Jeff Flowers on January 19, 2015 30 Comments Photo Credit: MHarriger / Flickr A lot goes into building a tiny house. While each home is unique, building them on trailers has become increasingly popular over the years. As this trailer will be the foundation for your new house, there’s plenty you need to consider before you start building. 4 Popular Trailer Options As far as different types of trailers go, there are probably too many to name. For building a tiny house on one, though, you have to go with a flatbed. This will give you both the size and the surface you need. Let’s take a look at the four different models these come in. 1. The Deck-Between Trailer This trailer features the flatbed between the two wheel wells. The bed, therefore, sits a little below where the summit of the wheel well reaches. For this reason, the bed can be no wider than how far apart the wheel wells are. Nonetheless, the advantage with a deck-between trailer is that it sits nice and low to the ground, making it easy to build a taller tiny house. 2. Deck-Over Trailer As the name suggests, with this model, the bed actually sits above the wheel wells. Without the wheel wells getting in the way, the trailer can be as wide as eight feet. However, though it gives you a little extra room on the sides for your home, it’s too high off the ground for you to consider a tiny house that features a loft, meaning you’ll need to stick to one-story designs. 3. Dovetail With this trailer, you can actually have either a deck-over or deck-between model. The main difference between a dovetail trailer and those other two is that it features a section at the rear that angles towards the ground (hence the name). You usually find this feature on trailers that are used to haul around cars, trucks or other vehicles. With the dovetail section, it’s much easier to load these vehicles than with some other type of flatbed trailers. Unfortunately, this aspect also makes it awkward for building a tiny home on the flatbed. If you wish to do so, you’ll need to apply additional welding and further modify the dovetail before building can even begin. 4. Gooseneck Goosenecks can also be either a deck-between or deck-over model. Its name comes from the special hitch that it employs. In order to haul this type of trailer, you need to have a pickup truck. In the bed of the pickup truck, goes a ball hitch. The gooseneck of the trailer then reaches over the truck’s tailgate to attach to the hitch that’s been installed. These trailers are just fine to build tiny houses on. Gross Weight Vehicle Rating No matter which trailer you decide to go with, it’s important that you know what its Gross Weight Vehicle Rating (GWVR) is. This is essentially how much weight the axles are able to carry. Your axles—in case you don’t know—are the parts of your trailer that attach the wheels. So you can see why it’s important to know how much weight they can handle. For example, you may find a trailer that has two axles, both of which can carry 3,000 pounds. Your trailer, then, can hold 6,000. However, you absolutely must factor in how much the trailer itself weighs. Two axles good for 6,000 pounds holding up a trailer that weighs 2,000, can only support a tiny house of 4,000 pounds (and it would actually be less than that because you need to factor in occupancy, furniture, appliances, and other belongings). 6 Other Things to Consider There are other matters to consider with your trailer too. It should absolutely have a spot for your license plate, for one thing, and feature brake lights too. Otherwise, you’re not going to make it long on the highway. You also need to make sure there is a braking mechanism connecting the trailer to the towing vehicle, so when you brake, the lights go off for the person behind you. 1. Size of Your Trailer It’s probably best to decide on the design of the tiny house you want to live in before choosing a flatbed trailer to build it on. However, there are some restrictions in terms of trailer size that you should know about. Legally, your trailer can only be 8’6″ wide. The majority of states will also only allow a tiny house that is 13’6 inches off the ground, though some Western states permit 14’. No trailer can exceed 53’, unless you have a special permit. That being said, most tiny houses don’t need trailers any larger than 28’. Keep in mind, too, when you’re deciding on the length of your trailer that you need to think about the length of your hitch too. This will make the entire setup a good four or five feet longer at the very least. Photo Credit: RowdyKittens / Flickr 2. What Kind of Hitch Will I Need? There are five classes of trailer hitches available for your vehicle. However, no matter which type of trailer you choose, the only kind you can use for something as large and heavy as a tiny house is a Class V trailer. These hitches max out at roughly 17,000 pounds, which should be more than enough. Hitches also have their own capacity for weight, generally called the “tongue weight.” It refers to how much weight the hitch can shoulder, as opposed to the wheels. Be sure you factor this in to your final trailer weight calculations. Before you can do that, though, you also need to know that too much or too little tongue weight will cause issues when you try towing your home. Once you know how much your tiny house will weigh, ask the manufacturer of your towing vehicle (more on that later), what the right amount of tongue load is. This means you must also have a ball mount and hitch ball that are rated for Class V as well. Fortunately, you can find these at just about any auto body store and they are incredibly cheap. You’ll also want to have a weight distribution system. 