This BUS Can be YOURS!

The BUS is officially for SALE!!!

The first person who:

Loves it

Wants it

Pays for it

GETS it!

 The possibilities of how to decorate the inside are endless... Fill it your way with your style...

All appliances are included in the price of the bus

How we made our home... (It's actually very spacious and not so teeny tiny!)

The large 4'X4' skylight adds so much light (even on cloudy days)

Couch and bed can be yours too (optional)

The 'bedroom' fits a queen sized bed with room on both sides to get in and out

Features

Built in table.  Chairs can be included.

Table extends to seat up to 6 (2 on couch and 2 on each of the two sides of the table)

Small apartment size (not RV) fridge and washer

Dryer

Propane range (you can live in a bus AND bake!)

Two electric heaters...

One on each side of the couch

Book shelf modified to perfectly fit the front of the bus

When you enter the bus...

Shelves and rod for hanging jackets etc.  We store hats and scarves in the chest.  Chest is removable to return bus driver seat when the bus is driven.

The bathroom is entirely lined with cedar...

Enclosed for privacy (with space saving closet door)

Cedar shower (with skylight)

Composting toilet

The bus has its very own electric panel

With a wooden door to hide it :)!

Large powerful exhaust fan in the bathroom that has dual function... works for bathroom and kitchen (which is right outside)

External shelter included with the bus.  Can be removed and rebuilt in new location.

On-demand propane hot water heater is mounted on the exterior of the bus to save space.

Box can be closed and locked for driving

What are those structures on the roof?  The middle is the large skylight.

The front one is the shower skylight

The last one is the wardrobe.  Hard to tell in this photo... but you stand on the bed and there is enough shelving for all of tBoy and my clothes and even bedding etc. There is a rod (not shown here) to hang shirts.

Yes!  The bus drives... We drove it here :)!

Got Questions?

Thought so.

Check out the FAQ post on May 29 (keep scrolling down).

May the fastest buyer win!!!

This can be the bus driving to your place :)!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why BUY This BUS?

1. Where is the bus currently located?
     Squamish, BC, Canada (between Vancouver and Whistler)

2. How much are you selling the bus for?
    CAD$45,000

3. What is included in the price of the bus?

• ALL appliances: fridge, range/oven, washer, dryer, on-demand hot water heater, electric heaters, composting toilet (all bought brand new 2 years ago).
• Table and table extension
• Exterior shelter (can be taken down, and rebuilt in new location)
• Optional: chairs, couch and bed (can included at no extra charge)

4. What kind of bus is it and what are the external dimensions?
    It is a 1991 International Diesel 72 passenger school bus
    External Dimensions:
    Length: 38 feet
    Width: 8.5 feet
    Height: 14.5 feet (including the skylights and the raised closet space)

5. Can the bus be driven?
    As far as we know, YES, the bus can be driven.

    Since living in it, however, we have not driven it. We have put the bus on cement blocks while living in it to avoid damaging the tires.  tBoy starts the bus every month to run the engine for 20 minutes. The engine starts immediately and very smoothly :)!

    Also, the height of the skylights and the raised closet space do not exceed the height for highway height restrictions (so... the bus, as is, will fit under all bridges and tunnels from here to your home!)

6. What are the electrical specs for the bus?

• The bus has a 100amp electrical panel located inside the bus.  The set up is like that of a house and not an RV.  This system can be easily converted (by an electrician) to a 30amp RV system to allow it to be plugged in to an electrical source as an RV.
• All plugs but one are 110V AC.  There are 8 sockets throughout the bus (pretty much anywhere you can possibly need one)
• The sockets in the bathroom and near the kitchen sink are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) types because they are near a water source.
• There are 2 sockets on the exterior of the bus - which come in very handy for things such as the chest freezer that we have outside and the electric car that tBoy sometimes drives.
• The washer is plugged into a 110V plug, while there is a specific 220V plug for the dryer. 

7. How does the plumbing work in the bus?
    There is one entry for a hose from a water source to be attached to the bus.  This is attached to all the piping on the bus and the water supply flows into the kitchen sink, shower and washer.

8. What uses propane on the bus?
    There are 2 things that uses propane: the on-demand hot water heater and the range/stove.  We hook up to a 20 lbs. propane tank (typical BBQ size) and always have a full one as a spare.  One tank lasts us about a month - living here full time: cooking and showering everyday. 

9. How does the bus get hot water?
    There is an on-demand propane hot water heater attached to the exterior of the bus (encased in an insulated box).  As it is on-demand, there is no need for a water tank (which requires a lot of space and energy to keep hot) and hot water comes out of the kitchen sink, shower and washer immediately (hence, on-demand).  It is a space saving and energy efficient way to have this modern luxury! 

10. What is a composting toilet?
    The composting toilet that we have on the bus is one that is typically used on boats.  There is a section for liquids and solids.  Liquids can be easily emptied out into a flushing toilet, or carefully out in nature.  Using it full-time, we empty it about once every week and a half.

