Guide to Tiny House Regulations in Tennessee

Tiny abodes have garnered immense traction over the last couple of decades, and with good reasons at that. Lower utility expenses, lucrative tax benefits, and highly competitive purchase prices are just some of the many reasons that led to its immense popularity. Favorable tax regulations, mind-boggling natural landscapes, and, more importantly, the affordability factor have made Tennessee the go-to place for tiny home enthusiasts. However, it is extremely important to understand the tiny home regulations in this place before you lay your hands on this dream project.

We would like to point out that every local jurisdiction in this state has to adopt and enforce its own code. Thus, every city and county in Tennessee has different codes and regulations concerning tiny homes. Some county governments or local governments may have no building codes in place. Every county and city in this state has individual building codes. Today, we will learn about the various legal requirements that are a must-know for anyone who wants to put up a tiny house in this wonderful state. So, let’s begin.

 

Is it legal to build tiny homes in Tennessee?

Yes, tiny homes are 100% legal in Tennessee. However, the zoning restrictions and regulations can vary depending on your specific county or city. So, it is of the utmost importance to thoroughly check and abide by the local regulations before erecting or residing in a tiny home in Tennessee.

 

Is obtaining a permit to put up a tiny home in Tennessee essential?

The building permit regulations in Tennessee are not that stringent, making it a tiny house-friendly state. It must be pointed out here that there are no statewide laws governing tiny houses in Tennessee. However, some counties and cities of the state have laid down their own regulations governing the construction and placement of tiny houses.

Here, we have mentioned the tiny house regulations of the most important cities in Tennessee. Let’s take a look at them.

 

Tiny home regulations in Knoxville, TN

Knoxville is a city in Tennessee that completely adheres to the IRC, expanded as the International Residential Code for tiny homes. So, if a tiny house is designed in accordance with the requirements specified in the IRC, it should be allowed in Knoxville.

 

Tiny home regulations in Shelby, TN

Shelby County is another tiny-home-friendly area in Tennessee. Tiny home regulations in this county are a bit different from those in other cities. If you intend to set up a tiny home in Shelby County, make sure that the land where you want to put up the house complies with the local building codes and is as small as 1 acre.

 

Tiny home regulations in Nashville, TN

Another tiny-home-friendly state in Tennessee is Nashville. The definition of a Nashville tiny home differs from other Tennessee cities. Tiny homes are defined as detached structures in Nashville. So, if you want to put a tiny home on your property, you have to erect it behind an existing structure.

 

How to obtain a tiny house permit in Tennessee?

Unfortunately, no comprehensive statewide laws specifically address tiny homes in Tennessee. Instead, tiny abodes are classified as a modular building program. This is a framework that draws your attention if you plan to set up a tiny house within the state.

 

How much would it cost to obtain a tiny house permit in Tennessee?

The permit costs mainly depend on the amount spent on erecting the structure. If construction costs less than $ 5,000, the stipulated fee is $100. The greater the construction cost is, the more the permit fee will be.

 

How long would it take to obtain a tiny home permit in Tennessee?

If you have obtained a building permit in Tennessee earlier, you can easily obtain a tiny home permit in Tennessee, as the process is more or less the same. You can receive a residential building permit in Tennessee in just around ten days.

 

Can you permanently reside in a Tennessee tiny house?

Well, the answer to your question is a resounding YES. You can permanently reside in a tiny Tennessee home. However, make sure that your dream abode complies with the city’s relevant building codes and standards where you intend to put up your tiny home.

 

What is the square feet size for a home to be considered tiny?

The size of tiny homes in Tennessee varies from municipality to municipality or from one county to another, which is completely based on the adoption of the IRC, or International Residential Code. Tiny houses are often under 400 sq. ft., including loft and interior.

 

What is usually important in tiny home regulations in Tennessee?

