10 Great Alternative Housing Ideas PLUS Loads of Inspiring Examples, Pros & Cons and More!
Summary
TLDRThis video explores 10 innovative alternative housing options, offering unique living solutions for various lifestyles and budgets. From tiny homes on wheels that prioritize affordability and customization to yurts, which provide simplicity and a calming, round structure, each option comes with its own set of advantages and challenges. Boats, shipping containers, and float homes present waterfront living with varying maintenance requirements. Earthships aim for self-sufficiency using recycled materials, while natural buildings focus on health and environmental sustainability. Passive houses significantly reduce energy consumption with their advanced design elements. Converted vehicles and trailers offer mobile living for those who value flexibility, and small spaces, whether in urban or rural settings, promote minimalism and efficiency. The video encourages viewers to consider their priorities, such as affordability, sustainability, or quality of life, when exploring these alternative housing choices.
Takeaways
- 🏡 **Alternative Housing Variety**: The video discusses 10 different types of alternative housing, each with unique characteristics and considerations.
- 🚚 **Tiny Houses on Wheels**: Tiny houses have gained popularity for their affordability and portability, but legal parking and insurance can be challenges.
- 🌿 **Yurts (Yurs)**: Originating from Central Asia, yurts are portable, wind-resistant, and can be quickly set up, though not suitable for all climates.
- 🛶 **Boats as Homes**: Boats offer a waterfront lifestyle but require maintenance and may have restrictions on docking for liveaboards.
- 📦 **Shipping Container Homes**: These modular homes offer creative building possibilities but need proper insulation and waterproofing.
- ⛵ **Float Homes**: Built on floating bases, these homes offer picturesque living, though maintenance and marina space can be issues.
- 🌱 **Earth Ships**: Designed for self-sufficiency with waste materials, these homes are labor-intensive and require careful design for climate suitability.
- 🏰 **Natural Buildings**: Utilizing natural materials like wood, clay, and hemp, these structures prioritize health and the environment but may need custom building plans.
- ♨ **Passive Houses**: These homes significantly reduce energy consumption with features like thick insulation and heat recovery ventilation systems.
- 🚐 **Converted Vehicles and Trailers**: Mobile living in vans, buses, and trailers offers flexibility but comes with challenges like maintenance and parking.
- 🏢 **Small Spaces**: Living in smaller spaces can be more affordable and energy-efficient, requiring careful organization to prevent clutter.
Q & A
What is the definition of alternative housing as mentioned in the script?
-Alternative housing refers to any type of housing that is a bit different from traditional homes. It can involve different building techniques, materials, or sizes, and is often located off the beaten path.
Why is it important to research before choosing an alternative housing option?
-It's important to research because alternative housing options may not be suitable for every location, budget, or climate. Additionally, there may be legal considerations such as finding a place to park a tiny home legally and obtaining financing and insurance.
What are the typical sizes of tiny houses on wheels mentioned in the script?
-Tiny houses on wheels can range from as small as 16 ft long by 8 1/2 ft wide to as large as 43 ft long by 10 1/2 ft wide, with an average interior space of around 300 to 400 square feet.
What are some of the advantages of living in a tiny house?
-The main advantages of tiny houses include portability, as they are built on wheels and can be moved easily, and the opportunity for customization and design due to their smaller size.
What are Yurts and where do they originate from?
-Yurts, also known as 'gers' in Mongolia, are portable tent structures that originate from Central Asia. They are traditionally made with natural materials and are known for their round shape and wind resistance.
What are some challenges associated with living in a boat as a home?
-Challenges of boat living include the variability in boat prices, the cost of maintaining the boat, vulnerability to the elements, and the potential difficulty of finding a marina that accepts year-round liveaboards.
What are the key features of a passive house?
-Passive houses aim to drastically reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling by using thick walls with lots of insulation, a tight building envelope, triple-glazed windows, and a heat recovery ventilation system.
What are some benefits of living in a small space?
-Living in a small space can be more affordable, use less energy to heat and cool, require less furniture and other items, which can reduce spending and consumption, and often provide a sense of satisfaction from optimizing the space.
What are Earthships and what are they made of?
-Earthships are a type of alternative housing designed to be self-sufficient, using waste products like old tires, bottles, and cans, along with natural materials like dirt to minimize the need for new materials.
