Mobile Home/Tiny Home code rules?

E

ElectricalMaintenance

Member
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hello experts.

I am located in Ontario Canada. My dad has built his own tiny homes/trailers and has been very confused so far about what codes apply here.
He has gotten inspections and been told various things but is still confused. There doesn't seem to be a clear answer. Nonetheless the trailers have passed inspections and my parents are living in them.
There is existing code for recreational trailers (temporary residence), but nothing for a permanent residence that is also a mobile trailer (on wheels, plugs in to get power, has things like kitchen, bathroom, laundry).

Can anyone shed some light on this? He still needs to modify some things and would like to make sure everything is up to code.

Thanks!
 
ElectricalMaintenance said:
Hello experts.

I am located in Ontario Canada. My dad has built his own tiny homes/trailers and has been very confused so far about what codes apply here.
He has gotten inspections and been told various things but is still confused. There doesn't seem to be a clear answer. Nonetheless the trailers have passed inspections and my parents are living in them.
There is existing code for recreational trailers (temporary residence), but nothing for a permanent residence that is also a mobile trailer (on wheels, plugs in to get power, has things like kitchen, bathroom, laundry).

Can anyone shed some light on this? He still needs to modify some things and would like to make sure everything is up to code.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I do not know what codes are used in Canada. If you lived in the USA and your state adopts some of the International Building Codes they would use them. One of the codes are for tiny houses. This is a link to that code. https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/THPOTIRC2021P1/part-viii-electrical. Look to the left and there is a listing of the sections for that code

Thanks, Bill
 
Been seeing more of these "tiny homes" that are not "mobile" but stick built on site but with only 400sqft or less. Difficulty in getting the 210.52 compliance particularly related to kitchen and with the living room being the dining room and sometimes bedroom, bath and laundry.
Another issue with some of these that were not "planned" as a dwelling unit is energy code compliance. Can't get the "R" rating in a 2x4 wall or ceiling for these storage shed made into a dwelling unit.
Seeing people buying the "Amish" sheds because they are cheap and sort of portable and no permit to set up because of this and then try to make it a "livable" space.
 
Fred B said:
Been seeing more of these "tiny homes" that are not "mobile" but stick built on site but with only 400sqft or less. Difficulty in getting the 210.52 compliance particularly related to kitchen and with the living room being the dining room and sometimes bedroom, bath and laundry.
Another issue with some of these that were not "planned" as a dwelling unit is energy code compliance. Can't get the "R" rating in a 2x4 wall or ceiling for these storage shed made into a dwelling unit.
Seeing people buying the "Amish" sheds because they are cheap and sort of portable and no permit to set up because of this and then try to make it a "livable" space.
Click to expand...
These are definitely mobile. They are built on flatbed truck trailers and designed to be moveable.
 
I am guessing a Tiny home would be a 'park model trailer' or 'modular home' in Canada
https://www.csagroup.org/testing-ce...ent/manufactured-homes-recreational-vehicles/

Here if they are manufactured then delivered to a site they would fall under 550, 551 or 552 in the NEC depending on what category they fall under and how and where they are manufactured.
If they are site built its either a 'dwelling unit' or a 'guest suite' in the NEC and parts of 210 are pulled in.
 
Probably CEC section 70
Section 70 — Electrical requirements for factory-built
relocatable structures and non-relocatable structures
Scope
70-000 Scope
1) Rules 70-100 to 70-130 apply to relocatable structures (factory-built) towable on their own chassis,
for use without permanent foundations and having provision for connection to utilities, including
a) mobile homes; and
b) mobile commercial and industrial structures.
2) Rules 70-200 to 70-204 apply to non-relocatable structures (factory-built) for use on permanent
foundations, including
a) housing (residential); and
b) commercial and industrial structures.
3) These Rules do not apply to recreational vehicles covered by CSA Z240 RV Series.
4) This Section supplements or amends the general requirements of this Code.
Click to expand...
 
ElectricalMaintenance said:
These are definitely mobile. They are built on flatbed truck trailers and designed to be moveable.
Click to expand...
In US there are some limited requirements within the NEC NFPA70, but for the most part are regulated by HUD requirements which are FAR less restrictive then the NEC for stick built. Not sure of Canada code requirements more than presented by @tortuga but suspect there are more requirements of some sort.
 
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