Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast

The type of toilet you choose to install in your tiny home will definitely affect things like your budget, your other systems, and your ability to travel. It's a question that I get from time to time, so I thought I would share this short and informational session with you. I am talking through what I chose for my tiny house, the different types of toilets that exist, how they work, and the pros and cons of each.

In This Episode:

• Water usage and flush toilets in a tiny home environment
• Waste water tanks and weight impacts
• Alternative solutions to flush and compost toilets
• Breaking down the pros and cons of commercial compost toilets
• All about bucket-style compost toilets

Links and Resources

• Tiny House Summit
• All Access Pass
• Humanure Handbook by Joseph Jenkins
• There’s No Such Thing as a Composting Toilet with Humanure Handbook Author Joe Jenkins on the Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast

Full show notes, links and resources can be found at https://www.thetinyhouse.net/toilet-types

This Week's Sponsor:
Tiny House Engage brings together tiny house hopefuls and DIYers to share plans and resources, learn from each other’s challenges and mistakes, and celebrate our successes so that we can feel less alone while we build faster, safer, smarter, cheaper homes and embrace the tiny house lifestyle. Whether you’re a tiny house dreamer who is still figuring out all the systems, plans, and everything you need to go into your tiny house, or if you’re actively building, Tiny House Engage has the resources for you. There are professional contractors in the community here to answer your questions about plumbing, electricity, and ventilation, and there’s also plenty of interaction between members. If you need some encouragement or just need to know how someone else solved a problem, you’ll get those answers in Tiny House Engage. I’m also very active in the community, answering questions and keeping an eye on things, so if you want to interact with me, this is a great way to do it. To learn more and register for Tiny House Engage, go to thetinyhouse.net/engage.

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Gerry Wolter is an inventor and entrepreneur who has revolutionized tankless hot water systems for small and tiny houses. His company, PrecisionTemp, offers innovative and American made water heating solutions for both heat and hot water. From onboard hot water for sailors to portable heaters for firefighters and tiny house tankless heaters, Gerry has done it all. Today, he's here to share his expertise on compact cutting-edge heating solutions for the tiny house movement. We’ll talk through the different models that PrecisionTemp offers and discuss why you might choose one over the other. Plus, we discuss hydronic heat and why it’s an option more people should consider. If you're planning to build a tiny home you won't want to miss this episode. So, let's dive in and learn from Gerry Wolter.

In This Episode:

• 💡 Innovation in tankless hot water systems: How Gerry revolutionized tankless hot water systems for small and tiny houses.
• 🏡 Hydronic heat for tiny houses: The advantages of hydronic heating, including comfort, energy efficiency, and noise reduction.
• 🔥 Safety considerations: The importance of electronic ignition and flame proofing for pilot lights to prevent dangerous situations.
• 🚿 Continuous hot water supply: PrecisionTemp's on-demand hot water heaters provide a continuous and stable hot water supply.
• 🌬️ Cold weather protection: PrecisionTemp's heaters have protective measures to prevent damage from cold temperatures, including additional heating elements and freeze protection settings.
• ⚒️ Proper placement and planning: The importance of properly placing water heaters in a floor plan to optimize accessibility and minimize water usage.
• 💪 PrecisionTemp's commitment to quality and service: PrecisionTemp is known for its innovative, American made products and dedication to providing excellent customer service.
• ⏳ Planning takes time: The importance of planning and designing properly to avoid additional work and complications during installation.

This Week's Sponsor:
PrecisionTemp:

We spoke with John and Fin Kernohan from the United Tiny House Association, they have a total of three PrecisionTemp On Demand hot water heaters. PrecisionTemp professionally installed all three of the Kernohan’s water heaters and now they have an on demand supply of endless hot water. These units are suitable for any tiny lifestyle and are available for propane or natural gas.

PrecisionTemp is offering $100 off any unit plus free shipping when use the coupon code THLP. So head over to precisiontemp.com and use the coupon code THLP at checkout for $100 off any unit. Thank you so much to PrecisionTemp for sponsoring our show.

Full show notes at www.thetinyhouse.net/gerry-wolter

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Laura Lynch is a certified financial planner who specializes in helping people financially execute their plans to go tiny. Laura shares her insights on the unique aspects of tiny living, including the financial considerations and the importance of creating a supportive community for the longterm. She also opens up about her own journey towards embracing the tiny lifestyle and aligning all aspects of her life to her authentic self. We'll discuss the financial questions and challenges that arise when it comes to tiny houses, such as loans, and prioritizing sweat equity. It's going to be an eye-opening conversation, so let's dive in and explore the world of Less House, More Moolah, with Laura Lynch.

