Can You Live in a Treehouse? Safety, Advantages & Disadvantages

Many people in the modern age are tired of living a certain way and are looking for a drastic change to their lifestyle. While some people may move to a bigger city, others choose to live off-grid. Living entirely secluded from the rest of civilization can be a drastic measure, which is why some people find treehouses to be a fun alternative.

If you want to spend more time in nature and get closer to it while continuing to live in the city, then treehouses are an ideal solution for you. They provide the peace you’ll find in the woods but are conveniently close to the town. You can most certainly live in a treehouse full-time, provided you own a property on which you can legally build one.

To learn more about the logistics of living in a treehouse, read our article below.

How Safe Are Treehouses?

If you live in areas with a high risk of tornadoes or heavy storms, you may be exposed to these conditions, creating a hazard if you don’t have adequate shelter. Your treehouse needs to be built properly to withstand these types of bad weather conditions—especially wind.

All these factors will mostly depend on how big your treehouse project is. Treehouses miss one of the greatest insulators, which is the ground, and therefore tend to get quite cold during the winter season. If you decide to build a huge treehouse the size of a typical ground house, you should add all the standard utilities to keep your home as safe as possible.

Can You Live in a Treehouse?

Although it may not be that common, and you will likely run into a few confused family members and friends, living in a treehouse is entirely possible and is quite convenient. Before actually building the treehouse to live in, there are a few crucial steps to take, and the most important one is making sure what you’re doing is legal. You need to acquire a building permit from your local government office and ensure that you work within the legal requirements.

Your treehouse must be built according to certain local building codes, without which you may build a treehouse that doesn’t meet the required standards, forcing you to start over. The actual building process can be tricky, and it can be difficult to find builders with experience building living-worthy treehouses.

Aside from the technicalities, many people are choosing this form of lifestyle as it makes them connect with nature more than ever before. You will choose a lifestyle that opts for less stress and noise and more peace, privacy, and serenity. While there are many benefits to living in a treehouse, there are some serious drawbacks that you need to be aware of before making any final decisions.

Advantages of Living in a Treehouse

Energy and Cost-Effective

There are many ways to be more energy-efficient as an individual, and living in a tree house can promote this lifestyle. Since treehouses are usually much smaller than traditional ground homes, running the household tends to cost less. Most treehouse residents use solar panels to generate energy instead of electricity and collect rainwater in water tanks.

Connected to Nature

You will find yourself in a peaceful and quiet environment, where you will be isolated from the noisy neighborhood or loud traffic. This form of living will connect you with nature more than ever since you will be living amongst the trees. You will significantly lower the amount of stress from everyday life simply by lowering your monthly bills, too.

Disadvantages of Living in a Treehouse

Limited Space

If you decide to live in a treehouse, prepare to downsize and adjust your living space. Your rooms will need to be much smaller, and you will have significantly less space for storage. You’ll need to have smaller and less furniture to take up your valuable space. This lifestyle calls for many sacrifices in the form of material goods.

Expensive

Building a treehouse can be an expensive investment, especially if you want to make a luxurious condo out of it. It will need to have entirely unique water, electric, and plumbing systems, which contractors can charge a lot to build. Treehouses that contain all the supplies and have the same build as a traditional house can cost twice as much, if not more.

Final Thoughts

Although living in a treehouse is not a highly popular lifestyle, many people find it to be magical and charming. Knowing all the good and bad parts of this unique way of living is necessary before you jump into any decisions. Make sure to check the local regulations in your area before you start building.

Featured Image Credit: RoongsaK, Shutterstock