Chemically-Safe Tiny Houses on Wheels

A "Tiny Houses on Wheels" gives you the ability to own a home without needing to own land. This is very empowering for those who cannot afford the often high price of land ownership. For people who are chemically or environmentally sensitive, the control over their own living space (i.e. what products or materials are brought into the home or used in its construction) is paramount to their safety, comfort and security. Houses on wheels thus make a lot of sense for those who cannot find safe housing elsewhere. In addition, the cost of renting space to park the house is significantly less than the cost of renting an apartment or studio. Over the course of a few years, tiny house owners are able to pay off the cost of the house by using the savings from rent. In addition, they now own a valuable asset (the home) worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Unfortunately, most tiny houses on wheels are constructed of materials that outgas harmful chemicals. Because companies are always trying to cut costs, they often purchase cheaper materials to gain a larger profit. For example, most tiny houses you find on the market utilize foam-based insulations, which are light-weight and cheap, yet they are extremely toxic, not only to the occupant but to the environment. I prefer to use wool for insulation, which is a genuinely non-toxic, local and sustainable product. Another product commonly used by tiny house builders is pine T&G boards on the interior walls. While beautiful, these boards are not air-tight and the chemicals from the insulation, the window flashing and plywood sheathing seep into living space. Furthermore, the boards themselves are highly aromatic and are much too odorous for most sensitive individuals to tolerate. I prefer to use MgO (Magnesium Oxide cement) boards for the interior walls, which are completely inert and create a solid barrier which filters air before it enters the living space. I also use mineral-based paints without any unknown, proprietary ingredients. These are just a few examples of the differences between a conventionally-built house on wheels and a chemically-safe house on wheels.

The downside of a chemically-safe house on wheels is that the material costs are higher. This is because the materials are often harder to find, are special ordered and/or simply of higher quality. Despite this fact, the houses I build are still competitively priced with other tiny houses on the market.