Guidance for Adding a Mobile Dwelling to a Property in Portland
Determine location for mobile dwelling (Tiny House on Wheels or RV) parking pad
Considerations: property access for a mobile dwelling. Consider branches, gutters, slopes, turning radius near fences, which end of the trailer will back into place to keep the tongue accessible
Ensure that the parking pad can actually accommodate a dwelling that is 25ft long, 13ft high and roughly 12ft wide to accommodate comfortable buffer access around the 8.5ft wide dwelling
Consider surfacing. Gravel or pavement work best. Grass and/or soft soil may make placement & extraction challenging due to weight of the trailer (mobile dwellings weigh up to 10K LBS, which can cause soft ground to settle). But, aside from the placement of the dwelling, turf grass can work if blocking is properly built to support the payload. Tiny Hookups LLC typically places the dwellings right on turf, but builds robust blocking systems that disperse the load over a large surface area.
Consider privacy/site design. eg. Tall fencing or landscaping may be desired for privacy and feng shui for primary dwelling and/or for neighboring properties
Ensure that the plan meets zoning code standards (e.g. dwelling must be placed behind the front plane of primary dwelling, only one occupied mobile dwelling per property)
Consider what type and size of mobile dwelling to get
RV- less expensive. $10K used to $30K new. Lightweight, better for road usage. Not especially cute.
Tiny Houses on wheels- $50K to $150K, depending on size and quality. Heavy, more permanent. Very cute.
Consider orientation of the trailer tongue relative to the trailer’s entry location. Will you be pulling or pushing the trailer into position? Also, consider the entry and window locations relative to the site.
Investigate hook up requirements:
Sewer- where on the trailer sewer drain are located relative to the sewer cleanout.
Electric- determine what amount of power is needed for the desired THOW/RV- typically 50 amps for a THOW. Where is the electric subpanel in the THOW/RV. Take a picture of the THOW/RV outlet. Consider the length of the power cord that will be needed to plug into the 50 amp outlet.
If the dwelling requires a sewer connection, determine where sewer will run. Refer to sewer diagram for the property if it is available. If not, a sewer depth scope service should be used to determine the geometry (location and elevation) of the sewer lateral.
Determine exactly where RV cleanout will be located to accommodate mobile dwelling and still provide good feng shui and allow for dwelling placement and the eventual occupant’s navigation of the site. The most challenging placement is always the sewer.
Determine how to run the sewer, electric, and water to the RV hookup location.
Determine whether to run a dedicated water service or use an existing hose bib.
Determine how to execute the project (eg. hire contractors, DIY it)
Determine rough cost and whether there are adequate funds to complete the site development. Site development work could range from $2K-$20K.
Obtain necessary permits for new infrastructure work (electric and plumbing trade permits). This work may require a licensed electrician and plumber.
Parking pad and infrastructure site work may require an excavator
Gravel will require labor and a compactor to compact it well. Depending on the site conditions, the pad may require pressure-treated edging.
New fencing and landscaping work may occur during site development or once the mobile dwelling has been situated and established.
Place the mobile dwelling on the property. Have 3-4 people on site to assist with this process or an experienced mover. Have 4x4x8 ft posts to use as leverage for maneuvering, come-a-longs for anchoring and tugging, and heavy-duty jacks available for leveling the dwelling.
Use the THOW corners for blocking, or use jack stands on compacted surfaces.
Hook it up to water, sewer, and electricity. Installation hookup may require a plumber and electrician, depending on how the mobile dwelling electric connection and sewer connections are done.