Last Updated on January 2, 2022 by Douglas
People around the world are now preferring tiny houses, and this whole movement is gaining more popularity with time. This is very close to the concept of elongated vacations in an RV. In fact, if you’re reading this article, this probably means you’re trying to decide the better one between tiny houses and RVs.
While both of these have many similarities, they have their own pros and cons as well. You might not want to build a tiny house on a trailer and drag it around when going on vacations, on the other hand, an RV doesn’t have all the amenities of a Tiny House.
In this article, you’ll read the pros and cons of both these things. This will help you make a better decision between these two based on your needs and desires.
Tiny House
Having a tiny house basically means living in a small house and a simple lifestyle. Since the interior space in these houses is very small, they are fitted with the best furniture that is smart and perfect to fit in a small living space. These tiny houses contain lots of things in common with a regular house.
Most of the tiny houses are built on a definite foundation, which makes them like a permanent regular house. Some of these houses are also made on trailers, which makes them like a tiny house on wheels.
Most of the international laws require that these tiny houses must be under 400 square feet to be classified as a tiny house. These houses are also a part of the tiny house movement, which is focused on making small affordable houses for many people. People who like these houses also like to make customized houses. There are companies who make perfectly small and customized tiny houses for people.
Many DIY experts attempt to make their own tiny houses. However, they must follow all the applicable building codes in this process.
RVs
RV actually means recreational vehicle, and these are actually small vehicles designed to be used as a residential space in trips. Many vehicles fall under this wide category.
Many people actually compare RVs with tiny homes when they are looking to invest in a mobile house. There vehicles are called motor homes which have roof, floor and even different rooms to accommodate some people while traveling. Same is the case with fifth wheel trailers.
Differences Between a Tiny House And an RV
Here is a list of differences between an Tiny House and an RV which you should consider when investing in either of those.
Tiny Homes Offer Difficulty in Travel
Tiny home built on top of a travel trailer looks much like a fifth wheel trailer or camper. When you’re leaving your residential area in a Tiny Home, you’ll have to make sure that everything behind you is safe and secure.
Tiny Homes Are More Expensive
The tiny home movement isn’t that popular yet. While it is true that there are lots of different tiny home manufacturers willing to provide you with the best customized tiny home, but they are yet to figure out how they can bring down the overall cost of their tiny houses.
On the other hand, RVs aren’t a recent thing. In fact, the most experienced RV manufacturers have decades of experience under their belt. The quality of spare parts and other amenities they add to their RVs is unmatched by any mobile house vehicle. Since the manufacturing facilities make the parts of RVs in bulk, they can offer significantly less cost as compared to the same sized Tiny Home.
Additionally, you can also buy lots of fancy, used RVs and save a lot of money in the process.
RVs Have Floor Bedrooms
Tiny houses usually have the bedrooms made into the upper part of the trailer, and you have to basically climb up to some sort of stairs in order to reach the bedroom. However, RVs usually have same floor bedrooms.
Climbing up the stairs can be difficult for children, and for the elderly with mobility issues. That is why using the bed and getting out from it can be tough in tiny homes. This is the main reason why you should invest in an RV if one or more of your family members has mobility issues.
Tiny Houses Often Don’t Bear The Highway Speeds
Tiny houses are made for luxury while traveling, and they are made on sturdy trailer bases. But these houses usually can’t handle high speeds on highways. The suspension needs to be strong enough to handle the bumps, and also, the windows on these homes aren’t rated for tiny stones and debris which is usually spread when you’re driving in rough conditions.
Of your tiny house has shingles, it might also get damaged by the speed of wind passing from the top of the house on a highway.
On the other hand, RVs are specified as proper vehicles. They fulfill legal requirements for suspension, weight, window glass, and various other factors that contribute to the longevity of an RV.
You Can Even Buy a Used RV
Since the tiny home movement is relatively new, you’ll only find so must pre-built or used tiny homes in the market right now. If there are any, they get sold out quickly in their own local market. Additionally, these houses are built for specific climates, and buying them from another region won’t help you at all.
On the contrary, RVs are actually strudy vehicles which are designed to last for decades. RV owners actually spend a lot of their time cleaning and maintaining their RV, and they take great pride in this. Since there is a huge second hand market of RVs, you can easily get your hands on a used RV and save a lot of money. Additionally, you can easily transport these RVs from one region to the other without making taking any specific precautions and measures.
RVs Also Have Spacious Bathrooms
As the name suggests, tiny homes are designed to be smaller. The designers of these tiny homes save space by installing small bathrooms in them. These showers can be a bit smaller than a regular bathroom than we have in our homes. However, the bathrooms in RVs resemble the 2nd bathroom that we have in our houses. If you invest in an A class motor home, you can even get a bathroom with a jacuzzi tub fitted inside in it.
RVs Have Good Mileage
RVs are designed to have a good mileage, and run on the road on a regular basis. These vehicles have good aerodynamics and great suspension to help them have a better gas mileage whenever you want to drive your RV from one point to the other.
RVs Have Good Kitchens
Just like the bathrooms, designers also save space when making a bathroom in a tiny house. Tiny homes usually come with their kitchen integrated into the rest of the home.
Many class A, B and fifth wheel campers have large kitchen spaces that are fitted with all the amenities of a regular kitchen.
RVs Usually Have a Laundry Room As Well
Most RVs also come with an appropriately sized laundry room with a washing machine and a dryer as well.
Some tiny homes also have a laundry room, while on others, you’ll have to order a customized tiny home to get it fitted with a laundry room. However, keep in mind that you’ll have to pay the additional price for the laundry room.
There Are Specific Places For RVs
There are lots of RV parks and campgrounds set up specifically for RVs. However, you can’t get the same with tiny homes. Some parks are even against parking tiny homes in their premises.
You Can Easily Resell an RV
In addition to the seniors who use RVs to travel after their retirement, many families around the country invest in an RV to have some fun while traveling. These RVs help them make lots of valuable memories with their family members. These families sell their RVs after their kids grow up.
Since RVs have been around for many decades, you can easily buy and sell RVs because there is a huge market for second hand RVs.
On the other hand, there is not a big enough market for second hand tiny homes. That is because these homes are a relatively newer concept. This is the main reason why you might find it a bit difficult to sell or buy a used tiny home.
Conclusion
Investing in a tiny home can be one of the best things you can invest in if you live to live around your locality in a classy tiny home. This will help you get plenty of space to enjoy in the surrounding of your actual home.
On the other hand, if you’re looking travel a lot across the country and enjoy the comfort of living inside a house at the same time, you can invest in an RV. There are lots of different models of RVs out there in the market, and you can choose the one you like the most.