A Firm Foundation for Tiny House Building Codes

Tomorrow I will attend the first of two meetings to make and review
proposals to Virginia’s Statewide Uniform Building Code.

A Bit of Background

The state’s building code borrows heavily from the most recent edition
of the IBC (IRC 2015), though code proposals from Virginia are often
used as precedent for introduction of future editions of the IRC.
Tomorrow’s meeting covers the first chapter, which doesn’t seem to
have anything of import to legalization of tiny houses (Scope and
Administration).

A Means to the End

One of our local administrators in the capital region’s Building
Department suggested that I “play the game an inch at a time” and
make several small proposals that could be applied to tiny houses.
Making several proposals may see incremental success, rather than
having one all-encompassing proposal shot-down for minor conflicts in
opinion.

Shared Interests for Tiny Houses

Among many that come to mind, I plan to propose changes to:

1. Minimum Square Footage (adopt IRC 2015’s reduction)
2. Minimum Ceiling Heights Below Lofts (more like ANSI)
3. Steps and Risers (this one may be a serious challenge)

One Code to Rule Them All…?

For what it’s worth, I personally support both the THOW-centric point of
view, with great appreciation for the more traditional approach
accepted for houses on “permanent foundations” (i.e. Planning
Department, Building Inspections, Certificate of Occupancy).

While many may prefer no code, use of the ANSI RV code, or the
proposed ANSI code for THOWs, it seems reasonable to propose
adoption of building codes that are meant for foundation-based homes,
though directly apply to THOWs. This may help provide greater
reasoning for accepting THOWs as Secondary, Accessory, and/or types
of allowed Dwelling Units.

Further, while I’d love to build against an simpler more applicable code
than the IRC, acceptance of THOWs as legitimate housing is probably
further down the road than tweaking codes for small foundation-based
dwelling units. In the end, the more traditional codes
should compliment THOW specific codes and support the market shift
to smaller, more affordable housing.

One Foot in Front of the Other

I believe that if we start with codes that can be applied as parallels to
THOWs, we continue to leverage the collective strength of everyone in
the Tiny House Movement. When it comes down to it, the biggest
difference between tiny house types could be a few wheels under an
otherwise “permanent foundation.”

Your collective input on what we could propose in our state (Virginia)
through the official process may help open the door for everyone.
Thanks in advance for your help.