In 2013 Mary Murphy moved into her own Tiny House that she built all on her own. The Tiny house sits on a 72-square foot trailer and is about 5.5x13 feet. Using many recycled items her final project cost $5,000. Since Murphy has lived in her tiny house she has lived in two different locations, one with electricity and more recent she has been completely off the grid. Mary then begins to describe what a Tiny House actually is. In the United States it must be no bigger than 8 feet wide and 13.5 feet tall. The tiny house Murphy built actually categorized as a trailer in order to avoid a legal loophole. Most towns have zoning that requires a minimum dwelling size which is much large then what most people want or intend to build. Building codes also require broad hallways, wide doorways, and other details that make it hard to design. By simply putting your house on a trailer you are now under RV Laws instead. With that being said, in most cases you will not have to pay a property tax on the tiny house since it is not attached to a foundation. Some municipalities have zoning that outlaw parking an RV or tiny house on your own lawn.
Mary then explains how electricity can be set up in tiny houses. These houses can be hooked up with full wiring for grid-tied AC power just like any other home. Others have a solar system for the whole house, or some just charge a few batteries to run a few simple lights and electronics. Choosing which system depends on the situation. It depends on the number of occupants and if they have medical issues that need more power or if they stay up late at night and need electricity for that. Mary recommends to start with a simple system then upgrade over time if your needs change. In her house which is now off grid, she lights up her home with candles and super-efficient-battery-powered LED lights. While only able to charge her smart phone and computer at a nearby barn or in her car when she is driving.
Next Mary talks about how her heating and cooling works for her home. Since her home is rather tiny and lightweight compared to most, she was able to buy a electric space heater she got from a thrift store that heats up her home pretty well even in the frigid cold. Her heating energy bill per month was only $80/month. Mary avoids electric needs or refrigeration by only using a large freezer and re-freezing ice packs from the barns meat freezer.
It's not only about living in a tiny home, it's also about limiting what you buy as a consumer since you don't have much room to buy anything you want. This limits purchases to stuff you truly need because buying one thing means you'll have to let go of another. Mary admits that she doesn't have enough room for all her possessions, so she rents a room at the close by barn. Although she passes by many potential purchases because she knows she does not have enough room.
When Mary tells people that she lives in a house that cost her $5,000 that she built on her own with no prior building experience their faces light up. She is proud of her accomplishments and now believes that anything is possible. She enjoys knowing that she found an easy homemade solution to her living expenses while adding a little fun and beauty.
Mary Murphy's story of her tiny house provided me with a lot of great information for anyone who is curious about the topic. She proves that this project can be accomplished by anyone in almost any financial situation. In her case she built an admitting smaller Tiny house then most because it only cost her $5,000 in total. But for her that was all she needed to live comfortably. I really enjoyed learning about how a lot of tiny house owners avoid legal loopholes by building their homes on a trailer. By being under RV laws that means less expensive and more freedom. Since the home is on wheels you can live anywhere you want in a home you love that you build on your own. By living in a tiny house such as Mary's she can make a living on a very small income which for many people can be a lot less stressful and lead to a happier life. Mary shows her love for her Tiny house and proves that you don't need a big house with a lot of stuff to be happy. Mary is proud of what she has accomplished. How many people can say that they built their own home?
Murphy, Mary. "Tiny Houses as Appropriate Technology." Fellowship International Community, 1 Dec. 2014. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.
Mary then explains how electricity can be set up in tiny houses. These houses can be hooked up with full wiring for grid-tied AC power just like any other home. Others have a solar system for the whole house, or some just charge a few batteries to run a few simple lights and electronics. Choosing which system depends on the situation. It depends on the number of occupants and if they have medical issues that need more power or if they stay up late at night and need electricity for that. Mary recommends to start with a simple system then upgrade over time if your needs change. In her house which is now off grid, she lights up her home with candles and super-efficient-battery-powered LED lights. While only able to charge her smart phone and computer at a nearby barn or in her car when she is driving.
Next Mary talks about how her heating and cooling works for her home. Since her home is rather tiny and lightweight compared to most, she was able to buy a electric space heater she got from a thrift store that heats up her home pretty well even in the frigid cold. Her heating energy bill per month was only $80/month. Mary avoids electric needs or refrigeration by only using a large freezer and re-freezing ice packs from the barns meat freezer.
It's not only about living in a tiny home, it's also about limiting what you buy as a consumer since you don't have much room to buy anything you want. This limits purchases to stuff you truly need because buying one thing means you'll have to let go of another. Mary admits that she doesn't have enough room for all her possessions, so she rents a room at the close by barn. Although she passes by many potential purchases because she knows she does not have enough room.
When Mary tells people that she lives in a house that cost her $5,000 that she built on her own with no prior building experience their faces light up. She is proud of her accomplishments and now believes that anything is possible. She enjoys knowing that she found an easy homemade solution to her living expenses while adding a little fun and beauty.
Mary Murphy's story of her tiny house provided me with a lot of great information for anyone who is curious about the topic. She proves that this project can be accomplished by anyone in almost any financial situation. In her case she built an admitting smaller Tiny house then most because it only cost her $5,000 in total. But for her that was all she needed to live comfortably. I really enjoyed learning about how a lot of tiny house owners avoid legal loopholes by building their homes on a trailer. By being under RV laws that means less expensive and more freedom. Since the home is on wheels you can live anywhere you want in a home you love that you build on your own. By living in a tiny house such as Mary's she can make a living on a very small income which for many people can be a lot less stressful and lead to a happier life. Mary shows her love for her Tiny house and proves that you don't need a big house with a lot of stuff to be happy. Mary is proud of what she has accomplished. How many people can say that they built their own home?
Murphy, Mary. "Tiny Houses as Appropriate Technology." Fellowship International Community, 1 Dec. 2014. Web. 7 Apr. 2015.