How to Build an Inexpensive, Eco-Friendly Home

As more people explore the possibilities of living an eco-friendly life, the popularity of inexpensive housing to fit the lifestyle has expanded exponentially. While the savings in energy costs often outweigh the challenge of paying off a 30-year mortgage, many folks are downsizing their space requirements, and in the process, they’re eliminating the need for a mortgage.

Although there are many affordable pre-fab eco-friendly homes available, there are several types of home materials which can be used to build your own home from scratch at a low cost. Here’s how to build an eco-friendly home on the cheap:

Foundation and Basement

Your house is only as solid as the foundation it stands upon. Stone is the natural material our ancestors relied on for strong foundations, but it is now cost prohibitive. Traditional concrete foundations are not considered “green,” but there is an alternative: using precast concrete panels. Thermally efficient precast concrete has the insulation built in, and the material itself can be recycled in the future when your building is removed.

Walls and Roof

By harvesting sustainable wood, you can build the timber-framed shell of a 1,000 square foot cabin for around $10,000. While cedar shakes were used traditionally, many modern log-cabin builders prefer using metal roofing material. One version of metal roofing material includes a rubber membrane, which is covered in wildflowers and moss! Homes around the 1,000 square foot size can be made from two 40-foot reclaimed shipping containers. Adding a raised roof, insulation and windows raises the cost of a shipping container home to around $40,000. On the opposite end of the cost spectrum, a small cob house, made from a mixture of straw, mud and lime, can be constructed for around $3,000.

Insulation and Utilities

If you’re serious about living green, you’ll need to make sure your home is well insulated with an eco-friendly material. Then it’s time to get serious with energy, and decide how far off the grid you’re willing to live. In many areas, you can dig a well for a water source, and a self-sufficient sewer system is a must if you’re off the municipal grid. Electricity and heat can be solar-generated. Wood heat is a viable option, but it’s not considered “green” because it both destroys trees and adds smoke to our already challenged atmosphere.

Food

While you’re planning your new eco-friendly lifestyle, keep in mind your need for food. Make sure the property you choose has good, well-drained soil which is conducive to gardening, and plan your future garden area when you plan the layout of your home. That way, when you’re finished building, you’ll be able to plant seeds and enjoy the fruits of your labor!

Start planning now for your own eco-friendly home by pricing land in the area where you want to live, and remember to check the zoning laws before you buy to make sure the area allows “different” types of building plans. Investigate other styles of green homes, and find the one that best fits your future lifestyle plans. Once you’ve determined the type of house you want, you can formulate your exact design and make plans to build according to your budget.

Photos: Dominic Alves | Benjahdrum | Condesign