Retired Woman Builds Her Own Affordable Off-Grid Tiny House - Inspired by 19th Century Vardo Wagons
This tiny house was completely self-built by a retired woman, and her inspiration came from 19th-century Romani vardo wagons. She built the home on a tight budget and spent several years collecting materials and planning the project before she began to build.
You can follow and find out more about Carol and The Dragons Nest tiny house here:
/ 290855009442846
www.the-dragons-nest.com/
Carol is an impressive woman who put a lot of work into building her own tiny home and finding a place to park it. She tracked the entire build and kept every single receipt in a book so that she knew exactly how much it cost, and so that she could show that it was built to the BC building code. Her parking spot is in a grey zone where it is neither legal, nor illegal to be there.
She lives off-grid with solar power and a generator, and she keeps livestock like goats, chickens and turkeys for milk, eggs, and meat. She has a greywater pond, and a composting toilet built using an antique chair. Just one of dozens of unique antiques and special pieces she included in her home.
We hope you enjoy meeting Carol and hearing about her experience building and living in a tiny house in Canada.
Thanks for watching!
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Website: www.exploringalternatives.ca
Facebook: / exploringalternativesblog
Instagram: / exploringalternatives
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COMMENTS
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We want our channel and comments section to be an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome to watch and contribute. For this reason, inappropriate or hateful comments will be reported and/or deleted.
Please discuss and debate respectfully, and report inappropriate or hateful comments directly to KZhead.
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CREDITS
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Music Credit: Exploring Alternatives
Editing Credit: Exploring Alternatives
Filming Credit:
Lukáš Hyrman
www.kashvideo.com/
/ kashframes
#tinyhouse #vardo #thedragonsnest
Thanks for watching! You can follow Carol and The Dragons Nest tiny house here: facebook.com/groups/290855009442846 www.the-dragons-nest.com/
Can I donate to her and help her out?
love this women she is so inspiring
@@Melicoy thank you! I have an email address that accepts e-transfers listed on my website.
You are amazing! I love that you have taken up a cause that will mean so much to others in the near future. And this home is BEAUTIFUL! I and it took strength and courage bless you in all your future plans! I'm going to buy your book to❤ @Melicoy
That is what I want to do. I have the trailer already buy no way to build it. I need materials and other thing to get it started. I only get a small amount every month so I'm not sure how I can do this. I've been living out of my jeep since around March. Its very cold out right now and keeping warm isn't easy. I do need to get a truck to pull this car hauler 20 foot trailer is a must but I cant afford it either. I did get section 8 house which I will get it on Tuesday. But I still need to find a place to live and I need to find a place to put my trailer also. An apartment won't let me drop it there. Even if they did. It would get stolen. So I'm left driving my trailer with the 2000 jeep I have. I was made to by this jeep. I wanted a truck. But my soon to be x decided he didn't want me to have a truck. I found a 2008 dodge 1500 series with a 5.7L with a hemi I asked my husband to go check it out for me and he had told me he would by my jeep back from me so I could get a truck. Well he took the truck and put only.his name on the truck. And never paid me.back for the jeep I still have and drive. It does run good but this isn't the kind of vehicle to pull around this big trailer. So I'm in a dilemma I need a truck not this jeep. And I need to get a topper on the truck so I have a place to sleep until I can get my tiny home built. 😊
No government agency should be able to take this away from her or ruin or inconvienience her in ANY way. This old woman has more guts and balls than most men I know. When you are willing to work that hard for shelter and you are forced to do so because there is no affordable housing the government be damned! Everybody just leave her be
I LOVE YOUR COMMENT!!!!
@laurierevill 🇺🇸=666👹MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH!!!!!!!.
Pretty much over all of the regulation. If you’re not in a formal neighborhood….
Authoritarian Huge Gov just cannot tax these tiny homes at the level that they want to. Just like they don’t want people to quit drinking & smoking because of the high “Sin taxes” they want everyone living in 1200 sq ft. Or larger, taxable homes.
