Ottawan Joseph Dupuis built this mostly-off-grid, 355 sq ft shipping container home and is now selling it for a cool $46,500 ($58K CAD). While this doesn’t fall into the super cheap price tier, especially as it lacks a toilet and you’re still going to have to find land. But the house’s price seems quite justifiable if you’re in the market for something relatively apocalypse-proof.
First off, the shipping container shell (actually, there are three attached together), designed to sit exposed to the elements whilst making ocean-crossings, can stand up to all but the fiercest storms (or zombies). The container doors lock over the windows, making it even more bulletproof.
Next, the whole thing is completely insulated for any violent shifts in weather. There’s a propane tank that fuels both in-floor radiant heat and the hot water heater. Apparently, it’s an energy miser. Dupuis, who lived in the house for two years, said he spent a mere $35 on heating for one whole winter. There’s also a wood burning stove for the Thoreauvian set.
Electricity comes from nine 235 watt solar panels that charge a 27 volt battery bank. Water is municipal and feeds a shower and sink. As mentioned there is no toilet as that would have required a septic permit, which Dupuis was disinclined to get. The house will come with a rough-in for a composting toilet (I didn’t know composting toilets needed rough-ins).Needless to say, the house is designed to be easily dismantled and shipped, which Dupuis is happy to arrange.
What do you think? Is this an off-grid dream home at a fair price or a not-so-inexpensive, slightly-too-rough-and-ready backwoods bunker?
Photo credit: Japhet Alvarez / Via Facebook: s7vnth
Via Huffington Post