Frequently Asked Questions

So far, we have experienced 50mph+ crosswinds, while stationary, with no issue. This is with the roof raised, detached from our tow vehicle, and without any tie downs secured. We have not had the opportunity to test it in higher winds yet. If you are concerned about highly destructive storm winds, there are several steps you can take: First, you can use stakes and tie downs to anchor the home to the ground. There are multiple lashing points along the trailer and frame. Installing a skirt around the trailer and wheels will prevent wind from going underneath the home. If need be, you can lower the roof for the storm. This will decrease the height by 3.5 ft. Re-hitch to the tow vehicle for added weight and stability. Finally, if you have the chance to, the home can be towed to a safer location for the duration of the storm.

Also consider the home’s weight distribution. More than 70% of the weight of the home is in the bottom half, with the majority being in or directly on top of the trailer. Since it is bottom heavy, it is much less likely to be affected by wind. And yes, our homes are lightweight compared to other tiny homes, but still weigh 8-9,000 lb and can be loaded up to 14K lb with solar panels, personal belongings, water, etc.

The entire system locks into place when lifted. The gas springs have additional lock pins that engage when lifted, and the lower cabinets are a secondary safety measure. There will also be the option to position additional steel bars in the corners when parked, especially if you are expecting heavy snow loads.

All of these system components are over-engineered, meaning they are rated to withstand more weight and be used much more regularly than in this application. The actuator has a 20+ year lifespan and is designed for multiple cycles per day. The gas springs are designed for 50K-100K cycles in their lifetime. A customer would have to perform an average of 10 cycles per day, every day for 20 years in order to achieve 75K cycles! This extreme example highlights the industrial capacity of the lifting roof system and its ability to operate smoothly for years to come.

The control knob is ALWAYS disconnected from power when living inside the home. It is only plugged in when operating the roof. When the lifting/lowering process is complete, the cord is unplugged and hidden under the staircase so there is no risk of brushing the knob and activating the system accidentally.

The average R-Value for our standard tiny house is R-24. The R-values for the tiny home are as follows. Roof: R-32; Floor: R-21; Walls R-22. Average R-value for first floor: R-23. Average R-value for second floor R-27. All windows are double paned. If you want heating and cooling installed in the house, we can incorporate a mini split heat pump on the lower level with vents and fans that bring the air to the upper level. You also have the options of including a second mini-split on the upper level. In this case, both interior units would connect to the same exterior unit that is located on the tongue. The mini splits are 9000 BTU cooling and 10000 BTU heating.

We have designed several custom seals to fill the gap that exists between the roof module and lower walls. The first is on a hinge and is made of rubber and foam. When operating the lifting roof, the seal is folded back on the hinge so that it is out of the way. When the roof is in either its lifted or lowered position, the seal is pushed back into place and puts pressure against the outer wall, thus creating a water and air proof seal. Additionally, a fine netted material will be attached to both wall sections that can expand and contract when the lifting/lowering takes place. This seal prevents any bugs or particulates from entering the home.

Our standard model is rated up to 40 PSF with the inclusion of steel caps on the upper level. For heavier snow loads, we plan to build a special winterized model that will include a steeper pitched roof, additional steel beams, and thicker insulation throughout.

We can accommodate some customization requests! There will be several standard customizations available such as color choices for the exterior siding and trim, interior walls, cabinets, hardware, and floor. You will also be able to choose from several preset options such as porch style, bath/shower style, and toilet type. If your customization request is outside of our standard options, please send us a message and we will look into the feasibility and cost. For the most part, we are staying away from building fully custom homes because they are expensive for the customer and complicated for us. However, we will do everything in our power to build your dream home!

Currently, we offer a 21 ft, two-story model. Starting in 2023, we will begin to offer a range of models including longer and shorter 2-story models (think 28 ft & 14 ft), single story models, and models with first floor bedrooms. We will also begin to offer our elevator lift, wrap around decks, and other add-on kits.

We currently offer a single, standard floor plan. In the future, and especially with larger models, we will offer different floor plan options. If you want specifics on dimensions in our standard model, send us a message!

There is extensive storage built into the home! Storage locations include in the kitchen, under the stairs, inside the furniture, in the bathroom, and throughout the bedroom and office. An added benefit of having a second level is that there is so much more storage than a traditional single story tiny house! Since most tiny houses have high ceilings, the upper space goes unused because it is too tall to reach. In our tiny house, all of the interior volume is put to use which means there are plenty of compartments to store your belongings.

We are doing everything we can to make our homes pet friendly. If you need a doggie door or catwalk, just let us know and we’d be happy to include this in your design.

