Author: Moylan Corman

About Moylan Corman

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Mini Building

How To Arrange Outside Of The Mini House

Living in a mini home often means your yard is limited in space as well. However, this shouldn’t stop you from arranging your front or back yard, to enjoy lovely afternoons or a cup of coffee in the morning.

Therefore, we are going to show you a couple of ideas you can apply to your yard to make it more appealing and beautiful.

Trees, shrubs, and ground covers

These are permanent purchases that increase both in size and value over time. But, to have beautiful plants, you must take care of them.

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Additionally, you can even use a lot of edible plants and even make a small garden out of them. They won’t take too much of your time and can be a nice addition to your home.

Flowers

Flowers make any space more beautiful, calm, and Zen. However, they require care and replanting, but they can fill in gaps until your woody plants get big enough.

Nowadays, you can buy any kind of flowers, just choose what seems helpful to you.

But, if you don’t have too much time to deal with them, and to water them regularly, then make sure to choose flowers that are easy to maintain.

Lawn

Setting up a lawn is the easiest way to organize your front yard and make it look tidy, but also it one of the most demanding ones as well.

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For instance, it needs constant watering and mowing, but at the same time provides a beautiful green surface you can enjoy every day.But, you can always add sprinkles to avoid extra work, especially during the summer months.

Plant trees for impact

Trees are usually the first component you should think of when it comes to front yard design. Trees can offer your mini home a look of permanence, but also provide stunning appeal.

However, you don’t have to plant the tallest, or the most expensive trees to have a beautiful yard.With so many types out there, you can choose almost anything that complements your home. Considering that mature trees can be expensive, consider planting at least two.

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Special Types Of Mini Houses

Living in a tiny house can have plenty of benefits. It is a fun way to have your own space, while it’s cozy, and economically and budget-friendly. Therefore, if you want to embrace this lifestyle, then we have a couple of types of mini houses you might find interesting.

Mini Home on wheels

If you want to live portable and move anytime you want, then a tiny house on wheels might be a suitable choice. When you are ready to leave the place, you just take the whole house with you. However, there are a couple of things you should know before you proceed with this decision.

What kind of trailer will you build your house on?
What are the laws in your state concerning a small house on wheels?
Where can you legally park?
Can you use the car to tow your home?
Once you have all the answers, you can start building your property.

Bus Conversions

This may seem like a strange idea, but a lot of people decide to convert busses into a living space. You might be afraid that the bus isn’t spacious enough, but once you take all the seats out, you can actually see how much room the school bus has.

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Additionally, with so many windows, you get plenty of natural light. You can cover some of them with see-through coverings. In this case, you get privacy as well as light. If you feel like it, you could keep some of the benches around, and they can serve you as furniture.

Cob house

Cob house is made of straw, clay, and sand, so you might think this home won’t last long, due to the porous material. However, the majority of them can have a significantly longer lifespan if you take proper care of it.

Some structures are even 500 years old, but durability is determined by appropriate roofing, which prevents moisture from getting inside.

Vardo Mini House

If you are living alone and you prefer a tiny space, then there is nothing better than living in a wagon. Vardos were traditional horse-drawn, which were decorated in ornate designs and had vibrant color patterns.

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Nowadays, they were redesigned and pulled by cars, which helps you maximize the space. Vardos have an impeccable design, which can withstand even the strongest winds and they have a great resale value.

Trailer homes

Last but not least, trailer homes are quite popular choice among homeowners. They are constructed on a trailer that is hitched to a truck. The frames are built out of timber because it’s affordable and easy to move from one place to another. Compared to traditional homes, it’s a bit smaller, but offers equal amount of comfort and enough space for your needs.

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How To Put An Ad For Mini Houses – In The Press?

Do you happen to have a tiny house want to sell? Have you considered an affordable way to market your property? Nowadays, people use different methods to put their homes on the market.

Even though you could employ a real estate agent, some of them decide to use the press, or local newspapers to reach potential buyers.

This might seem like an outdated approach, but you would be surprised how many people read newspapers these days. So, if you aren’t familiar with publishing an add, then we are going to guide you through this process.

Take photos of the front

Although newspapers don’t feature pictures of the properties, you could pay extra money to have a customized ad, with pictures of the mini house included. In that case, make sure to take a couple of shots of the exterior.