3. Your Towing Vehicle While it doesn’t need to be connected to the trailer at all times, you’re going to need a truck to move it around if you hope to have a mobile tiny house. For the most part, a full-size truck should be sufficient. Most large SUVs will have enough power under the hood as well. However, if you’re going with a gooseneck trailer, your towing vehicle must be a pickup truck. When it comes to picking a vehicle, there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation, because it will have a lot to do with how heavy your trailer is, combined with the house and your other belongings. Fortunately, there are definitely some generalizations we can make to help you choose a vehicle. Light-to-Medium Duty: This refers to light trucks (and actually some sedans and minivans too) that can handle up to 3,500 pounds. Frankly, it is unlikely most tiny houses and trailers will come in under this amount, especially when you consider a trailer so small would probably only have a single axle. Medium-to-Heavy Duty: These trucks and SUVs should be able to handle up to 5,000 pounds. So now we’re talking about sizable trailers with dual-axles or simply one large axle on its own. The problem with this classification is that you have so many other variables at play. Medium-to-heavy duty vehicles could differ in towing capacity from one another by as much as 3,000 pounds when you consider gear ratio, transmission and engine. Extra-Heavy Duty: At this point, we’re really no longer referring to anything but commercial vehicles, excluding some exceptions. These vehicles can haul up to 10,000 pounds behind them; however, you’ll want to ask the dealer about the equipment you’ll need in order to control this much power and such a large trailer at the same time. Super-Heavy Duty: If your trailer and tiny house weigh over 10,000 pounds, you’ll need a super-heavy-duty vehicle to make them mobile. The good news is that knowing how much your vehicle is capable of towing really isn’t that much of a guessing game. With the above information, you should have an easier time narrowing your choices, but knowing how much it can really pull will be on the manufacturer’s website or something the dealer can tell you. Keep in mind, too, that you don’t necessarily need to buy a truck. What you could do, in order to save money or just keep life simple, is rent the truck you need with a hitch. Obviously, the trailer will need to be purchased, but you can then tow it to wherever you plan on living and then return the rental. Whenever you feel like moving again, simply go get another rental truck to do the job. You could just hire a tow truck driver for the job too. This will also save you the trouble of having to learn how to operate a vehicle with thousands of pounds attached at the back. Photo Credit: RowdyKittens / Flickr 4. Cost Hopefully, by now, you can tell that it’s difficult to nail down any certainties when it comes to generalizing tiny houses, especially where trailers are involved. Still, it’s a very common question to ask about how much a trailer will cost. On average, most flatbed trailers will run you around $3,000. Just like with your vehicle, though, you can stand to save a lot of money if you buy a used trailer and/or know how to modify one. Opinions are somewhat mixed on this matter, however. Seeing as how the trailer is basically the foundation of your home, many people would advise that this is one area of construction you splurge on. There are other elements of your tiny house that you can cut corners picking out materials for. 5. Tiny House-Specific Trailers Keep in mind, too, that nowadays you can also find trailers that have been custom made for tiny houses. This will ensure heavy-duty steel construction and axles. Unlike most other trailers you’ll come across, you also won’t have any wood decking. Instead, these custom trailers provide steel beams for you to attach your home to, providing a much more secure connection. There are a number of companies that now build these trailers. Aside from the aforementioned benefits, they can also help you understand many other aspects of the trailer you need for your tiny house and flesh out any of the sections we covered above. Examples of these companies include: Tiny Home Builders Tumble Weed Houses Tiny House Trailers by PJTrailers.com 6. Where to Park Lastly, no conversation about tiny house trailers would be complete without talking about where you can actually park it. The answer will have to do with the specific zoning laws at play wherever it is you want to live. As these can differ from one part of a city to another, it’s important you always look into these laws before moving your home or you could be dealing with a serious fine. For the most part, the laws you need to look into are: Is there a minimum square footage amount that designates a structure as a permanent home? Can you legally park an RV on the property in question? If so, can you park it on the property without a permanent dwelling being present there too (obviously, this won’t apply if a permanent dwelling is located there)? If so, can you live in your RV full time? If you want to park somewhere that will also allow you to have a nearby studio, office or guest house on the property, do the local zoning laws permit accessory dwellings like your tiny house on a trailer? If so, are there minimum requirements for square footage? If so, does the accessory dwelling need to be built on a permanent foundation? Although this may seem like a lot to take in, it’s essential that you comprehend the ins and outs of your tiny house’s trailer. Even if you do decide to have someone build your home or go with a custom-made trailer, it will still be helpful down the line if you understand the above.
