Typically, tiny homes are between 120 sqft and 400 sqft in area. 

The tiny home movement is based on the philosophy of living with less space – and less stuff. 

With that small floor space, tiny homes still pack all of the necessities of a bigger home: a kitchen, bathroom with a shower or bath, a living room and a bedroom. Some include laundry machines, fireplaces, dishwashers, and other conveniences. 

Visualizing the size of a tiny home

Size of tiny homes on wheels

In Canada, tiny homes on wheels that are professionally built are 8.5’ wide, 13’ 5” tall, and come in various lengths that correspond to standard trailer lengths. The most common lengths are 20’, 22’, 24’, 26’, and 28’ with some models as short as 16’ and as long as 38’. 

The size of the tiny home on wheels is dictated by road regulations as it is intended to be pulled by a single pickup truck on Canadian highways, without requiring a permit. Depending on building materials, insulation, etc., you should expect to lose a few inches of that size on the inside of the home. 

Size of tiny homes on foundations

For tiny homes that are not built on a trailer, building codes and zoning by-laws in different areas of Canada provide different guidelines. Typically, a building code, which ensures that homes are safe and healthy to live in, will stipulate a minimum size for the home as a whole as well as elements inside it. 

A maximum size is sometimes also provided in the case of special zoning regulations that are intended for tiny homes. For example, in Ottawa, ON, you are able to add a tiny home in your backyard if it is smaller than 40% of the square footage of your existing house and takes up less than 40% of the backyard area. As a result, the size of a “tiny home” in that definition can vary considerably. 

Space saving in a tiny home

When it comes to building and owning a tiny home, space is the biggest challenge. However, most tiny home owners have consciously made the decision to downsize to the minimum amount of space they require and relish the challenge of creatively fitting their lifestyle into these dimensions. 

Tiny home builders have also found countless unique and creative ways to make every inch count. In fact, most people who visit a well-designed tiny home for the first time are surprised to see that it’s bigger than they expected!