Some people even put tiny homes on trailers so they can be hauled around by a truck or other large vehicle. This gives them the freedom to travel and come and go as they please and makes a tiny home more versatile as well.

A tiny home can then be used as a permanent residence, a vacation home, a smaller property extension of a larger home, or even as a recreational vehicle of sorts, only with more cozy and ‘homey’ amenities. 

One thing is clear: the tiny house revolution isn’t going anywhere soon, and if you are a builder or investor and wish to get part of this profitable business, it’s wise to learn how to become a tiny house builder. The laws and challenges for tiny house building vary from state to state, and once you figure out the legalities and the special training and certifications you need, you can be well on your way to creating a profitable career for yourself.

Learn why you should consider becoming a tiny house builder and what you need to do to accomplish this goal. This way, you’ll know if the time and money invested in training is worth it to you. 

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Why Should You Become a Tiny Home Builder? 

There are several reasons why you should consider being a tiny home builder. Market trends indicate that tiny houses are not just a fad and are going to continue to rise in popularity and demand, which can mean a great career for you if you get the proper training and certifications in tiny house building.

Whether you are already a contractor in another field or you want a career change and think building tiny houses is right for you, here are some factors to consider. 

High Demand 

The recent pandemic left its mark on real estate, and many people are still financially recovering from the setbacks of the pandemic. They’re also realizing that choosing more versatile housing is ideal for their lifestyles, turning to tiny homes for their lower cost, versatility, and sustainable impact on the environment.

This is great news for you if you want to become a tiny house builder, as the market demand for tiny houses is expected to increase by over 3 billion dollars between 2021 and 2026. This means lots of building for you to do and the potential for much profits. Even if there is competition in your field, the high demand for tiny houses should allow you to thrive in any economy with a house-building business. 

Quick Return

Tiny houses can be built and assembled much more quickly than traditional houses and can be built on-site to where your clients want them to be or they can be built in a factory and then shipped nearly anywhere in the nation. The rapid churn out of tiny houses (you can have stock models you build for easier and faster production or you can specialize in custom tiny house building) means you can take on more clients at a time with less labor.

This all equals a quick return and profit for your business. As a bonus, you can also outsource the building of custom tiny house trailers to boost even more sales for your business and help you stand out among the competition better. 

Career Relevancy 

It’s wise to stay involved in the growing trends in real estate and housing if you want to be a home builder. Getting invested in building tiny homes simply makes sense from a career point of view, and you can still get involved in other types of career ventures too to maintain career relevancy in the small house industry.

In addition to building tiny homes, you can build private home offices, ever-popular ‘she sheds’ or ‘man caves’, or guest homes on peoples’ properties — all using the same skills you’ll use as a tiny home builder.

Differentiation

Are there several home contractors in your area? If so, you have heavy competition around, and even if the real estate market is booming in building trends, it’s worth it to diversify your portfolio and get involved in tiny house construction so you can attract buyers interested in tiny house real estate.

The investment is minimal, the training is similar to how you would get certified to build other types of structures, and the client base (both residential and commercial) is strong, so you would be able to gather a wide client base and differentiate your brand from your competitors straightaway if you were to start building tiny houses.

How To Become A Tiny House Builder 

Now that you know why becoming a tiny house builder is important, it’s essential to know exactly how you should get into this field. It depends on several factors, which you will discover as you read on. The more prepared you are to be a tiny house builder and contractor, the sooner you can get into this venture for yourself. 

Know The Laws And Legalities For Your State

Every state has its laws and legalities regarding how to become a general contractor or tiny house builder. For example, if you live in New York, the laws to become a general contractor will differ from living in Oregon. The laws for training and certifying to be a general contractor in Alaska will differ from those in Idaho. Explore the certifications you need in your state before going into any educational program so you get the right training that will prepare you to take any licensing exam at the appropriate time. 

Financially Prepare For Your Training 

There will be some training for you to take to become a general contractor or to specialize in tiny houses, so you need to financially prepare. Most of your training will be done unpaid, although you may be able to do an internship or work as an apprentice under a licensed contractor as part of your training depending on where you live.

You may want to consider having a part-time job to cover bills while you train to be a tiny house builder, arrange to have much of your schooling done online so you can work at a regular job until training is completed, or check to see if you can get financial aid or educational loans in your state to help you cover the costs of schooling and licensing. 

Take Additional Training To Prepare For Certification 

Even after you have completed all your training to become a general contractor, you’ll still need to pass exams to become fully certified. There are courses you can take in your state to help you finalize your training so you can move forward in becoming licensed with confidence.

These courses are not your actual licensing exams but are considered more practice to help you be more prepared for your final examinations. Every state has its laws regarding state boards for licensing. 

For example, in Utah, you have to have a set number of years of experience working under someone else to become licensed as a general contractor in addition to taking a Utah Business & Law Exam. If you live in Nevada, you’ll need to pass the Nevada B-General Building Contractor License exam before you get your license.

You can take preparation courses to help you get ready for your licensing exams so you can easily get your Nevada general contractor license. The more prepared you are, the more likely you will be to pass your exams on the first try, allowing you to get started on your career in building tiny houses. 

Get Licensed And Start Marketing 

Once you have taken all the training and prep courses you need to start your career as a tiny house builder, you need to get your final licensing. Get any business insurance necessary for your field as well.

From there, you can start marketing your business to local real estate offices (so they can pass your information on to their clients) and to your community as a whole. This will help you start getting a decent clientele and build your brand. 

Maintain Your Licensing Over The Years

You’ll have to renew your business and general contractor license over the years so make sure you keep your licensing current. You can undergo your training courses whenever you wish to help you prepare for your Nevada re-examination as necessary. 

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Wrapping Up 

Becoming a tiny house builder can be a rewarding career in many ways. You can diversify your portfolio, expand your clientele and demographic, and create a profitable business that you can love for years to come. If you want to get involved in the tiny house builder industry, the right training and preparation will get you there.