Jamie Neil says December 29, 2015 at 3:20 am I built my tiny home using www[dot]EasyContainer[dot]info – I’m currently living in it writing this post! I’m so thankful I discovered that website! There are SO many benefits to tiny homes. They are affordable, designed well, strong, environmentally friendly, and unique. I was able to build mine so fast! If you are looking to get started with a container home, I can say with confidence; EasyContainer[dot]info is the best resource ever! You’ll find a lot of 3D designs and easy to follow instructions. I was going about the construction process entirely the wrong way and the tips on that website saved me so much money… not to mention time! It’s easy to make your tiny home dream a reality! Reply
Jeffriw says July 15, 2015 at 1:41 pm I would like to see a catalog of some manufacturing company’s. Reply
Jay Olstead says July 29, 2015 at 11:36 pm This is a very informative article. We all appreciate information which allows for a good TH trailer experience. However, with that being said there is now a new category of TH trailer with features never seen before. Introducing, the Fasst Track TH trailer, featuring the first fender less design while maintaining a low deck height. No cumbersome fenders means no restrictions when laying out your floor plan. Additionally the adjustable building platform allows for any width of TH and any width of wall thickness. Also equipped with torsion bar, independent suspension, and the first optional floor located in the trailer frame cavity that provides not only a structural component but also the best insulation R value today. Why get steel when you can also order in aluminum with galvanized axles, marine disk drake components, and aluminum alloy wheels. American Pharaoh was delivered to the Triple Crown sporting the same equipment. Also, available in light weight unitized steel construction. Soon we will be featuring our internal cage system, eliminating wood bottom plates, top plates, wooden header supports, and vertical studs….35% stronger, 65% lighter, and up to twice the insulated R value currently available. Stronger and lighter than the Framecad or Greenworld Restoration structure. Reply
Jan says July 30, 2015 at 9:17 pm Through previous research, I knew most of this info. But a well informed, well written article. Thanks Reply
Donna says May 5, 2016 at 9:43 am Re: the photo showing the tiny house being pulled by a U-Haul trailer…I’ve had U-Haul distributors have a canary because I wanted to rent one of their trucks in order to tow a pickup, so I can’t imagine how happy they would be if they were aware someone wanted to haul something the size/weight of a tiny house. Check the truck’s towing capacity carefully…you could be liable for damages if you tow something too heavy for the vehicle. Reply
Lilly says May 15, 2016 at 8:07 pm What’s the name of the site u used for your tiny home I’m looking into pricing one for my first home Reply
Lisa says May 26, 2016 at 4:31 pm Could someone tell me what the height is from the ground to where the home is being built? I know max road is 13′ 6″ but in order for me to figure out my plans, I don’t know how many inches to deduct from my plan, ty Reply
Lilly says June 8, 2016 at 7:51 pm I’m so excited about one day having enough money to build my own tiny home! I pray that it comes out looking like what I’m imagining in my head thanks for all your help? Reply
Erika with a K says August 23, 2016 at 10:42 am I am in the process of building my tiny house with a 2-trailer design, and I ordered both my trailers from Tiny Home Builders. They were amazing to work with. Great customer service, and the trailers are beautiful! I highly recommend them. Reply
Timothy Stpierre says September 21, 2016 at 6:09 am Hi. I have an open deck single axle landscp trailer. It is. 6’6″×12. Tires are rated at 1820psi. Five lug. What can i build on it for a tiny house? . thanks. Reply
Joy Butler says January 24, 2017 at 12:40 pm I had no idea that there were so many options for trailers to carry tiny homes. I recently had been thinking about buying a tiny house that I could take to the woods for when I want to be one with nature. I want my house to be two stories because I feel uncomfortable having my head close to where I would go to the bathroom. A deck-between trailer seems like a good option for having two stories because of how low they sit near the ground. Reply
