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A: We’re honored you’re considering Wind River as your builder! The first step to getting into our schedule is making sure you have a place to park and having your funding in place. If you plan to finance, you’ll likely need a custom quote from us to complete your loan application. Get in touch with us for a quote. When these key items are in place, we can move forward with a build contract for the next available build spot.

A: We have various lending partners available to help fund your tiny home project. Get in touch with us to start the process and we’ll send you additional information about financing options. Everyone’s circumstances are different and we work with various funding scenarios. If you are seeking funding on your own, we’re happy to provide any additional information about our products you need to secure your own funding. If you need tips on self-funding, we can share our experiences with you.

A: The need for better financing options is an industry-wide issue. The list of lending partners continues to grow as more and more states pass tiny home friendly ordinances. We are proud to partner with banks that offer RV loans suited for tiny homes, with favorable terms and rates. We hope to offer in-house financing in the future, but for now we are happy to point our customers in the right direction for the current available options. Most of our clients piece together their financing with a mix of personal savings and loans. Ask us how we can help guide you through the process.

A: Your home is a reflection of what matters to you. Whatever your style, we have many creative ways to help your home stand out. From overall aesthetic and layout, to creating a color palette, and picking fixtures and finishes that bring it all together, we can help guide your inspirations to a cohesive design that fits your vision. The exterior photos and renderings on our website are just a few examples of how our homes can look. Rooflines, exterior siding and accents, and window plans shape the look of your tiny home in so many different ways. The interior aesthetic can also be customized with our wide selection of material and color options—from farmhouse to modern and everywhere in-between. Check out our Wind River Catalog to learn more.

A: All of our homes are built to order and it’s common for us to have a backlog of builds. Turnaround time for delivery of your home will depend on where you are in our build schedule. Construction typically lasts 8 to 12 weeks, depending on the size of the house and number of upgrades. Get in touch with us about when we can start your project.

A: Any of our models can be built with off-grid capabilities. Within the scope of the build, we install a tankless propane hot water heater. Propane tanks are ground mounted, so you can get tanks as large as you like. (For reference, a customer of ours shared that they went 42 days off a 40 gallon propane tank.) Next, see our FAQ regarding alternative toilet options. For those interested in fully off-grid utilities by means of solar energy, we can include conduit for future solar connection. Panels, batteries, and other solar components are not within our scope—we usually recommend investing in solar on your land with a ground-mounted array which frees you up from the square footage and roof pitch required for integrated solar, and also means less drilling into your roof. Furthermore, if you’re in an area with heavy snowfall, ground mounted panels can more easily be cleared off. If you’re planning on a permanent setup of your home, this is the way to go. Get in touch with us for information on our recommended solar vendor. Cost varies widely depending on the size of system, type of batteries, backup power, and various component choices. A good ballpark could be between $15,000-$30,000.

A: Yes we can. We’ve shipped homes as far north as Maine, Washington, and Minnesota, as well as the mountains of Colorado. We use closed cell spray foam insulation (which is the highest R-value for our application) on the walls, ceiling, and underbelly of the trailer. In conjunction with our Tuff Rib metal roofing, we use extra reinforcements in our framing to handle snow loads exceeding 50ppsf. We also use revolutionary ZIP System sheathing in combination with Marvin brand composite windows to create an airtight envelope for our homes. And finally, ask us about the different seasonal energy efficiency ratios (SEER) of our air conditioning systems.

A: We’re glad you asked. First, check out our Get Ready to Go Tiny tips for planning and financing. Then pick a Wind River model that best suits you and get in touch with us to see how we can custom-configure and design your home to be a perfect fit. We’re always happy to discuss any questions or concerns you have along the way. After a contract is signed and your spot in our build timeline is secured, we’ll dig into the design details. Everything will be finalized with your approval before construction on your home even begins. From there, you can sit back and relax as we build your home—we’ll send you weekly photo updates so you can see it all come together. The final step is arranging delivery, which we’ll walk you through. From there, it’s up to you to move in, make it yours, and start enjoying the freedom of tiny living.

A: Through our past experience collaborating with customers, we have learned a tremendous amount about tiny spaces and systems. The tiny homes in our portfolio show a combination of our new designs as well as select Legacy Builds to provide a wealth of examples of the quality materials and craftsmanship that go into every Wind River home. The models we now offer are the evolution of our accumulated knowledge, refined for what works best. We are not currently offering replicas of Legacy Builds, but we can still capture the look-and-feel of our signature designs with our new models. We would love the opportunity to build your Wind River tiny home.

