• Tiny houses have become increasingly popular in Australia.
• Business Insider Australia reached out to tiny home owners to find out what it’s like to live in one.
• Among the benefits of living in a tiny house is no longer having a mortgage but a major challenge is finding a suitable place to stay.
• Visit Business Insider Australia’s homepage for more stories.

Tiny houses have grown in popularity throughout Australia and are showing no signs of slowing down.

The Australian Tiny House Association describes a tiny house as being a “moveable dwelling” of up to 50 square metres that can be used for residential purposes. They can either be on wheels or skids.

With prices ranging anywhere from $50,000 up to $120,000, tiny houses are often chosen by homeowners as a more affordable housing option.

Business Insider Australia reached out to a number of tiny house owners to find out the perks and pitfalls of living in one.

“We really had no hope of buying a house”

Jessica Rodaughan told Business Insider Australia she was inspired to live in a tiny house after seeing them on Instagram and YouTube at a time when they weren’t as popular in Australia as they were in other countries like the US and Canada.

Having been renters in Melbourne for six years, Rodaughan and her partner decided to get a tiny house, mainly because of the savings and environmental benefits it offered.

“We really had no hope of buying a house or owning a house ourselves for quite a long time,” she said.

The couple built their tiny home themselves, with their trailer being the only item supplied. It’s an off grid house that runs completely on solar panels and has capacity for rainwater collection as well as a gas bottle for cooking and hot water.

After fitting items like solar kits and appliances, their tiny house cost around $60,000.

Rodaughan explained that while she and her partner had built their tiny home in Victoria, they later moved to Queensland, which had less stringent regulations around tiny homes. The couple now live on a property and do a labour exchange with the owner. Rather than paying to stay on the property, they do gardening for the owner each week.

The couple also sought the sunshine state for work, study and its weather.

“Being in Victoria we would have had a lot more colder weather and a lot more time inside the small space,” Rodaughan said. “Whereas up here, we’re able to spend most of the year outdoors and really maximise our outdoor time.”

For Rodaughan, a major benefit of living in a tiny house is the cost savings – the couple had money saved up so they were able to do the whole process mortgage free.

“We’re over a year and a half now living in it and we have not paid rent,” she said. “So that’s been the most incredible thing,” she said. There has also been the flexibility of being able to move their entire home if they need to.

One of the biggest issues Rodaughan found when deciding to live in a tiny house, however, was finding a place to stay and the uncertainty around council regulations.

“There’s really not a whole lot of options,” she said. “If you’re [a] tiny house owner you’re really reliant on land owners to provide space for you if you don’t own land. So, there’s a lot of uncertainty that comes with that.

“In the tiny house community, you do hear really unfortunate stories about council forcing people to move on or neighbours complaining and causing houses to have to move on.”

Rodaughan’s key takeaways before getting a tiny house? Do your research and speak to others who have gone through the process before.

“It doesn’t feel claustrophobic at all”

Ziggy Smith decided to get a tiny house after she was diagnosed with degenerative spinal condition in January 2020.

“My initial thought [was], well, how the heck do I pay the mortgage?” she told Business Insider Australia. “That’s when I really thought, what are the alternatives for affordable housing if you’re unable to work?”

Smith sold her apartment and had the tiny house built in Queensland. She explained that she didn’t need council approval for her tiny house as it is in a camping ground – she just pays rent to stay there. “I was really lucky,” she explained. “The camping ground that I am on has a small secluded section which is for permanent people only. It’s called the tiny village.”

The tiny house cost $81,000 and all Smith had to put in it was her washing machine, fridge and bed. She added that it was a little bit more expensive because it has some high end finishes and two skylights.

With her own YouTube channel, Smith takes viewers through her life in a tiny house.

One of the biggest positives to come from having a tiny house? “I don’t have a mortgage anymore,” Smith said, “It’s a beautiful thing.” Other benefits are that it is easy to clean since it’s a small space and it makes you realise just how little you need in order to feel comfortable.

Smith said she got rid of around 75% of her belongings, either giving them away, gifting them or selling them. “I haven’t missed a thing. Not one thing.”

Another plus? The small size didn’t make her feel claustrophobic. “I love this space,” Smith said. “It doesn’t feel claustrophobic at all. It feels very open.”

A challenging factor for Smith when living in a tiny house is how hot and cold it can become. But with that said, she has heating and cooling appliances to address that.

When considering a tiny house, Smith highlighted the importance of researching available locations, especially if you want to live in a tiny house legally. “And really think about the floor plan you want that will suit you and discuss that with your very well researched builder.”

“There is this romanticised idea that tiny homes can be a quick fix”

The sustainability factor was a major reason Elle Paton decided to live in a tiny home. She had initially thought of getting a shipping container home but after realising it would take up more space then she needed, she opted for a tiny house instead.

Paton works with the Tiny Non-profit, an advocacy group that uses tiny houses as a way to have conversations around housing issues. The organisation partnered with Melbourne-based business Tiny House 2 Go to build a tiny house in St Kilda, which Paton lives in.

“I pay them for the use of the tiny house in the form of a rent,” she said.

It took 20 months to get approval from the Port Phillip council to place the off-grid tiny house in a city environment, with the project taking a total of three years.

For Paton, the main advantage of living in a tiny house is having more of an awareness of the space and energy used.

“You’re conscious of the amount of power you’re using, [and the] water you’re using,” she said. “You need to be organised – you need to think about functionality.”

Paton’s biggest challenge was moving in right when Melbourne had to go into lockdown. The small space also makes it harder to have gatherings with many people.

“I am aware that as much as I am going to be able to entertain in this space, to be able to entertain and cater for a large group will be more challenging,” she said.

Paton did warn that moving into a tiny house was not for everyone.

“I do think there is this romanticised idea that tiny homes can be a quick fix,” she said. “It isn’t a move for the faint hearted. It requires commitment, dedication and sitting down and analysing your life choices to make sure that it really works well for you and your lifestyle.”

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