How do float homes differ from traditional homes in terms of construction?
-Float homes are built like traditional homes but instead of sitting on a land foundation, they are built on a floating base, often made of concrete and styrofoam, which allows them to be located in bodies of water.
What is a common challenge faced by those living in converted vehicles or trailers?
-A common challenge includes the need for insurance, gas, and frequent repairs and maintenance, especially for older models. Additionally, finding suitable places to park overnight and dealing with extreme temperatures can be difficult.
Why might someone choose to live in an alternative housing option over a traditional home?
-People might choose alternative housing for various reasons such as affordability, personal health, environmental sustainability, quality of life, or the desire for a unique living experience that traditional homes may not offer.
Outlines
🏡 Alternative Housing Ideas Overview
This paragraph introduces the topic of alternative housing, emphasizing the variety of options available such as Earth ships, float homes, tiny homes, and more. It discusses the importance of understanding the unique characteristics and challenges of each type, including building techniques, materials, and sizes. The video creators share their extensive experience exploring these homes and stress the significance of research and aligning the choice with personal goals like affordability, health, and environmental sustainability.
🚚 Tiny Houses on Wheels
Tiny houses on wheels are highlighted as a popular and potentially more affordable housing option compared to traditional homes, especially for those who build them themselves. They are portable, built on trailers, and can vary significantly in size. The paragraph outlines the advantages of tiny homes, such as portability and the opportunity for customization. However, it also mentions challenges related to legal parking, financing, and insurance, necessitating thorough research before committing to this lifestyle.
🌐 Yurts and Boat Living
The paragraph covers two distinct housing alternatives: Yurts and boats. Yurts, portable tent structures from Central Asia, are made with natural materials, offer wind resistance, and can be quickly set up. They are not suitable for all climates and require maintenance for temperature regulation and to prevent leaks and pests. Boats, on the other hand, are available in various shapes and sizes, with prices ranging from free to expensive. They offer the benefit of waterfront living but may require finding a suitable marina and dealing with the elements, as well as maintenance costs.
🏗️ Shipping Containers and Float Homes
Shipping container homes are discussed as a modular and imaginative building option that can be polarizing. They come in different sizes and require proper insulation, ventilation, and waterproofing. Float homes, built on a floating base, are often found in mild coastal areas and can sometimes be more affordable than traditional homes. They offer picturesque living and easy access to water activities but may involve unique maintenance tasks and challenges in finding a suitable marina.
🌿 Earthships and Natural Buildings
Earthships, designed for self-sufficiency, are constructed using waste products and natural materials, aiming to minimize the need for new resources. They incorporate passive solar heating, rainwater collection, and waste treatment systems. The paragraph also touches on natural building techniques like Cobb and hemp-lime, which use materials like wood, sand, clay, and straw. These buildings are unique, often requiring custom design and engineering plans to meet local building codes.
🏡 Passive Houses and Converted Vehicles
Passive houses are designed to significantly reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling through features like thick insulation, tight building envelopes, and heat recovery ventilation systems. They are considered easy to build and have a measurable impact on energy use. Converted vehicles and trailers, such as vans, buses, and Airstream trailers, offer mobility and flexibility, with various reasons for their adoption. However, they come with challenges like maintenance, insurance, and finding suitable parking spots.
🏙️ Living in Small Spaces
Small living spaces are presented as a common thread among alternative housing options, offering benefits like affordability and reduced energy consumption. They require careful planning to maintain functionality and prevent clutter. The paragraph suggests that choosing to live in a smaller space or downsize can be a fulfilling alternative housing option, with many of the examples shown in the video available for more in-depth viewing on the channel.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Alternative Housing
💡Tiny Houses on Wheels
💡Yurts
💡Boats as Homes
💡Shipping Container Homes
💡Float Homes
💡Earth Ships
💡Natural Buildings
💡Passive Houses
💡Converted Vehicles and Trailers
💡Small Spaces
Highlights
Exploring alternative homes for nearly a decade, the video showcases a variety of unique and sustainable living spaces.
Alternative housing is defined as anything that deviates from traditional homes in terms of building technique, material, or size.
Tiny houses on wheels are popular and can be more affordable, especially if built by the owner, with sizes ranging from 16 ft to 43 ft.
