Pros and Cons of a Tiny Home 

Tiny homes are becoming increasingly popular for those who love to travel, want to downsize, or simply seek a more affordable option in the current housing market.  In Oregon, tiny houses feel right at home in the wilderness of the state.  Building one if you have access to the property just might be right for you. If you don’t know that much about tiny homes or are simply hoping to learn if a tiny house is right for you, here are some of the most important pros and cons of a tiny home to consider.

Major Pros and Cons of a Tiny Home:

Pro: Significantly Lower Cost of Living – Building a tiny home can be pretty inexpensive in comparison to building a full-sized house. The average cost to build a tiny home can be around $30,000 to $60,000, and even around the same to buy one. Once you’ve moved in, you’ll find your monthly expenses will be much less.  Utility costs will be lower, and you can also expect other expenses like groceries to be far less because you have less room to store the excess.

Con: Less Space – When it comes to downsizing, you have to simplify pretty much everything. Clothes, personal items, kitchenware, and even food space. While a minimalistic lifestyle sounds very appealing to some, gone are the luxuries of extra storage. Many people with tiny homes have found comfort however in offsite storage spaces to store seasonal wear and equipment during off-seasons. 

Pro: Eco-Friendly – Tiny homes are known for being eco-friendly even if you don’t go out of your way to install specialty devices.  This is because tiny homes are much less demanding of resources overall. People who have downsized have been reported to have consumed over 54% fewer resources than that of the average American. Those who have installed eco-friendly device options in their tiny homes such as solar panels and grey water systems consume even less. 

Con: Plumbing – Plumbing in tiny homes can be tricky. It costs much more to install an entire run-of-the-mill plumbing system and it also disables any potential to make your tiny home portable. So, many tiny homeowners opt for cheaper alternatives such as water tanks, water pumps, instant hot water heaters, and composting toilets. All of these alternatives require just a bit more effort than having traditional plumbing, but many tiny homeowners say it’s worth it for the price as they’re very effective in what they do. 

Pro: Potential Mobility – Whether you’re buying or building, the mobility of a tiny home is always an easy option if you don’t anchor your house down. Tiny homes are super functional for travel, and many adventurous people hitch their homes to the backs of their vehicles and travel the country. Renting spots for tiny homes isn’t that expensive either–you could settle down at a campsite, in an RV park, or anywhere available where your home can fit. 

Con: Cooking Space – If your passion in life is cooking, then making your way around a tiny home kitchen may be slightly difficult. Overall, due to a lack of space, cooking can be rather cramped, especially depending on what kind of kitchen you opted for during the building process. Many tiny homes cut corners when it comes to kitchenware and decide to remove traditional oven/stove tops altogether. With modern technology, there are many smaller replacements such as air fryers and portable stove tops, but it would be quite the challenge to make the entirety of a Thanksgiving dinner without a traditional kitchen.

If you’re considering building a tiny home in the Rogue Valley or Applegate Valley, contact Excavation Oregon.

At Excavation Oregon, we’re experienced with the terrain throughout Southern Oregon and beyond.  Our professionals can help you make decisions about how to use your property, such as walking through all of the pros and cons of a tiny home.  We can examine your property and guide you about what it will take to excavate the area for your construction project.  We will also work with you and your contractor to create roads or driveways required for construction teams to access your property easily.  Contact us today for a free estimate.