FEATURING ON STAGE
TOOLS FOR BUILDING
SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY LIVING
WHERE CAN I PUT
A TINY HOUSE
The short answer is:
" anywhere you can park a bus, truck or caravan."*
* Every situation is unique. It depends. Read on.
There are two kinds of Tiny Houses:
1. TINY HOUSE ON WHEELS (THOW)
Technically, and legally, a Tiny House On Wheels (abbrev. THOW) is often referred to as a "Caravan" because it looks like it can move.
Generally, most councils prefer to class them "temporary dwellings" that are allowed to be parked on a property for a short-term period only (usually 4 weeks), then they are expected to move. These uses include short stay holidays, grey nomads, etc.
If the THOW stay is longer than the permissible free short-term period, a permit must then be applied for, pending a review and legal approval, upon which it may then remain for a medium term (up to 18 months). A permit fee is charged. This permit was generally created for people moving onto a new subdivision or block of land in order to allow them to build a house while living on the property in, say, a caravan.
However, for many people living in THOW's they are intending to live in a given location for a longer term, and that's where there remains a grey area in the regulations. Particularly now due to the need for emergency, affordable accommodation for people experiencing housing distress, displacement or economic hardship.
See below for our checklist on Tiny House tips.
We provide a paid service to have your intending property professionally and independently assessed, based on your local town planning requirements, as well as any relevant building codes, environmental overlays, and all local regulations, as regions do differ.
A Tiny House in a fixed location that can be moved by a truck or semi-trailer is classed as a "relocatable" dwelling, and a Tiny House in a fixed location that is not moving is often referred to as a fixed dwelling that is subject to all building codes, regulations and town planning requirements for the local council area.
We provide free informed expertise and consultation in helping place every Tiny House that we build for you.
We help provide clarity on the myriad of rules and regulations regarding the legal placement of all dwellings.
We provide a service that offers a detailed written report on your nominated address or location(s) according to local council regulations, town planning guidelines, and any relevant building codes and information, identifying all of the issues that surround placing additional dwellings on any property around Australia, and foresee issues that may arise now and well into the future, making recommendations accordingly to ensure the best outcomes for you and your Tiny House.
TINY HOUSING TIPS
1. Check-in with your Neighbours.
Especially those within visual sight of the Tiny House - in most cases when councils take action, it is almost always following a complaint.
2. Dispose of your waste responsibly.
Using council bins or trips to the tip, emptying black waste into a legal sewer connection or toilet, or septic tanks available in most rural properties, regulated underground worm composting trenches, and it's legal to double bag it and throw it in the landfill bin.
Grey water should be emptied into sewer or septic systems, or regulated trenches or sprinkler dispersal systems.
Urine buckets and solids from composting toilets should never be emptied directly onto vegetable gardens for health reasons of cross-contamination. A regulated trench system will do fine.
Worms, bacteria (eg. salmonella) and viruses, as well as residues from toxic chemicals added to foods (pesticides) and products (micro-fibres, synthetics), fragrances and colorings (even the build up of products listed 'natural' can be hazardous), medications (eg. the contraceptive pill, headache tablets, anti-depressants) can ALL be passed into the food chain to not only endanger wildlife and the health of the local ecosystem and downstream as well, but also your health and that of others residents, and ultimately future generations.
It's complicated.
3.. Be good Neighbours.
Courtesy and common respect for your Neighbours 'peaceful enjoyment' of their property is actually the law.
No one is entitled to have great Neighbours.
However, the potential to create a better community will do wonders for your own health as well as that of the people around you. They are your local community after all.
If your Neighbours are approachable, do check-in with them from time-to-time and idly offer help when you can see its needed; invite Neighbours over for a BBQ, host regular meals, offer occasional help with various jobs, property maintenance and gardening. Remember, most people are lonely, and sometimes just providing a listening ear is all that is needed to have great Neighbourly relations. This is all about Community, folks. The results are in, the academics all agree: It Works.
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Find out more about Tiny Houses.
How they may be the key to creating connected and sustainable communities for the future.
Learn how this type of eco smart, mobile housing can overcome community isolation and disconnection, and start to regenerate the small village living model for a more meaningful and effective way to live.
See our 'white paper' on Tiny Villages published in 2018 on the OpenNoosa website here: https://opennoosa.org/mobile-eco-parks