Yurts, portable tent structures from Central Asia, are wind-resistant and can be set up quickly with a low impact on the land.
Boats, including sailboats and houseboats, offer waterfront living and can vary greatly in price, from free to brand new.
Shipping container homes are modular and can be built in various unique ways, but require proper insulation and waterproofing.
Float homes are built on a floating base and are often found in coastal areas with mild weather, offering picturesque living.
Earthships are self-sufficient homes built with waste products and natural materials, designed for minimal environmental impact.
Natural buildings use materials found in nature, such as wood, clay, and hemp, and often require custom design for local building codes.
Passive houses aim to reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling by up to 90%, using thick insulation and efficient ventilation.
Converted vehicles and trailers, like camper vans and school buses, offer mobile living solutions for those who value travel or cost savings.
Small living spaces are a common thread among alternative housing, offering affordability, reduced energy use, and less consumption.
Choosing to live in a smaller space or downsize can increase the quality of life and is an alternative housing option for urban living.
The video provides a comprehensive look at each housing type, including the pros and cons, to help viewers make informed decisions.
Each type of alternative housing has unique challenges, such as legal parking for tiny homes or finding a marina for float homes.
The video emphasizes the importance of research and understanding one's goals before choosing an alternative housing option.
Many alternative housing options prioritize environmental sustainability and personal well-being, aligning with modern living values.
The video features in-depth, full-length videos for each home type, allowing viewers to explore further if interested.
Transcripts
if you're looking for alternative homes
you've come to the right place in this
video we've rounded up 10 different
alternative housing ideas including
Earth ships float homes natural
buildings tiny homes and more plus we
share some pros and cons about each one
we've been exploring and filming
alternative homes for close to 10 years
now and we've seen hundreds of
incredible and unique spaces so we have
a lot to share
before jumping in we just want to
quickly mention that alternative housing
for us is anything that's a little bit
different for example it might be a
different building technique material or
size it's also important to know that
alternative housing is often off the
beaten path and the housing options
might not be possible everywhere or work
for every budget or climate so it's
important to do lots of research before
jumping into anything head first there
are so many different places and
different ways to live in this world
that it can be a bit overwhelming to
choose just one some really good advice
that we got during our exploring is that
it's helpful to get clear on what the
main goal is whether it's affordability
personal health environmental
sustainability quality of life Etc and
use that knowledge as a
guide so now let's get started with
number one tiny houses on wheels tiny
houses on wheels have been growing in
popularity over the past decade and can
be a more affordable housing option than
a traditional home especially if you're
able to build it yourself they're built
on trailers and can range in size quite
a bit for example the smallest one we've
seen was only 16 ft long by 8 1/2 ft
wide and the biggest one was 43 ft long
by 10 1/2 ft wide but on average they
seem to be around 300 to 400 ft on the
inside especially when you include the
Loft
spaces one of the main advantages of a
tiny house is the portability since
they're built on Wheels they can easily
be moved around and
relocated another really cool thing
about tiny homes is that because they're
so small a lot more time and effort can
go into customizing and designing them
into beautiful and functional
spaces but a few important challenges to
keep in mind with tiny houses is that
depending on the location it can be hard
to find a place to park them legally and
to get things like financing and house
insurance so lots of research is
required beforehand
[Music]
and number two yurs yorts are probably
the cheapest and simplest housing type
on this list yurs which are also called
gar in Mongolia originate in Central
Asia and are basically portable tent
structures made with natural materials
traditional yurs have a round shape that
makes them wind resistant and they're
built with several layers the frame is
built with wood lattice walls and roof
Rafters that are attached to Central
support poles and a dome at the top
they're insulated with several layers of
sheep wool felt and are covered with a
canvas cover on the outside for
weatherproofing some North American made
URS use different materials like PVC for
the covers reflec titics for insulation
and they might even add windows or
connect several yurs together yurs make
incredibly beautiful homes and there's
just something very special about being
in a round structure that's hard to
describe
but it's quite calming they can be set
up really quickly usually in just a day
and they have a low impact on the land
around them but they aren't suited for
all climates and it's often better if
they're lived in fulltime to maintain
the space above freezing to manage
humidity to make sure there are no leaks
and to prevent Critters from getting