There are several requirements that a tiny home must cater to in order to comply with the regulations and building codes in Tennessee. Here are some of the most important criteria:

  • Stairs: One can access any elevated space through ship ladders, ladders, and stairs to reach the lofts.
  • Windows: No specified number of windows have been mentioned that should be installed. However, emergency exit standards must be fulfilled to ensure top-notch safety. Moreover, one bedroom must have a closet and a window.
  • Ceiling Height: The ceiling height of the living area should be at least a minimum of 6’8”. 6’4” clearances are permitted for kitchens and bathrooms.
  • Plumbing: A tiny home must have a separate bathroom, something which is paramount for comfy living.
  • Bedroom and Space Requirements: A tiny home must have a room of at least 70 square feet, a functional bathroom with a closet and window, and bathrooms and kitchens with a minimum ceiling height of 6’4” to be up to the building codes.

 

Final Take: 

As you can see, Tennessee Tiny Homes has no statewide regulatory code. So, you should always adhere to the local municipality, county, and city regulations when procuring a tiny home in Tennessee. For anyone looking for state-of-the-art tiny houses in Tennessee or in any part of the US and Canada, TinyHouseMe is the place to be in. We have an online directory from where you can connect with multiple licensed tiny home builders like  Custom Container Living in the U.S. and Canada. Get in touch with the builders via us, and we will place you in front of the line for the builders.

Tiny Homes as a Vacation Rental: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Are you considering purchasing a vacation home that would be an additional income source? Then, it would be best if you considered constructing a tiny house. Here, we will discuss the various nitty-gritties involved with converting a tiny home into a vacation rental, which will help you go about the entire process more efficiently and effectively. So, without wasting much time, let’s delve right in.

 

What is a Tiny Home Vacation Rental?

Any tiny home that is up for rent as a vacation is known as a vacation rental. It is a great opportunity to generate passive income, and that too, with a relatively low investment. All you need to do is purchase a tiny home from a certified tiny house builder listed here on TinyHouseMe and rent it on a popular website. Established builders like American Tiny House, Forever Tiny Homes, and Custom Container Living are listed on our platform. By purchasing a quality tiny home or a structure of a similar kind from the builders listed with us, you can generate significant income without much effort on your part.

 

Is it Legal to Rent Out Tiny Homes in the USA?

Yes, why not? You can legally rent out a tiny house in the USA, provided you adhere to the following criteria in place:

  • Make sure that you have either rented or are a legal owner of the land where you intend to set up the tiny house.
  • Make sure that your selected land allows tiny house construction, i.e., modular, mobile, or site-built.

Several zoning codes in the USA consider THOWs as temporary structures. The same thing applies to short-term rentals in many regions as well. Moreover, there are no zoning restrictions in a few rural locations, allowing extended RV camping.

It must be pointed out here that if you rent out structures without the necessary permits, you are going against the law and, thus, risk obtaining a code violation. This puts your rental plans at stake, to say the least.

 

Which Locations are Favourable for Tiny Home Rentals?

  • Beaches: Beaches are often the most liked place for tourists, and they like to spend most of their time there. So, if you put up your rental house near a beach, it would certainly draw visitors’ attention.
  • An exquisite woodsy location might also be a good choice.
  • Some visitors prefer staying near roads. So, it would be foolish to set your tiny house in a place far away in the mountains where no one would ever like to drive.
  • A tiny home near a grocery store or a busy town can also attract visitors.

There are many places in North Carolina, Utah, and California where you will find great locations for tiny home rentals.

 

Why Rent Out Your Tiny Home?

Well, there are numerous benefits of renting out your tiny home. Let’s take a look at them:

  • Lower mortgages 
  • Easy to carry from one place to another
  • Perfect for great vacation rentals 
  • A good means of investment 
  • Easy maintenance 
  • One can easily enlist it as rentals on websites such as Airbnb.

Tiny houses can prove to be a great investment in the long run and are in vogue in 2023, nonetheless. Since tiny houses are small in size, lower mortgage payments are involved. Thus, you can make a handsome profit by renting them out.

 

What are the Positives of a Tiny Home Vacation Rental Business?