They will especially not like her because she’s self sufficient and an inspiration for those who choose not to be oppressed. A hero!
Building a tiny house; teaching carriage driving; raising goats, horses, chickens and turkeys; keeping bees; volunteering for two different organisations...If Carol is this busy in retirement, I can't imagine how much she accomplished when she was actually 'working'! What an inspiration and a reminder that we don't have to stop adventuring as we get older.
This woman is an absolute inspiration!!!! And I love her style so much ❤
Agreed! First tiny house we've seen with the 19-century theme! Thanks so much for watching :)
Indeed! I love artists!
I do too! She is younger than I am but no way I could do what she did!
Thank you for not glossing over the logistical, emotional, and financial struggles of building tiny..Carol's inspiring story really gets us back to the roots of the tiny home movement... *Please try to include more content like this for the DIYer working to make our dream come true one paycheck at a time.
Hi I live in Maine and you can buy land and a used trailer extremely cheap
This women is amazing.!!!! Her paper trail on building her home is so neat and perfect!! You go girl!
Thank you so much! Happy you enjoyed Carol's tiny house :)
Oh, my goodness. I could listen to Carol talk for hours. Her voice is so cute, so sweet and lovely, and so is her home.🥰
The bees like her voice as well 🥹
@@danis4054 Oh, to be a bee in Carol's garden! Sounds like a line to a folk song. lol
It is for videos like this one that I first joined KZhead and why I still remain. What an amazing person she is!
Thanks so much for your comment, really happy you enjoyed this video about Carol and her self built tiny house :)
I totally agree. She is an amazing gal to be reckoned with in a beautiful way. Much admiration. 🙏♥️
Beautiful, independent, capable and incredibly resourceful woman. Her positivity is so inspirational. Her house is a work of art. 🦋
Such a lovely cozy home that exudes peace! Thank you dear lady for sharing! You have done an incredible job!
Thank you for watching!!
This is one amazing woman! To build this all by herself with having lupus, and all the other things she does, is incredible.
It’s glad to see people not give up even when things are against her. Some of the people I’m supposed to look up to have no will to survive or fight like they’ve given up a long time ago and I just can’t stand people like that. I have more hope and optimism than that.
I absolutely LOVE Carol's home, and also, her story!
She's pretty great, eh! Thanks for watching :) :)
@@ExploringAlternatives thank you! This whole experience has been beyond wonderful! I certainly never expected this response! You’ve done a truly astounding job of capturing the essence and magic of The Dragons Nest. I can’t thank you enough!
@@carolleeloodiva2071 Hi Carol, I live on the island, I'm female, and have chronic fatigue, seizures, serious lung disfunction, etc. I've been looking into tiny houses for about 15 years now and never thought I could do anything but pine for them due to the nature of my disabilities and the fact that I'm on assistance and they won't pay for me to live in a space like this - they'd rather see me homeless and off their dole. I have my application for MAID in hand and have been trying to get up the courage to file it since July when I came within 4 days of being homeless. You've given me my first spot of hope in so many years I had lost track. Thank you for the inspiration.
The whole house is beautiful but that bedroom is just beyond!
Totally agree! We were really surprised and impressed when we saw the bedroom! Thanks for watching :)
I also was a taken back at that room, a true artist
Please keep up this type of content. Carol found a good situation, and actually did it within reason. I really appreciate the tiny homes that were built by the occupants, and under a 25,00USD budget. This is a real inspiration. Something achievable for the average person.
I’m in Canada. I built the Dragons Nest for under $20,000 CDN. :) Thank you for your wonderful comment! ❤
Your home is beautiful, it has character and style. And hey! It's all yours!🙏💯🌻
$20K CAD - so it's even more affordable than you think! We're not quite on the level of pesos, but 1 of our dollars is worth 74cents for you so you're looking at a little shy of $15K USD! I agree with you about wanting more of this content - the only way most things on this channel are affordable is if you have friends or family who can help or have land, or if you will only use it to earn money. That's not very aspirational for those of us who truly need this kind of an arrangement!
