When it comes to building your Tiny House, your foundation is one of the first major choices. It is important to have that strong base that is going to hold your Tiny Home investment. There are a few choices to take in.
1. Buy a Tiny House Ready Trailer like this PAD Series from Iron Eagle. This is designed specifically for Portland Alternative Dwellings’ Tiny Homes. Features that stand out are the extra width over the fenders that allows for more room as well as allowing additional room for exterior siding while still staying within the legal width limits. It is designed and constructed specifically as a Tiny House solution.
2. Buy a regular trailer and modify it to suit the Tiny House plan you are using. You will need to keep in mind where additional holes will need to be drilled in the frame without compromising the integrity of the metal as well as design around the fenders since the trailer’s first intended use will not have been for a Tiny Home.
3. Purchase a used trailer and modify it. This is the most risky, but could be the least expensive option. You will need to assess your own skills or get assistance from someone who is familiar with trailers, welding, and the needs of a Tiny Home. The axles will need to be inspection to make sure the trailer was not overloaded. If the trailer has double wheels, it can be incredibly difficult to switch out the inner tire, especially once there is a Tiny House secured to it. The most important consideration is that the trailer will not be able to be switched out at a later date, and your investment will be sitting on top of it. If you have access to the skills necessary to make this solution work, you could save well over $3,000.
Dee Williams provides great information at her workshops on tiny homes. PAD is only offering 2 more sessions this year. The next one is on March 7th and 8th. Included in the workshop is her book “Go House, Go”. She has another great book you can buy online: The Big Tiny: A Built-It-Myself Memoir
