Why Are Tiny Houses Built On Trailers & Wheels? (Explained)

Tiny houses are a new style of living for the travel enthusiast, the eco-friendly, and the minimalist.

Because of this, many homeowners prefer that their tiny home is not only functional, comfortable, but also portable.

Why are tiny houses built on trailers or wheels?

Tiny homes are built on wheels for those homeowners who not only love to travel, but also love to live seasonally. Building a tiny home on wheels or on trailers makes it easy to transport them, save costs on property taxes, see new sights, and live minimally.

What Are the Advantages of Building a House on Wheels?

Building on wheels is a great way to make your tiny home more portable and to help you travel the world!

Many homeowners who go tiny are trying to save money and see more of the world. If this is you, then you probably want to put your tiny home on wheels and take it with you.

Some of the major advantages of tiny houses on wheels are:

• Portability
• No Property Taxes
• No Purchase of Property
• Renting in Multiple Locations
• Seasonal Living
• New & Exotic Views
• Minimal Living (Out of your truck and your tiny home)
• Travel and Camping

Avoiding Property Costs & Taxes:

Another one of the biggest reasons that homeowners choose to put wheels beneath their home is to skip out on buying property to leave their home in full time.

If you are a traveler, a seasonal person, or just someone who likes change, not living in one spot all the time might be your dream come true.

While this does mean that you will have to rent a spot for your tiny home wherever you land, you won’t have to worry about maintaining property or property taxes.

Furthermore, some tiny homeowners have learned that it is cheaper to only rent when they travel than it is to travel while owning a home or vacant property.

Seasonal Living & Ditching Your RV:

Seasonal living is something that a lot of RV owners do, where they stay up north in the United States during the summer and head south like geese for the winter.

Some prefer to do this in a tiny home instead of an RV, both for the tiny house living feel to it and because most tiny houses have all the luxury of a million-dollar RV in a much cheaper package.

Basically, owning a tiny house on wheels is like living in a five-star luxury RV that you can take with you everywhere, provided that you have a strong enough vehicle to tow it.

Stationary vs. Portable Tiny Home:

A stationary tiny home is one that most people have when they have enough funds for plane tickets to travel the world, then coming home to their “home base.”

These homeowners prefer having a solid place to come back to rather than to constantly live on the road like a nomad.

Because of this, they will often buy a vacant lot to house their tiny home, which is built on permanent foundations.

However, if you prefer life on the road, a new view to wake up to every month, or a seasonal person who prefers to go south for the winter, then you might prefer a home that is far more flexible.

Staying off a permanent foundation allows you to constantly change up your routine, try new things, and meet new people.

Often, homeowners will travel around with their tiny home on wheels for a few years before deciding where they want to settle down permanently.

No matter how you want to live your tiny-living lifestyle, consider what works best for you, and embrace it!

Do People Actually Move Tiny Houses Around?

Depending on their tiny home size and materials, most homeowners with tiny houses on wheels will travel the country and live seasonally in order to get the most out of their experience.

Some tiny houses are built from old school buses or RVs and therefore are already outfitted with the necessary tools for travel.

Other houses are like a small manufactured home that has a trailer beneath it, giving it the ability to be more versatile and flexible for travel.

There are a lot of travelers and nomadic or seasonal homeowners who love to take their tiny home wherever they can, often doing it so they can try living in a new state, try out a new climate, or just wake up somewhere new every month.

Is it Easy to Move a Tiny House?

Moving your tiny home requires the same amount of energy as moving a camper.

Tiny houses on wheels are built onto a trailer that hitches easily to your vehicle. It is not so completely different from pulling a boat, camper, or other recreational items.

However, moving a tiny home does come with a lot of steps, like a camper or RV, especially if you are hooked up to water, gas, or electric hookups.

Most tiny homes have propane tanks that are replaced by the owner as soon as they need to be, so you shouldn’t have to worry about a gas main, but water and electricity are very important for parking and finding a good spot for your tiny home, so make sure you check off your home’s checklist before you go anywhere.

If you have materials inside the camper that need tying down or locking, so too you should make sure everything is safe and secured in your tiny home before transit, especially if you have glass, dishes, technology, or bookshelves full of items that could get thrown around during moving.

Are Tiny Houses on Wheels Considered RVs?

A tiny house on wheels is usually, and legally, considered a recreational vehicle, such as a camper attached to your truck.

A stationary tiny house on a permanent foundation is considered a dwelling.

These distinctions are important when you travel, for RVs will have different laws than just your car about where you can park, drive, and what kind of toll booth or bridges you can use.

This is also a required distinction for when you insure your home with an insurance company, which will either regard it as a permanent dwelling or a recreational vehicle, which can affect your premium costs and coverage.

Is it Cheaper to Build a House on a Trailer?

Building a tiny house on a trailer not only changes how the tiny house is built, but it also determines the overall cost.

Trailers for tiny homes are not cheap, so building one on wheels is going to cost you more than a permanent foundation tiny home.

This is because the permanent foundation home will be built like any other home with the same hookups, gas lines, electric lines, etc., but the house itself will cost far less to build because it is smaller and requires fewer materials to build than a traditional home.

However, building on wheels will change the way that the house hooks up to water and electric, and will often include propane tanks rather than a gas line.

Basically, your tiny home on wheels will be built more like an RV or camper than a foundational home. Add the cost of a trailer (which can come close to $3,000-5,000 by itself), and you will have a slightly more expensive home.

Finally, the cost of living and using a tiny house on wheels, including renting in certain locations, gas for your car, replacement propane tanks, and other fees, may not (in the long run) save you more money than a permanent foundation home.

However, you will find that being able to travel with your home, see the world, and meet new people can be worth it.