QUICK FACTS:
Are Tiny Houses Legal In Tennessee: YES*
Tiny House Costs In Tennessee: $25,000 – $180,000
Tiny House Friendly Cities: Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Thorn Hill, Tracy City, Monteagle
Tiny House Builders In Tennessee
Wind River Tiny Homes Chattanooga, TN
Travis Pyke founded Wind River Tiny Homes after building and living in his own tiny house. As Tennessee tiny house builders, the Wind River team has a passion for sustainability and aesthetics. Cabinetry and woodwork are done inside the 9000 square foot shop, with customization available in a wide range of options. Choose from many different models and customize it into your dream tiny home!
Incredible Tiny Homes Newport, TN
Incredible Tiny Homes was founded in 2014 by designer Randy Jones. Randy offers original and custom tiny homes in many different sizes and designs (with charming names like “Dandelion” and “Where the Red Fern Grows.” The Tennessee tiny home builder has been featured on Tiny House Hunters and HGTV, thanks to their professional standards of craftsmanship, attention to detail, and unique designs.
Tiny House Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN
Tiny House Chattanooga won Best in Show at the 2015 Tiny House Jamboree. The designs from this Tennessee tiny house builder are innovative and creative (while still being affordable). Tiny House Chattanooga offers full builds, tiny house shells, and tiny house kits that can be adjusted and customized to any design you like.
New Frontier Design Nashville, TN
With a passion for the tiny house movement and the lifestyle philosophies which accompany it, New Frontier started as a father and son two-build project. Now it’s a company known for its high-quality crafting and designs and high spec interior design finishes. As Tennessee tiny house builders who love to give back, they teamed with Disney to house victims of the California wildfires. New Frontier Design homes are quality, ecologically friendly housing at affordable prices.
Heartland Tiny Homes Dover, TN
Heartland Tiny Homes is a member of NOAH, the gold standard for tiny home inspection and certification. They offer four standard models that can be adjusted and customized to suit any preference or need. They also sell custom tiny house trailers and fully built models (as they become available). Heartland Tiny Homes prides themselves in being a Christian faith-based Tennessee tiny home builder.
TENNESSEE TINY HOUSE BUILDER RESOURCES
Tiny House Trailer Dealers In Tennessee
Heartland Tiny Homes Dover, TN
The aforementioned Tennessee tiny house builder, Heartland Tiny Homes also builds custom tiny house trailers for your tiny house needs. Their trailers feature heavy-duty axes and extended tongues, ideal for towing tiny houses. The trailers come fully wired and custom-built per order.
Tiny House Foundations Chattanooga, TN
Tiny House Foundations offers a full range of tiny house trailers with both bumper pull and gooseneck trailers. This Tennessee tiny house trailer company can also create custom designs and meet any requirements for your tiny house trailer. They have locations in Tennessee, Texas, and Missouri (but are headquartered in Tennessee) and have been in the industry since 2017.
TENNESSEE TRAILER RESOURCES
Tiny Houses For Sale In Tennessee
Looking for Ready-Built Tiny Homes in Tennessee? Find Tiny Homes for Sale In TN
If you’re ready for the tiny life but aren’t sure about building a tiny home on your own, you have plenty of pre-built Tennessee tiny homes to check out. You’ll find listings for Tennessee tiny houses at tinyhouselistings.com, Zillow, and other realtor sites. Don’t miss tiny home options in surrounding western states too! Often tiny houses are built on wheels and can be transported right to your door. Above there are several excellent listings throughout the state of Tennessee; although these listings may frequently change, they will give you a feel for the Tennssee tiny house market.
TINY HOME BUILDERS DIRECTORY
TINY HOUSES FOR SALE IN TENNESSEE RESOURCES
Tiny Houses For Rent In Tennessee
THOW RENTALS IN TENNESSEE RESOURCES
Tiny Houses Communities In Tennessee
The Great Smoky Mountains, home of the blues, the Civil War heritage sites, Lookout Mountain…wherever you turn in Tennessee, you’ll find beautiful scenery, history, music, and culture. Explore Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Dollywood, the Johnny Cash Museum and Farm, and many more. In fact, there are over 250 public and private museums in the State of Tennessee.
If outdoor adventuring is more your thing, there’s plenty of exploring to be done in the form of hiking, whether through forests and the beautiful Smoky Mountains, plus water-based activities abound. And of course, the traditional southern food is an attraction of its own no matter where you choose to dine.
With so much to offer, it’s clear why tiny home communities are cropping up all over Tennessee. With hot summers and generally mild winters, the Tennessee climate makes the tiny house lifestyle a joy. It’s much easier to turn the backyard into an “extra room” if you can rely on the weather. Tennessee tiny house communities come into their own here. Offering shared facilities and utilities, outdoor grilling areas, fire pits, community gardens, and meeting places, as well as WiFi, these tiny home communities are often in prime locations, and the communities thrive with a wide selection of like-minded individuals and families.
Downtown Nashville offers guided walking tours to point out all the main attractions of the city: The Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Johnny Cash Museum, among them. Knoxville boasts the Tennessee Theatre, the Sunsphere Tower, Ijams Nature Center, and the Tennessee Zoo, which cares for more than 800 species of animal life. There’s plenty to occupy your time if you can bear to leave the big cities’ gorgeous shops and delightful eateries.
