Wendy (45, speech therapist) and Timothy (46, location manager Wikkelhouse) have been living in their self-built Tiny House of 21 m² since 2017. The house on wheels is now in their third temporary location in Noordwijk. Wendy remembers the first years well:
‘When we started our Tiny House project, there were only a few examples of self-sufficient living in the Netherlands. At that time, we knew almost everyone in the community.’ In addition to joint visits to builders, Timothy fully immersed herself in research and Wendy focused on the location: ‘Because we did not have a fixed location when construction started, we had to take all scenarios into account. It could be a place with all amenities, but also a place without electricity or water. In the end, we only lived in places where we had to be completely self-sufficient.’
Energy
For energy, Wendy and Timothy opted for six solar panels on the roof, linked to an Easysolar System from Victron Energy. ‘This provides us with 220 volts, which is fine for us. In the winter, we sometimes need just that little bit of extra energy. We use a small generator for this, a maximum of five times a year. Without Easysolar as a converter, the power outlets would have a lower voltage. And that would have limited the choice of devices. We also considered wind energy, but that turned out to be too uncertain.’
Heating
Electric heating was not an option due to the lack of sunshine in the winter, and they did not want to burn wood. Wendy explains how they solved this: ‘Although gas is not the most popular choice, we did choose it for heating, cooking and hot water. It is efficient and comfortable. A 10-litre gas bottle lasts almost an entire summer. We use about 10-12 tanks of gas per year, which is extremely little compared to a normal household. I do have a tip: use a Hooimadam when cooking, this saves gas for products that need to simmer, such as pasta and rice.’
Water and drainage
Rainwater is collected in a 1500-litre tank, which they use for the kitchen and bathroom. The water is filtered and distributed via a 20-litre pressure vessel, so that the pump does not have to be on constantly. ‘This saves energy. Reusing shower water seemed handy, but the installation and energy costs did not outweigh the benefits.’
The drainage from the kitchen, shower and compost toilet goes to an IBA tank (Individual Waste Water Treatment). Wendy also has a handy tip here: ‘Do not place the toilet ventilation on the terrace side. We moved the ventilation to the side of our house because of unwanted odors on a beautiful summer day.’
Our experiences after 7 years
Wendy and Timothy are still happy with their choices: ‘This house gives us freedom and a minimal ecological footprint. Of course there are challenges and concessions, such as changing a gas tank at an inconvenient time, but that is part of it.’
Tips from Wendy and Timothy for tiny house builders:
- Immerse yourself in videos, blogs and programs about Tiny Houses. We completely binged “Tiny House Nation” at the time.
- Think practically: place your toilet ventilation smartly, clean solar panels, and ensure backups for water and gas.
- Tiny house living is not for everyone, but for us it is still a fantastic way of life.
Wendy and Timothy’s off-grid Tiny House is now for sale on TinyFindy. You can find their listings here:
Photocredits: Corine Zijerveld
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