  • The biggest advantage of a tiny home is that numerous options are available. Camper vans, Boxabls, and RVs are just to name a few. Owners often prefer a movable tiny home to keep the location enticing. That’s certainly a smart move. Before you get into this market, we suggest you decide on the type of tiny house you want to utilize as a rental.
  • It’s easy to set up a DIY tiny house rental. This would save you from burning a hole in your pocket on one purchase. But we have a better alternative for you. The tiny houses you find showcased here at TinyHouseMe are affordable and cost similar to DIY structures but better in terms of sturdiness and durability. While DIYs might look cheaper, we suggest getting a professional to construct the tiny home. Moreover, it should come as no surprise that almost 55% of tiny house owners have greater savings than the average American. And, after all, what can be more fun than setting up your tiny home with your family over the weekends?
  • Tiny homes being transportable, you can set it up anywhere. When advertising for your tiny house, mention that your guests can carry the tiny house with them. This will allow them to pick from different locations where they intend to set up their tiny house.

 

Does Renting Out Tiny Homes Make Sense in 2023?

Renting out tiny homes certainly does make sense in 2023. You can easily charge something around $40 to $ 200 per night for a tiny house vacation rental. However, it largely depends on many other factors.

People are ready to pay a handsome amount to reside in a tiny home just to experience for themselves what the hype is all about. With people showing more interest in embracing the minimalist lifestyle, renting your tiny house is the perfect time to make those big bucks.

 

What is the Target Market for Tiny House Vacation Rentals?

  • Families
  • A friends group
  • Wanderers
  • Couples looking for rent homes
  • People looking for a shelter to spend the night
  • Adventurers

Make sure that your marketing strategy is focused on the right demographics. This would accelerate the occupancy rate for your tiny house at a never-seen-before scale.

 

Can you Airbnb your Tiny Home?

Yes, you can rent your tiny home on Airbnb without much hitch. Airbnb is one of the most popular rental websites and is a great place for anyone to list their tiny house. You can rent your tiny home to prospective renters for a limited or extended period.

 

Final Take:

One of the smartest financial decisions you can make for a tiny home is to put it up as a rental. You can generate significant monthly revenue by purchasing a tiny home from any of our listed trusted tiny home builders and converting it into a rental property. You can enjoy a lucrative ROI depending on the rental property’s location.

So, buy a tiny house from us here at TinyHouseMe, and our listed builders like Custom Container Living, Boss Tiny House, and Kubed Living will ensure doorstep delivery of the tiny house. Connect with the builders via us to enjoy priority service and quick response.

Housing Crisis in Denver – Local Organizations Promoting ADUs

The housing crisis in Denver has escalated, but things are looking brighter for Denverites as they can now build tiny houses in their respective backyards. In an attempt to quell the area’s housing shortage, commencing on July 5th, the city has approved zoning laws allowing them to build tiny homes or ADUs more prolifically all over Mile High City. This move was made because the place and its adjacent areas face a housing shortage of about 70,000 houses.

With the law in place, homeowners can build tiny homes large enough to make their families live comfortably. As per the City of Denver, people can now turn prevailing buildings like garages into separate and new living quarters. In the more populated areas of the city, homeowners will have permission to construct two-storied units. About these changes, Denver Councilman Chris Herndon said in a release that these modifications would help make the accessory dwelling units a more impactful and attainable solution and give the residents of Denver more choices to live in the place.

Similar kinds of laws and regulations in California have generated more housing solutions

The zoning revisions that were done in California have created a huge influence. After the rolling-back of numerous statewide restrictions in the year 2017 and beyond, the tiny homeowners in California have built ADU units and rented them out, collecting thousands per month. Other people have used the tiny homes to house their elderly parents or an older child that might have been priced outside the location.

California, the Golden State, has an estimated housing shortage of around two million, and since the year 2018, it is estimated that around 60,000 tiny home units have gained approval throughout the place. California has often been mentioned as a case study claiming how effective tiny housing methods can resolve the problem related to the housing crisis.

