The Difference Between PMRVs and Tiny Homes
Tiny “houses” come in all shapes and sizes. There are tiny houses on wheels, Park Model RVs (PMRVs) and tiny modular homes. These small structures have differences in construction and design that technically make them different types of dwellings.
What Are Designer Cottages?
The Saltbox model
Our Designer Cottages are small modular homes designed and built to be lived in year-round. These permanent dwelling solutions are designed by award-winning architect Jeffrey Dungan and his team of architects and designers.
The two tiny home models currently part of the Designer Cottages brand, the Low Country and the Saltbox, feature luxurious amenities and modern features.
The Low Country model
As small modular homes, Designer Cottages are built to IRC requirements as well as all applicable state and local building codes. This means they are built to comply with all applicable zoning and building requirements based on where the home will be permanently placed.
So what is a PMRV?
PMRV stands for Park Model Recreational Vehicle, and this type of tiny “house” is not built as or intended to be a permanent dwelling. A PMRV is technically classified as a temporary dwelling that is built on a metal frame with wheels and is 400 square feet or less.
PMRVs are currently excluded from HUD Code requirements for permanent manufactured homes as long as they are 400 square feet or less , are built on a single chassis, are designed for temporary use and are permanently towable.
Since PMRVs are excluded from HUD Code, they are often certified as complying with ANSI A-119.5-15 standards. This is a construction standard created by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association for PMRVs.
Since PMRVs are temporary residences, people often temporarily install them at camp sites as vacation homes. Permission to install a PMRV varies by campsite, but people generally prefer to install PMRVs at RV parks since they need to be hooked up to electricity, sewer and water just like RVs.
The Key Difference Between Tiny Homes and PMRVs
The Low Country model
The fact that PMRVs are intended to be temporary dwellings for vacation or seasonal use sets them apart. Since Designer Cottages are built as small modular homes, they are built to building codes that apply to permanent dwellings.
Tiny homes are not meant to be relocated and as CEO Kevin Clayton explains during an interview with Fox, they are built to be permanent, long-lasting homes for families considering a lifestyle of sustainable living and simplicity.
The Saltbox model
PMRVs can go with you to new parts of the country if you decide to explore different vacation destinations in the future, but the key thing that sets them apart is that they are not permanent living solutions like tiny homes.