$2000 House Real?

[Deleted]

Did anybody here build like this? My garden shed cost this much. Is this real cabin house? They make building look easy. Where to find out about solar panels. I think I like a house with no bills.

$2000 House

[Chocolate Lover]

Some codes also have a minimum square footage requirement. That wouldn't meet the ones I'm familiar with.

[Deleted]

Nov 21, 2014 16:05:28 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

I built my own shed 12 years ago. It is 12x16, and it cost me a bit under $2,000.00 then.  That included 3 windows, which are not included in the price of this building.  But of course, it is just a shed, no plumbing, heat or interior finish.

The story gives few details, but there are other expenses that are not really covered.

If we assume the basic building costs around 2k (material only) which is cheap, we still need to think about:

Land

Water supply

Septic (He has a composting toilet, but what about grey water?)

Foundation

Cost of solar and any wiring/ electric

Heat

Even off the grid this is going to be well north of 2k.  Cheap compared to a regular home, but still not small.

Thank you. Costs missing is important. This house is built where no permits requested or can't be done. I think I cannot build like this here, but maybe somewhere in the woods, far away will be okay. Grey water a problem still - has to have septic, yes?

[Tiny]

The article sez the cabin can be built with 2K in materials - excluding the doors/windows.
I'm assuming the cost doesn't include the solar/wind set up or the special fridge/etc you'd need to go with the solar/wind power. I'm sure when all is said and done and all the reciepts were tallied the house came in under 10K - maybe even with the purchase of the land it's on. Still not a bad price for something like that.

I kinda thought the 'no mortgage' was a little misleading as well.. since you'd need to purchase the land to put it on (which might require a mortgage of sorts). The Tumbleweed Tiny Houses are movable - so they just need a spot to park (and an electric hookup I think).

I also wonder what kind of back up energy source besides solar/wind, it uses. Would sure suck if your fridge stopped working (over night on a still windless night, etc).

Considering my rental property (the Little House) is 804 sq. ft (2 bedroom post WWII starter home) 400 square feet with a loft would be livable. You kinda get use to the lack of space.

[HoneyBBQ]

Solar panels are super expensive. I'm sure it doesn't include those.

[Chocolate Lover]

Nov 21, 2014 16:12:33 GMT -5 @taliare said:

Nov 21, 2014 16:05:28 GMT -5 deminmaine said:

I built my own shed 12 years ago. It is 12x16, and it cost me a bit under $2,000.00 then.  That included 3 windows, which are not included in the price of this building.  But of course, it is just a shed, no plumbing, heat or interior finish.

The story gives few details, but there are other expenses that are not really covered.

If we assume the basic building costs around 2k (material only) which is cheap, we still need to think about:

Land

Water supply

Septic (He has a composting toilet, but what about grey water?)

Foundation

Cost of solar and any wiring/ electric

Heat

Even off the grid this is going to be well north of 2k.  Cheap compared to a regular home, but still not small.

Thank you. Costs missing is important. This house is built where no permits requested or can't be done. I think I cannot build like this here, but maybe somewhere in the woods, far away will be okay. Grey water a problem still - has to have septic, yes?

Yes, needs some way to deal with sewage.  I'm in a place with lots of far away woods, but building permits are required. Due diligence would be important.

[Deleted]

Now I find a site with more story of his link

I installed a small solar electric system because the power company refused to hook up the power without a "proper" home and following building codes . . . I designed and built a 14x14 off-grid cabin that would be easy enough for me to build by myself and under the 200 sqft limit the county required for a dry cabin with no utilities. The county was not too happy with my building without a permit but because the property was grandfathered in under state law they deicided to not fight me . . . I used a lot of recycled materials in my cabin and the windows and doors were free from salvaging an old trailer that was being demolished. Recycled cedar fence boards for trim and cheap green lumber from the local lumber mill was used for the porch. The building process was pretty straight forward and easy and I used a modified post and beam for additional roof strength for our heavy snow load. Only the roof was difficult for one person and I managed to fall off the ladder twice and tore the ligament out in my knee but finished the cabin before I would get surgery as I had no insurance.

[Deleted]

I could totally see myself living in a place like that on the back 5 after the kids are gone.  My brother lives in something similarly sized far from civilization in Alaska, complete with the solar panels and a bank of car batteries.

[haapai]

I suspect that while the house doesn't have a mortgage or utility bill, it may require constant repairs and maintenance.  I see a lot of exposed wood and the article mentions that at least the porch was made out of untreated lumber.  I see a lot of ways for water to attack this structure. 

The financial outlay for maintaining the structure might be low if you know what needs to be done and do it yourself in a timely fashion.  Work and weather constraints might mean that the annual window for performing certain repairs is quite small.

Due to the constant need for upkeep, I think that the house would suffer with more than one human occupant. 

[Deleted]

I love these little houses and could have lived in one happily when I was young.

I have been reading about a lot of zoning issues with them though which can really muck things up for people planning on making them a full time affordable residence.

[thyme4change]

I think my closet is 200 square feet.  

[haapai]

I have to wonder how many folks have built a small, sustainable structure like this and then realized that the life that they have built for themselves depends on owning a fairly large truck.   

[Deleted]

Nov 21, 2014 19:07:44 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I think my closet is 200 square feet.  

If times go bad you can rent your closet!

[thyme4change]

Nov 21, 2014 19:12:10 GMT -5 @taliare said:

Nov 21, 2014 19:07:44 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I think my closet is 200 square feet.  

If times go bad you can rent your closet!

LOL - I was actually wrong - my closet is closer to 20 square feet.  I must have been really out of it when I did the math before.  My bedroom isn't even 200 square feet.  

[weltschmerz]

When I was living in California, someone was GIVING away a Victorian mansion in Long Beach.

It was absolutely stunning, with a weathered copper roof, nine bedrooms, five fireplaces and hammered tin ceilings, on three floors. The owners just wanted someone to love it. A very easy place to love.

All you had to do was pick it up and go. Yes, you needed to haul it away, as they needed the land for something else.

Cost of moving the whole shebang? Over a million dollars.

[Artemis Windsong]

I like the idea of sustainable living off the grid but haven't figured it out.  I live in a large home (for me) and it would be hard to move into a smaller structure.

I saw no mention of water resources.  That can be tedious hauling water and expensive to drill a well.