On-grid or off-grid version of the house?

November 06, 2024

Our customers are often in doubt about which version of the house will best suit their needs. The choice of an on-grid or off-grid version of a house or a mixed version depends mainly on access to utilities on the plot, individual preferences and future plans.

Sometimes it is difficult to predict which components and systems will ensure the long-term comfort of the home and its use.

If you are not sure which equipment package for your mobile home to opt for, this article will explain the most important aspects involved in choosing an on- or off-grid version.

REDUKT tiny house on wheels, on-grid house, off-grid package, off-grid living, house equipment — Photo: REDUKT

An on-grid house versus an off-grid house - the differences

An off-grid house, by being equipped with the systems and appliances included in the Off-grid Package, can function autonomously without being permanently connected to utilities. An on-grid house, on the other hand, requires the connection of utilities: electricity, water, and optionally gas and sewerage. Why optional? Because you have the option of partially equipping the house with appliances included in the off-grid package, such as the lightweight separation toilet recommended for trailer houses.

How do we make off-grid houses independent of connection to the power, water or sewerage networks?

REDUKT tiny house on wheels, off-grid package, off-grid living, house equipment — Systems installed in an off-grid mobile house. Photo: REDUKT

Electricity

An off-grid house produces energy through roof-mounted photovoltaic panels and stores it in a battery that powers the house's installations. When planning to equip a house on wheels with an electricity production and storage system, whether off-grid or mixed version, it is important to consider the number of appliances that will consume the energy produced by the photovoltaic panels. Typically, these include a basic set of outdoor and indoor lighting, a refrigerator, indoor sockets, appliances connected to the grid by the user (charger, laptop, etc.) and the antifreeze water system.

Not in all cases will the energy from the solar system be sufficient to provide power to all appliances at the same time - it is therefore necessary to estimate power consumption according to individual demand before deciding to use this source of electricity exclusively. An induction hob, additional household appliances such as an oven or dishwasher, an air conditioner or a water heater alone require too much energy for the capabilities of a standard photovoltaic package.

It is also important to consider the conditions on the chosen plot of land - mainly its sun exposure, the positioning orientation of the house and, consequently, of the photovoltaic panels (south/north, east/west) and whether there are other factors limiting the amount of sunlight, such as shade from trees or climatic factors such as prolonged snowfall. These limit the efficiency of photovoltaic panels.

Water

If it is not possible to connect the house to mains water (ON-GRID) or our own well, which will provide us with good quality water or water that has been adequately treated through an individual water treatment plant, we are left with off-grid solutions.

A water tank is located in the technical room (REDUKT houses are equipped with a 400l tank as standard) and regularly filled with transported water through an external inlet.

Gas

Outdoor propane butane gas storage units provide an additional source of energy in situations where there is no electricity on the plot and the off-grid package will not power all appliances due to its efficiency. Connecting the house installation to the bottle allows the use of a gas cooker and gas water heater.

Heating

For heating REDUKT mobile houses, we recommend the following heat sources, which can be used in both on-grid and off-grid houses respectively:

air-conditioning with heating function for on-grid houses only due to the high electricity consumption,
IR underfloor heating for both types of houses,
wood-burning cooker or pellet cooker for both types of houses, ,
wall-mounted electric heaters for on-grid houses or gas heaters for off-grid versions.

REDUKT tiny house on wheels, off-grid package, off-grid living, heating — Heating options recommended for mobile houses on wheels. Photo: REDUKT

Comparison: on-grid vs. off-grid

The table below shows a comparison of on-grid and off-grid mobile home utilities and appliances. A mixed option is also available as we wrote, which is a selection of individual options depending on the specific utility access on the plot.

How to get started?

During the process of ordering a REDUKT mobile home, we can help you choose the best solutions, sharing our knowledge and years of experience in the production of tiny mobile homes on trailers. The models in our range are designed with the specific requirements of on-grid or off-grid packages in mind.

The final choice depends on many factors: an analysis of the access to utilities on the plots, the planned budget, the location of the house, its function, the needs and preferences of its inhabitants. We are happy to guide our clients through the decision-making process, selecting the optimal house model and solutions.

We invite you to contact us.

Glamping in a tiny house

June 19, 2024

Tent vacations in the woods or at a campground are usually seen as roughing it. But you don't have to give up the comforts of a hotel to enjoy the great outdoors. A new trend called glamping or exclusive camping is catching on in Poland and Europe.