Tiny Town Estates in Thorn Hill, TN
Tiny Town Estates is the first tiny house community in Northeast Tennessee and is still developing. They’re selling 1 to 5 acre lots, starting at $8000 per acre. The gated TN tiny house community has 70 acres, and they’re open to different house styles, including THOWs, tiny homes on permanent foundations, yurts, and park models. Tiny Town Estates is situated close to Norris Lake and Clinch River in Thorn Hill, approximately a thirty-minute drive from Tazewell and an hour from Knoxville. They’re looking for people of all ages, and they’re animal friendly, too.
Retreat Tiny Home Communities
Retreat has three thriving tiny house communities in Tennessee: Sunset Bluff and Deer Lick Falls are in Monteagle, while Water’s Edge is in Tracy City. With everything you could hope for in a purpose-built community site, the Retreat tiny house communities welcome both short stay and extended stay visitors of all ages. There’s plenty of onsite amenities, including laundry and bathroom facilities as well as shops and entertainment.
Piney River Resort in Bon Aqua, Tennessee
Just outside of Nashville, right by the beautiful Piney River, the Piney River Resort is a tiny home community set up for the holiday lifestyle all year round. Long-term stays are welcomed with a discounted rate depending on the season and length of stay. With “extras” such as kayak hire and free WiFi, full laundry and bathroom facilities, and a fire pit are available for all guests to use. They have also partnered with the Tents for Troops program to offer a free onsite stay in an R.V. for active military and their families as a way of showing gratitude. Located just 50 miles from downtown Nashville and just a few miles from the Johnny Cash farm and museum, there’s plenty to see and do offsite too.
TINY HOUSE COMMUNITIES IN TENNESSEE RESOURCES
Tiny House Laws & Building Codes Tennessee
State-Wide Tiny House Building Codes
Some Tennessee Municipalities and Counties have chosen to opt out of the Building Codes and Zoning Regulations as laid out in the International Residential Code (IRC). You don’t need to have a building permit in those areas, although you’re still required to have Electrical and Septic Permits issued by the state or local jurisdiction. Septic tanks must be installed by a State of Tennessee licensed septic tank contractor. You’ll need a Septic Tank Completion Permit from the State Inspectors before you can receive your Electrical Permit.
Find the list of areas that need a state residential building permit HERE.
For areas that have adopted the IRC, homes must:
- Be built on a minimum of 320 sq ft of land.
- Be a minimum size of 120 sq ft.
- Have at least one habitable room which contains a closet and an openable window.
- Have a ceiling height of at least 6’8”.
- Be at least 70 sq ft. in rooms not intended for sleeping.
Kitchens and bathrooms don’t have a minimum floor space requirement, and the ceiling has a lower threshold and must be at least 6’4″ high.
If you’re planning to convert a shed into a tiny house dwelling in the state of TN, refer to the Tennessee State Law on Ready Removables. This kind of ADU is not allowed, even with a foundation. Under Tennessee law, you cannot have electricity (other than to operate tools and machinery) in a shed. You are also not allowed to sleep in a shed.
Tiny House Building Codes in Nashville, TN
Tiny houses are strictly regulated in Nashville, so be sure to refer to your local zoning codes and check with local authorities to ensure you’re following the regulations to the letter. You can find a guide to understanding Nashville Zoning codes here.
The Nashville Davidson DADU Ordinance 2014 defines a Tiny House and Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU) and only allows them behind an existing structure.
In Rutherford County, TN (Murfreesboro, just outside of Nashville), THOWs are not permitted anywhere in the county.
Tiny House Building Codes in Knoxville, TN
Knoxville, Tennessee, is tiny house friendly as long as yours complies with IRC safety codes and is built on a permanent foundation. THOWs are allowed only in RV and mobile home parks. Tiny homes must meet setback and other zoning laws and be fully functional for living, with sewer and water, electricity, a kitchen with a sink, a separate bathroom, and a sleeping area. Read Knoxville Guidelines for Tiny Houses here. (Read the PDF here)
Tiny House Building Codes in Memphis
Within city limits, THOWs are considered mobile homes and are not allowed. However, Shelby County does allow residential THOWs and tiny homes built on foundations to ICC standards, as long as the lot is at least one acre, has a septic tank or can connect to city sewage services, and isn’t located inside an existing subdivision. Find the Shelby County Regulations here.
Tiny House Building Codes in Chattanooga
To address the need for affordable housing, the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency recently implemented changes to allow for smaller lot sizes, modified setback laws, smaller houses, and ADUs. Since this is a recent development, the changes have yet to take effect, but we can expect the Chattanooga area to become tiny house friendly soon. Read the resolution here. (Read the PDF here)
Tiny House Laws In Tennessee:
Tiny House Building Codes In Tennessee:
*Disclaimer: The information provided on this website should not be taken as an expert opinion, consultation, or advisem*nt of any kind. Building codes, home building, zoning, local laws etc are complicated and ultimately your responsibility to execute legally and safely. You must do your own research, consult with and verify with all applicable authorities, local officials, regulatory bodies, code and zoning officials, and city/state/federal governments. See our full legal page for further information here: https://thetinylife.com/about-us/legal/
