Can Seniors Build and Live in Tiny Houses for the rest of their lives?
Absolutely, they can (I say this from experience and real seniors I know who do this). I know a neighbor who sold his suburban home at the age of 67 to build a tiny house for himself measuring a little less than 500 sq ft (the typical upper limit for a small home). That house lasted him till the age of 82. His son built his own version of a small house when he was 29. He's now in his 50s and plans to keep that tiny space for his own post-retirement "man cave". Building and living in a tiny house is a voluntary choice irrespective of age or seniority. If you can make do with a smaller-than-usual space, you save on utility bills including heating, cooking & cooling costs. Most modern tiny homes I've built across my lifetime have ranged from "real tiny" ones (120 sq ft) build out of a trailer or shipping container, going up to "almost full-sized" homes measuring 800-900 sq ft. All of them had plumbing, running water, furniture, bed, medical supplies and internet. A few of them had wheels too. + Tiny House Info: http://tinyhouse.ellsed.com
Americans seem to have that cultural thing where as you grow up you’re supposed to buy your own house (by taking a huge mortgage, etc). Russians traditionally did not do that (though things may change in future), also russians traditionally live in apartments, and not houses. During soviet times soviets put some efforts into providing housing for populace, BUT thi resulted in a large number of communal living complexes. Another strange (for a russian) thing about american houses is that they’re typically made out of thin wood and a car may be able through a house, while Russian ones tend to be built to be sturdy (brick/stone), but that’s a discussion for a different time.However… the data you linked seems… odd. I don’t know how the guys got those numbers or how they calculated them. Minimum apartment size is a bit bigger than 20 m^2. So how they ended up with 22 as an average is a mystery to me.Online sources list average apartment size as 56 square meters with house size being 136 m^2. See, for example: Средний размер квартир в России за последние годы уменьшился почти на 20%
For now, its fine. But successive governments are trying to erode and privatise all that has been built such as healthcare, education, research etc etc, one would say they are trying to turn it into a US model.You do get a decent wage, but you’re also taxed to the eyeballs. Most things are overpriced such as housing, all energy, groceries. The government subsidises energy companies far too much for exporting our energy overseas for cheap and then charge domestic uses extraordinarily high prices (also a form of legalised corruption)It is cleaner than a lot of other developed countries.We have one of the highest paid Prime Ministers in the world, all because they felt embarrassed they weren’t getting paid more than a couple of overseas counterparts.We do have the highest mammal extinction rate and who knows how long the great barrier reef will last. Conservation is viewed by many as an evil term bent on destroying the country, which is quite ironic.Still seems to be a bit racist (more noticeable around Australia Day) which is often driven by political point scoring.Good food and variety, even if a bit overpricedMost pubs have pokies now which have replaced band venuesWe use UK EnglishAustralian Rules Football is a huge bonus and a great developing Women’s LeagueOld used cars can still be found to be relatively cheap.Close to Asia for cheap exotic holidaysWe still have a good sense of political freedom; however the government is always looking for ways to stop people legally protesting or going on strike, especially against corporations, this is becoming quite concerningDangerous creatures? well we don’t have polar bears. Common sense and you’ll be fine. Interesting fact, snakes, yes they are highly venomous, but have small fangs, so the venom has to work its way through your lipid (fat) system which gives you a substantial amount of time to seek medical help, unlike a cobra which has long fangs and the venom can enter straight into your bloodstreamAll in all, Australia experiences most of the issues that other developed nations do, and many of these issues are becoming worse, just like other countries. The general public appear to be easily swayed by cheap political point scoring and becoming less and less able to actually analyse real issues and/or make decisions based on the greater good ahead of owning the biggest TV available
How much does a house in sydney, Australia cost?
The extensive area covered by urban Sydney is formally divided into more than 300 suburbs The areas on the below list are closer to the city of Sydney and are the most expensive areas in which to buy a house. Sydney City Northern Beaches Eastern Suburbs Northern Suburbs North Shore - Upper North Shore - Lower Northern Beaches Northern Suburbs Check out houses for sale in Sydney and outer regions http://www.domain.com.au/Public/ChooseRegions.aspx?mode=buy&state=NSW
Tiny Houses started getting more attention in May 2014.See: Google TrendsPerhaps it is due to the rental market becoming tighter. So people who would rent, look for cheaper housing alternatives.The popularity of tiny houses is beginning to have a big impact on the real estate marketInterest in tiny homes gained momentum during the recession that began in 2007, as people sought a simpler, less expensive way to live. And as the U.S. pulled itself out of economic crisis, the desire for simple living didn’t wane.What Is The Tiny House Movement?Tiny homes are all the rage. But here's why the market is more bust than boom
Some do, but it is an expensive exercise for comparatively little gain. Most people want to spend the money above ground, where you get more bang for your buck, with usable living space. Australian builders aren't generally that good at waterproofing underground constructions - it's not taught in detail at technical college, and they don't get much experience in the apprentice component of their training. The vast bulk of new housing is built on a concrete slab at ground level; this is by far the cheapest method, allowing people to spend more money on a larger living area - and new housing averages well over 200 square metres (although that includes garage space, typically around 36 square metres). A century ago, sandstone foundations were common and some of those were high enough to constitute a "basement" or cellar; any building surviving from that time is now in demand.In Brisbane with the risk of flood, it is far more likely you would prefer a "highset" Queenslander, which perfectly addresses the climate, with the building effectively elevated one storey above ground level, giving cool sheltered parking, clothes drying and play space underneath. I believe Perth has a very sandy soil, which would present its own challenge in terms of basements. Adelaide has virtually the same latitude as Sydney; and Melbourne and Hobart are the most likely places to find a real benefit from a basement, without the expectation of needing to excavate a lot of rock.In practice here in Sydney, there are few sites where you would be able to excavate and not quickly hit sandstone bedrock (which means the skyscrapers have a nice, solid foundation). My house for example, is built into a hillside, and the excavation through rock for part of the lower level was done (for the original owners) as meanly as possible, with little space around the walls on the high ground side. There is maybe 20cm/8" of poor sandy/clay soil in the backyard over the bedrock. It's amazing how much tree you can get to grow in that!In a climate where central heating is unnecessary, tornados are virtually unknown, builders have inadequate training and experience, where excavation is both expensive and often poorly executed, basements are for the the hands-on owner-builder with lots of time, and the small group with a lot of spare cash, living in heritage listed areas unable to go up to get more space, who are probably renovating for sale.