in number three boats boats come in all
shapes and sizes and we've seen many
people make cozy homes out of sailboats
narrow boats house boats and more boat
prices vary wildly from free derel boats
all the way up to more expensive brand
new boats so there are lots of options
at different price
ranges some liver boards like to keep
their boats docked at a Marina and
rarely take them out in the open water
being at a marina fulltime is definitely
more expensive than anchoring out but it
can make boat life quite comfortable
with services like electricity water and
internet right at the dock other liver
boards spend very little time at marinas
and are on their boats to travel
sailboats are a better option for open
ocean house boats can be great on lakes
and narrow boats are an option for
places with Canal networks like the UK
France and Amsterdam living on the boat
means you have a waterfront home and all
the benefits that come with that but
depending on the location it can be
tricky to find a marina that accepts
yearr round Li boards so it's always a
good idea to find a dock before buying a
boat some other challenges we've heard
about boat life in general are that
boats are expensive to maintain hence
the acronym break out another thousand
and that living on a boat means you're
more exposed and vulnerable to the
elements like extreme temperatures and
[Music]
storms number four shipping container
homes shipping container homes are
popping up around the world but as we've
seen in the comments on our videos they
can be very polarizing some people love
them and some people kind of hate them
but it's easy to see why they've
captured people's imaginations with all
the different possibilities of building
with these modular containers like
stacking and caner Levering them in lots
of different unique ways shipping
containers come in many different sizes
ranging from 10 ft long all the way to
53 ft long and they can be 8 and 1/2 or
9 and 1/2 ft tall they're often
purchased used after a single one-way
trip most people don't like to buy
containers that have been used more than
once because it's hard to find out if
the container transported dangerous
goods a couple things that are important
to get right when building with
containers is making sure the insulation
and ventilation are installed properly
to prevent condensation issues and
making sure that the seams where the
containers are joined are properly
waterproofed to prevent any leaks
[Music]
number five float homes float homes are
built like traditional homes except that
instead of sitting on a foundation on
land they're built on a floating base
and usually it's made of concrete and
styrofoam float homes are often found in
coastal cities and towns that have mild
weather like Vancouver and Seattle
although we've also seen some in places
like Toronto where they use bubblers to
prevent the water from freezing around
the house in the
winter living on the water in the float
home is absolutely picturesque and a
side bonus is that it can sometimes cost
less than traditional homes and condos
in the same area probably in part
because there's no land ownership
involved another perk to float homes is
being able to hop in a kayak right from
your front door but like most
alternative housing options float homes
are not perfect for example they can
have some extra fun maintenance tasks
like regularly emptying out a septic
tank it can also be difficult to find a
marina that has space for float homes or
that will least the space for more than
a couple of years at a time which can be
stressful number six Earth
ships Earth ships have to be one of the
more beautiful ambitious and labor
intensive types of alternative homes
that we've seen people build the goal
with an Earth Ship is that the home
would be completely self-sufficient in
terms of its inputs and outputs the
concept and design came from Michael
Reynolds who's an architect in New
Mexico they're built using waste
products like old tires bottles and pop
cans and natural materials like dirt to
minimize the need for new materials and
they're designed to be heated and cooled
using passive solar to collect rain
water from the roof to generate
electricity from solar and wind to grow
food in indoor gardens and to treat
waste water on site they're incredibly
impressive spaces and Earth ships have
been built all over the world the waste
materials used to build Earth ships can
be quite inexpensive but the real
expense comes in the form of land and
especially labor because they can take
months and even years to build we've
seen a mix of official Earth ships that
were built using plans from Michael
Reynolds and we've also seen DIY
versions where people come up with with
their own
designs it does seem like it's quite
important to get the details right to
ensure that the systems function the way
they're supposed to so it's probably
worth it to purchase plans and to make
sure that the design is appropriate for
the climate where it's going to be built
an energy modeler can help figure this
out number seven natural buildings
natural buildings are built with
materials that you can find in nature
things like wood sand clay straw hemp
and stone a lot of folks we've met like
to use natural materials when they build
if they're trying to avoid using
man-made products that might be harmful
to human health and to the environment
things like concrete plastic and
products that contain
voc's a good example of a natural
building technique would be Cobb Cobb is
a type of Earth building that uses a mix
