Pallets

http://www.i-beamdesign.com/projects/refugee/refugee.html

Could housing from wooden pallets help?

Solution by Tigana posted on 11/09/2008 18:57 location: Canada

$1,000 Home solution

While I'm not sure if this is completely possible (in America), I do have a suggestion. Like the poster that posted before me (the wooden pallet idea), I believe the way to help acheive a cheap, or even $1,000 home would be to use recycled goods. If there were ways to mass produce these recycled goods it might even make this idea of manufacturing homes for $1,000 a reality. I have heard of people building their individual home for only about $20,000-$25,000 in materials due to the fact that they found scrap sheetrock, lumber, windows, tile, etc in dumpsters and such. Its a great idea for an individual to build a home this way, but I'm not sure it exactly fits what this challenge poses. I'm thinking more along the lines of using recycled everyday materials to turn into home building materials...more of a thinking outside the box solution. The best example to demonstrate what I'm talking about is the use of recycled blue jeans to make insulation. Yes, there are actually companies out there that mass produce this type of insulation for people to buy. I'm not sure of the price, but I'm going to assume its much cheaper than the pink fiberglass insulation that you might buy from Owens Corning or any other fiberglass insulation manufacturer. The benefits of using products such as these are not only the lower cost, but also that your home would be a healthier or "green" solution. It has become politically correct to be concerned with our "carbon footprint" and I think using these cheaper solutions (such as the blue jean insulation) would help kill two birds with one stone. To sum it up, I'm not sure if a $1,000 home is feasable or not, but if it is this recycled goods route is the only way I see it happening.

Solution by Robert_S posted on 11/19/2008 23:49 location: United States

Straw Bale House

Straw bale houses are safe and inexpensive.

Build a house out of straw bales.

Solution by msucwv posted on 11/23/2008 15:32 location: United States

$1,000 home a reality?

I don't know if it would actually work, but everyone knows about the $4-500.00 small, wooden ground forts. People could take one of those and turn it into a small "here say, cabin," and use it as a home. It could work for the summer but come winter theres where the problem is. It would have no insulation, heater, or fireplace, But that is one idea that could work with a little planing.

Solution by Quadkidpaul posted on 12/01/2008 13:31 location: United States