Deborah says February 16, 2017 at 8:29 am I have my own floor plans. But looking to see how much and if a builder would do just basic, like plumbing, electrical, and off grid/ on grid for me. Also like 1st & 2 nd floor. And different roof design using hydraulic jacks. If someone interested please contact me. Debby. Reply
David says April 1, 2017 at 9:01 pm come on these are rv trailers. where you dump your sewer and where you park is and has always been a concern. Not legal in most communities to have someone living in a trailer while parked at your home. Reply
Ken says May 13, 2017 at 10:33 am Where are you located Debbie? Did you find a builder? I’d be interested in talking with you about building your shell and systems. Reply
Ivy Baker says May 30, 2017 at 9:13 pm I liked that you pointed out that you should make sure that you can legally park at a place. It does seem like a good idea to make sure that you won’t get towed. It does seem like a good idea to have an oversized vehicle permit as well. Then you won’t have to worry about getting pulled over or towed for your load is too large. Reply
Victoria says July 11, 2017 at 8:04 pm Hi I’m So happy your living your dream I’m so interested how to get to be there too I’ve been thinking about this for so long I have a opportunity to buy a trailer now to get started all your input would be so appreciated thank you please email me Reply
Lisa says July 29, 2017 at 2:17 pm You state that 8’6″ is the legal limit on width for a tiny house trailer but I read elsewhere this is not so, and that fairly simple and inexpensive permitting allows trailers up to 16′ wide. This site delves into the question, which is a really good one for those who would like to build a wider TH and anticipate few travels with the house once built. Reply
Cianne says October 7, 2017 at 9:27 pm Thank you for posting such an inclusive article. It will benefit people for years to come. Reply
JOSEPH WILSON says December 24, 2017 at 7:21 pm I am trying to plan and design my own tiny home build and need to find the height of the deck-between trailers from road to top of trailer deck so that I can plan the wall and roof heights, but none of the tiny home trailers give any specs other than length/width/GVWR of axles. Can you help me with this info? Reply
Roger Middleton says January 2, 2018 at 6:00 pm I’ve been wanting to get a trailer for a tiny house that I’m working on that I want to get around. I liked that you had mentioned that it can be important to know what type of trailer will be needed and what it will be used for. We’ll have to start thinking about what type of trailer will be best for us and then we’ll have to look into getting one custom built for the house. Reply
Annemarie says January 18, 2018 at 10:36 pm Cannot thank you enough for such an informative article! You’ve definitely done your homework, providing us with the ‘not-so-fun’ reality that cute doesn’t cut it without a solid foundation! This article is now saved for future references! Reply
Steven LaBree says March 7, 2018 at 11:10 am Why would I take the time, effort, and money, as well as the difficulty to build a tiny house when I can buy a pull behind camper trailer that serves exactly the same purpose and it’s designed to be on the road and most likely for less money? Reply
Jen says August 31, 2018 at 9:15 am I want to take my 18ft car trailer an make it a tiny home has anyone done this Reply
S S DOWS says December 8, 2018 at 12:33 am I’m contemplating having a tiny house built for me. I want the house to be 40″ long not counting the hitch or a fold down deck off the back. Therefore the house only will be 40′. I also want at least 2 to 4 slides and a folding deck for the ent rance location. I know the trailer foundation must be substantial to handle all the weight even though the construction will be lightweight insulation aND aluminum and steel.. Height would be at max. Wondering if 4 axles would be better than 3 and could there be an articulating axle like in the expense motor homes. Right now I trying to get info if this is even doable. And a name of a builder that can do this work. Reply
Ann says December 18, 2018 at 7:43 pm I don’t know where to start, honestly. Any help or suggestions you can send would be so appreciated, Reply
Nancy Ramos says February 3, 2020 at 8:28 am What do you call a trailer that builds over and around the wheel wells for maximun height inside my tiny home and maximum width? Reply