 

This step can slow gentrification

Denver has now witnessed the influence of ADU units on its inhabitants, and this method of addressing the housing crisis could be a boon for localities in West Denver. This place has an inclusion of new and wealthy residents, and in recent years, the prices have gone up, making it tough for moderate- and low-income inhabitants to pay for housing in West Denver.

West Denver Renaissance Collaborative, an organization, is providing information about ADUs to help residents in that region understand the process of securing financing for tiny homes and the necessary permits. Serving as the Director of Planning at the Denver Housing Authority, Renee Martinez-Stone has addressed in a video that they are providing as many tools as possible in West Denver due to the displacement and existing housing crisis. She also says that to enable housing for medium – and lower-income families, the need to lift the ceilings on ADU needs to be done.

ADUs keep families together

A Spanish Speaker, Alonso Carrillo- Muñoz who lived for the past 20 years in West Denver, was a part of the pilot program of WDRC ADU. With assistance from WDRC, he applied in Spanish and secured financing for the tiny home project from FirstBank, that provided service in the Spanish Language.

This means that Alonso would have a house to retire in, just as significant as staying in the same area with Miriam Carillo, his daughter.

Denver is doubling one of the tiny house villages

It is said that the site at Monroe St. is estimated to grow from 24 to 44 homes, which is a response to the city’s homelessness crisis. The 4001 Monroe St. tiny home community is going from 24 to 44 houses and is gaining plenty of site infrastructural improvements. A contract of $500,000 with Colorado Village Collaborative was approved by the City Council recently.

In May, Colorado Village Collaborative reopened one of the villages to serve women, non-binary people, and transgender people. Once an experimental program, this expansion shows that homelessness has grown in Denver in recent years, and tiny homes and camping sites are helping people find shelter.

 

Here are a few trusted tiny home builders to connect with:

Colorado Yurt Company – Manufacturers tipis, tents, and yurts for customers all over the U.S. The competitively priced structures start from $11,000.

Colorado Yurt Company

Western Colorado Tiny House – The models are 100% ready to move in and are competitively priced. Designed for full-time living and easy to upgrade, the structures are furnished with a lifetime care warranty.

Western Colorado Tiny House

Colorado Timberframe – Th exquisite ranch-style tiny homes come at prices as low as $10,000. The structures are built to last and are customized to meet your expectations.

Colorado Timberframe

Colorado Modular Homes – Being one of the leading suppliers of Custom Modular Homes, the builders have been building tiny homes since 2005 and have built over 30 million dollars of customized modular structures.

Colorado Modular Homes

If you are looking forward to connecting with any of these builders or want to contact multiple builders like Custom Container Living, American Tiny House and the like, sign up at TinyHouseMe. We connect you with the best-matched builder per your preferences and set up an appointment as soon as possible. We ensure priority service from the builders by placing you at the front of the line for the builders.

15 Best States in the US to Live in a Tiny House

The tiny home movement has gained a lot of traction over the past few years. While some people love residing in big houses occupying acres of land, some prefer residing in highly affordable, compact, tiny homes. You can now connect with established builders like Custom Container Living, Kubed Living, American Tiny House, BOSS Tiny House, and others by joining TinyHouseMe. We are an online directory connecting trusted tiny home builders with potential buyers. But for all this, you need to ensure which are the best US states to reside in tiny houses. 

It must be pointed out here that only some US states embrace the minimalist lifestyle, with some imposing stringent guidelines concerning land use, unit size, and even door dimensions. The definition of a tiny house varies from one state to another. So, it becomes extremely important to understand the regulations governing tiny houses before renting or purchasing one. 

Want to know which US states would be the best fit for tiny house living? This is exactly what we will be shedding light on here. 

 

The Best US States for Tiny Houses 

California: If you want to move or build a tiny house in California,you should first perform location-specific research. Here you should note that the conditions that govern owning tiny homes in one jurisdiction vary greatly with another. What is considered legal in one city can be illegal in another. 

Florida: Florida has become a haven for tiny house enthusiasts. Just like in California, here, too, the housing rules differ from one county to another. So, we suggest going through the zoning ordinances particular to your local jurisdiction.

