the way Dwell is like porn for prefab modular houses, if you want to peruse.
 
This is my life right now. I live in studio in NYC lol.

You get used to it.

Really, you just learn to "edit" your stuff really well. The thing with those who own houses, is that things like the garage and attics become defacto storage.

Living in a tiny places makes you think about the stuff you let in.

And digital distribution helps tons--music, books, games, movies.

Here's a nice guide for those with smaller homes/apartments:

http://thesweethome.com/reviews/best-gear-for-small-apartments/
 
For a second I thought my wife had finally made that gaf account she's been considering. She spent late hours into the night watching countless tiny home videos!

I love the functionality though, its something I really want to try doing myself in the future. Maybe not the tiny home, but the functionality and dual functionalities of the furnature and such they create for these homes, in rooms of my own house.
 
Currently I live in an intermediate floor that was used as a mezzanine, though it has both walls and door. It has a balcony too. Cheaper rent the main reason.

I like that I have control and sight of the space I live. Previously I lived on a normal flat and it was too big for me and a chore to clean.
 
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