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Keep in mind that your photo will look ten times better if you crop out streets and sidewalks. Also, remove any vehicles from your driveway, and shoot close up and angled photos to avoid shadows or any vegetation that is blocking the path to the front door.

Pay attention to the interior

Same as the exterior, the interior plays a significant role in marketing your home for sale. It wouldn’t be too hard to take photos, considering the size of your property.

Mini houses usually have two-room and are less than 400 square feet.

In this case, focus on absorbing details, something that potential buyers will find appealing. However, make sure your house is clean and mess-free in order to get perfect shots.

How to choose newspapers

Local daily and weekly papers readership are decreasing, but in a few markets, this is still a suitable place to publish your ad. Additionally, anyone can buy papers, and they don’t have to be subscribed to a particular service or be members of some group to see an ad.

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But, before you publish an ad, you should get a copy of the newspaper. If you don’t see similar ads, then don’t waste your time and move on. In this case, a small local weekly paper might be an excellent place to start. However, don’t make a mistake by abbreviating too many words, or trying to place everything into three lines to save money.
To sell your mini home faster, you must be ready to invest some money in advertising.

How to write an ad?

First of all, start by including the basics. This involves the location, price, number of room, bathrooms, you name, and contact number. To save space, you could use abbreviations of certain words that are well-known.

On the other hand, you should avoid making up abbreviation; otherwise, people will have a hard time understanding your ad.

Another important thing you should focus on is your competition. Make sure your price is in line with the local competition. If it’s too high, then your property can sit on the market for months, and even years.

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The Construction Site For Mini Houses

Many people decide to build small homes due to various reason. Some require a place to rest, while others just somewhere to live. Even though this project might be a bit overwhelming if you start planning on time, research the materials, and different techniques, you can do almost anything.

For that reason, many people decide to build a tiny home on their own. It is cost-efficient, you are entirely involved in this process, and basically, you make all the decisions.

So, if you want to learn how to construct a mini house, then we will take you through the necessary steps.

Start planning and designing

When rewiring designs and plans online, you probably get the idea of how living small can be possible. This is where your building process starts.

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In this case, you should consider various options and start organizing your construction project.Make sure to follow this step; otherwise, you will face a lot of regrets and unnecessary expenses later.

Find a place

Owning a small portion of land can save you a lot of troubles and help you avoid legal consequences. Whether a mini house is located at the edge of your property, or in the backyard, it might be an excellent place to start.

On the other hand, if you are dealing with limited space, then you may consider a small house on wheels.

Learn to love secondhand materials

If you are on a budget, then secondhand materials can help you save a lot of money. On top of that, with a bit of elbow grease and care, they can look brand new. Craigslist is one of the most helpful resources you can use.

The great thing about it is when contractors order stuff for a building project, they often fail in estimates and end up with a lot of material they don’t need anymore.

In that case, a free section on a Craigslist can be an excellent feature because you can find a lot of stuff here.

On top of that, you can hit secondhand building stores in your area to find cheap accessories and construction materials. Make sure to start collecting everything you need on time. You don’t want to wait until the last minute to purchase a piece for your mini house.

Pay attention to windows

Windows can be costly, and owners tend to spend a lot of money on them. However, when building a small home, don’t buy windows to fit your frame, frame your property to match your windows.

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In this case, if you happen to stumble upon a sale, or you find a cheaper alternative, don’t miss it just because windows don’t have the same measurements as your frame.

Pay extra for electrical hardware and plumbing supplies

Regardless of how much money you invested in your home, it can all be in vain if you experience a fire or flooding. That’s why it’s essential to focus on quality, instead of quantity. Installing a high-quality equipment will prevent any accidents and help you have a safe place to stay

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What Types Of Law Do You Need To Know Before Building A Mini House?

Are you looking to join the tiny house movement? Have you considered possible repercussions and laws which involve this type of building? If that’s the case, then you aren’t alone.

A lot of people have gone crazy over small houses.

They can be quite charming, and on to of all measure less than 400 square feet of space, which is suitable for couples, or people living alone. However, if you want to know more about costs, construction, and possible restrictions, then keep on reading.

What are the costs?

