Recent years have witnessed a big movement when it comes to minimalist living. People are coming up with the most original and creative space-saving concepts. Tiny houses are one of the most popular choices available out there.
Whether for living, gateway, separate office corner, or simply hidden space, the market, today, is packed if not full with all kinds of tiny houses you can possibly think of.
If you are thinking to purchase or build your own tiny house, one of the aspects you should think of is the house dimensions in terms of weight, high and square footage.
One of the common questions that come to people’s mind is how they will be able to tow a tiny house? How much does it weigh?
Tiny houses weigh between 2,000 lbs (907 kg) and 16,000 lbs (6,803 kg). The average is 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg). To put that into context, you would need a Ford F-250 or Ram 2500 to pull a 10,000 lbs tiny house.
How much your tiny house actually weighs and whether or not you can tow it will vary greatly based off which tiny house you decide to buy and what your vehicle’s tow rating is.
When you are planning to purchase or build our own tiny houses, there are a couple of factors that should be taken into consideration. One of these important factors is the tiny house dimensions. The dimensions usually entail the house’s dry weight, the trailer’s original weight, and lastly the tongue weight.
How Much Does a Tiny House Weigh?
The Dry Weight
Starting off with the dry weight of the tiny house; this is the entire mass when you still have not operated the water system yet or placed your personal items.
The Trailer Weight
Before placing anything on top of the trailer, you can measure the real weight of the trailer.
In fact, different trailers have different Gross Vehicle Weight Rating a.k.a GVWR (which is the entire mass that the trailer can handle). Therefore, based on what they are built of, what kind of materials is used for construction and what the number of axles incorporated, each trailer weigh differs from the other.
The tongue Weight
This is basically referred to how much the trailer’s tongue measures in terms of mass. This is the section of the trailer that attaches to the tow knot of the vehicle. It should measure anywhere from 5 to 10 % of the trailer’s entire weight. What you place in the trailer and which part you loaded the most have an effect on the weight measurement.
Other Weight Factors
The idea behind tiny houses appeals mostly to those who aren’t possessed with materials. The main aim is to de-clutter and enjoy a minimalist lifestyle. But still, tiny houses can be quite heavy.
The interior wall insulation is another factor that people usually don’t take into consideration. In order to protect their houses from different circumstances, they mostly utilize fiberglass insulation, a heavy duty one.
However, this type of insulation is not really needed. When it comes to insulation, the low VOC insulation is the most recommended one. It is lightweight and will do the job. In fact, it makes it easier for you to breathe properly and cleanly inside the house with this kind of insulation rather than the fiber one.
Roofing is another part of the house that should not be missed or overlooked. Instead of using metal (which is pretty much the most common one), TPO, a single ply membrane is a better and lighter option to go with. this type of roofing can last you up to 50 years has the ability to insulate the same way a metal roofing do.
Tiny houses weigh range depending on the square footage. fro this reason I am going to divide them into three categories. The first ones are small tiny houses which normally vary somewhere between 10 to 18 feet long. As a result, the weigh scale is usually around 2.500lbs to 8.500 lbs.
Tiny Homes Example Weights
Don Vardo Tiny House
The Don Vardo tiny house is 10 feet long and it does not have a loft. This gives it a light weight of about 3,200 pounds. This tin house is ideal for a weekend getaway or simply a place where you can chill and have some me-time.
The built-in the construction of this model is beautifully made, it’s so inviting and dreamy, especially with the incorporated arched ceiling however, some people find it not for everyday use. The model does not include a loft but it has a shielded exterior porch.
When it comes to dimensions, this tiny house is about 10 feet long and can carry up to 5.000lbs. Lightly constructed the Don Varo Tiny house normally weighs around 3.200 lbs.
You can read more about it here.
The Boulder
Entitled after one of the most reformist cities in the Rockies, the Boulder has a relatively contemporary finishing touch. This 16 feet long house includes a kitchen, a loft, and a bathroom. Since it’s constructed with corrugated metal that is somehow lightweight, the Boulder weighs appropriately 6.000lbs.
The second category is those that weigh anywhere from 8.500lbs to 11.000 lbs. They extend in length to reach 25 feet long with an initial 19 footage measurement. They usually include a full spacious kitchen and bathroom. Besides that, you can almost found an attic in every single one of them.
You can read more about it here.
The Aspen
Luxuriously designed, this tiny house is about 20 feet long. Some of the things you will notice when you enter the house is the spaciousness and convenience of the space. It offers comfort for their owners. Another great feature of the house is the exterior space incorporated to it.
The Aspen tiny house model usually weighs between 8.800-9.000 pounds depending on the outlying parts added to it. This is somehow considered lightweight compared to the construction outcomes.
You can read more about it here.
The Suryan
The Suryan tiny house models are usually custom made. it comes in an open floor plan, fully equipped and spacious enough to hold up to 6 people. It includes two lofts that can be used depending on one’s preferences whether a bedroom or as a cozy lounge area. It lengths about 20 feet long and weighs around 9.800lbs.
The last and third category are tiny houses but they aren’t really tiny we are talking about a space area that reaches over 30 feet long. A whole family can love there comfortably and conveniently. They can be considered larger and roomier than a studio apartment.
You can read more about it here.
The Escape Trailer XL
This dream mansion has everything you need. It is fully equipped and features a roomy interior that can take up to 10 people. This tiny house includes 2 bedrooms; one of them is a loft, kitchen, large lounge area, and a spacious bathroom (with a full-size tub). It measures around 30to 35 feet long and weighs up to 13.000 lbs dry.
You can read more about it here.
The Pemberley Gooseneck
This is one precocious fancy tiny house is everything you will ever want. It introduces a variety of different and advanced features that you probably won’t find in our other models.
And it is always on a continuous evolving. it is constructed to hold up to 5 people; making it spacious and large enough to include added spaces and extra components. This Pemberley Gooseneck is 37 feet long and has a dry weight of 21.000lbs
You can read more about it here.
The red mountain
This is the largest tiny house made by the Rocky Mountain tiny houses company. we are talking about 34 feet long and up to 14.000lbs weigh. The exterior construction of this model is made by a distinctive combination of a corroded corrugated wainscot, outhouse wood plank, and batt. It has a reminiscent western vibe.
You can read more about it here.
Is going over the weight limit dangerous?
Once you decide to live in a tiny house, you need to be aware of the importance of things and how much do they weight, whether they are going to affect the overall weight of the house or not.
The best way to stay safe and keep your crib protected is to use the lightest material possible and to follow your build action plan. Make sure to weigh your tiny house now and then and keep track of the numbers.
Conclusion
As you can tell tiny houses for sale differs considerably in terms of dimensions. Smaller houses are usually more mobile and light to move around unlike large houses which tend to be hard to relocate often. While both of them come with their pros and cons, they are actually quite spacious for a comfortable living.
Therefore, depending on the size of your vehicle the weight will change respectively. And as we said it is better to keep your materials and belongings as light as possible to avoid any possible troubles.
