Why You Should Consider Hiring a Certified Builder to Build Your Tiny Home
If part of the appeal of a tiny home living is the DIY element, why a hire certified builder? Find out in this guide.
The tiny home movement is sweeping the world at large. In fact, there are at least 10,000 tiny homes in the US right now, with hundreds more being built (by certified builders) every year.
For decades, the American mentality has been all about size—the "bigger is better" mentality. Our consumerist culture has pushed us towards big houses, big trucks, big offices, big yards, etc. However, there has been a shift in society - we're learning that less is more.
People are finding minimalistic lifestyles and tiny homes provide a much more rewarding life than remaining in the rat race and trying to keep up with the Joneses. We're shifting toward a life based on experiences rather than stuff.
However, many tiny home dwellers hit major snafus in their new lifestyles when they struggle to complete their homemade tiny homes, or problems arise like leaky roofs, etc. It's one thing to live in a tiny home and quite another to build one.
A growing number of future tiny dwellers would rather have professionals build their tiny home. What about you?
Top Reasons to Hire Certified Builders for Your Tiny Home
Maybe you think you can do it yourself; perhaps you even have a background in contracting and homebuilding, maybe you don't think you can afford certified builders. Regardless of why you're thinking of doing a DIY tiny home build, read this article first to understand why hiring the job out to professionals might be a better idea.
Quality Workmanship
First, there's hardly a DIYer out there who can replicate the precision and beauty of professional craftsmanship. On a critical scale, however, the smallest error in making your home level, sealing doors or windows, or framing your home could result in big problems.
For example, a leak somewhere on the exterior of your home could be allowing water to slowly seep into your insulation, leading to damaged drywall, wood rot, and harmful mold. Alternatively, a small measuring error could lead to doors or windows not fitting in their frames, or worse. At the very least, it could mean extra time needed to fix your errors, but probably additionally material costs too.
Convenience
Another perk of hiring certified builders for your tiny home is that it takes the hardest part of the project entirely out of your hands. You don't have to put in the blood, sweat, and tears that go into the construction. Additionally, in most cases, you can still design the tiny home (if you want), or have significant input.
Your budget may be tight, but screwing up and needing to start over could cost you thousands of extra dollars. It's much more cost-effective to do things right the first time.
Safety
Next, you need to consider the safety of everyone who will live or visit your new tiny home. Hiring certified builders to construct your home will ensure that it's built to basic safety codes and is safe for dwelling.
Many tiny home builders suffer the consequences of DIY electrical work. It's not uncommon for people to overload circuits, screw up wiring, etc.
Alternatively, people who attempt their own plumbing, even with plenty of research, often make errors leading plumbing leads, crossed hot and cold pipes, etc.
Warranties
One of the best perks of hiring certified builders for your tiny home build is that your new place could be under warranty for up to a couple of years. Most home builders have a one or two-year warranty on the workmanship and materials of the build. Then, there's typically a 10-year warranty covering major structural components of the home.
Warranties, however, will vary from builder to builder.
Insurability
Even tiny homes need insurance. The insurance provider you choose will undoubtedly ask who constructed the home, did the electrical, the plumbing, etc. A professionally built and certified tiny house will make this process much easier.
If you tell them you did it yourself, don't be surprised if they won't insure you.
For example, Skoolies (old school buses converted to tiny homes) have become incredibly difficult to insure due to the number of fires people experience from doing their own electrical.
Timing
Hiring certified builders will almost guarantee your tiny home build gets done significantly quicker than a DIY build. While doing the work yourself can be rewarding, it can also be incredibly time consuming and slow, often a 1-3 year process.
Payment Plans
If you're planning on doing a tiny home build yourself, you'll have to find a way to pay for all the materials, tools, and other expenses upfront. While you could opt for a personal loan, those often come with lofty interest rates.
Applying for a loan to build a home through a build, however, is much more practical. This can also be done through some certified builders or banks.
PS, good luck getting a home building loan if you tell the bank you're doing it yourself!
Extra Features
Many tiny homes come with fun, quirky, space-saving, and convenient extra features. For example, some tiny homes have walls that slide out (much like an RV or camper). Others have cleverly designed storage spaces, hidden safety swing gates for animals and small children, and hidden compartments.
These extra features often give tiny homes their charm, but they're no good if they're poorly designed and/or executed.
Aesthetics
While not all tiny home dwellers are Instagram junkies, it would be a lie to say that appearances weren't important. One of the things that make tiny home living so appealing is how cute and well-designed everything is. It also justs feels good to be in aesthetically pleasing small space.
While you may have some sweet ideas you found on Pinterest, DIY work rarely matches the reference photos. We've all seen the "nailed it" pictures, have we not?
Comfort
Certified builders also ensure that you can get the max level of comfort out of your tiny home. You're already dealing with a much smaller amount of space than most people (including yourself) are used to. However, a well-designed floor plan can make even the smallest of places feel open and spacious.
Additionally, when everything works the way it's supposed to, things are much nicer. This applies to efficient insulation, electrical, solar systems, etc.
Hire Certified Builders for the Peace of Mind
Finally, hiring certified builders helps put your mind at ease. When storms and harsh temperatures are heading your way, the money you paid for professional work will be well worth the peace of mind.
Browse through our Resource Directory for a list of builders. New builders added all the time!
For more advice and tips on tiny homes, make sure you check out the rest of our articles before you go!
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