Tiny and transportable homes are big! Of course, we’re talking in terms of popularity instead of building size. Here at Ecopod, we like to think we’re part of a cultural movement as more and more New Zealanders make the decision to live their life or carry out their business using a prefabricated, transportable solution. That’s why we have a range of designs to cater to different needs and provide appropriate solutions for each client.
But what is it that really drives them to make that change from large and conventional, to compact and innovative? An American website devoted to the tiny home revolution asked residents that very question and we thought we’d share the answers with you as it very much mirrors the New Zealand experience.
- Less maintenance, more leisure time. This is a big motivation to go tiny! A smaller building obviously has less to maintain, and this frees up so much time and money when compared to a standard-sized home, or commercial building. And with better design and materials, as is the case with Ecopods, maintenance becomes even less of an issue.
- A breeze to clean. Along the same lines as maintenance…the less building there is, the less there is to clean. Again, this is where tiny homes become massive time savers.
- Less “stuff”. Living or working in a smaller design forces you to question why you had so much stuff in the first place. People in tiny homes say they feel a tremendous sense of freedom from being rid of things they never really needed, and no longer having to carry them around with them. They keep what they really need and treasure and find a new appreciation for these items.
- Fewer bills. Less building space to heat or light the fewer bills there will be. This is an obvious one on the face of it but people are still surprised how much money they save.
- Goodbye to crippling mortgages. In America, 68% of people living in a tiny house are mortgage-free and 55% have more financial savings than the average American.
- Better for the planet. A tiny home or commercial building leaves much less of a carbon footprint thanks to fewer emissions from heating and lighting, as well as sustainable building designs and materials. For a great number of residents, they feel they are making a positive contribution to the environment by “going small.”
- It’s a lifestyle choice. Not everyone loves the white picket fence with a large yard and two storey home scenario. Many of the people joining the tiny home revolution say they are doing so to change things up and experience a new and different lifestyle.
Do any of those features reflect your desires? If you are considering living in a transportable home or thinking about a small building for an office or commercial premises, how do you relate to those sentiments? If you’d like to share your view and discuss what might work for you, contact us and let’s take the discussion one step further.