of sand clay and straw to sculpt thick
sturdy walls sometimes they're
loadbearing walls and sometimes the cob
is used to build walls inside a timber
frame structure hemp cre is another
natural building material that we've
loved learning about over the years it's
made with hemp herd which is the Woody
part of the hemp plant and lime to
create a mixture that can either be made
into blocks for later use or to build
walls on site by pouring it into
forms these are just a couple examples
but there's all sorts of fascinating
natural building techniques out there
like straw bale ramed Earth and log
homes to name a few natural materials
can also be used in the finishing
elements of a home for example using
natural plasters instead of drywall or
cork flooring instead of vinyl Etc homes
that are built using natural materials
are often quite unique and will probably
require custom design and Engineering
plans to make sure they meet the local
building code
[Music]
number eight passive houses passive
house is a building standard that aims
to drastically reduce the energy
required to heat and cool a home
sometimes by up to 90% or more which is
huge some of the design elements in a
passive house are thick walls with lots
of insulation a very tight building
envelope triple glazed windows that are
oriented according to the sun and a heat
recovery ventilation system that brings
in fresh air and preheats it with the
stale air that's being exhausted which
minimizes heat loss A lot of people are
concerned that passive homes will be
unhealthy to live in because they're so
tightly sealed and think it'll be kind
of like living inside a plastic bag but
the reality is that most non-passive
homes also have a plastic Vapor Barrier
the difference is that with a passive
house the ventilation system is there to
ensure that the home always has fresh
air coming in
of all the housing Alternatives we've
seen over the years passive house seems
to be the option that's the easiest to
build just about anywhere because it's
built with standard construction
materials and because the design usually
exceeds the building code requirements
it also has the most impressive and
measurable impact on energy
consumption number nine converted
vehicles and
trailers over the past last 10 years
we've met many people living in all
types of Vans vehicles and trailers like
self-built Camper vans converted school
buses and renovated Airstream trailers
there are lots of reasons why people
live in vehicles and trailers sometimes
it's the travel sometimes it's out of
necessity and sometimes it might be a
choice to spend less money on rent
whatever the reason it's always
fascinating to see the innovative ways
that people find to make a home in small
mobile spaces from really simple low
Tech conversions to elaborate builds
with all the modern
conveniences in terms of where people do
this some folks park for free on city
streets and move around every night or
most nights other people might travel
around to find free campsites on
crownland and BLM land and there's also
the option of having more of a home base
by renting a seasonal site at a
campground or by paying to park on
someone's
land living in a van or vehicle
full-time is doable but it's definitely
not for everyone and it comes with its
own set of challenges it's not as easy
or as cheap as it might seem a vehicle
needs Insurance gas and lots of repairs
and maintenance especially if it's an
older model it can also be challenging
to find places to park for the night and
to handle very hot or very cold
weather and finally with number 10
small spaces small spaces might seem
like a vague category of alternative
housing but small living spaces are one
of the common threads between all of the
alternative housing ideas we've shared
so far living in any small space can be
beneficial in a lot of different ways it
might be more affordable than a bigger
space or use less energy to heat and
cool it and a small space also needs
Less Furniture and things like that so
it cuts down on spending and consumption
in that way too
many of the alternative housing ideas
we've talked about so far are easier to
find outside the city but for people who
want to live in an urban area there are
loads of small spaces like apartments
condos and small houses that can be
found in the city which might also mean
better access to jobs public transit and
other social
opportunities as we progress through
life we tend to continue to outgrow
spaces and move into bigger and bigger
spaces but but choosing to stay in a
smaller space or downsizing to a smaller
space is an alternative housing option
as well small spaces are definitely more
challenging to live in and require
constant work to make sure that the
space remains functional and doesn't get
cluttered but there's something really
satisfying about optimizing a small
space to make it just right and
regardless of the type of home keeping
it small and simple can increase quality
of life in many different ways
all of the homes shown in this video
have a more in-depth fulllength video on
this channel so if something caught your
eye you can definitely find it in our
playlists we'll also include links to
the playlists in the description of this
video we'd love to know which of these
alternative housing options you found
most interesting and let us know in the
comments if you have any other housing
ideas we should explore thanks to
everyone who's taken the time to share
their alternative home with us over the
years and thank you for watching
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