In This Episode:

• 📈 Rising Costs: Laura emphasizes the need for legalizing tiny home communities to combat rising prices and build sustainable communities.
• 🏡 Building Community: Laura advocates for connecting with others, legalizing tiny home communities, and fostering relationships within a supportive network.
• 💰 Financial Decision-Making: Why you might consider testing out the desired lifestyle before committing to it.
• ⚒️ Sweat Equity: Building things yourself not only saves money, but also leads to personal growth and the acquisition of valuable skills.
• 🔄 Reassessing Life: Uncertainty can lead to reevaluating one's life and making significant changes, requiring bravery and the willingness to step outside of societal expectations.
• 🤝 Community Advocacy: Raising awareness about the challenges and obstacles faced by people pursuing alternative housing options, such as tiny living, is essential.
• 💡 Financial Security: Reducing living costs through tiny living, creating financial security within the lifestyle. 

This Week's Sponsor:
PrecisionTemp:

We spoke with John and Fin Kernohan from the United Tiny House Association, they have a total of three PrecisionTemp On Demand hot water heaters. PrecisionTemp professionally installed all three of the Kernohan’s water heaters and now they have an on demand supply of endless hot water. These units are suitable for any tiny lifestyle and are available for propane or natural gas.

PrecisionTemp is offering $100 off any unit plus free shipping when use the coupon code THLP. So head over to precisiontemp.com and use the coupon code THLP at checkout for $100 off any unit. Thank you so much to PrecisionTemp for sponsoring our show.

Visit www.thetinyhouse.net/laura-lynch for full show notes, links and resources.

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Jinkie Echols is an incredible advocate for affordable housing and the founder of Peace Wind, a successful tiny house community in Cocoa Florida. Jinkie shares her remarkable journey and the lessons she's learned along the way, from buying raw land, to getting codes and zoning changed, all the way to developing the houses and opening for business. With her experience as a builder, developer, and landlord of her own tiny house community, Jinkie has firsthand insights into the challenges and rewards of creating an affordable and diverse community. Jinkie's passion for community building and the unique perspective she brings to this male dominated field make this episode a must listen. Sit back and prepare to be inspired as we explore the world of affordable housing and tiny house communities with Jinkie Echols.

In This Episode:

• 🏡 Out of control housing costs and land development are driving affordable housing projects towards tiny houses for cost efficiency and long-term maintenance.
• 👩‍🔧 Jinkie discusses the challenges of being a woman in the builder, developer, and government entities sectors.
• 💡 Benefits of living tiny such as low electric bills, spending more time outside, and intentional decision-making.
• 👥 Building close-knit relationships, fostering organic, holistic living, and shared amenities within a tiny community.
• 💪 How Jinkie advocated for the community, through pitching ideas to county officials and leveraging local authorities' motivations.
• 🌎 The importance of diversity in housing options and income groups within a tiny house community.
• ⏰ Jinkie's dedication to finding a property, going through planning and zoning processes, and dealing with infrastructure tasks.
• 📝 As the "Queen of loopholes," Jinkie immersed herself in codes and regulations to find ways to implement plans.
• ✨ Jinkie emphasizes the importance of having passion and determination in overcoming obstacles in community development.

This Week's Sponsor:
PrecisionTemp:

We spoke with John and Fin Kernohan from the United Tiny House Association, they have a total of three PrecisionTemp On Demand hot water heaters. PrecisionTemp professionally installed all three of the Kernohan’s water heaters and now they have an on demand supply of endless hot water. These units are suitable for any tiny lifestyle and are available for propane or natural gas.

PrecisionTemp is offering $100 off any unit plus free shipping when use the coupon code THLP. So head over to precisiontemp.com and use the coupon code THLP at checkout for $100 off any unit. Thank you so much to PrecisionTemp for sponsoring our show.

http://precisiontemp.com

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This episode features special guest, Jason Gastman, the new business development manager for FOTILE America. We discuss Jason's role in bringing FOTILE appliances into the mainstream markets, making them a premier choice for appliances with premium retailers, architects, and builders. Jason has been focusing on providing high quality appliances such as hoods, ovens, and cooktops to the tiny house community and upscale compact living spaces. One of their standout products is the in-sink dishwasher, which has gained popularity in the tiny home and ADU builder markets due to its compact, ergonomic, and energy efficient design. We'll be talking about the challenges of promoting these products and how FOTILE sets itself apart from other brands in terms of quality, design, and innovative features.

