Tiny Home Options That Outperform Pallet Shelters
As the price of housing increases nationwide, so does the rate of homelessness. These two realities have catalyzed the creation of tiny homes, which are small, emergency shelters intended to provide safe housing to those who are experiencing homelessness while they wait for more affordable housing to become available. Tiny homes have been successful in many cities, but not every tiny home is built equally. Although Pallet shelters have become a popular tiny home option, research shows better options are available.
Pallet shelters
Pallet shelters are 8x8 tiny homes that cost approximately $10,000. While they can be assembled quickly, these expensive structures have serious flaws. They have cold, sharp edges, and their thin walls are only 1.5 inches thick. Because they don’t have a closed envelope system, air gaps are visible from the interior. Their lack of insulation makes it very difficult to heat the structures in the winter and cool them in the summer, which generates significant energy costs. Pallet shelters are also assembled with 500-700 tech screws that penetrate the structural envelope, creating many leak points. As a result, occupants frequently have to cover their homes with tarps after just one season of use to mitigate leaks from rain.
The interior of the Pallet shelter is also unrefined. The structures have not been adequately tested for fire resistance, and several sites have caught fire due to the Pallet materials’ propensity to ignite when a flame is nearby. Additionally, if the shelter is not perfectly flat, its doors will catch and not open properly. Since Pallet shelters are not inspected in advance, the interior wiring requires ongoing inspections, making the structures high maintenance. Another drawback of Pallet shelters is that they have to be built on-site and deteriorate faster when relocated. Although Pallet shelters were created with the best intentions, they are ultimately not conducive to dignified permanent living space.
Better Tiny Home Options
At RPM, we let the manufacturer lead our proprietary design process. Our team collaborates with manufacturers to help develop their engineering, so we possess in-depth knowledge about modular limitations. As a result, when we take on projects where we operate as the architect and program rep, we’re able to create plans that satisfy manufacturer requirements on the first attempt. We start from the outside and go in, first assessing the site’s size and identifying the property boundaries and setbacks. Once we determine how much space we can occupy on the site and whether the area is square or rectangular, we’ll know where the manufacturer will allow us to put doors. We analyze the structural envelope of the systems we’re working on first and then develop the floor plans last. This backward approach seems counterintuitive, but it is the fastest way to build and saves clients time and money.
Newly built ModPod tiny home
Tiny homes designed by RPM’s manufacturer partner ModPod
Opting for energy-efficient tiny homes makes a substantial impact, especially for larger operations. For example, for an installation of 25 units, other manufacturers would reduce operating costs by $67,250/yr over Pallet while also preventing 100 tons of CO2 emissions. For 50 units, heating a non-pallet village would cost $25,000 per year versus $160,000 per year for a Pallet village, providing enough savings to purchase an additional 9 shelters from competing manufacturers. In a community of 50 units, opting for an RPM-approved tiny home over a Pallet shelter would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 600%.
Tiny homes being built off-site
RPM’s Philosophy
RPM Team chooses to work with our approved network of manufacturers because they provide residents with better, more dignified living spaces than Pallet shelters. They are actual buildings with excellent insulation and heating, which makes them last longer and ensures that they’re more comfortable and quieter for residents than Pallet shelters. Because these tiny homes are built off-site and are easily relocatable, they’re also more convenient. They don’t look like a tough shed, nor will they catch fire, and they’re more cost and energy efficient, which provides low-maintenance longevity. As we all continue to work together to support our unhoused neighbors, we must uphold the highest quality standards in the homes we build. To learn more about RPM’s ongoing efforts to help the homeless community, visit our portfolio.
