I finally navigated the city water hookup for my tiny house

I mean, everyone talks about the freedom of off-grid living, but I needed a reliable utility connection. The water department treated my application like it was for an RV, imposing extra fees and demanding a separate meter installation. It took weeks of calls and redundant paperwork just to get a basic service established. Maybe it's just me, but the entire process seems stacked against compact, efficient homes.

3 comments

3 Comments

annahunt6d ago

Wow, calling a tiny house an RV is crazy, @simoncarter's friend dealt with the same nonsense!

simoncarter7d ago

A buddy of mine went through something similar with his foundation permit. The inspectors kept insisting his small footprint required the same specs as a 2,500 sq ft house, which was totally illogical. It really does feel like the system is designed for one type of dwelling only.

cameronprice7d ago

I recall a podcast episode on sustainable building where an architect mentioned how foundation codes are based on worst-case scenarios for large homes... so they apply the same rules to everything, even if it's overkill. She cited a project where they had to use reinforced concrete for a tiny cabin that barely weighed anything. The extra materials alone added thousands to the budget, all because of rigid code interpretations. It's like the system assumes every structure is a McMansion, which just isn't realistic anymore.