In This Episode:

• 🔍 Research and Development: FOTILE’s innovative approach to appliances, focusing on solving kitchen problems and investing in unique product features.
• 🏠 Tiny Home Market: High-quality compact appliances designed specifically for small living spaces.
• 🌍 Global Success: Over 30 million families worldwide enjoying their range of appliances, including the revolutionary in-sink dishwasher.
• 📈 Brand Competition: FOTILE aims to overcome challenges in a competitive market by providing superior products.
• 💡 Unique Features: FOTILE offers innovative features not found in basic competitor models.
• 🚿 Compact Dishwashing: The in-sink dishwasher offers quick, energy-efficient wash cycles, saving space and time in compact kitchens.
• 🗽 Expanding Presence: FOTILE is expanding its presence with a focus on mainstream retailers.
• 🔬 Quality and Design: FOTILE differentiates itself through a commitment to high-quality manufacturing and design.

This Week's Sponsor:

FOLTILE:

FOTILE’s new two-in-one in-sink dishwasher is bringing convenience back into your tiny lifestyle. It's a dishwasher built into a sink and perfect for tiny house living. The efficient design saves cabinet space and fits perfectly into a standard 36 inch cabinet base, making it ideal for tiny homes. But it's not just about saving space, it is also about saving time and water with a quick twenty minute wash cycle, saving nearly 50% of the water a regular dishwasher would consume. FOTILE is offering Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast listeners a special extended five year limited warranty. Visit us.fotileglobal.com/thlp to learn more and purchase your FOTILE two-in-one in-sink dishwasher today.

Disclaimer: 5-Year warranty is exclusive for THLP listeners. To register, customer must register their product warranty on FOTILE website, and enter "thlp" as purchase channel to be eligible.

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Tracy Manchego-Baker, is the co-founder of Tiny Building Experts based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Tracy and her husband Austin have built a reputation as experienced ethical and high quality tiny home builders, with Austin leading the way by being part of almost 500 Tiny House builds since 2014. They also serve as industry consultants and subject matter experts supporting tiny home initiatives both locally and nationally for building code standards and navigating the placement of tiny homes legally. If you've heard the recent news out of Colorado regarding new Tiny House regulations, you'll be happy to know that Tracy served on the committee to help create them and she'll walk us through exactly what the new law does and doesn't do. Stay tuned to discover more insights from Tracy Manchego-Baker of Tiny Building Experts.

In This Episode:

• Challenges and Goals of the Tiny House Movement in Colorado 🏠: Initial challenges of the tiny house movement in Colorado and the goal of providing affordable housing and addressing homelessness.
• Collaboration and Cooperation are Key 🤝: The need for collaboration between local jurisdictions, the state, and builders to make progress.
• The Importance of Legalization and Certification 📝: Highlighting the significance of legalizing tiny houses and obtaining certifications to ensure compliance with codes and regulations.
• Added Costs and Changes 💰: Tracy addresses the frustrations and added costs that builders have to pass on to customers due to the new regulations.
• Land Zoning and Placement Regulations 🗺️: The role of zoning and land regulations in determining where tiny houses can be legally placed in Colorado.
• The Impact of the New Laws on Tiny House Living 📜: Implications of the new laws, including the ability to pay real property taxes and the distinction between tiny houses on wheels and other types of housing.
• Changing Attitudes in Zoning Laws 🏛️: Evolving attitude towards tiny houses in zoning laws and efforts to make zoning regulations more friendly towards tiny houses.
• Advocacy and Education 📣: Tracy emphasizes the importance of advocacy and education in the tiny house movement to promote understanding and compliance with regulations.
• Misinformation and Doing Things Correctly 🚫🚧: Tracy discusses the importance of doing things correctly to avoid negative consequences for builders and homeowners.

Find the full episode show notes, photos, and links at thetinyhouse.net/276

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Laura Kuntz is an elementary school teacher and a mother of three grown daughters. She's here to share her journey of building her own tiny house. Since high school Laura has been obsessed with the idea of living in a small home and now as an empty nester, she finally had the perfect opportunity to make her dream a reality. In this episode, Laura walks us through the steps she took to go from being a tiny house enthusiast to a proud homeowner. She shares insights about finding the right location, navigating building codes and permits in the strict state of Massachusetts, and her unique choice of building her tiny house on a foundation instead of on wheels and acting as her own contractor. Stay tuned for an inspiring conversation with Laura about turning a lifelong dream into a tangible, beautiful home.