I do not own the land. I have a land lease contract.
@@carolleeloodiva2071Your home & many talents are astonishing! I just watched this video out of curiosity with my jaw dropping at the beauty of the details & how meticulous & principled your plans are. What an exquisite home & life! ❤
You're an amazing lady. I surely hope they allow you to continue living there. You're not bothering anyone and you're completely self sufficient.
I hope she is able to live there too! Yet being self sufficient is exactly what the elites do not want. Hopefully she can live out her remaining life before things turn even more draconian
A beautiful house for this beautiful woman and her beautiful life!
She really did do a great job! Thanks for watching :)
@@ExploringAlternatives YOU did a wonderful job on presenting The Dragons Nest. I can’t thank you enough! ❤
I love Carol's attitude. She knew what she wanted and went for it. Bravo. 👍👍 Wishing Carol the best.Thank you Matt and Danielle for sharing Carol's story.❤
This is a beautiful house. Carol, you are an amazing, creative woman. You put your heart and soul into this home. Congratulations!
Thank you! The best part is, if/when I can’t stay on this land any longer, and I find somewhere new to bring my home to, I will still ‘come home’ to the first place in my life that truly feels like HOME! ❤❤
I am so proud of this fellow Canadian. Her house is well named as she has the strength of a dragon. I hope our provincial and federal governments smarten up and recognise tiny homes as legal. If I could I would give her a big hug. I love her animals. She is such a sweet and caring woman. I wish her all the best. If I lived in BC I would love to learn from her. Blessings to Carol and her animals.
Thank you Sara! ❤
Pretty amazing it's ridiculous that it's so hard to find a place to put your home. It's incredible place you did absolutely great job.
The reason why it's hard is that the various levels of government make it that way - they want people paying rich, greedy landlords and developers (their cronies and main campaign donors) for housing and paying municipal governments excessive development charges and taxes. There is no good reason why, in a country like Canada that is wealthy, technologically advanced, and has vast amounts of land, there should even be a housing crisis.
The people are slaves.
@@stevestruthers6180 Here, here!
@@karlwithak. Disagree. There is tons of undeveloped land suitable for building in many countries.
She seems so strong... What a sweet and beautiful woman!
Thank you! What a lovely thing to say! ❤
@@carolleeloodiva2071 I think you made so many efforts to have your own home.... And I like how you wrote everything that belongs to your tiny!!! Every single draw.... I admire you!!👏👏👏 Congrats from Argentina!!!!
It's taken years, but I believe this is the most honest and earnest build of a tiny house I have viewed. The wisdom, grit and tenacity of Carol in the midst of challenges is amazing. Her experience is as artfully shared in her storytelling as in her home. She is my mentor for this year! And, who else wants an 1800s bucket toilet! God bless your generous soul.
Thank you! You made my day!
What a special lady she is. I admire her determination.
No help, no problem. I love this lady!
WoW, What a Amazing woman to be able to do this mostly by herself!! I have land here in Arizona and my County tried to kick me off of it, but I found a Great Lawyer and he saved me from them and now I can do what I want here without their permission!!!
Carol seem like an amazing person.... Thank you @ExploringAlternatives for sharing her beautiful life, great video!
Thanks so much!! Carol is indeed a really inspiring person with some impressive building skills!
Ma'am, you inspire me. I love your wisdom, attitude, and generosity. You are a beautiful soul.
Superwoman! Being almost her age, I can appreciate the stamina (mental and physical) needed to accomplish challenging goals like these. Way to go girl!
Simply amazing woman. She does this with lupus!
I love this!! What a smart, brave, compassionate woman she is. A role model for many.