    In the solids section we put peat moss (easily obtained from any garden/home hardware store) which helps to turn the solid waste into compost.  We use it full time and empty the solids section about once every month.  We put it into heavy duty garbage bags and dispose of it at the city dump.  An alternative is to have a second solids container and to rotate them.  This increases the composting time, and once it is compost, it can be disposed of in nature.

    There is a fan that runs continuously to help with the composting process.  It is super tiny and uses very little electricity.  We have an electric plug located right next to the toilet for this specific purpose.
 
11. Can I have a flushing toilet?
    Yes, as long as you are connected to a septic or sewer system. 

12. Can I keep the bus in its current location and rent the land?
    Yes.  Our landlord is willing to consider the new owner as a tenant.  As you can see from our blog, the bus is located on a bio-dynamic farm that is situated right along a river.  As tenants, we have access to 10 acres of beautiful, well-maintained gardens.  The possibility of tenancy would be a discussion between you and the landlord, but we would be happy to introduce you.

    We currently pay CAD$400/month to live here.  There is no guarantee that this amount would stay the same, but we don't think that it would increase tremendously, if at all.  This amount includes water (from a well - which is the BEST water ever that we will miss very much).  For electricity, the bus has its very own meter with the local utility company and the account could easily to be transferred to the new owner.

13. Why is Squamish the best place to live?
    If you are considering living in the bus in its current location, know that Squamish is nature's ultimate playground!  With world class rock climbing, kite surfing, mountain biking, backcountry skiing (and resort skiing), hiking, kayaking and much much more!

14. Can I come and see the bus?
    Yes.  Serious buyers can contact us at: teenytinyliving@gmail.com to set up a viewing.


15. What if I have other questions?
    Do not hesitate to email us with those questions at: teenytinyliving@gmail.com

Land Land... No Land?

Ok, I'm back as promised, to talk about our search for land...

So.  Back in January when we returned from California, friends of ours got excited about building a tiny home of their own and we decided to buy some land together... Together?  How?

Well, our bank offers a 'mixer mortgage' that allows two or more people to share a mortgage.  By dividing the property costs, it increases each party's purchasing power.  Everyone's ownership is then protected by a legal co-ownership agreement.  How the property/home is divided is up to everyone involved.  We wanted it to be 50-50, but a mixer mortgage does not have to be split exactly in half. This type of mortgage is portable and assumable and it is eligible for multi-owner insurance.  It's an all-round great option, especially if you live in an expensive part of the world. 

We saw a number of advantages in the sharing of land.  Firstly, and very practically, it made it half as expensive.   Other reasons included: the sharing of tools/kitchen gadgets, having people on the property when we are away, built-in community, mutual doggie-sitting... 

We were so excited that we went looking even during a snowstorm:

We looked at everything that was for sale in the valley near us.  The land parcels were between 7 and 10 acres.  Most of the properties were treed (no road on the property and no clearing for a house), without a septic system, without infrastructure for power... for about... oh... just half a million dollars. With the cost of setting up the infrastructure for building/living in mind, we thought we could live in the bus as is... and then when we wanted to spend more money (!) we would build an extension around it - adding a bedroom and a living room area with a wood stove... or to start building an actual house.  This was always our plan... to buy land and to move our home (on wheels) to its permanent location.

But.  Alas.  We did not find any land that we fell in love with :(!  So we started looking at another community closer to the big city, upon a hill with this view of the Pacific Ocean:

However.  We could not have 2 homes on it... and other restrictions... and there was a possibility of a new highway being built right behind the property.  It was really too bad because the view is so incredibly amazing!

So at this point, tBoy and I are joking around, that at the end of this search, we will just end up in a condo of our own (no mixer mortgage)!  Well...

As tBoy and I thought more and more about land ownership, we realized that we LOVE our bus, but we do not love renting land.  We did the bus project to stop being renters, but we still ended up as renters... in a different way... but renters nonetheless.  As our search for something that we could share with our friends became more and more discouraging (due to restrictions and zoning), our desire for something of our very own increased.  So...  Condo?  No!!

But... We did look at some townhouses... but, just like condos, you are part of a strata... so you do not have complete autonomy of your environment or your home actually...  I think you know where this is going...

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! 

Yes.  Crazy.  I know.  A real.  Entire.  Detached house. Of our very own.

I can go on and on about why?  how?  what?... But I'm not going to.
Not now.
For now.  We bought a house and are waiting to move in.
For now.  I'll just say this:

The teeny tiny LIVING bus will soon be ON SALE.
Yes.
We are selling this beautiful bus home.
More details to come VERY soon.

Here are some photos of the bus again: click here.

More photos to come soon.
Check back soon.

This Doggie's Backyard

Happy Spring Everyone!

We last left off with us getting tDog2 (Naïa)... our sweet Australian Shepherd/Border Collie cross.  She came home about the same size as tDog... but she is now more than double tDog's size! 

How is it working out in the 200 sq. ft. bus you wonder?

