$300 Forest House (click to enlarge)
Specifications: 256 sq. ft. 16’x16’ one room house plus 4’ wrap-around porch, Footprint: 24′x24′
Description: Do you dream of having a small place in the woods that can be built practically for free? The Forest House with its striking pyramid roof is made almost entirely of natural products that are readily available in tropical forests – wood poles, bamboo and thatch. Recycled doors, cabinets, sink, composting toilet, solar shower and other materials, plus building on a hillside keep costs to a minimum. Consider leasing the land or work-trade agreement. Features include steeply pitched roof to shed rain, open ceiling to improve ventilation, built-in desk, retractable plank and metal barriers on each post to deter pests. Options include under-bed storage, mosquito bed net, split bamboo (shown) or bamboo matt, split bamboo or wood plank floors, rustic curved wood railings. Building permit not required. High speed Internet not included.
$300 Forest House floorplan (click to enlarge)
No high speed internet is a deal breaker for me.
It was for me too. I considered building this six years ago. That’s when I designed it. But the isolation and lack of services was too much to bear.
nice….this would be perfect for the tropics.
owen do you have a more detailed plan for this structure?
Yes, same as all the plans here. Email me at strawhouses [at] yahoo.com
This is bigger, more sturdy, and less expensive than a tent. Well one with the same square footage anyway. A little landscaping, a fishpond and the odd Oubliette…I could be happy for 50 or so years. Thank you Owen.
That’s a good point comparing it to a tent. Hadn’t thought of that. Tents are expensive, even army surplus. Plus, the Forest House gets you up off the ground away from heavy rain and creepy crawlies.
Another big plus is the wrap-around porch that would make enduring the rainy season a lot easier. You could walk around the house, exercise, have friends over, set up easy chairs, read, etc. all out of the rain. Just imagine the fresh air and good smell.
A few other comments/benefits: choose a fertile area where fruit, vegetables, corn, rice, beans, etc. are abundant and low cost, avoid super hot, humid areas with too much rain, don’t build in the path of future logging operations, work toward gaining local support by helping the the community, be prepared and willing to move on if things don’t work out for some reason. No big deal if you have to move if you’ve only spent a few hundred dollars ($1,000 tops if you buy everything instead of harvesting local materials yourself) and lived rent free for a few years or so. Also note, satellite Internet is available almost everywhere now. I know people who live or spend time in remote areas. They have a special attachment/modem for picking up satellite signals.
Hi Owen
where is the link to your paypal to get the plans for this house..
I like it…I like it alot.
Email me at strawhouses [at] yahoo.com first.
This is great. Looks like a Filipino nipa hut.