We will be traveling extensively with our show model tiny house this year! To view our upcoming events, visit our Events Page. We also sometimes keep the tiny house parked for extended periods in either Colton, CA (Riverside County) or Tucson, AZ. If you cannot make it to one of our events, please send us a message to schedule a private tour in Colton, Tucson, or at a short-term RV park we may be staying at. In the future, we plan to set up show rooms in both CA and AZ and eventually in other locations around the country.

We are able to sell our product at an affordable cost due to meticulous raw material sourcing and lean, scalable manufacturing. In creating a streamlined supply chain and manufacturing process, we reduced our overhead costs, and in turn, reduced the cost for you.

Our tiny homes hook up to utilities just like a standard RV. The electrical system is powered by 50-amp so you’ll need a 50-amp cord. If you are parking at an RV park with only 30-amp power or somewhere with only 20-amp power, adapters are readily available at your local RV supply store. Having less power just means you cannot use all of your appliances at the same time.

Water is plugged in with a standard garden hose, although we suggest purchasing an RV hose that is designed for drinking water, since standard garden hoses tend to leach chemicals into the water supply. Sewer connections can be hooked up with a black/gray water hose, which is standard for RV parks. If you plan to connect to residential sewer on a property, you will need to call your city to determine the necessary requirements in order to do so. You also have the option of using an off-grid toilet (composting or incinerating) to avoid the hassle of sewer hookups.

If you plan to go off grid or “boondock,” we will have various off grid packages available. Off-grid packages will range in size depending on your needs. Packages could include solar panels, batteries, inverters, fresh water tanks, gray water tanks, off-grid toilet, propane gas system, 12v appliances, and even a water recycling/regeneration system!

Water tanks can be provided upon request. Water tanks will be situated within the trailer. You will have the choice of a propane-powered tankless water heater or an electric-powered tanked water heater. The tank heater is much larger and recommended for those parking on a property permanently or those with larger models.

Yes! We are certified by a nationally recognized compliance agency called Pacific West. They certify our builds to be in compliance with the ANSI A119.5 standards for park model RVs. However, moveable tiny homes are built very close to IRC residential building codes and typically surpass the ANSI codes. Many people ask if we are “RVIA” certified. However, RVIA is an agency, not a certification. Pacific West certifies homes to the same standards that RVIA does. In order to park legally on a personal property and in many RV parks, certification is mandatory.

Financing for tiny homes is a growing industry. Right now, we are only building for cash-paying customers and those that can find outside financing via a personal loan, RV loan, or other loan through their bank. Later this year (2022), we will begin to offer partner financing through lenders that offer longer terms and lower interest rates. Sign up for our mailing list to be notified when this option becomes available!

We will be offering service for repairs and maintenance over time. If one of our team members is not available for a service call, we’ll make sure that local contractors in your area can help! If the repair is covered by warranty, the service will be at no cost. If it’s outside the warranty period, we will evaluate what’s needed and bill you directly.

Our homes come with a 10 year roof warranty and 2 year warranty on everything else. Appliances come with their own manufacturer warranty. There are also extended warranties available for purchase.

There are several companies that offer tiny house insurance such as Foremost and MAC Insurance. We recommend that you reach out to them to get a quote. If you plan to travel at all, be sure to include “trip insurance” in your quote. You can also select to insure theft of the home and theft of the items inside your home. For our first build, the approximate cost was $1,000 per year, which included coverage for travel and theft of the home.

We are excited to grow our team and get more skilled people involved with our movement! If you have an idea for a B2B partnership of some kind, want to feature Wilderwise in a press release, or want to work directly with us in any other way, please send an email to arya@wilderwise.com with more details.

Because our homes will be certified by ANSI/NFPA standards, you can find parking in many RV parks and campgrounds around the U.S. Parking on private land can be more complicated. With the recent rise of the tiny house movement, advocates have been writing new codes and local governments have been changing their laws. For help navigating the rules in your area, send us a message. For more information about living tiny legally, check out our friends' documentary on YouTube.

Finding a place to park your tiny home can be one of the most challenging aspects of going tiny. Currently, only some states/cities are tiny house friendly. Some of the most friendly states are California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Maine, North Carolina, and Florida. In some of these states (such as California), major cities are allowing tiny houses on wheels as backyard ADUs (accessory dwelling units). However, California is currently working on a bill that would allow moveable tiny homes as ADUs statewide! That being said, the laws are constantly changing in the right direction. As time goes on, we expect zoning restrictions to loosen and the places you can park will expand. Be sure to become a member of THIA (Tiny House Industry Association) to gain access to educational resources and help petition to make tiny houses legal in your area! If you are unsure if they are allowed, you can call your local zoning office and ask how moveable tiny houses can be used in your area. Many people live in their tiny houses “under the radar” meaning they don’t pull permits or inform the city of their situation. If you go this route, which we cannot recommend, make sure you have good relationships with your neighbors!

