Because most tiny houses are built on wheels, having a basement underneath them is impractical. Your tiny house would need to be built over a basement foundation in the earth to have a basement. While tiny houses built on top of basement foundations are uncommon, they exist.
Many modern homes feature basements useful for extra storage and water plumbing access. A basement is possible in a tiny house with a fixed foundation. They are, nevertheless, built similarly to normal dwellings.
Table of Contents
A Few Considerations Before Adding Basement To A Tiny House
Tiny dwellings are divided into two categories. One is transportable and has wheels. The other type is built on a foundation, which is immobile. Most tiny house enthusiasts like having their home on wheels since it is easy to relocate to any location.
Tiny house on wheels campers can practically camp everywhere. This is a huge deal, especially for those who are daring and adventurous. On the other hand, tiny houses on wheels have one major disadvantage: they cannot be built with a basement.
Tiny houses built on a solid foundation, on the other hand, will allow you to build a basement, albeit at the cost of immobility.
What Are The Benefits Of Adding A Basement?
A basement is a large open space below the main house line, usually with concrete walls. They are created by digging foundations deeper than is normally required and then pouring additional concrete to create the basement-level walls and floor.
Above this, steel or timber is put to support the main floor. Basements are great for storing all of your accumulated home stuff, and they can also be a fun living space.
Basements might be a good area to keep your water plumbing access points for maintenance purposes. Similarly, placing loud home appliances can be preferable to keeping them in your kitchen.
As a tiny house resident, you understand that every nook and cranny has a purpose. You’ve figured out how to use objects that have several uses. You’ve also put in bespoke furniture that’s easy to store. In your tiny dwelling, you now appreciate how valuable space is.
In conclusion, basements are a handy and practical location for clearing clutter from the main house. As a result, they would be extremely handy in a little house with a permanent base. A tiny house on a trailer, on the other hand, does not have a permanent foundation and hence cannot have a basement.
A tiny house park that includes extra storage as part of the land you rent is the closest thing to this. While this is uncommon, it is useful to have.
What Are The Drawbacks Of Adding Basement To A Tiny House?
While the benefits of basements have been discussed in this post, there are also some disadvantages. Basement defects include: A crawl space or ordinary foundation is significantly more expensive. While the extra space is beneficial, you must assess if the additional five figures you would almost likely pay for a basement are worth it.
When it comes to basement construction, precision is key. It must be well-built and have the same footprint as your house to prevent heat loss and keep rats and creatures out. Because your basement is underground, it will be wetter and colder than the rest of your home.
In other words, if your basement is cold and damp, you’ll be breathing it in within your tiny house.
Only A planned Basement Works Better For A Tiny House
You’ll need to think about how you’ll get into the basement of your compact house. A floor trap is useful in your compact house, but it will take up important areas that you should not be able to put furniture over.
As a result, external access is preferable, but it will be more expensive to build, and it will provide potential burglars with an unobservable entry point to your basement. Soil that absorbs much water expands, placing pressure on your basement walls.
This can lead to fissures in the soil, leading to water infiltration. As a result, such fissures must be checked and patched in as soon as they are discovered, adding to the maintenance burden.
Building A Basement Even In A Tiny House Requires a High Budget
Compared to large residential dwellings, little houses are cheaper. They also consume fewer resources, which saves you money on your bills. Tiny houses that are off the grid can save much more.
A basement is still a cellar, even if you build it with low-cost materials. It’s possible that building it will cost the same amount of money. Installation of utilities and other possible services may increase the price.
Conclusion
A crawl space is created by raising your tiny house off the ground and partially exposing the foundation, leaving only enough space beneath the house to crawl around. This is a far less expensive alternative to having a basement while still providing some of the advantages.
This basement can then be used for house water tanks, HVAC unit storage, and various storage shelves and units, freeing up much space in your tiny house.