Glamping in a tiny house — Glamping in Ashboro, NC, GETAWAY cabins. Photo: Małgorzata Maik

Luxury camping

Glamping lets you enjoy the outdoors while still having all the comforts of home. It includes luxury tents with extra gear, yurts and cabins on wheels.

Wooden mobile houses are a great acommodation for glamping because they can be placed in locations that are hard to get to and that aren't obvious.

REDUKT houses as micro hotels in the forest

REDUKT offers micro hotels in the wilderness. REDUKT tiny houses on trailers can be parked on beautiful plots of land and don't require a building permit. They're small but have everything you need for comfortable stays: a living area with a fully equipped kitchen, a rest zone with sleeping place for 2-6 people and a bathroom with shower, as well as air conditioning or a wood stove. They can also be equipped with off-grid systems and appliances that let you run them on plots without access to utilities, like solar panels and a water tank. Our REDUKT houses are great for both private and business use. We build them from natural, certified materials, so they’re environment- and resident-friendly homes.

Glamping in houses on wheels

Companies like Raus, Bento Houses and Unyoked are gaining a lot of followers for stays in micro apartments that are away from the hustle and bustle of cities. Getaway Houses and Raus are developing a true network of cabin rentals that are immersed in green surroundings. They are attracting more and more guests who want to reconnect with nature and at the same time relax in comfort and ease.

We need to spend more time close to nature, with limited access to the outside world. We spend our days in crowded cities, dividing our attention between social media and reality. It's only when we taste the tranquility that reconnecting with nature brings that we realize this very need.

Glamping is one way to solve this problem.

If you're looking for a way to relax and escape the city, you might want to check out our cabins at @bento_houses or @raus.life.

House on the road – a few words about the formalities

May 29, 2024

The mobility of a house on a trailer is undoubtedly one of the advantages of a micro house, thanks to which people who value freedom of choice and change of plans decide to buy it. Traveling with a house on wheels – how does it actually look? What requirements must a house meet in order to be able to move around with it?

To legally drive a mobile home on roads, we must meet several important conditions.

Traveling with mobile REDUKT tiny house on wheels — Traveling with the prototype of a mobile house REDUKT-01. Photo: REDUKT

Requirements, documents, vehicle registration

Our REDUKT houses are built on trailers that meet the requirements and have European approval up to 3.5 tons. This means that the trailer has its own approval, and the house is formally a load. To be allowed to travel on public roads, a trailer must have appropriate documents. The CoC document, i.e. the certificate of conformity from the registration office, declares that the vehicle is of an approved type. Refers to a specific chassis number and contains all technical features and vehicle data such as weight and dimensions. These data must meet certain standards for approval in the EU: the weight of the load with the trailer cannot exceed 3.5 tons, and the maximum permissible dimensions of the load are 2.55 m in width and 4 m in height (including the trailer). To move on public roads, it is of course necessary to register the trailer.

“Cargo package”

REDUKT houses can be detached from the trailer. We call this functionality the "cargo package" and it consists of steel reinforcements in the floor enabling the house to be lifted, an approved connection of the cargo (house) to the trailer during transport, and special elements securing the house to the trailer when parked.

Traveling on public roads

Traveling with a house on wheels also requires specific permissions, skills and security measures. The driver must have a driving license B+E category, skills enabling him to drive a combination of vehicles (car and trailer with load) with a GVW exceeding 3.5 tons, and appropriate liability insurance. The car must also be able to tow a trailer weighing 3.5 tons (which is indicated in the registration certificate). In practice, this possibility is available to selected off-road vehicles, pick-ups and delivery vans.

Traveling with a mobile home in practice

Before setting off on a trip, it is necessary to secure moving elements inside the house that could cause damage to furniture and equipment, e.g. shower doors or pull-out drawers and cabinet fronts.

If you plan to travel with your home, it is necessary to design and equip it appropriately. The safety of the structure during movement is influenced by, among others: window surface protection and optimal balance. It is worth considering installing elements of an off-grid package in a house intended for location changes. Using a separating toilet or water tank will significantly facilitate the functioning of your home when you want to change your place of living.

With a properly prepared mobile home, you can make your dreams come true and enjoy an unprecedented sense of freedom :)