1. Keep the Same Layout.

When considering budget options, think about keeping the bathroom layout the same. One of the greatest expenses of a bathroom remodel can come from modifying plumbing pipes, so electing to keep the same layout can be a huge money saver. 

2. Plan Ahead.

Create a detailed plan with all the appropriate measurements to guarantee the appropriate fixtures are purchased. The first step should be to draw a detailed floor plan and sketch where things are located. Many online resources can be used for this. After mapping out your plan, consider all the various options of materials bathtubs, showers, and counter appliances can be made from. Every material serves a different purpose, so which you decide to purchase depends on your unique needs. 

3. Choose Space-Saving Fixtures.

Several great options for small spaces include corner showers, and vessel or wall-mounted sinks.

4. Create New Storage Options.

With limited space in most tiny home bathrooms, multiple storage options are vital. When remodeling, think about new and creative ways to keep items out of the way. Adding a simple medicine cabinet is a great way to store things right above the sink and give you easy access. Another option to create more storage options is to consider getting a sink with a shallow bowl. This will allow more space under the sink rather than keeping items on the counter that add clutter. Finally, consider installing wall-mounted hooks, towel bars, or rings to save space.

5. Install Built-in Lighting.

Wall-mounted lights will eliminate the need for freestanding lights. Freestanding lights take up a lot of space, so they aren’t necessary. Using mounted lights will save space on counters and look more aesthetically pleasing overall. Keep in mind that most mobile homes do not accommodate for ceiling lights. 

6. Enhance your space with carefully selected decor.

For example, mirrors can make a small room feel much larger and brighter. 

Remodeling any home can seem stressful, especially when dealing with limited options and space. Following these simple tips can save money and resources when considering a new bathroom. 

The post Tips for Remodeling Your Mobile Home Bathroom appeared first on Other CMS.

1. They are good for the environment.

Tiny homes are great for the environment. They generate substantially less CO2 than average homes and traditional mobile homes. Heating and cooling a tiny home generate roughly 850 pounds of CO2 compared to 12,000 pounds of CO2 to do the same for a traditional home.

It’s not just heating and cooling reducing the environmental impact. The manufacturing process is also substantially more efficient. Tiny house builders employ greener, more sustainable materials. During the construction of an average 2,000-square-foot home, four to seven tons of waste can be generated. Tiny homes, by comparison, generate significantly less waste in their construction.

2. Minimalism is trendy. 

The average size of a single-family home in the United States has been trending upwards. From 1978 to 2013, the average size of a single-family home grew from 1,708 to 2,662 square feet despite a decrease in the size of the average American family. The rise of the tiny house movement is often seen as a small-scale rebellion to the trends in American homebuilding.

Minimalism itself is having a moment in pop culture. Japanese consultant Marie Kondo took Netflix by storm with her show focused on clearing out people’s homes of everything that did not spark joy. Countless podcasts, blogs [link to “Marie Kondo Your Mobile Home” blog post], and books have proliferated in recent years giving advice on how people can live life with less clutter. All this is to say, minimalism is in right now and looks to have serious cultural staying power.

3. They are affordable. 

Perhaps the biggest factor in the tiny home movement is their affordability. In the Bay Area, for example, tiny homes offer the chance to own a home for about the same price you’d pay to rent the same square footage in an apartment complex, and for far less than you’d spend on a mortgage in the area. Tiny homes even have a leg up on traditional manufactured homes. The price for a fully equipped, two-story tiny home, including transport, setup, and skirting is approximately $70,800. Compare this to a well-appointed 24×54 doublewide with the same services coming in at $153,600.

Furthermore, tiny home owners save money on their monthly utility bills. Tiny homes are incredibly energy efficient, requiring approximately 7 percent of the average kilowatts required to light an average-sized American home. Tiny homes also offer other efficiencies through the use of specially designed ventilation systems, passive solar orientation, and more. This can provide substantial savings for residents. Older manufactured homes are tremendously inefficient, leading to energy bills upwards $200 a month. Tiny homes can reduce energy bills by 75 percent on average.

Making the Switch 

Tiny homes have taken off over the past decade. Whether you’re looking to reduce your environmental impact, save some money, or even just live a simpler life, tiny homes can help you meet your goals.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post The Big Appeal of Tiny Homes appeared first on Other CMS.

The City recently enacted a new ordinance that re-classifies THOWs as permanent structures rather than recreational vehicles, the status they carry in most other California cities. As a result, THOWs are now considered more akin to accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, that sit in the backyards of individually owned properties rather than RVs or other types of vehicles.

The tiny home ordinance imposes the following requirements on owners of THOWs, among others:

• THOWs must be between 120 and 400 square feet in size.
• They must look like traditional homes in terms of the style and quality of their siding and roofing, as well as their overall appearance and curb appeal.
• They must be situated in the back or side yard of a single-family home.
• The owner of the primary property must live in either the main home or the tiny home.
• The homes must be installed on a trailer that is currently registered with the DMV.

Needless to say, given these regulations, the new ordinance will come at a cost to owners of THOWs. The City application and utility hookup fees alone are estimated to reach $1,800 or more. Not to mention, building a tiny home from scratch can cost north of $35,000 before even considering the infrastructure of the home.

Further, the ordinance restricts the locations where owners can decamp: THOW owners seeking to install their homes on a particular piece of property are required to obtain a renewable, five-year permit. Fortunately, however, the permit can be renewed through a basic inspection to ensure safe and functional connections to water, sewer, and electricity hookups.

Nonetheless, the goal of the San Luis Obispo City Council is to make tiny home construction more affordable, so that SLO doesn’t just become a haven for the wealthy. In fact, the Council has already successfully proposed and enacted cost-saving measures for THOW owners, including loosening the annual inspection requirements, doing away with the “skirting” material intended to cover the THOWs’ wheels, and no longer requiring owners to install six-foot privacy fences around their homes – all items that add unnecessary cost. By doing so, SLO municipal leaders are ensuring that the new classification will help, not hinder, families’ ability to secure THOWs as a viable, safe, attractive, sustainable, and affordable housing option.

What’s Ahead for THOW Owners

Various advocacy groups in San Luis Obispo and other parts of California seek to expand this effort by creating sustainable communities to house underserved populations like homeless veterans and the elderly. This would look like park models of tiny homes – set up much like mobile home parks – rather than isolated tiny homes located in various backyards across the State.

Other cities are just behind SLO in considering reclassifying tiny homes: deeming THOWs as permanent structures or accessory dwelling units rather than recreational vehicles. These efforts will bring THOWs one step closer to serving as a viable, widespread affordable housing option for thousands of Californians.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Tiny Homes Take on a New Status in One California City appeared first on Other CMS.