Off-the-grid living is gaining more and more adepts, who find sometimes easy but other times creative ways of living a sustainable life and producing the energy they need for they home on their own. One of the most wide-known ways you can do this is by installing solar panels that can provide enough energy for an entire household. If you would also like to try and adopt this lifestyle, the change should be made gradually so you can adapt much easier. That is why, building a small cabin, run by solar panels would be a great first step.
The cabin featured here has 14×14 and has a living space of 400 square feet (full loft). The power system was solved by installing solar panels and using wind power and the heating system runs on wood. This cabin is great as it can be used both in the winter and summer, as cold weather doesn’t represent a threat. If we made you curious, read more below about the off-the-grid cabin and build one of your own.
Image © SimpleSolarHomesteading
Image © SimpleSolarHomesteading
Off the Grid Paperback ( << available here) – This book is for anyone thinking about or already living off-grid. It includes detailed step-by-step plans for a solar cabin and over 30 other projects.
Plans included:
- How to build a 14×14 cabin for under $2000
- How to build cabin additions
- How to install solar and wind power
- How to install and use propane appliances
- How to instal a wood burning stove
- How to drill a well, harvest rain and gray water
- How to build a solar composting toilet
- How to passively heat and coll your cabin
- How to plant a basic garden, build rabbit and chicken pens
- How to find cheap homesteading land
I would like to see the floor plan…bath,bedrooms,kitchen,etc.
With Cynthia, I too would like to see the floor plan. I could build this, but I need plans.
Look at 4:07 in the video and it has the floor plan just without exact measurements so that you can adjust it to your own needs
He sells plans for 5 dollars. Only 1/100th of what most people try to get out of you. Or buy his book for 7 and get 20 plans.
Where is the $7 book? On Amazon it’s over $20.
simplesolarhomesteading.com/offthegridebookorder.htm
Your price does not include things like doors, windows, stain, wiring, plumbing, heat, chimney, any interior at all, that is only for the shell.
Have you heard of Freecycle.org or ReStore? Can get all of that either free or extremely cheap.
I would like to know where this is built… The cost in lumber and the solar panels in Alaska would cost three times the amount stated…the insulation alone cost 500.00 in Alaska..
youtube.com/user/solarcabin/videos
I bought the book through Amazon based on this article alone. Can’t wait to read it. Would love to start our adventure tomorrow, but alas, we have to wait until our kids have flown the coop. Until then, it’s research and planning.
Would like to have a bigger one to be built in Ten . Can u send some plans . Thank you
If you want a 688 Sq’ home that is a true home and you diy, with our instructions, manual, spreadsheets, and unbelievably highly detailed plans of each of the 33 panels in the home, check us out.
What about roof insulation?
I want this book please.
Go t our web site for a true home that you build for less than 35,000 but is a primary structure.
Where is the link for the video?
I talked to this guy a few years ago. He said he had inherited about 2 acres of land which was plenty to do a garden.
Please provide me with a telephone number so I can order I do not use card online
If you use your card for purchases or ATM then you use your card online, stores swipe your card and info is transmitted via the internet. ATM also send info via internet. Just make sure it a secure connection with security.
Go to our website. you will truly be pleased
I don’t see how you can call it a “solar cabin for under $2000” when there are no solar panels in the materials list.
Now that’s one cool cabin! If someone secured the land, put up the house with solar panels and wind power to run the electricity and generate heat, but decided to have a third party install plumbing and sewage instead of roughing it, we would still be far out in front! The idea is to have our own without getting soiled and soaked. Maybe this small house and cabin trend will continue around the US for years and spread like a forest fire! The prices for housing is outrageous! This seems to be one better way towards home ownership and keeping an inheritance for future generations. More for less, you agree?
Serious only way you will be able to build for 2k is if you steal all the lumber. Solar Panel’s alone are over 2k. And serious you think a 14×14 home is going to have a huge floor plan for a full kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Most of them your lucky to have a stand up shower and a toilet water or composting. Just a tad bigger then a closet. Kitchens with these most of the time are a small single sink. a hotplate and a microwave so forget your Gourmet cooking. Bedroom is just a loft just barely big enough for a full size bed let alone a queensize so for get being a large person for this idea. Some the bedroom/living room are the same.
I just built a 10×10 pole building just for storage so its nothing fancy cost me 3k in lumber alone. In reality expect to pay 10k in just the house alone. There is one way find a house thats due to be taken down. reclaim the lumber sometimes you will be paid for taking the house down. You can keep what you need in the lumber and sell the rest.. But “books” Like these are just one thing a Scam.
I think you are quite a bit harsh. This gentleman is doing a service. Sharing his experiences with the world. If you want a bigger place, please had a little respect and don’t tear down someone else’s life and choices just to bitch.
If you have so much “experience and knowledge” maybe you should write your own book and put YOUR life on their for the world to pick apart.
I’m guessing people might find a lot to criticise you on.
In most cases I agree with you. We have a plan, fully illustrated diy instruction book for step by step construction, a total materials list for a 688 Sq’ salt box 1full and 1/2 bath, utility room, eat in kitchen, bedroom, living room. It is a true vacation/starter/guest house.
Also must of been and way older video. T1-11 siding 3/8x4x8 is 38.00 a sheet so 14 sheets is over 500. If you look close at the end of the video says’ local prices. and serious 4×4’s for your main post when your supporting a loft = bad idea. hate being a buzz kill but this is not all that safe. Only reason why they are able to get away with it is it most building codes in counties and cities you don’t need a permit for anything under 200sf and this is 196sf .
