Though the tiny-house movement has attracted major attention in recent years, there are still two major problems that the average person faces when they think about building their own micro home:
1. Though mini-homes cost pennies compared to a mortgage, most people don’t exactly have $20,000 kicking around.
2. An embarrassing lack of carpentry skills that amounts to that of a thumbless tree-sloth.
Looking to quash these preventative factors, Scott Brooks recently constructed the ultimate cost-effective mini home in Washington, making a leap forward for the tiny-house movement’s financial accessibility, and how easily these homes can be built for the assembly-impaired.
Brooks’ home was such a minor dent in his bank account that he didn’t feel the need to even break down his exact budget, but contends the final price tag came in “well under” $500, according to Gizmag.
Residing somewhere in the green expanse of the Pacific-Northwest, Brooks’ home is a mere 7.7 square metres but transforms to accommodate most typical requirements of a functional home. External washroom and shower accommodations are a major space-saver for Brooks. The tiny home sits on a small fraction of his friend’s 20 acre rural lot, saving the majority of his land for outdoor use. Brooks claims that this is where he spends the majority of his time.
According to Brooks, salvaging forgotten goods and gifting are major assets to assembling a home this cheap. In his case, these items include the door, skylight, window and wood-burning stove. You would be surprised at what you can find for zero cost if you look in the right places, or ask around. Most people are more than happy to give away unused items if they would serve as an asset to another home. Kijiji’s ‘free’ section is the best place to start.
Brooks also asserts an extremely limited knowledge of tiny-house design, but with the help of a few friends, was able to erect the home with ease.
Like all tiny homes, sacrifices must be made to balance the cheap price—rather than a fridge, brooks uses an icebox system, and the house also doesn’t include running water (though a sustainable rainwater system could be easily installed). But the thing is, when you own a mortgage-free, wood-carved house in the North Pacific wilderness—and the whole set up cost less than what most people make in a week—who cares?
Sources: gizmag.com
