Are you worried about the weight of your tiny house on wheels? Or you don’t have any idea what weight restrictions it has!
Tiny houses whether on wheels or not in most cases have no weight restrictions, but weight itself can create many limitations.
The weight of your tiny house depends mainly on its size, the trailer used and building materials.
Building a tiny house requires proper planning and understanding of the materials you are going to use. When you get to the end of this article, many of your doubts and fears will no longer haunt you. So you don’t end up like those guys I saw on YouTube. The couple had a hard time towing their 12000 lbs tiny house. You can check it out here
Source Credit: The Creative Animal Foundation (youtube)
So, first advice: Build it as lightweight as you can !!
Legal weight restrictions in the US
Source credit: Tinyhousegiantjourney
You might have heard about weight restrictions on tiny houses on wheels in different countries of the world. In France, it is 7700 lbs, but if you are living in the US, you don’t need to worry about its weight.
Although, you still need to check with your local authorities or the state inspector as certain states may have restrictions.
What I found is that the weight of tiny houses is limited because of the weight of the trailer. If your home is massive, you will need a heavier trailer to be able to carry it.
And this comes at several disadvantages. The first one you can see in the video; You can get stuck easily.
But there is one more major disadvantage. When traveling from one state to another, you will be required to weigh your home at the weight stations if it crosses 10,000 lbs. The consequences are longer waiting time, and in many states, you will also have to pay for the extra weight you are carrying.
If you want more informations on policies in different weight stations of the states in the US, check these weight stations specifications.
How to be sure you are towing your tiny house safely?
Source credit: Tinyhousegiantjourney
Talking about weight, you should be extra careful when towing your tiny house. A number of things are needed to be considered when towing your tiny house safely.
The size and capacity of your vehicle need to be adequate to carry your home. Chose a truck that has a towing capacity of more than 15000 lbs. You need to check its condition and braking system as well for safety.
I found two very essential accessories that will be helpful. If you can afford then install a trailer brake controller but if you opt to rent then look for a truck that has one already. You will need a trailer hitch as well.
Your tiny house’s load distribution has a significant to play. Make sure that 60% of the weight is in front of the axle and 40% behind.
Always plan your route. I have seen and heard about many tiny house owners who got stuck on roadways because of bridges, traffic jam or even small turning points.
Building tips and tricks for a lightweight tiny house on wheels
It’s always better to build a lightweight tiny house than to make your life harder later.
I found many tiny house builders downsizing their dream home for reducing weight, although it might be a good idea. Something in between 185 to 295 square feet will be good enough to limit your home’s weight to less than 9000 lbs.
But, I think the most important tip that I can give you is that focus more on the materials you use in building your home.
One great idea to drastically reduce your tiny house’s weight is to use fiberglass for the exterior. Fiberglass if you don’t know is durable enough to protect you even in a 5 degree Hurricane. Here’s a home that you can connect with.
When choosing furniture, go for the lightest ones. Use multipurpose furniture for saving space as well as weight.
Summary
Though restrictions are hardly found in the US, you will come across many limitations if your home is heavy.
Towing safety is something to take seriously and the measures listed here are there to help you choose wisely the best option!
Always make your tiny house lightweight. Your life will become more comfortable and it will help you avoid many unwanted problems in the future.