Carol is indeed a very impressive woman. I am very much like her! I used to have a farm where I raised goats, chickens and Royal Palm Turkeys. I reluctantly sold the farm so I could continue to live. It was impossible to be a "Yankee" in rural North Carolina who stood up to my neighbors. At 73, I still plan to live off grid, have a goat or two, and do as much myself as I am able.
NC is hard to live in because the laws are not for people that make 50,000 or under. Health insurance is a joke. As to housing (a roof over your head) NO rent control. My friend rent up 300 dollars in one year along!
Best wishes for your continuing journey! It is so interesting that those of us who live a life that is closest to honouring the Earth find it so difficult to do so easily due to rules and people and ignorance.
Yes! That is the very reason I left NC. After 11 years of trying, I just had to get out. Ow I’m back amongst my yankee folk, lol, spending more, but my soul is happy again!
@@BetterMe981 I went from NC to VA to OR, initially from MA! I love it out here. The only thing I miss is Cape Cod. I'm in the mountains, but only 25 miles from the Pacific. Like you, my soul is much happier, here. (not as many red necks, here!)
What a wonderful, inspiring story, Carol! Everything about your journey is just amazing. The challenges you overcame, in spite of the difficulties! A true testament to vision, willpower, creativity, patience and perseverance. The detail you paid attention to for each step is also very impressive. And what a beautiful tiny house The Dragons Nest is - it truly looks like it is from another era! The decor is beautiful and cozy. And so many other elements are just wonderful - your sleeping nook, your beehive, your animals, your beehive geer! Thank you, Carol, for sharing your experience with us and thank you Exploring Alternatives for sharing Carol's journey!
Thank YOU for your uplifting comment! You’ve made my day! Hugz!❤
I am so glad! ❤@@carolleeloodiva2071
I absolutely love your Tiny and way of LIFE. It is beautiful in every way. I will be watching it over and over for great idea's and appreciation of an artist's home.
Amazing that she did all of this. Very impressive.
Truly inspired way of life. Thanks for the tour and wonderfully edited production.
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed checking out Carol's self-built tiny house! :)
Luçaś, the amazing videographer, and Danielle and her editing team did an incredible job putting The Dragons Nest on film! I am so very grateful for their skill, talent and compassionate thoughtful and magical ways of being! ❤
Carol: I love your home and your story! What an inspiration you are! God bless from Tennessee, USA.
One of my favorites… and I’ve seen 100s of tiny houses… well done. 🥰
Amazing! What an inspiring person, and life. She ticks pretty much every box for self-actualization! One of the very best tiny home episodes I've ever seen. Thank you so much 💕💥👍🙏
Thank you for your lovely comment! You’ve made my day! ❤
Wow! She’s amazing. It’s soooo cool that she built it all herself. The inside is awesome. Even when I was ambulatory I could not have done that. My hat is off to her. I love the animals, esp the goats. 😁
I agree with other viewers - Carol is Amazing!! Such an inspiration!! I love her drive and attitude and individuality!! Thanks for sharing!
Omg this woman - amazing!
She sure is! Thanks for watching :)
It’s absolutely beautiful, carol has succeeded with gusto to build herself an amazing little home for herself and animals. The vardo style is very eclectic looking and I’m inspired by her creativity.
Love her house. She knew what she wanted and went for it
Carol you are a force! I love your spirit and your home. Inspirational! 💚
This tiny home is absolutely magical! Carol is such an inspiration to have built this beautiful tiny home all by herself. I love it!!!
I'm so glad she touched on "where to park" to many videos just talk about the tiny home setup....ive been absorbing and digesting content like this for 10 years now and I'm at a point in my life where I have the resources to take the next leap....finding the property is the hardpart....you would think in my part of the country it would be easy to live this lifestyle...but unfortunately laws govern so much about zoning and livability...
Unless youre illegal.
Can you find a place with an old house trailer and turn that into an extra large vardo? You'd have all the hook-ups, water, sewer, etc.