This largely depends on the size of the property, as well as materials and finishes applied. For instance, luxury, custom-built small houses could cost up to $150,000. On the other hand, a DIY build, of course, costs much less.

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You could build a home for $100,000, but you’ll have to spend a lot of time searching for affordable materials and even skimp on space and comfort. But, according to some statistics, you will require approximately $45,000 to build a DIY tiny house. However, if you would like to hire a reputable contractor, then you’ll have to cash out around $70,000.

Where can you live?

There are two types of small houses, RV and ones built on a foundation. The first one you use to travel with, and it doesn’t involve zoning or mapping regulations, you only require a place to park it. In this case, you can use your friend’s and family’s driveway, or a backyard for this purpose.

Or, you can pay space and stay at camping or RV site. The majority of state forbid staying full-time in zones that aren’t RV parks.

When it comes to tiny properties build on a foundation, things can be a bit tricky.Building and zoning laws in many counties and states prohibit people from purchasing a land and building on it. In that case, you will need to construct an accessory dwelling unit. It means you will require a secondary residential dwelling unit on a single-family lot.

Building codes and zoning

It is crucial to know about differences between building codes and zoning. Each of them can determine and limit the built of small homes. For example, construction codes regulate how you build your property, while zoning determines where you build it.

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The majority of countries have adopted codes from the International Residential Code, which contains size specifications. It involves square footage, no less than 70 square feet, and height of the ceiling, which is at least 7 feet.

On the other hand, zoning regulations are based on local laws, and basically, the zone determines the size of your house.

For more information, you should call your local planning department. For instance, a lot of counties and cities have minimum size requirements, and they must be at least 1,000 square feet or more to build a small house on your land.
Some states, such as California, Florida, and Colorado have flexible codes and zoning, so maybe you should look into them.

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The Best Types Of Driveways For Mini Houses

Driveways aren’t often famous for their aesthetics. Considering their use, which is to get your vehicle off the street, it seems that you can’t do a lot to make them appealing. Basically, it all comes down to their functionality.

However, since they are often found in front of the house, you should think about their appearance as well.

But, small house driveways come with certain limitations, mostly in terms of space, and over time they are susceptible to cracks and holes. But, this is easily solved by applying a good driveway sealer which will depend on the type of driveway you have.

Therefore, in this article we will discuss a couple of ideas, you might find interesting, and the best of all, they work to any kind of property.

Valet-Style Drive

How many time have you noticed oil stains on your pavement? They can be quite challenging to remove, and it’s a well-known fact that concrete driveways aren’t resistant to oil stains. But, what if your driveway could look like a green garden, which you can decorate any way you want?

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If that something you might find attractive, then why not try a valet-style drive. Besides its design, this driveway is convenient and features stormwater drainage. So, you should put it in the areas where water usually collects.

Brick pavers

Compared to concrete, bricks are bit more stain-resistant and provide a traditional and romantic look. Additionally, they are also more abrasive, as well as less slippery. However, when installing this type of a driveway, you should select brick pavers and avoid traditional clay ones.

Clay bricks can’t handle a lot of weight and tend to deteriorate pretty fast.

There are also various methods, and patterns you can use to set up brick pavers. On top of that, don’t neglect environmental challenges.

For example, if your area is often affected by earthquakes, you will require some additional reinforcement.

Stone tiles

Classic stone tiles never get old, and you can place them to almost any surface. Of course, many people decide to install permeable pavers, but it’s a huge commitment and requires a lot of money. On the other hand, if you want something neutral, and less challenging to work with, then consider setting up stone tiles.

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In terms of durability, cobblestone actually has a more significant lifespan than brick pavers and concrete together. In this way, your small house will look polished, and you get to enjoy your driveway for decades.

Concrete cubes

There is no shame in a classic concrete driveway. It’s affordable, easy to set up, and it can be an excellent fit for any modern home.

In this case, you can install concrete pavers or pour concrete, which has a different form and function.

For instance, pavers don’t need a curing period; they allow more traction and have a surprisingly high PSI, which means they can uphold a lot of pressure. However, they require regular maintenance, and if you have trees planted nearby, they can cause cracks and holes.
You will be able to set up concrete cubes in no time, and they adapt well to any surface, or elevation.