As any tiny houser knows, ordering the trailer is a big deal because:
1. It’s a significant outlay of cash. Along with windows and roof (depending on how you go), it’s one of the most expensive items in a tiny house.
2. Even though I won’t start building until this summer, this is the equivalent to breaking ground and pouring the foundation of a regular house (I ordered it now because the manufacturer gets busy as summer approaches, plus I needed some exact measurements to finish my designs).
3. I’m now locked into the length (16′).
4. And most importantly, I’ve now taken the first real, committed step toward my future tiny house!
I’ll pick it up the first weekend in March and will do a more detailed trailer post then, but I want to give a big shout out to Rob at Iron Eagle Trailers in Portland, OR, who has built many tiny house trailers for Portland Alternative Dwellings, and to Dee at PAD for lots of last minute discussions on axle positions, bolt hole locations and other modifications. They were both incredibly helpful and great to work with – THANK YOU!!
As nerve wracking as it was to go for it, I have a sense of relief now that I know exactly the limits I have to design within. Sometimes having fewer options is easier, not to mention it forces you to get really creative.
So let the games begin! 🙂
Naj Haus 
Woo-hooooooo! Congratulations!!
how much was the trailer?
Hi Kate, thanks for your wonderful resourceful blog. I completely understand that there are a variety of custom options, and each trailer is unique, but I am curious to know if Iron Eagle is comparable in cost to Tumbleweed trailers or Tiny Home Builders trailers? We are still quite early in our Tiny process, as we are still simplifying at our current abode, converting all our CFL to LED, minimizing closet usage, and beginning to purchase furnishing and appliances that we will use in the tiny home in order to get used to utilizing them now. Mostly an effort to reduce our PG&E bill to the lowest, so we can have a better understanding of our use to build a solar option. When I saw that Iron Eagle was in Oregon, I was thrilled, as the other 2 trailer companies seem to be quite a bit of a distance from our home and destination. If, perhaps, you can give me a rough idea for our savings purposes if the Iron Eagle trailer is above, below, or equal to the other 2 trailer prices, that would be a great idea. Not sure if we’re going to go with 20 or 24 yet. Thanks again!
I spoke with Iron Eagle, and they kindly gave me a wonderful breakdown of options.
I’m away from my receipts but I think my 16′ trailer was $3100, but that was a year and a half ago and there have been changes to the trailer design since then to customize them more for tiny houses. Best to call Rob directly, which it sounds like you’ve done. As I’ve mentioned many times, I love their trailers and would highly recommend them.