Can I put a tiny house on a concrete slab?

Concrete slab foundations are popular options for tiny homes, because they offer so many advantages, including quick drying time, less threat of damage from gas leaks and flooding, protection from insects (including perky termites) and affordability.

jamaicacottageshop.com - Small Home Foundation Options | Tiny House Foundations

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The typical size of a tiny home is just one hundred and eighty-six square feet, which means that compact homes save their owners energy and money. Some little homes are built to be moved, but others are meant to be permanent dwellings and they need strong and stable foundations. To get the right foundation for your little house, you’ll need to consider your needs and wants, as well as some important variables, including budget, local zoning laws, home location and regional climate. Once you’ve considered the details, you’ll be ready to choose a foundation style that is a perfect match for your new tiny home. The two most popular small home foundation options are pier foundations and concrete slab foundations.

SEMI-PERMANENT FOUNDATIONS ARE AN OPTION

If you don’t wish to own a tiny home that’s on a trailer (this is the most portable option), but don’t want to commit to a fully-permanent foundation either, a semi-permanent foundation may be the most suitable choice. This “hybrid” option generally requires a pier foundation. Pier foundations allow for more house width than trailer-mounted tiny homes. For example, with a semi-permanent pier foundation, it’s possible to build a home that’s 12 feet wide on the inside, rather than 7 feet wide, which is the maximum width for a home on a trailer. Also known as a post and beam or pier and beam foundation, this type of tiny house foundation consists of concrete piers or wood posts which are placed far into the ground. These piers or posts support the building’s weight. Since pier foundations are elevated about 18 inches above the ground, they provide crawlspaces. They are also relatively simple to construct and often cost less than other forms of foundations. However, pier foundations aren’t right for regions that are prone to hurricane-force winds or earthquakes. If you live in an area where extreme weather is a fact of life, a concrete slab may be a better small home foundation option.

CONCRETE SLAB FOUNDATIONS ARE PRACTICAL AND PERMANENT

The three main categories of permanent foundations for homes are wood pilings, concrete footings and concrete slabs. Concrete slab foundations are popular options for tiny homes, because they offer so many advantages, including quick drying time, less threat of damage from gas leaks and flooding, protection from insects (including perky termites) and affordability. These fully-permanent tiny house foundations are made by digging roughly twelve inches into the ground, adding concrete to the excavated area and then creating strong reinforcement via the addition of steel bars. Concrete slab foundations are suitable for warmer climates, where ground is less prone to freezing which might trigger foundation cracks. You’ll also need to consider legal issues and this means checking out local zoning laws and regulations. When tiny homes are constructed upon foundations, they must be built in accordance with regional zoning and building rules. County and city ordinances should be read and understood before proceeding with construction of your new tiny home.

WHICH FOUNDATION IS RIGHT FOR YOUR TINY HOME?

Little homes need strong foundations. Now that you know two foundation options, one of which is semi-permanent and one of which is fully-permanent, you’ll be ready to make a wise and informed choice. The right foundation is the perfect starting point for a charming and livable small home.

By: Sally Writes

Photo Credit: Luke Stackpoole

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Where do you empty a portable toilet?

In most cases it is better to dispose of the waste to a foul sewer at sites specially designed to do this. Most permanent campsites and caravan sites usually have a chemical toilet disposal point.

gov.uk - D3 waste exemption: depositing waste from a portable sanitary convenience

Types of activity you can carry out

This includes:

a small group of Scouts camping at a remote site for a night with portable toilets, which then intends to bury the waste from the toilets

Types of activity you cannot carry out

You cannot:

deposit waste from a non-portable sanitary convenience

deposit waste by spreading or tipping it onto land

bring toilet waste in from other places to deposit on your land

bury cesspit waste

Type of waste you can deposit

The waste codes are those listed in the List of Wastes (LoW) Regulations. You need to make sure your waste fits within the relevant waste code and description.

Waste code Type of waste 200399 Waste from portable sanitary conveniences only

Amount of waste you can deposit

You can deposit up to one cubic metre of waste in any 12 month period.

Key conditions

You must not deposit waste within 10 metres of any watercourse or 50 metres of any spring, well or borehole. You can only bury waste at the place of production. This means the place where the toilet is used.

Other things you need to know

In most cases it is better to dispose of the waste to a foul sewer at sites specially designed to do this. Most permanent campsites and caravan sites usually have a chemical toilet disposal point.

Related exemptions

You can deposit waste from a railway sanitary convenience under:

Related permits

If you want to discharge sewage via a septic tank or similar treatment process, read our guidance on permits for surface water discharges and groundwater activity.

Register a D3 exemption

You need to register this exemption with us if you meet the requirements:

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