If you’ve watched HGTV recently or flipped through the pages of a contemporary home design magazine, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the tiny house movement. Designed to be more sustainable, portable, and affordable than traditional homes, tiny homes are, as it says on the label, very small abodes than generally clock in at less than four hundred square feet. Utilizing custom design for maximum use of space, these dwellings are nothing like campers, although they are equally moveable. Equal to “normal” single-dwelling homes in aesthetics and function, tiny homes appeal to a huge range of people. Singles, retirees, adventurous families with kids have all embraced this minimalist way of living. And it’s happening right here in Northern Virginia.
Locally, Kristopher Angstadt of Fredericksburg’s Tiny House Building Company is just one resource for those looking to minimize and start a tiny home life in the area. From Northern Virginia Magazine: “Angstadt’s tiny houses have reached an outstanding level of popularity in the mere three years since the company was officially established, having made noteworthy appearances on FYI’s Tiny House Nation as well as Harry, Harry Connick Jr.’s talk show. Angstadt says they are on track to produce more than 150 homes this year alone. The company’s stellar reputation and successful online presence could largely be attributed to how seriously Angstadt and his team appear to take the tiny-house market in general.”
Just how tiny can your tiny house get? The popular TV show has featured homes with a footprint as tiny as 80 square feet. Usually the house runs on ultra-green utilities, with a composting toilet and greywater collection that can be used to water a garden. If you have a normal-sized plot of land, all that extra space could easily be turned into a self-sufficient household garden, or an ultra-luxe pool and spa. With so many designs out there, there really are no limits on what you can accomplish with the blank template of a tiny home.
Wondering if your future tiny house can be turned into a home? You’ll need to check with your local municipality or a real estate agent to see what the rules are for putting a residence up. From the Washington Post:“Fairfax and Loudoun counties require a property’s primary home to have 120 square feet of living area, with 70 square feet for a one-person bedroom, and must meet other provisions, such as height, of the Virginia Uniform State Building Code. Properties within homeowners’ associations may be subject to additional restrictions or requirements.”