In This Episode:

• Researching Resources 📚: Importance of finding books and online information for guidance.
• Timing and Scheduling 🗓️: Coordinating schedules and jobs between contractors.
• Delays and Patience ⏳: Experienced delays due to contractors' availability.
• Finding the Right Location 📍: The process of finding the perfect location for her tiny house.
• Navigating Building Codes 🏗️: Challenges of adhering to building codes and obtaining permits.
• Building on a Foundation 🏡: Unique choice to build the tiny house on a foundation.
• Learning During Construction 🏗️: Gained knowledge despite lacking construction experience and how a good support system makes a difference.
• Communication Challenges 📞: Difficulties in a small town with communication and finding the right people.
• Tailoring to Personal Needs ✂️: Designing and building a tiny house that is tailored to individual needs.

This week's sponsors:

FOTILE:
FOTILE’s new two in one in-sink dishwasher is bringing convenience back into your tiny lifestyle. It's a dishwasher built into a sink and perfect for tiny house living. The efficient design saves cabinet space and fits perfectly into a standard 36 inch cabinet base, making it ideal for tiny homes. But it's not just about saving space, it is also about saving time and water with a quick 20 minute wash cycle, saving nearly 50% of the water a regular dishwasher would consume. FOTILE is offering Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast listeners a special extended five year limited warranty. Visit us.fotileglobal.com/thlp to learn more and purchase your FOTILE two in one in-sink dishwasher today.

Disclaimer: 5-Year warranty is exclusive for THLP listeners. To register, customer must register their product warranty on FOTILE website, and enter "thlp" as purchase channel to be eligible

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Beau and Kelly are a full time family building a Texas homestead. They are living in a tiny house that is just over 800 square feet with five kids and we just scratched the surface of their really cool lifestyle in this interview. If you are interested in homesteading, buying raw land, or a shed to tiny house conversion, this episode is for you. Beau has so much info to share. In this conversation we dive into the start of their project, what the land was like when they first bought it, what they had to do and why they chose a shed conversion.

In This Episode:

• 🏡 Discussing housing options for Beau’s growing family
• 🏘️ The journey of finding and converting a shed to a home
• 🌱 Embracing a simpler, self-sufficient lifestyle on a homestead
• 💼 Turning their homesteading experiences into a source of income
• 💰 Exploring the costs and budgeting for a homestead project
• 🛠️ Reflecting on mistakes made and lessons learned during building
• 🌍 Encouraging listeners to pursue their dreams and passions now
• 🎥 Finding opportunities to share experiences through YouTube and podcasts
• 🔌 Dreaming of a sustainable, solar-powered future on the homestead

This week's sponsors:

PrecisionTemp:
We spoke with John and Fin Kernohan from the United Tiny House Association, they have a total of three PrecisionTemp on demand hot water heaters. PrecisionTemp professionally installed all three of the Kernohan’s water heaters and now they have an on demand supply of hot water that seems to last forever. These units are suitable for any tiny lifestyle, even if you are on the go. PrecisionTemp is offering $100 off any unit plus free shipping with the coupon code THLP at precisiontemp.com. Thank you so much to PrecisionTemp for sponsoring our show.

FOTILE:
FOTILE’s new two in one in-sink dishwasher is bringing convenience back into your tiny lifestyle. It's a dishwasher built into a sink and perfect for tiny house living. The efficient design saves cabinet space and fits perfectly into a standard 36 inch cabinet base, making it ideal for tiny homes. But it's not just about saving space, it is also about saving time and water with a quick 20 minute wash cycle, saving nearly 50% of the water a regular dishwasher would consume. FOTILE is offering Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast listeners a special extended five year limited warranty. Visit us.fotileglobal.com/thlp to learn more and purchase your FOTILE two in one in-sink dishwasher today.

Disclaimer: 5-Year warranty is exclusive for THLP listeners. To register, customer must register their product warranty on FOTILE website, and enter "thlp" as purchase channel to be eligible.

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Mallory is a tiny house dweller who lives in a stationary tiny house that she calls Mal's mushroom house. The house is beautifully renovated with a fairy tale like theme and feel to it. In this conversation, we'll learn about the history of Mal's mushroom house and the interior renovations that Mallory did to the house. We discuss the creative and inexpensive renovations she did, using things like countertop wrapping, cabinet wraps, and creating an accent wall using trim board. Plus, I get Mallory to spill her secrets about where she actually stores her stuff and the challenges of living tiny.

