Megatrend Tiny House – Small Space, Great Potential
Minimalism, flexibility, sustainability – these are the key concepts behind the tiny house trend. Unlike motorhomes or mobile homes, these space-saving houses are fully fledged dwellings that provide a permanent home. We reveal what makes tiny houses so attractive, what to consider in building your trendy new home, and the contribution it makes to sustainability.
“We are seeing a rapidly growing number of people interested in tiny houses. To date, we have recorded over 500 tiny houses built per year.”
The trend from the USA
A tiny house is, literally, a small house, and refers to the smallest type of residential building. But there’s more to the concept than a new type of home: it’s an expression of a modern lifestyle. Although the minimalist living trend originated in the USA, more and more people in Germany are interested in life in a tiny house. Surprisingly, the majority of people who choose a tiny house aren’t the young – most decide to embark on their tiny house project between the ages of 46 and 55.
Graphic: Tiny houses are gaining a growing following in Germany as well. [Number of interested parties in Germany © Tiny House Association]
On trend
Living in a tiny house: What you need to know
1. What conditions must a tiny house meet?
Rapidly growing demand means the number of manufacturers and the range of different mini-house variants increases every month. The tiny house on wheels is either constructed on a trailer from the outset, so it can be towed by car, or it is designed so that it can be transported on a low-loader.
The experts at AL-KO VT have developed their own AL-KO VT chassis for tiny houses, based on decades of experience in chassis construction. Thanks to hot-dip galvanised chassis components and a multi-stage testing process, durability and the highest levels of safety are guaranteed. The AL-KO VT chassis for tiny houses also allows for varying superstructure lengths and individual designs.
But be careful
Simply building as you please is not possible with a tiny house. To be truly mobile, there are strict regulations on size and weight under German road traffic law. If your tiny house is built on a trailer without special approval, it will require caravan registration and technical inspection. In this case, it must not weigh more than 3.5 tonnes, and the maximum dimensions are 4 metres high and 2.55 metres wide. That's why tiny houses rarely exceed 25 square metres in size. Even though you have to be selective with furnishings, tiny houses built on trailers offer everything needed for living: a living area with kitchenette, a bathroom with shower and toilet, and a lofted sleeping area.
2. Where can you put your tiny house?
Mobility may sound great at first. In Germany, however, it involves considerable effort due to bureaucratic regulations. According to German law, a tiny house becomes classified as a building, not a vehicle, as soon as it is set down – regardless of whether it is on wheels or fixed to a foundation. This means it may only be situated on a developed plot with planning permission. Consequently, every time tiny house residents move, they must reapply for permission and check the local utilities.
If, however, the tiny house is sited on a campsite or in a designated holiday home area, it can usually remain permanently without requiring planning permission. In this case, it must be clarified in advance whether the local authority allows permanent camping.
3. The insurance challenge
This form of house construction is still quite new in Germany, so it remains difficult to find suitable insurance. It is usually hard to get building insurance for a house on wheels, as such policies are generally designed for buildings with permanent foundations. On the other hand, typical camping insurance is limited to caravans kept on official campsites.
Financing a tiny house can also be problematic. If the house is permanently fixed to a plot, the loan for construction can be secured with a land charge entry in the land register, which provides banks with the security they need. If there is no land, as is the case with mobile tiny houses, such an entry cannot be used as collateral. In this situation, only the value of the land can be used as security.
Sustainable living in a small space
Tiny houses are built compactly, focus on the essentials and make efficient use of available space. Studies show that people in Germany live in an average of 46.5 square metres per person. In a tiny house, this is reduced to just 20 square metres. For mobile mini-houses, German road traffic regulations also set maximum dimensions and weight limits, meaning even less space is usually available in these variants. The modular frame concept of the AL-KO VT chassis for tiny houses provides the ideal solution: the high level of precision manufacturing allows the living unit to be prefabricated according to exact specifications. This makes it possible to have different superstructure lengths and build to individual requirements.
With regard to CO2 emissions, a tiny house produces significantly less simply due to its size. Ongoing running costs are also much lower, as there is no surplus space to heat, further reducing emissions.
Because the living area is so small, less material is required for construction. Valuable resources such as wood, metals and other materials are saved. In most cases, construction also makes use of natural materials, renewable raw materials and insulation. While these materials are typically more expensive, the overall quantity required is so small that the cost is hardly noticeable.
The small floor area and low energy requirements also enable many tiny houses to be completely self-sufficient. Solar panels on the roof generate electricity, rainwater tanks collect water for treatment and toilets can be filled with compost. All this adds up to even more sustainable living in a tiny house.
Our conclusion
A smaller house generates fewer CO2 emissions. There is no excess space that needs to be heated, which reduces unnecessary emissions. The resources needed for construction are also limited. If sustainable materials are used, you can move in with a clear conscience. However, one argument against sustainability is that a room with four exterior walls, plus top and bottom, offers plenty of surface area for heat loss in cold months. This is especially true if the house is not well insulated.
To make tiny houses easier to transport, thin walls are often used. This also significantly reduces the unladen weight, leaving more options for fitting out the interior. However, if you choose good insulation, you’ll have to accept some extra weight, but you’ll also be making a further contribution to sustainability.
