RVIA-Certification is the Gold Standard in Quality & SafetyThere are a lot of people and companies out there building (or claming to be building) tiny homes, but very few who have gone through the certification process to become RVIA-Certified. Know the difference before choosing a builder, as it can save you a world of issues and headaches.  We've been in this industry for 8 years now, and we've seen it all. Allow us to offer some advice: Don't even consider a tiny house (on wheels) builder that is not RVIA-certified. There is an easy way to ensure that your builder is both qualified and certified to build safe and robust tiny homes, and that's with the RVIA badge of approval.
Here are a few reasons why RVIA certification sets Modern Tiny Living (and other RVIA-certified builders) apart from the rest: Compliance with Standards: RVIA certification ensures that the tiny house meets specific industry standards for safety, construction, and functionality. The certification process involves rigorous inspections and compliance with building codes and regulations. This ensures that the tiny house is built to a high standard of quality, and its components, such as electrical and plumbing systems, meet safety requirements. Access to RV Parks and Campgrounds: Many RV parks and campgrounds have specific regulations and requirements for the types of vehicles allowed on their premises. RVIA certification ensures that your tiny house on wheels meets the necessary criteria to stay in these designated areas. This opens up a wide range of accommodation options, including access to amenities such as electricity, water, and sewage hookups. Insurance and Financing Options: Insurance companies often prefer to work with RVIA-certified structures due to their compliance with industry standards. Similarly, lenders may be more willing to provide loans or financing options for certified tiny houses, as they offer a level of assurance in terms of safety and quality. Resale Value: An RVIA-certified tiny house on wheels typically holds better resale value compared to non-certified alternatives. The certification adds credibility and reassurance to potential buyers, making it easier to sell your tiny house if you decide to move on or upgrade in the future. Infrastructure and Utilities: RVIA-certified tiny houses are designed to connect to existing RV infrastructure and utilities. This means they can easily hook up to electricity, water, and sewage systems in RV parks or campgrounds. Well-Defined Standards: RVIA certification establishes a set of standards that builders must adhere to. As a result, you can have confidence in the construction and know that the house has been built according to established guidelines. While other types of tiny homes, such as those built on foundations or designed for off-grid living, have their own advantages, an RVIA-certified tiny house on wheels stands out for its mobility, compliance with standards, access to RV parks, insurance and financing options, resale value, utility connections, and adherence to well-defined construction standards. These benefits make it an attractive choice for those seeking a mobile lifestyle or the flexibility to move their home as needed. Have a Professional Build Your Tiny House to Save on Headaches...and Money! Without a doubt, the tiny house movement has its roots in the DIY-minded individual.
The goal was simple: build a budget-friendly, tiny house and live the minimalist lifestyle. Unfortunately, the results were often subpar, low quality, and outright dangerous. We've seen countless homes that have fallen apart in transit, collapsed, or worst of all, resulted in a fire. Truth told, unless you're an experienced craftsman or general contractor, using a professional tiny house builder like Modern Tiny Living should be the only option. Working with a professional tiny house builder offers several safety and design advantages compared to attempting a DIY tiny house build. Here are some reasons why it's beneficial to work with a professional:
It's a bird. It's a plane. It's actually coastal modern, modern tiny living's most recent build!4/7/2023
We'll do whatever it takes to perfectly position your Modern Tiny Living tiny home. Let it be known that Trent and the Modern Tiny Living team will do whatever it takes to get your brand new tiny home positioned exactly how you want it! In this case, Coastal Modern was to be used as an ADU deep in the back yard of this existing home in Santa Monica, California, so we did what we needed to do...we craned it on in there. Trent and the MTL team drove from Columbus, Ohio all the way to Santa Monica to deliver this home in person, and the results were spectacular. Another happy customer, ready to live the tiny house dream!  Talking tiny homes with Modern Tiny Living founder Trent HaeryIf you've ever wanted and up close and personal look at Modern Tiny Living's founder, Trent Haery, then you're in luck. Trent was recently interviewed on The Tiny House Experts Podcast, and he shares the stories, victories, trials, and tribulations of building the USA's leading tiny house company, Modern Tiny Living.
Modern Tiny Living's tour tiny home, The Moth, is taking home some hardware.Modern Tiny Living is proud to announce that The Moth Pop Up Porch, a custom creation designed and built by our team at MTL - received the BizBash award for the Best Mobile Tour/Road Show of 2022!