In This Episode:

• 🍄 Mallory's unique stationary tiny house with a fairy tale theme
• 🏠 Inexpensive interior renovations
• 📦 Creative strategies for organizing and storing belongings in limited space
• ♻️ Embracing a simpler lifestyle and being less attached to material possessions.
• 🍳 Cooking challenges in a tiny kitchen
• 📚 Adjusting to and finding fulfillment in the solitude of tiny house living
• 🏰 Fascinating history of Mal's mushroom house 
• 🗣️ Mallory's renovations, storage solutions, and the challenges and joys of tiny house living

This week's sponsors:

PrecisionTemp:
We spoke with John and Fin Kernohan from the United Tiny House Association, they have a total of three PrecisionTemp on demand hot water heaters. PrecisionTemp professionally installed all three of the Kernohan’s water heaters and now they have an on demand supply of hot water that seems to last forever. These units are suitable for any tiny lifestyle, even if you are on the go. PrecisionTemp is offering $100 off any unit plus free shipping with the coupon code THLP at precisiontemp.com. Thank you so much to PrecisionTemp for sponsoring our show.

FOTILE:
FOTILE’s new two in one in-sink dishwasher is bringing convenience back into your tiny lifestyle. It's a dishwasher built into a sink and perfect for tiny house living. The efficient design saves cabinet space and fits perfectly into a standard 36 inch cabinet base, making it ideal for tiny homes. But it's not just about saving space, it is also about saving time and water with a quick 20 minute wash cycle, saving nearly 50% of the water a regular dishwasher would consume. FOTILE is offering Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast listeners a special extended five year limited warranty. Visit us.fotileglobal.com/thlp to learn more and purchase your FOTILE two in one in-sink dishwasher today.

Disclaimer: 5-Year warranty is exclusive for THLP listeners. To register, customer must register their product warranty on FOTILE website, and enter "thlp" as purchase channel to be eligible.

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Today’s episode is with fan favorite Derek "Deek" Diedricksen. Deek has been on the show several times, but I invited him back because it is the 10th anniversary of his super fun and unique signature tiny house building workshop, called Tiny House Summer Camp. In this interview, we'll talk about Deek’s hands on approach to workshops and how he structures these events so you can get your hands on power tools and build, to really get a sense of what it's like to build a small home. It wouldn't be an interview with Deek without lots of fun stories. We talk about how he has built small homes on public land that are completely hidden from view, how to start small, and other workshops and writing projects he has on his plate. Deek is always cooking up lots of interesting things, tune into this really fun conversation.

In This Episode:

• Workshop Reflections  🎉 Celebrating 10 years of Tiny House Summer Camp workshops 
• Woodworking Tips 🪚 Start small and gain experience 
• Importance of Patience in Woodworking ⌛️ The importance of patience, taking time, and selecting the right tools
• Tiny House Summer Camp Workshop 🏡 Insight into the hands-on Tiny House Summer Camp workshop 
• Building Outside the Box: Unique Creations 🏗️ The focus on making building and construction projects stand out from others in the field
• Hands-On Learning vs. Traditional Presentations 👐  Effectiveness of hands-on learning versus traditional talk-based presentations
• Eclectic Band and New Album 🎶 The band, their upcoming album, the eclectic nature of their music, and their influences 
• Workshops and Events 🌲 Live hands on workshops in Vermont and California

This Week's Sponsor:

FOTILE:
FOTILE’s new two in one in-sink dishwasher is bringing convenience back into your tiny lifestyle. It's a dishwasher built into a sink and perfect for tiny house living. The efficient design saves cabinet space and fits perfectly into a standard 36 inch cabinet base, making it ideal for tiny homes. But it's not just about saving space, it is also about saving time and water with a quick 20 minute wash cycle, saving nearly 50% of the water a regular dishwasher would consume. FOTILE is offering Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast listeners a special extended five year limited warranty. Visit us.fotileglobal.com/thlp to learn more and purchase your FOTILE two in one in-sink dishwasher today.

Disclaimer: 5-Year warranty is exclusive for THLP listeners. To register, customer must register their product warranty on FOTILE website, and enter "thlp" as purchase channel to be eligible.

Send us Fan Mail

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Want to say 'thank you' for the show? Buy me a coffee!