Tiny house types, explained

Start with the actual structure

Tiny house is a useful description, but it does not tell you everything about how a home is constructed or where it can be occupied. Ask the seller for the structural category, intended use and documentation. Keep those details alongside the brochure.

A home on wheels

For a tiny house on wheels, ask about the trailer, weight documentation, transport requirements, utility setup and the intended classification. Treat the question of moving it separately from the question of living in it at a particular address.

A home on a foundation

For a permanent small dwelling, ask what plans, foundation information, inspections and site work are included. A design sold online may need changes for the actual site. Establish who will prepare and take responsibility for those changes.

ADUs, manufactured homes and modular homes

An accessory dwelling unit describes a housing relationship to a primary dwelling; it does not describe one universal construction method. Manufactured and modular homes also have different approval pathways. Ask the responsible local authority how the specific proposal is classified.

Compare like with like

Create a comparison sheet with structure type, intended occupancy, site needs, included documents, delivery and installation scope. Oregon’s Building Codes Division explicitly distinguishes permanent small homes from transportable products in its guidance. That example illustrates why category matters; it is not a rule for every U.S. jurisdiction.

Use a category comparison sheet

Keep the category in every quote request. Compare models that differ in documentation or permitted use as different options, rather than assuming the cheaper one provides the same result. Give the written proposal to the authority before relying on a supplier’s general description.

Ask for the evidence behind the category

Keep the seller’s exact description alongside the supporting records. Request the manufacturer or builder identity, the product or model identifier, drawings, any certification details and the proposed installed arrangement. Ask what each document establishes and what it leaves for the destination authority. A logo on a sales page is less useful than an identifiable document that applies to the home you are purchasing.

For an ADU, ask how the proposed additional dwelling relates to the existing property and which construction pathway it uses. For a modular home, establish the factory work, the on-site completion work and who handles each review. For a product marketed as a recreational vehicle, ask the destination authority about the actual residential use you intend. Do not replace that question with whether the unit can be delivered.

A useful comparison does not rank these categories as universally better or worse. It identifies the arrangement that matches your address, budget and routine. If a quote changes category halfway through the conversation, update the comparison sheet and confirm the proposal again. The structure, legal use, delivery and site services must describe the same project.