Tiny house handbook

Tiny houses, averaging less than 200 square feet per inhabitant, are a practical solution to modern urban sprawl and an attractively affordable option for young professionals and retirees alike. While information about the illegal nature of these tiny houses abounds, the reality is that tiny homes are or can be easily compliant with the International Residential Code (IRC) and many of the “solutions” widely touted for circumventing the law are themselves illegal, unsafe, or both. Effectively, the only factors making tiny houses illegal in many cases are the individuals building and living in them. This handbook serves as a practical guide aimed at making the relevant codes and guidelines governing the legality of tiny houses easy to understand for interested individuals without experience with zoning codes, building codes, or knowledge of the legal principles surrounding them.