@@GnomeInPlaid thank you for the comment...anything with a well is 30-50% more...in my area....established home-sites are unfortunately not in my reach unless i sold my existing home...im trying to buy "unimproved" but county zoned properly... I would like to slowly improve the land until time to sell the main house....
Sorry to hear that. Where I live, the land is sold almost as unimproved, but that's changing here as well. Best of luck and I think you've got a good head on your shoulders. @@JesseePDX
Carol is an amazing woman, quite an inspiration to young and old. Lovely home she created for herself.
I wish I could visit this sweet woman and talk with her a long while. I have a feeling she would teach me many things about what really matters. Her home is lovely. Blessings to her.
Her home is gorgeous ❤
Carol is an absolute inspiration and a gem of a human. 🙏🏿
What an amazing, talented woman. We need more people like this.
THIS. This is the tiny home energy I want. This is spectacular.
This lady has touched so many people, not only for her tiny home, but her way of living and giving! The bee hive set up is a true inspiration, especially for those who can’t bend over so easily!🤣 Thank you so much for sharing her home and life with us!
Thank you Daisychain! ❤
Such a great place and build.
Big thumbs up to Carol - such a beautiful home .. what an achievement !! 👍👍 ✌
Ohhhh my God....the bedroom....the bathroom.....the sink!!!! Beautiful.... Beautiful.... beautiful ❤❤❤
Well done, Carol! I’m impressed with your creativity and your skills👏👏👏👏👏
I can so relate to this woman's experience. I, too, built my own tiny home, myself, at age 60, while dealing with an autoimmune illness, and experienced the difficulties of finding places to park the home once completed. Canada was a no-go; finally found a place in the US countryside but ended up having to sell the home due to the "illegality" of living in a small space and the cost of moving it several times. These experiences are excellent reasons to do away with the current bureaucracies in both the US and Canada that do not serve the people.
Love your home and your book on building it all is amazing
She's my favourite tiny house owner/builder so far. I love that she did everything herself, on a pension and kept a ledger of absolutely everything that went into the build. I'm impressed with her old-school bee suit too! This women is my kindred spirit (bees, horses and a tiny house in the scrub)!
Thank you!❤❤❤
Inspirational. You are so talented. I commend you for wanting to tell people it is not easy to do this because so many do mislead others by making them think a farm is easy and you can sustain yourself by selling eggs but in reality, it's revenue from a you tube channel that sustains them. ....wishing you a long and happy life there!
I wish I had the energy to create a KZhead channel to sustain me! My home is everything I hoped it would be and daily I feel utter gratitude for the drive and motivation which has driven me all of my life. My life is beautiful, and it’s a LOT of work! There is very little in life worth having that you don’t have to work hard to have. ❤❤
Very courageous building by yourself ! Bravo !
Charming...what an inspiration. ;) I pray it all continues as she wants or she is given an opportunity to purchase her own land.
At my age and with my income, I am pretty sure I will never be able to own my own land! My ultimate dream is to secure a place, on a corner of someone else’s farm, where I could live out my life. I’ve moved The Dragons Nest three times in three years. This last move, I signed a land lease contract and it expires July 2027. I’d love a more secure space here on Vancouver Island. Owning it myself would be a dream come true, but I’m a realist and know that’s a dream that I don’t have enough years left to realize.
You've done amazing things! :) Unfortunately, you do live in one of the most expensive countries and land indeed even raw land is not cheap. May God open a door for you to secure a lovely place as long as you live - you are amazing!.@@carolleeloodiva2071
Amazing job! You’re the first person that I’ve seen use the solar generator to power your home. I have an Ecoflow Delta Pro that I plan to use to run my tiny home. When I researched tiny homes, I looked into vardos, but eventually decided to go with sleeping lofts for my build. I, too, am going with renting space on a friend’s property. You’re an inspiration.
