Cob - Build a house, pay cash.

[tmleadr03]

25k... not 250k and he went with a lavish interior

Snort. Decimal places, how do they work...

[Clint45]

A few friends of ours are very interested in building their own homes and one is working on a "tiny house" project which is a small cottage constructed on a large trailer which can be transported cross country if need be.

MANY people want to build small homes to save money and be debt free, but it is usually illegal for them to do so. Not only do most counties say that anything but conventional materials and designs are forbidden under building codes, but houses under a certain size are also forbidden -- and that size is usually fairly large, like 1,000 square feet -- plus they'll use zoning, health, tax, and whatever other bureaucratic hurdles they can put in your way as well. Need building permits before you start and multiple inspections throughout the process, must have conventional electricity and plumbing, composting and rainwater collection are forbidden. Basically, they want to force you to go into debt to have a conventional house built by local contractors, and if you try to build your own place they'll demolish it and fine you. Most people who build these homes do so illegally and are, by definition, criminals who risk having the government destroy their time at any time.

[BushMasterBoy]

Another shipping container home, a little more elaborate than the one I posted before. I'd add some heavy steel window shutters, so I could stop any common burglars cold. Something in the mountains like this would suit me fine!

[josh7328]

Another shipping container home, a little more elaborate than the one I posted before. I'd add some heavy steel window shutters, so I could stop any common burglars cold. Something in the mountains like this would suit me fine!

That's actually pretty cool!

[rondog]

A few friends of ours are very interested in building their own homes and one is working on a "tiny house" project which is a small cottage constructed on a large trailer which can be transported cross country if need be.

MANY people want to build small homes to save money and be debt free, but it is usually illegal for them to do so. Not only do most counties say that anything but conventional materials and designs are forbidden under building codes, but houses under a certain size are also forbidden -- and that size is usually fairly large, like 1,000 square feet -- plus they'll use zoning, health, tax, and whatever other bureaucratic hurdles they can put in your way as well. Need building permits before you start and multiple inspections throughout the process, must have conventional electricity and plumbing, composting and rainwater collection are forbidden. Basically, they want to force you to go into debt to have a conventional house built by local contractors, and if you try to build your own place they'll demolish it and fine you. Most people who build these homes do so illegally and are, by definition, criminals who risk having the government destroy their time at any time.

That's messed up. If a person bought some land, they should be able to build whatever kind of home they want to on it.