New build

As you see in a previous post my bow top wagon,These are harder to make and have a lot of wasted or less space with sloping walls and round top. Keep the van to the maximum sizes you can tow on a road system where you live with out a permit. Use standard sizes for the materials as there will be less waste as every cut means waste. Use natural fiber materials to stop being poisoned by gasing off materials. I know vapor barriers are usually plastic and the disadvantages are out weighed by the benefits.
Using recycled materials takes more time and effort but is always cheaper than new materials but more work in manual labor. My wagon can sleep easily a family of four as the children sleep under the parents bed.
Windows on all sides allow you to feel safe. I must admit the being inside my wagon is like being in a cocoon and it is easily heated.
My wagon is inside a large shed as this is being written, near the center of town. I am making the steps to move into it for good. I envisage dance parties and workshops in building and fun things in the future.
The shed is going to become a workshop for building tiny houses for sale at cost price, you see I am retired and need a way to pass the time so as my mate Alex used to say "why not".
Life throws up many possibilities and I bought a four wheel drive motor home so travel is going to be on the agenda with time for stories of living in remote and unusual places. Til next time live small love life keep safe.
 

What is the difference between a tiny house and a slum

Tiny houses were invented by the poor in society and were the only way to get accommodation. The building of slums in poor countries is a result of perceived poor quality materials and lower skills of the people. I do not say this in a demeaning way as these people amaze me with there skills. As a young boy I visited the slums behind the Bulli harness racing track and the people were poor and food was scarce and alcohol consumption was high. These people taught me one thing and that was how to be humble. They would give a young child anything even the love that one misses out on.
Sorry for the deviation.
Having rudimentary skills and the ability to access skills makes tiny house ownership possible for anyone.
Tools required are hammer, saw, tape measure, axe, pencil and paper (Note Pad) and a shovel.
Bought from your local markets or garage sales the list is not imense.
Now comes the important stuff! Imagination.
 If you cannot imagine the finished article then you are at a disadvantage and you might consider buying plans.
I personally work from stick man drawings with sizes the following drawing is an example taken from the web. I use mostly one colour but use two if I need details.
http://www.123rf.com/photo_8933260_stickman-provides-shelter-from-rain-for-his-her-love.html

The image above shows how just a small roof keeps one dry.

Small houses

 The photo above shows a small house built from hand made bricks by my sister in law in Tasmania. These were fired on the property and laid by G Thomas.

Smaller again is my gypsy wagon under construction. These types of building can be built for small costs by the home owner builder. Building on wheels gets away from regulations and if the structure is not part of the trailer then lower road registration fees apply. From the photo above all above in yellow is the load and not the trailer. Caravans of this size get registered for 250 to 300 dollars a year.
In the case of my trailer the registration fees are 55 dollars a year and the caravan is only the load.
If I were to do this again I would keep it all square as the work involved is 50 times more as everything is angled and round.