My Tiny House (24x8.5) is around 14,000-15000# fully loaded.
I agree with getting a new trailer due to you're putting your house on it, but I am also not a metal worker so not an authority. Somebody is welding the new trailers together so maybe it would be legit having a competent welder welding one together for you.
You will need a special moving permit to move a 10ft wide Tiny House and I believe, depending on the state, may have to move it only at specific times. I believe that considering Tiny Houses aren't travel trailers that should be tearing around the country and you'll only be moving it once in a while, the extra 1.5ft would be appreciated and worth the extra moving effort.
As far as just buying a camper. This is a common thought for plenty of people that haven't felt the inspiration for Tiny Houses. It's not just about inhabiting a small space and being mobile, it's the occupying an inspiring place. You're not settling, you're choosing. My wife and I have lived in our self built tiny house for 3 years and rarely a day goes by that we don't "optimize" the space more. Because of it's construction, it lends itself to transformation at any point. We've built a little ofuro hot tub, an infrared sauna, hang hammocks, climbing walls etc. Our walls are T&G pine which allows us to easily hang things at any point on the wall thus maximizing the building up principle for space saving. These "fort building" options are not available with a typical camper. They are a completely different beast.
There is nothing wrong with the camper option, I have a mother who converted an old 5th wheel into a very cozy cottage, but it truly has it's limitations and lacks plenty of the inspirational qualities of the Tiny Houses. They are an amazing housing option for many, and probably the more realistic option that should be taken serious when playing ones finances into play. Unless one has great sources for reclaimed materials and skills to utilize them, Tiny Houses are not cheap to build.
tinyhousebuild.com Andrew is my favorite when it comes to the nuts and bolts of tiny house builds and his 4 disc dvd set is absolutely worth it. Saved my $1000s in mistakes for sure.
Continue to ask any questions, there are plenty of them!