A: Great question. ELECTRICITY: There is a 50 amp exterior plug that powers the whole house. This is an RV style plug and can connect to 50 amp service or power poles that you see at campgrounds and RV resorts. WATER IN: A pressurized water source, whether from a utility provider, well, or cistern, can provide water for the entire tiny house. The connection is standard for a potable water hose. A pressure regulator is already built into the house. WATER OUT: Our models do not come with onboard water storage tanks. Most of our clients are preparing for a more permanent setup and are plumbing into an existing septic or waste water system. We provide a PVC stub out that can be adapted to various connections. PROPANE: Propane is ideal for tiny homes, especially for powering an on-demand hot water supply. It is standard for us not to mount the propane tanks to the home. We mount a console for the regulator so that you can create a more permanent connection with larger ground-mounted tanks.

A: We recommend using a 3rd-party professional mover when moving your tiny home, especially if it’s only moved on rare occasions. The tiny homes weigh between 11,000 and 21,000 lbs and can be towed by a ¾ ton or 1 ton pickup truck. The GVWR ranges from 14,000-28,000 pounds, meaning a CDL license is required.

A: We want to help ensure your success when situating your home, so we help you think through
your overall site plan. Like your tiny home, the wheels are engineered to last a lifetime; they can be removed but they can also be left on and covered with wheel covers. In short: you don’t need to pour a slab for your tiny home to park on, it will perform well on a level gravel area. However, it does need to be leveled and supported. We recommend concrete block piers for stabilizing and leveling the home. Here is a link to our blog post on best practices for setting up your tiny home!

A: Our homes can be equipped with different kinds of toilets depending on your site plan. Our standard is a gravity-flush toilet for septic connection. We also have options for a Nature’s Head composting toilet or Cinderella incinerating toilet. So whether you’re hooking up to septic or going off-grid, we can use systems that suit your needs and comfort level.

A: Without getting overly technical, we know that some people have to dive deep in order to get answers about tiny home legality and quality standards. Wind River’s tiny homes are certified as Park Model Recreational Vehicles (RV’s) by Pacific West Associates, an accredited RV engineering firm. Our tiny homes are required to be built to codes and standards set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). These codes deal with structural integrity, fire safety, and various other precautions and quality standards. These are the same standards that the RV Industry Association (RVIA) uses (RVIA is not a separate certification, only a different certifying agent).

A: Within the previously mentioned RV building codes, Park Model RV’s are distinguished from normal RV’s in that they are oversized for traveling on public roads and/or they are meant to be hardwired into an electric grid rather than with an RV plug. Park Model RV’s are meant for long-term stays and are less likely to be moved. Some local jurisdictions only allow tiny homes with Park Model RV certifications, so it’s important to know your local ordinances.

A: Yes! Our design and engineering team is always working on new concepts. We are a team of creatives and innovators, adapting to the needs and wants of our customers. We will release more designs for both ends of the tiny home spectrum — from the ultra-minimalist, to the family of four or more. If you’re looking for something specific, feel free to get in touch.

A: Our production facility and design center are our showroom! Our homes are built-to-order at our 9,000 sq ft production facility in Chattanooga, TN. Tours can be scheduled by appointment for our current and potential clients. We showcase our portfolio of past builds on our website, and will continue to add photos as we build our new designs. You can also see more of our beautiful homes on our social media accounts. We hope to open another location in the future, so keep an eye out for us and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for updates!

A: We’ve been ramping up some exciting changes in our production offerings for tiny homes on wheels. Unfortunately, this also means we’ve taken a hiatus from Skoolie conversions. We love our Skoolie projects, but for now, we’re focusing on our new models of tiny homes on wheels.

A: We ship our tiny homes all across the country, and zoning ordinances vary too widely for us to be able to answer this clearly. However, we’re happy to offer guidance on the process. When searching for land, most of our customers find success outside of city limits. For instance, land that is zoned agricultural tends to have fewer restrictions. A realtor should be able to provide insight here. Another option is to speak with the planning commission to find out what is permissible. All of our homes are classified as Tiny Homes on Wheels (THOW) and are certified as Park Model RVs. They are built directly onto our custom trailers. For longer term parking, the wheels can be removed and stored, and the home can be set up on blocks or piers if desired. This should be helpful information when navigating your local ordinances. Check out this post on Living Legally in a Tiny Home for more helpful info.

A: At the moment, we are only building fully complete homes. This allows us to cover the certification process for you. We also include a 1-year limited warranty on the workmanship in our hand-crafted homes.

A: We have built a limited number of permanent foundation small homes in the past, but we aren’t accepting any new foundation builds at this time. Currently, we’re focusing on our new series of tiny homes on wheels. If you’re interested in having a local contractor build our Urban Micro Home for you, we have a set of plans available for purchase on our website.