Orange, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg counties always welcome tiny homes. Although these three counties have individual necessities, the directives wouldn’t be hard to adhere to. 

 Arizona: Houses less than 400 square feet are considered tiny in Arizona. You should carefully go through the numerous building codes that are in place. For example, tiny homes on wheels shouldn’t be smaller than 160 square feet, while those on foundations should be larger than 400 square feet. 

Colorado: Colorado has limited tiny house-on-wheels opportunities. But still, the state is no less than a haven for people who want to embrace the minimalist lifestyle. With the help of local advocates, community developers have forced the local authorities to zero in on their land-use regulations. 

Georgia: Georgia is one of the most sought-after states for embracing the minimalist lifestyle.Atlanta is crowned as the most tiny-house-friendly state in Georgia. Many tiny house communities in this city promote downsized and simplistic living. 

Indiana: Indiana permits its counties to set individual building and property codes. Consequently, get ready to witness varying tiny house ordinances in different counties, towns, and cities. 

Idaho: Idaho has certainly transformed into a professional tiny living state. The state has progressed greatly regarding tiny house regulations over the last few decades. However, the rules that govern the properties are still decided by local governments. 

Nebraska: Nebraska is another good tiny-house-friendly state. This state has already defined the types of tiny houses permitted, making it a breeze for tiny home enthusiasts to draw the line between legal and illegal tiny homes. 

 Maine: Maine is another good state for tiny living. Any structure below 400 square feet and perfectly designed for living is defined as a tiny house in this state. You will be astonished to know that Maine is the only state that allows sleeping lofts accessible with the help of ladders. 

New Mexico: The concept of tiny house living has taken New Mexico by storm over the past few years. The state in 2015, released the New Mexico Residential Building Code to acknowledge tiny houses. 

Oregon: Oregon is ranked as the most progressive state regarding tiny house regulations. Portland, Eugene, Monroe, and Lakeview are some popular cities most welcoming to tiny house owners. 

 Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania might not be the most preferred state for tiny houses. However, this state is known for having some of the greatest tiny living communities. Elizabethtown is thought to be the largest tiny home community in the country. 

Texas: This state is home to Spur, the first tiny-house-friendly town in the country. Owning a tiny Texas house primarily depends on whether the house is on wheels or a permanent foundation. 

Kansas: Kansas warmly greets tiny houses, especially those on a foundation. It must be pointed out here that tiny houses on wheels are not allowed.The government of that particular county mostly supervises the Kansas construction regulations. However, there are common laws all over the state. 

Kentucky:Most of Kentucky’s tiny homeowners prefer residing in Louisville, primarily because of its massive size.Although tiny houses are permitted in the cosmopolitan area, you must be extra cautious as individual restrictions are in place. 

For instance, site-built or permanent tiny homes are permitted only if set up on foundations. You must also get your construction request rubber-stamped by the concerned authorities. 

 

Final Take: 

Tiny house living is no longer a trend and has become a lifestyle. This is because reducing living costs helps one lead life to one’s heart’s desire. 

However, procuring a tiny home is more challenging than it seems. So, it is essential to adhere to the various regulations that are in place in different states. 

Before building or purchasing a tiny house, it is highly advisable to clearly understand the codes and zoning ordinances governing tiny houses in your preferred state. 

The definition of tiny homes changes with states. Therefore, when looking for a top-notch state to install your tiny house, check whether tiny houses on wheels are permitted or whether the rules and regulations prefer other tiny house types, like ADUs. Whether you are looking for ADUs, tiny houses on wheels, or other tiny structures of a similar kind, TinyHouseMe is the one-stop solution for all your tiny house requirements. Here, you will find numerous exquisite tiny home models showcased by multiple certified tiny house builders like Custom Container Living, Forever Tiny Homes, Alternative Living Spaces, and others located all over the US and Canada. Connect with the builders via us to get priority service and quick responses from the builders. Ask for a quote now