I’m not trying to be a troll but think safety when building your dwelling. Use common since and have an engineer look over the plans. Yes it cost a tad bit more but which would you prefer. Cheap house or a Cheap house that Falls down with all your belongings in it and money wasted.
Oh and here is a thought for the roof trusses. Sometimes you can go to a local Truss maker and see if they might have anything in their “bone” yard that would work for you. They are sound and…half the price. Or you could make a Lean-to roof style and up on the highside you could install Small narrow windows 🙂 just saying.
You can have you house built one of three ways:
A Good house built fast is not cheap
A good house built cheap is not fast
A fast built house built cheap is not good.
Which way do you want your house built?
Don’t confuse “cheap” for “economical”. You could spend a mint on something cheaply made or spend a few thousand on something economically built.
Love that first song
I would place roof sideways where length is the front, then add a dormer in loft facing porch. Any instructions on how to build a dormer?
who could show me a blueprint or draw me up some plans I would love to do this on my parents 42 acres and just live in a teeny home and live off the land and live off grid I would love that
Go to hideawayhomesllc.com and you will see just what you want.
I’m a 49 yr old woman who is basically alone, I’ve had Diabetes since I was 10, my 3 kids are grown and gone( as they should be, 33,26,24) and recently told my health issues are brought on by the mold/mildew in the basement where I live. It’s a catch 22, I’m on disability and can’t work to make enough to get moved out of here!
This is a AWESOME idea, considering that the guys here basically scrapped out an old wood mill in the area, found some exotic old cuts of stuff you can’t get anymore etc. I’m putting the guys to work, I’ve got the wood in my yard now!!
I owe my friend who posted this a lot!
I’m pretty sure that I’ll get able to return to work once out of the environment, literally a life saver.
I’ll post pictures of it when done
Deborah, I too share some of your disabilities. the apartment I currently rent is filled with mold that I believe has an adverse impact on my health.
I think this is a great idea & at our local transfer station we have reclaimed many things that would help keep costs down, like windows.
I’m trying to find a piece of land, cheap, about 2 acres with a water source.
Good luck to you!!
You need to find a friend does home improvements for a living, most builders either throw away or sell for cheap windows that get replaced, I have 5 windows in my garage right now, there not the same size but who cares, you can’t beat free.
Shame the permit would cost 50% of that not to mention recycled timber isn’t cheap anyway… Good try tho. 🙂
Permit where I live is $25. There are band saw mill owners who will cut up lumber for less than $25 per hour. All the wood for this could be cut easily in under 4 hours. A lot depends on where one lives.
That’s why you build it out of town, idk where you live but here in missouri the only permits needed to build a dwelling are city permits, the county and/or state will come inspect them to make sure they are safe but there are no permits or fees.
this and the whole tiny house movement is self defeating. If you want a very small living area and reasonably priced you can set on your property get a RV. If you want a full house that you build for under $35,000.00 Complete with plumbing,electric, and interior/exterior finish see us at hideawayhomes.com
Since you are so rude as to try to sell your stuff here I for one would never buy anything from you. Not cool dude.
I live in a small town in Maine. A building permit ($40.00) is required for anything over 100 sqf and/or $5000.00. Not bad all in all. For my boyfriend and I to build a dwelling on our land however; we have to have it plumbed, wired , and these inspected; regardless of how “primitive” we choose to live. I have two wells and a large septic system (for a five bedroom abode) already in place. We had planned on having a separate building for a bathe/green house so we can use gray water from solar shower and tub, dishes, hand sink and manual clothes washer for our plants we want to grow in there. However, because the town requires the abode to be plumbed, we now need to increase the size of our living space to accommodate a bathroom with washer room. I am not a full back to nature buff but do see the need to respect what I have to work with, without overtaxing my land or dreams.
Oh, and by the by; to Carl Glassmeyer: My town will not allow anyone to reside in an RV for more than three straight months at a time. At the end of these three months you must either move the RV off the land or show proof that it is not being used as a dwelling place.
Respectfully submitted,
C. Steele
Love some information on cabin if can send to me know more about the building.
If you are interested in purchasing the ebook for $7 you can go to simplesolarhomesteading.com
Was interested until I started reading about it. Do people ever proof read anymore??? Wonder if they proof read the book?
Just buy an RV, put solar panels on it and call it good.
Theres no way you can build this for under 2000.
Why not just buy a prefab 2 car garage kit? Your only gonna spend about $1,000 more and it’s 3 times (most now a days are 20X30) the space plus most come with electrical wire and sheet rock for the inside. and most sellers will put it together for you.
Trying to find plans for a cheap cabin like this.
Be careful with this- check your local ordinances – big brother and the utility companies don’t like this
I want one please
.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Lamar-Alexander go to Amazon, and they have the price and the plans.
To those needing and requesting “plans” to build that, you might want to reconsider your “survivalist” hobby.
All the very best Deborah.
I have studied this subject for years. This is the simplest most comprehensive post. I have seen! Kudos. Id be interested in plans and full printed out instructions is that possible?
I would like info emailed to on how to order plans
Toxic mold poisoning will kill you. I was poisoned 7 yrs ago and it’s a constant detox struggle.