If you plan to go by the books, and want to park a tiny house on your property for the long term as a permanent dwelling unit in an area that allows it, you will need to follow the steps laid out by your city. This may include setting a concrete or gravel pad and pulling permits for building and utilities. Many cities have minimum setback requirements that can vary if you are in a fire danger area. Be sure to contact your local zoning office to ensure you are taking all the necessary steps to legally install the moveable tiny house on your property.

We’ve talked to so many people who have interest in living in tiny house communities! Right now, there are several tiny house communities around the country including those in Texas, California, Oregon, and North Carolina. Given the increased interest from both home buyers and developers, we expect there to be many more communities established in the coming years! Make sure to sign up for our newsletter and become a member of THIA to stay updated on new parking opportunities.

Tiny homes are being allowed as Accessory Dwelling Units in California and in states across the country. There are some significant benefits of moveable tiny houses over traditional foundation based ADUs. First, the upfront costs are much lower! Because tiny houses are built to different building codes and don’t require the same installation procedures, your total cost to build will be substantially less. Second, because the tiny house is not installed permanently, it is not considered part of your property and therefore does not contribute to your property tax. This means a much faster ROI if you are using it as a rental. Lastly, sometimes as a homeowner, you don’t even need to buy the tiny house outright. Instead, you can find someone who has bought a tiny house that needs a place to park it. You can rent your land and start making income right away. This is a win-win for both the land owner and tiny house owner!

Unless otherwise specified, your tiny home will be delivered fully assembled to the location of your choice. In most cases, we will work with a partner RV transport company that can tow the home from our distribution center (likely in Tucson, AZ) to your final destination. These companies typically charge $2.50-3.00 a mile. If you have the appropriately sized truck and experience, you will also have the option of picking up the home yourself. Before delivery, please make sure that the land is ready to receive the home. If you have a property that requires on-site assembly, we can offer this service at an added cost. In order for us to assemble on site, you need at least a 5 ft easement for the modules to pass through to access the backyard. To understand how this process works, check out the animation on our Features Page.

Our homes do not inherently need a concrete pad or perfectly leveled land. A good rule of thumb is that if it looks level to the eye, then our leveling jacks will be able to accommodate the slope. If the land is substantially at a slope, you may want to get some work done to the land. Additionally, some ordinances require you to install the tiny house on a gravel or concrete lot.

Our homes are designed to be used in both permanent and moveable applications! They are insulated and sturdy enough to be established on a plot of land long term, and also lightweight and durable enough to be moved when needed. Traveling with your tiny home can be done semi-frequently (similar to an RV), or only a few times per year/in its lifetime. Either way, the Wilderwise tiny home is designed to withstand harsh weather and even harsh road conditions.

Although tiny houses on wheels are built to the same safety codes as RVs, and plug into water/power/sewer in the same way, they have fundamental differences. First, our tiny houses are much better insulated than standard RVs, and are designed for 4-season use. Our standard model has an average R-Value of 24, whereas most RVs have less than R-10. Falling in line with this, our tiny houses are designed for full time living and have a “homey” feel. We use residential materials, appliances, hardware, windows, etc. so that your space truly feels like a home. Lastly, very few places will allow a traditional RV to be parked on a property to be used for full time living. So, if you plan to travel and stay at RV parks but want the option to legally park it on a property in the future, a tiny house is your best bet! Many jurisdictions are starting to allow moveable tiny houses as backyard ADUs, but they require the unit to look and feel like a home and will not allow traditional RVs.

Unlike most tiny houses that require a heavy duty truck for towing, an unloaded Wilderwise tiny house can be towed by some full size SUVs and half-ton trucks. However, if you plan to tow long distances, through elevation changes, and/or at freeway speeds with a loaded trailer, we’d recommend a larger tow vehicle, especially if you are inexperienced. Our flagship model weighs in at about 8,000 lb (dry weight). For extensive travel/towing with your tiny home, select a tow vehicle that can pull at least 20% more than the fully loaded weight of the trailer. For example, our show model weighs 9,000 lb when fully loaded and we tow it with an F-250 which is capable of towing 12K lb with a weight distribution hitch. View features.

Traveling with your Wilderwise can be safe, easy, and fun. With its smaller footprint, it can fit in most state and national park campgrounds that cap RV’s at 27 ft. Before heading out on the road, do your research on safe towing practices. Most freeways limit tow vehicles to 55 mph maximum and it is not recommended to travel in heavy wind, snow, or ice. Use discretion.