20 m² tiny house for permanent living: permission and location with pad foundation

Short answer & context

This page deliberately answers a narrowly defined planning question. It connects the specific configuration with a checklist so quotations, authority guidance and technical decisions are not mixed together.

For a 20 m² concept, the decisive question is often not the house model but the permitted use of the site. Permanent residence, holiday use, a campsite and an ancillary structure can be treated very differently in law and in utilities planning.

Check site, transport and utilities together

Access, crane/assembly space, foundation, water, drainage, power and addressability should be clarified before ordering. A mobile chassis does not automatically make a use permit-free.

Decision in 5 steps

1. Define the goal, site and scope in writing.
2. Mark missing documents and assumptions.
3. Calculate or quote at least two comparable variants.
4. Verify dynamic items such as rates, funding, tariffs or local law at the current date.
5. Document the decision, source and date.

Document this configuration clearly

The table is not a substitute for design documents. It works as a cover sheet for comparing quotations and decisions: when one parameter changes, record which costs, technical evidence, deadlines or permission questions change with it.

Current 2026 context

Permission questions are highly site-specific. Federal law provides a framework, but state building rules, the local development plan, by-laws and actual use also matter. A general web guide can identify the right documents and questions, but binding permissibility comes only from the specific process or responsible authority.

Document and quotation checklist

• Current drawing/design revision with date and version.
• Specification with clear included and excluded work.
• Quantities, quality level, products or technically equivalent requirements.
• Interfaces with plot, foundation, building services and external works.
• Price date, validity, payment schedule and variation rules.
• Open authority, funding, finance or insurance questions with owner and deadline.
• Differences between quotation, contract, selections and later change requests.

The more complex the project, the more useful an independent review by the appropriate professional becomes. Ideally that review happens before a binding signature, not only after a dispute has arisen.

Avoid common mistakes

Planning contingency is not wasted budget. It prevents each unexpected detail from immediately changing finance or schedule.

• Treating brochure price as total project cost.
• Assuming unclear work is included.
• Using outdated funding, legal or price information without checking.
• Approving changes without a revised plan and cost impact.