Building a tiny house?
This book (around $20) is an excellent guide to building tiny houses, including sections on using recycled and salvaged materials. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/compact-... One option for furnishing one is to look on sites like Craigslist for a cheap older small RV trailer. You can often get water damaged ones for a few hundred dollars but you would be able to salvage things from one like a chemical toilet, water tanks, sinks, rangetop, fold down dinette, windows, etc. Since most RV appliances and lighting run on 12 volt or propane they are perfect for a remote location where you would use solar, wind power, propane gas or other alternatives to regular power connection. I even know people who have bought them cheaply with leaks and just built a gazebo type shelter over them so they had a ready made house inside. Just make sure the water damage is not so bad that the interior wood framing is rotted (I am in the middle of repairing inside wall rot in my class C camper right now). As others have suggested, check with zoning and life safety regulations for your area. If you don't get the proper permits and meet the requirements, you could be made to dismantle what you have built.
Anyone live in a tiny house?
It's not foolish. My husband is a mortgage loan officer and he deals daily with people in foreclosure (including some of his own co-workers) because they bought WAY too much home for themselves. We have a family of five (two teens, and a toddler) living in a tiny house--3 bedrooms. I'm not sure of the sq. footage, but it's little; the baby is still sleeping in our bedroom with my husband and I. We both grew up in little homes where space was a premium. Here are some advantages, though others may not see them, you will. A family sharing small space has to learn to compromise on things together--who is going to watch what on TV, use the bathroom, etc. This is NOT a bad thing! It means kids have to learn to communicate and work together to solve a problem and it builds the ability to deal with stuff you can't change. Unlike a friend of mine whose two kids cannot be in the same room together because they've always had the ability to be in separate rooms, day or night. They can't tolerate any kind of disagreement--they've never been forced to figure that stuff out. Also in a small home, people have to work out arguments and differences because you can't just go off to the west wing and get away for a day or so. My husband and I can't avoid sitting next to each other on the couch or sharing a bed when we've argued--there's nowhere else to go, except maybe outside. We work out arguments quickly now and don't hold grudges. A small home is not only more economical in the form of monthly payments, but also in upkeep and utilities. I am stunned by how much my brother-in-law pays a month for electricity--in a huge, museum-like home that was too much when his only kid was at home, but that kid is now away at school...in another state! It's ridiculous. It's just easier. While I'd love to have alot of ACREAGE, I wouldn't go for a huge house; just big enough for the family living there and a couple of guests. It's also WAY easier to keep clean. My daughter complains that we don't have a big, fancy house like some of her friends, but honestly, it's hard enough getting her to vacuum our little space; I doubt she'd want the added chore list that living in a big house would create! Go for it! It's better to start small, anyway, or you'll end up like so many people out there unable to make their monthly payments and unable to pay their utilities as well.
I have yet to live in a tiny house, but the plan is for my girlfriend and me to live in it and travel the US. This will be anywhere from 3 months to 2 years. The plan after that is to come home, buy land, and build a house. We would live in the tiny house until the house is finished, then probably keep the tiny house as an RV if we didn't need to sell it.With that taken into consideration, I believe we will be living in the tiny house for 2–3 years. I believe this is more than most. I think the average is closer to 1 year, at most, since there are so many instances where people only stay in it for a few months.But if you look at it like me, I’ll be saving money by living in it for two years when taking only housing and utilities into question (not travel expenses). If it takes me less than $20,000 to build it, including the cost of beer and pizza for those few friends who help out, and live in it for two years, that's less than renting out a place for $1000/month ($24,000/two years). Of course there are other variables that go along with both costs, but that's for another discussion. Also, I could sell the tiny house for more than I built it, based on the past tiny houses that I've seen sold.I only mention the last paragraph because many people want a tiny house to save money, although that's not really my goal. My goal is to travel the US in a place that feels like home.I hope this helps!