Love this build and Carol is so wonderful. Thank you very much for sharing her story and thank you Carol for inviting us in!
amazing woman and crib ! she has such good taste and Skills galore
We agree! Carol is pretty amazing! Thanks for watching :)
Beautiful hard work and what a treasure home for all who live there...her pack includes bees and goats. Inspiration on all levels.
Hi Carol ❤ you are a remarkable woman 😊 Congratulations on building a beautiful home and living sustainably 🎉
I'm amazed of her. Building her own house without any help and living alone at such age, but still surviving. Even though I'm from a different country, different race and believe, if I have the chance to meet her, I want to help her with the outdoor chores, taking care of the animals, learn from her about the knowledge of building tiny house and living alone. May she live long and be bless. "One does not need the size of a dragon to have a soul of a dragon". Stay happy and be strong!
What a lovely lady, and wonderful home
I’m so happy for you carol … it is a wonderful home. And you’re an amazing woman for being able to do it! Bravo to you❤❤❤
You go girl! Great job you did…99.9% (all) by yourself!
A superlatively impressive woman!
Amazing women love her house and her story!!!!!
That's amazing ...didn't expect the inside to look like that...I love the bed it's like a little nook...you really done good job...and you done it all yourself..good for you
She’s amazing. And an inspiration. Love the documentation.
This woman's story is inspiring on so many levels. I enjoyed her video immensely... and many I say, madam, that your home is BEAUTIFUL!! You and your livestock live a true and blessed life.
Bless her, she did an amazing job!
So charming, home & owner. Thank you for showing your nest.
What an amazing story. She is awesome👏🏽
Congratulations. Well done. With housing being the problem it is, society needs to assist and support creative housing arrangements. Your home is beautiful and you are giving all your animals a wonderful life. Bless you.
I'm so inspired by this lady. At her age to do all that is incredible. I really fear for her as she ages though (especially with Lupus) if she'll be able to continue to maintain all the work that goes into this as well as the animals. It broke my heart that some months she might not have enough to eat. Those organizations that she volunteers for needs to make sure she has everything she needs. More power to you Carol!!
Thank you! I’m resourceful, and I’m not the only person who eats a diet of porridge or rice. I am filled with gratitude that I LIKE porridge and rice, and am grateful I can always stretch my budget with those staples when I need too. I have so much more than so many, here in The Dragons Nest. I am grateful every day for what I have and don’t give much time or energy to feeling bad for what I don’t have. ❤
Thanks for the amazing video. That is exactly what I am doing when I retire. I downsized to a 700 sq ft apartment 5 years ago and will downsize to a tiny home when I retire. Thank you for showing me it can be possible.
That is awesome! All the best :)
I have The Dragons Nest because I believe that anything is possible when we are willing to take the time it takes and put in the work, be resourceful and creative. ❤
You're an inspiration. Best wishes from Mary in Ireland. 💗
Thank you so much!
My visit to Ireland was heart lifting! One day I hope to return! Thank you Mary for your kind words. ❤
unbelievably, very strong woman..... an rarely living artist,... my respect and greetings from g.o. germany
Thank you Andyko09! I won’t lie, I was seriously worried I had spent BIG money on expensive paint and might not like the finished look! Hahaha! I worried too that the wall finish (called ‘dragon skin’ texturing) was something I wouldn’t like either. I was literally leaping outside the decorating conventions used in small spaces and I was taking an artistic risk! It all flowed though, and I love it every waking minute! I’m so grateful for kismet! ❤
WOW! I am impressed she has built a beautiful home. Good job!
I like that a 8x10 rug fits. Looks very civilized for lack of a better word. ❤🎉
What an amazing woman!! So inspiring! And her tiny house is unique, delightful, and so cozy. Love it! ♥♥♥
Thanks you, I'm sure Carol will really appreciate your comment :)
I absolutely DO appreciate your comment Jemma! Thank you! ❤
@@carolleeloodiva2071 ♥♥♥ (Also...I totally LOVE the name of your tiny house! I'm a huge fan of dragons. 🐲♥)
Well my dear friends you've done it again. You've found a delightful lady with an inspiring story. Many many thanks.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for your comment :)
❤ Thank you! I’m quite overwhelmed by all the wonderful comments!
