Housing Alternative13: Boxcar Homes
The same principle applies with boxcar homes. But instead of using old shipping containers, builders recycle old train cars.
On the downside, boxcars don’t combine easily like shipping containers. That limits your options for building larger or complex homes.
But as a tiny house, boxcars offer plenty of character, with minimal cost to convert. And like shipping container homes, they reuse existing structures to create a new home, rather than having to use new materials.
Since they once served as a mode of transportation, many boxcar homes lend themselves to towing behind a truck as well.
Here’s an example of what they can look like as homes:
(image courtesy of Goods Home Design)
Housing Alternative14: Pallet Homes
Many people and companies consider wooden pallets to be commercial waste. They literally just throw them away.
But it’s useful wood, already constructed into building blocks. That means you can get the framing for free, to construct a modest DIY house out of recycled materials.
Again, it offers an eco-friendly alternative source of building materials, using existing wood for framing. Just beware that these homes may not be sturdy enough to withstand extreme weather, if you live along the path of frequent hurricanes, tornadoes, or earthquakes.
(image courtesy of 99 Pallets)
Housing Alternative15: Silo Homes
What happens to the silos when a farm closes down?
In a perfect world, they become the structure for a home.
Or part of a home, if you prefer. You can incorporate a silo as simply one architectural element in a more traditional home, to give it some unique personality and flair.
You can often pick up old silos for free, or rather for the cost of hauling them away. And once more, you get to reuse existing building materials.
If you like the idea of rustic charm for a do-it-yourself homebuilding project, look into converting a silo into a home.
(image courtesy of Decoist)
Housing Alternative16: Earth Berms/Hobbit Holes
We all fell in love with Bilbo Baggins’ hobbit hole in The Lord of the Rings. But I didn’t realize people actually built and lived in these until I saw a Welsh guy and his father-in-law build one in the late 2000s.
They dug and built the hobbit hole house in four months with no heavy construction equipment, and created a gorgeous, infinitely livable home. And they used nothing but locally available building materials, such as stone from the dig-out, tree branches, and lime plaster. Straw bales provided breathable flooring and wall insulation, and of course all hobbit holes have a green roof.
See the details of how they built this eco-friendly hobbit hole here.
You can also buy prefabricated shells to embed in hillsides as earth shelter homes. That spares you having to frame out the walls and roof, and offers more moisture protection, but comes with higher costs. Learn more at providers like Green Magic Homes.
As green housing ideas go, hobbit holes offer built-in insulation for energy efficiency. They stay cool in the summer, and if you get chilly in the winter, a fireplace, wood-burning stove, or pellet stove can heat the entire house.
Image: Jeffry Surianto
Housing Alternative17: Cob Houses
As an alternative to modern building materials, you can go old school with cob houses.
Cob or cobb is a type of earth masonry, made with subsoil such as clay, fibrous organic material, and sometimes lime. Made properly, it’s as strong as concrete, but more attractive, temperature regulating, and environmentally friendly.
You can build charming cottages that look like they stepped out of a fairy tale with cob. Check out a few examples to see what I mean:
Image: Thannal
Image: Michael Buck
Housing Alternative18: Treehouses
What kid doesn’t want to live in a treehouse?
If your inner child never quite let go of that dream, consider building a habitable treehouse. Treehouses come with some challenges, since you’re building the structure around a living organism that constantly grows, moves, and changes.
But you win infinite style points for a proper treehouse.
As a variation on treehouses, you can also install a free spirit sphere in a large tree. It hangs suspended — securely — from the tree.
Financial Considerations For Housing Alternatives
While generally considered cheaper than traditional housing, people considering alternative housing still need to consider a few things, like:
- Budget Planning: Estimate initial costs, ongoing maintenance, and potential savings compared to traditional housing.
- Financing Options: Explore unconventional financing methods like personal loans, crowdfunding, or savings.
- DIY and Upcycling: Reduce costs by building or renovating using recycled or second-hand materials.
- Energy Efficiency: Invest in energy-efficient systems (solar panels, insulation) to save on utilities.
- Tax Benefits: Research any potential tax incentives or deductions for eco-friendly and energy-efficient homes.
- Insurance Considerations: Ensure you understand the insurance requirements and costs for alternative housing.
- Resale Value: Consider the future resale value and marketability of the alternative housing option.
- Location Costs: Factor in land costs, zoning fees, and permit requirements in different locations.
Final Thoughts On Housing Alternatives
As someone who hasn’t paid full price for housing since 2011, I’m all about alternative housing ideas.
That could mean more travel-oriented housing alternatives such as RVs, houseboats, housesitting, or housing swaps. Other people get more excited about green housing ideas such as earth berms, cob houses, silo homes, shipping container homes. And some combine travel with green housing options like tiny homes that you can take anywhere.
Many of these green housing alternatives are also self-sufficient. Eco-friendly homes often include rainwater reclamation systems for water, small Energy Star appliances, and solar panels or green roofs.
Bear in mind that many parts of the world use housing with a far lower energy consumption than the US. My apartment in Brazil uses an electric tankless water heater for the showerhead, and requires no central heating or air conditioning because the climate is mild year-round. Our home has almost no carbon footprint.
Think outside the box when you explore sustainable homes. You can find cheap alternative housing ideas in other countries that offer green home designs at a fraction of the cost of similar homes in the US.
What alternatives to buying a house have you considered (or done)? Share your experiences and thoughts on alternative housing in the comments below, we love hearing from readers, and are always looking for case studies to feature!