Well, for the first couple of weeks, we tried to partition a part of the bus for this little growing puppy.  Our friends lent us a metal doggie fence that we put in the middle of the bus (taking up a third of our space!) as an (attempted) aid in house training.  About 2 minutes after we set up the gate, she climbed over it! We wanted an active, agile dog, and we sure got one!   We kept the fence there anyway and tried to teach her that it is not ok to climb the fence with gentle words and persistent redirection... Basically, it only worked when she was tired and sleepy (a.k.a. it didn't work!)  But we were determined, and walked over that fence dozens of times to get from one end of the bus to the other in the name of doggie training.  Eventually, we admitted that the entire bus is smaller than most spaces people probably partition for their puppies and we got tired of crashing into that fence and living in a mess, so we removed it.  There are unfortunately no photos of this set up (fence+house training time) because we were too sleep-deprived to take any! But we do have photos of a sleeping puppy (since the awake puppy was too fast for the camera!)...

In the car

It is not easy having an active puppy in a small space.  There is not a lot of room to teach her tricks (to keep her mind and body engaged) and there is little or no way to contain the Outdoors that she brings in (sand, mud, leaves, twigs... Did I mention sand?!!)

Daily sweeping required (not always done though!)

At the beginning, we were able to keep her off the bed... well... let me rephrase... At the beginning, she wasn't able to climb/jump onto the bed.  But that didn't last long.  She now freely jumps on and off the bed (often to and from the couch!) 

Passed out after playing with her toys and my socks (aka her toys!)

This means that our bed is basically a sandbox :(!  But it's hard to prevent her from doing this since our 'bedroom' has no door.  Plus it is also (very) hard to resist snuggling up with this super soft ball of puppy fur!  And in our tiny space, there is not much room to do this on the floor - and the floor is particularly hard and cold these days because we removed all the rugs to prevent puppy accidents.

We made tDog's kennel into tDog2's bed for a while (above photo) but she outgrew it very quickly and we do not want to get a kennel that will fit full-sized tDog2 since it won't fit on the bus anyway.  So for now, tDog2's bed is the couch...

and then in the middle of the night... it's our bed.  As I said, she often jumps onto the bed from the couch... it is not uncommon for her to land ON sleeping tBoy (I'm so glad that I sleep on the other side of the bed!) 

It is NOT easy to accommodate a growing puppy in a small space, but thank goodness for 3 things: 
1. the forest backyard,
2. tDog2's canine buddies and
3. Spring weather! 

View from the bus window of tDog2 exploring the woods right outside the bus

Walking around the farm with canine buddies

Playing by the bus

Running at the beach

tDog2 meets River

Learning to swim!

Chillin' out with her friends beside the bus

There are 9 dogs who live nearby.  Many of them roam freely so they often end up outside our bus.  tDog2 loves to play with her friends and we love that they help use up all her energy!  It is such fun to watch them play and tDog2 is getting a lot of canine socialization. 

The forest backyard has saved us from going nuts in our teeny tiny home with the puppy!  There is so much wilderness for her to run and play in that it makes up for the lack of space on the bus.  What is also wonderful is that it is obvious that Dog2 is designed to be outside in Nature and it is so great to be able to provide her with the freedom to be in her element.  Having tDog2 in our small place has also gotten me hiking more (I much prefer to ride my bike!) because tDog2 won't be able to chase mountain bikes until winter (when her bones are fully developed)... So hiking it is.

Sunrise in the trails

A good little climber dog

Two dogs stuck at the bottom of the slab

When we are not on the farm by the bus...
tBoy has been doing some training...

Attentive doggie pupils learning about trail running with bikes

 (bribes may have been used!)

Climbing trees

Fetching sticks

We've taken her to the city.  She gets quite stimulated and requires very little physical activity because the mental stimulation completely tires her out!

Doggie beach in the city

Bike ride to town (she no longer fits that chariot, of course)

tDog2 meets Pacific Ocean on the way home from the city

Last weekend we did some rock climbing.  It's more puppy friendly than mountain biking.  On Saturday, we climbed routes (climbing with ropes)...

tDog2 wandered around getting LOTS of attention

The following day, we went bouldering...

It really was the next day even though tBoy was wearing the same t-shirt!

The doggies kept busy by chasing one another around in the forest...

and napping.

Reminds me of another crag dog (tDog back in our climbing days)

So... living in a teeny tiny home with a puppy is possible because of the Great Outdoors!  Not so different than how tBoy and I manage to live in this small space.  The bus provides us with the home essentials while Nature is our playground.  tBoy is dreaming of having another dog who can always play with tDog2...  Three dogs and 2 humans in 200 sq.ft.... I'm not so sure about that!!  But so far, us 2 and our 2 dogs are doing just fine!  However, as this...

The day we picked her out of the litter (she was 4-weeks old!)

continues to grow, like that...

Almost too big to carry!

We'll see if we outgrow the bus?!

As for today...

A calf was born at the farm

The dog we are dog sitting (yes, we have 3 dogs on the bus these days) made a new friend

Happy EARTH DAY to All!
(Next post: What happened during our search for land...)