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That's a noble idea, but you must be joking thinking you are going to be able to build a sub $1000 trailer home with basic tools. The steel for the trailer alon
by breakingcustom 8y ago
That's a noble idea, but you must be joking thinking you are going to be able to build a sub $1000 trailer home with basic tools. The steel for the trailer alone will cost $1k on top of $200 for a decent welder. Factor in lumber, nails, windows, roofing, waterproofing, etc.
What total square footage are you aiming for?
- driverdan 8y agoI've already done the rough math. It'd use a Northern Tool 5x8 trailer that costs $550 or less on sale. The $1000 price point is for a basic box to sleep in and store possessions. There would be additional plans for larger builds and more amenities for people with a larger budget. No welding necessary, only basic wood construction.
- bluGill 8y agoThat northern tools trailer is rated for 1000lbs - you won't be able to have 2 humans inside without breaking something.
- driverdan 8y agoIt's rated for 1715lbs: https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612541_200612541 https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200612541_20...
- bluGill 8y agoI stand corrected. There are many different trailer models (over the years), with slightly different specs... The point that they are too light duty for this use I think still stands.
- rthomas6 8y agoExcuse me if this is a stupid question, but why is 1000 lbs not enough? I weigh 150 lbs. My wife weighs about 130. What in the world is going to weigh 700 more pounds?
- katbyte 8y agoI’d assume 200 per person (a lot lot of people weight more) Basic possession is 25-50 a person, and if you want to have anything beyond an empty unfurnished trailer bed/batteries/activity gear/food/water is going to start to add up fast. For me I could easily add 75lb of climbing gear, 50lb of snowboarding. Basic Solar panel is 20, batter another 15 and so on.
- bluGill 8y agoThe frame and insulation adds up, as do clothing and personal items.
- irrational 8y agoWeren't they talking about living in it? The wood and hardware will weigh considerably more than 700 pounds.
- benj111 8y agoThe 1000lbs limit would be whilst moving? You aren't likely to be driving about with 2 people in the trailer.
- rootusrootus 8y agoI think it's pretty safe to say that a tiny house on a trailer rated for 1000 (or 1715) pounds is not ever moving. For comparison, the smallest, lightest travel trailers you can buy come in around 1500-2000 pounds dry. And they are not rated for full-time living. Anything more durable will quickly weigh a lot more than a 1715 pound trailer can safely handle.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- ip26 8y agoThat's not a trailer home, that's a dirtbag camper. It's a fairly mature market, and FWIW basic wood builds tend to wind up being too heavy to tow with a small car.