You are my hero!!!
Thanks so much for watching :)
I think I've finally figured out what my dream house looks like!! wow just wow
This old lady is a badass. Thats a good way to live.
Please publish that amazing book of your build journey. I would love to buy it.
I am working on it. :)
@@carolleeloodiva2071Hi Carol, would you ever create a channel here on KZhead about your lifestyle with your animals?
What a beautiful, creative, COZY home! I'm so impressed that she was able to do this!
What a lovely tiny home! Well done, Carol!
Hi Carol, I am so so glad we met you. You are such an exquisite soul. Your home reflects your beauty, nuance, wisdom, and truth. God bless you my new friend. 💛
Thank you SO much! ❤❤❤
My wife and I bought a 1989 38' Hyline 4 Season Trailer that needs nothing but can't live in it because we can't find anywhere to put it, in Ontario. All we need is a small plot of land or a land to rent. It's so frustrating having a "paid off home" and being forced to rent an apartment because we can't find. a 4 season trailer park or anywhere to park and live within 2 hours of Mississauga. 😢 This lovely lady is so lucky.
Thanks for watching and sorry to hear about your struggle to find land to park! You might want to chat with Bianca from The Giving Tree Family. She’s put a lot of work in with municipalities in Ontario, and has great connections to other tiny home dwellers, landowners, builders, etc. www.thegivingtreefamily.com
Wow, my ex is willing to let me build a tiny home on his property just outside of Montreal. You inspire me to build my dream home when I retire. And build my Van to travel with.
Don’t know Canadian property law but wouldn’t it be awesome to purchase some property just to be able to make small communities of tiny homes?
@@ExploringAlternatives Thank you! Maybe I will have inroads with them! It can't hurt. Right now our trailer is in winter storage so come spring we need to be able to move it somewhere
Almost everyone I know who lives in a tiny house lives ‘under the radar’. Here in BC a lot of the RV parks rent year-round to many of their clients. It’s not really legal, but legal action is complaint driven - in other words as long as there’s no complaint, no action is taken. Right up until I moved into the Dragons Nest I was very active in petitioning and lobbying the governments - federal, provincial and municipal - to allow year-round occupancy of RVs and tiny houses built to code (by commercial builders or DIY). I am no longer active in this way, because if I catch the attention by lobbying, I could stand to lose my home. I find it very offensive that governing bodies will permit someone to live in a mold filled, falling down structure with a leaky roof, because a ‘traditionally built structure’, but they won’t allow year-round occupancy of DIY Tiny Homes built to code, and RVs which are safe and comfortable. 😢
I just love this house! The tin ceilings and bedroom are amazing!
My bed nook is my favourite place in The Dragons Nest, a retreat where I can be comfortable and cozy, read, embroider, and cuddle with my two tuxedo cats, who hid through the entire filming! ❤❤
Very very moving and even more inspiring, thanks for sharing, Carol (and for being honest about that it wasn't romantic to achieve that beautiful HOME). Cheers from Ireland with the same restrictions despite a nasty housing crisis.
I have what they used to call ‘high functioning Asperger Syndrome’. I can’t lie because of this way my brain works. Building the Dragons Nest was a tremendous amount of work. It’s a lot of hard work to live off grid. If I have no power or water I have only myself to blame, and no one but me controls my utility use. I don’t have public utility payments to make, but my utilities are not ‘free’. It takes planning and organization and WORK. The rewards of it all are immeasurable. ❤
My Gawd!!! This is BREATHTAKING. 😮 That bed!!!! 🛏️ 😍😍😍