(Not only that, but we beat out South Park and The Price is Right for the honors!) From Aldi, Director of Production at The Moth: "We truly appreciate your partnership in building our first tiny home for the tour... and now we have even more to be proud of!" Thanks to everyone at The Moth for letting us play a part in helping you tell your story "on the road"! Do you have a business that could benefit from the buzz of tiny homes? We've built promotional tiny homes for other folks too, like Wal-Mart, Cracker Barrel, and Upwork, just to name a few. We'd love to chat with you about it - shoot us an email at [email protected] and let's go! Here's the truth about composting toilets in tiny homes. Composting Toilets 101
Composting toilets are a type of toilet that use bacteria to break down and decompose human waste into compost. They are often used in tiny homes, as they are a more environmentally-friendly and water-efficient alternative to traditional flush toilets. There are several pros to using a composting toilet in a tiny home: Saves water: Traditional flush toilets can use several precious gallons of water per flush, while composting toilets use significantly less water, or no water at all. Reduces the amount of sewage: Composting toilets reduce the amount of sewage that needs to be treated, as the compost produced by the toilet can be safely and easily disposed of on site (and even used in a garden.) Environmentally-friendly: Composting toilets reduce the amount of water pollution caused by sewage, as well as the greenhouse gases produced by the treatment of sewage. Can be used off the grid: Composting toilets can be used in areas without access to a septic system or municipal sewage treatment, making them ideal for tiny homes that are off the grid. There are also a few cons to using a composting toilet in a tiny home: Cost: Composting toilets are often more expensive to purchase and install than traditional flush toilets. Maintenance: Composting toilets require regular maintenance, such as adding composting material and turning the compost, to ensure proper decomposition. Odor: If not properly maintained, composting toilets can produce unpleasant odors. Limited capacity: Composting toilets have a limited capacity and may need to be emptied more frequently than traditional flush toilets. Overall, the pros of using a composting toilet in a tiny home, such as water and environmental savings, may outweigh the cons for some people. However, it is important to carefully consider the costs and maintenance requirements before making a decision. Our preferred brand (no ad): Nature's Head The MTL team advocated for tiny house legislation in Columbus, Ohio. Modern Tiny Living's Trent Haery and Bruce Faris were thrilled to be included on a panel hosted by the Columbus Realtors® last Friday as advocates for tiny house living and pro-tiny house legislation. From the press release on Columbus Realtors®: “One of the goals of today’s event was to shine a different light on tiny homes and their potential,” said Columbus REALTORS® President Sue Van Woerkom. “Tiny Homes can be much more than just a trendy lifestyle choice you see on TV. Building and creating new affordable living spaces is one of our top priorities.” From Modern Tiny Living Co-Founder Trent Haery: “We’re hopeful that tiny homes will become legalized at least as ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units),” said Haery. “That is what we want to see from Columbus. We are supposed to be a progressive city. If we can’t put a tiny home on wheels in our backyard, we’re not.” Modern Tiny Living is proud, not only to be one of the country's premier designers and builders of tiny homes, but to be an advocate for a legitamate alternative to our ever-growing consumer culture. We believe people should be allowed to live as they wish, and we will continue to campaign for greater acceptance of tiny homes and the tiny home movement.  Congratulations to Matthew for winning a Modern Tiny Living tiny house!Friends, if you didn't get a chance to see our post on Instagram when Matthew won his Modern Tiny Living tiny house, here it is to warm up your day. The sheer joy is infectious, and we simply cannot wait to start constructing Matthew's dream tiny home. Congraluations on winning a Modern Tiny Living tiny home, Matthew!
Thanks to ALL of you that contributed to our campaign sponsored by Omaze, as your contributions resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of donations to Path Partners in Los Angeles. Trent shared insights on tiny house constrution, zoning, and much more. Trent Haery, co-founder of Modern Tiny Living, was recently inteviewed by Bankrate.com about the tiny house industry and we are thrilled to share the story with you here!
Tiny living has certainly continued to grow in interest, popularity and reality since we opened up our doors in 2015, and we are proud to see the evolution and growth of the industry. In the the article, Trent tackles topics like zoning, parking, financing, and much more. Here is a snippet about parking, zoning, and codes: "Trent Haery, co-founder of tiny home builder Modern Tiny Living, based in Columbus, Ohio, explains that the rules for building a tiny house boil down to two types of regulations:
State and local regulations may dictate permitting requirements, restrictions on the home’s size and guidelines for construction. Plus, some states, such as California, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Oregon and Texas, are more tiny home-friendly than others. By doing this research, you’ll know what you’re allowed to build and where, and how best to go about planning the project. “The safest bet is always to work directly with the city officials and ask them, as opposed to taking a risk and hiding in your house hoping no one sees you,” Haery says." Great job to Trent for representing both Modern Tiny Living and the tiny house industry so well in this article! This beautiful tiny house is ready for finishing touches by its new owner. Howdy, Tiny House Fam! Just wanted to drop by and share this beautiful new tiny house shell we wrapped up at Modern Tiny Living for a customer in New York! This shell features a spectacular exterior modeled after the extremely popular modern farmhouse look that many luxury homes are going for these days. With Smart Siding, Wood accents, black metal roofing and black windows, it is the perfect canvas on which our customer will build the remainder of the home. Check out more photos in our gallery below! |
Archives
January 2026
|
RSS Feed
