Big Future For Tiny Homes

Building your dream home for a tenth of the price of a standard home, whilst creating sustainable living and a much smaller environmental footprint, may sound like an impossible dream. Yet thousands of Australians are now ‘going tiny,’ building homes to their desires and lifestyle needs, and it’s becoming very big business.

Australian Tiny Homes Expo organiser, Phae Barrett said that COVID-19, lockdowns and the subsequent housing crisis had seen the interest in buying and selling of tiny homes grow by more than ten-fold.  Miss Barrett went from having just 37 possible builders in 2018, to more than 350 across Australia in 2022.

“People have re-evaluated, and spent more time working at home. They stopped to look at their lifestyles and dreams.  Living remotely, off grid, growing your own food, and living independently, are strong calling cards to the tiny home movement.

“When people first see them, they are cute and pretty.  However, it soon becomes apparent they are a practical and realistic way to design a life around what you really need, which essentially is quite basic,” she said.

The reasons for going tiny and off grid are endless. It could be to downsize and live with  less clutter, to house a relative, rent out, or extend your home and workspace. However there are lots of factors to be considered when choosing to ‘go tiny.’

“Getting used to less space is a journey. You simply can not cull your belongings and get used to it in an instant, so ongoing lifestyle choices are required.  Finding land was certainly a sticky point, however this is being solved with new platforms to help people live tiny.

“The biggest con would be the stress of red tape. With the majority of councils leaving tiny homes as undefined dwellings that fall under ‘caravan’, it can be very off-putting.  Dealing with councils and wading through zoning and building laws can be overwhelming,” she said.

The Tiny Home Expo will showcase the quintessential tiny homes on wheels which range from 5m to 9.5m long. There will also be modulars, shipping container homes, glamping domes, cabins and expandable homes on display.

Miss Barrett said the Expo would be beneficial for people wanting to research a tiny home life. “For some people it has been utterly life-changing. Others may prefer to just get a few ideas on designs to build their own, and there are people that are interested in the advocacy and movement with tiny villages, addressing homeless solutions and social issues.

“Discovering the world of tiny homes opens a long list of possibilities that can enrich your life journey altogether.”

Tiny Home Expo Brisbane North
Friday 27th May 9.00am-3.00pm
Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th May 9am-5pm
Redcliffe Showgrounds
Tickets from events.humanitix.com
www.tinyhomesexpo.com.au