This is the 3rd Install of off the grid living ideas, If you would like to check out the others click the links below.
On both of those I explored ideas that were based on mobility (being able to take your home with you from location to location and well as some of he more common ways to get off the grid. Todays off the grid living ideas will focus on efficiency and simplicity with up-cycling being the highlight.
Low power consumption and a small foot print are the forethought in a lot of designs these day as people grow more concerned with their impact on the environment. However, the best way to assist in these efforts is to reuse materials rather than building from scratch. Bringing us to our first item on the off the grid living idea list:
Shipping Container
This is a bit more common now than it was when I got my shipping containers however it is still a great way to use materials that were destined for other things and make a beautiful home. I do believe that the cheapest way to build a bare bones house off the grid that is wind and water tight is with a shipping container. If you would like to read more about that click here.
Almost 8 million containers have arrived to and been shipped out of the port of Los Angeles in 2023 alone. After taking to account that these containers must pass rigorous inspection and be deemed sea worthy before each cargo ship journey it isn’t surprising that so many arrive and cannot be shipped back out. This provides an almost endless supply of potential homes for the taking.
The key elements of the Shipping Container that make it a great addition for off the grid living ideas:
- 4 walls and a roof
- Corten Steel
- Wind and Water Tight
- Structurally Sound
- Solid Floor
- Versatile for layout and build
- Stackable for more space
- Easily Customizable Exterior and Interior
- Eco Friendly
Shipping containers are legos in the real world. The sky is the limit, you can cut walls and attach them together, cut openings for windows and doors, add insulation inside or out etc. they are a great choice for going off the grid.
Modular Classroom
What do you think happens to all of those modular classrooms when they fall into disrepair. I imagine they are destroyed, possibly salvaged for pieces but you can change all of that, and in doing so get a nice little house out of the equation.
These classrooms were always intended to be temporary solutions for schools which means they are not fixed on the ground. They have a system of jacks that can be raised or lower to level the room for it’s short term stay. With a proper truck that deals with oversized loads this bane of the school system can be split down the middle (The large ones typically attach there) and shipped to wherever you want it that allows tractor trailer access.
The key elements of the Modular Classroom that make it a great addition for off the grid living ideas:
- 4 walls and a roof
- Wind and Water Tight (Possibly)
- Structurally Sound When Leveled
- Decent Floor
- Versatile for layout and build
- Customizable with effort Interior
- Eco Friendly
Permanent Trailer
Trailers all have one thing in common. In order to be used on the road they have to pass inspection. This means that quite a good deal of them may be involved in accidents, were left off the road for years and are no longer in the dmv system, frame damage etc. Regardless of the reason there are a good deal of old trailers sitting around that can’t be used for their original purpose. They may end up being crushed, scrapped for parts or tossed in the landfill. With that in mind, this is obviously a great up-cycling opportunity.
I’m sure they seem a bit confined and can’t be customized as freely as the other options but with a walk around deck and some outdoor elements it can make an amazing home to get started off the grid and they are typically well priced.
The key elements of the Permanent Trailer that make it a great addition for off the grid living ideas:
- Cheap
- Small Footprint
- Good Bones (if undamaged)
- Wind and Water tight (possibly)
- Decent floor structure
- Wrap around Deck Candidate
- Eco Friendly
Grain Bin
Depending on your location you may not see this often or possibly ever. They are a staple in the Mid western United States wherever there are plentiful grain farms. Do not confuse these with silos which are thinner, longer and typically found on cattle ranches. Grain bins are built with high strength steel to maintain shape with the constant pressure of thousands of bushels of grain or corn. They come in several different sizes anywhere between 12 feet in diameter to about 150 . We will focus on the smaller ones as transport is more widely available at those sizes.
With a few of these you can make several differen’t rooms linked with hallways or outdoor paths. You could also just get one and make that your off the grid abode. If you have never been inside one from the outside they seem quite confine but are quite roomy and great for an open floor plan
The key elements of the Grain Bin that make it a great addition for off the grid living ideas:
- Unique
- Walls and a roof
- High strength steel
- Wind and Water Tight
- Structurally Sound
- Solid Floor
- Versatile for layout and build
- Can Add many and link them with hallways
- Customizable but requires a high level of Skill
- Eco Friendly
Up-cycling At It’s Finest
These choices are all best when they can be found used and given another life. Of course you can buy them new but the eco friendly aspect of each is mitigated. On top of that the build will likely be exponentially more expensive.
Regardless of choice these are all great off the grid living ideas. Beautiful homes have been made from these materials and you can capture that in your own off the grid experience.
How do you feel about these options? Would any of them work for you? Let me know in the comments.
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