Build a 640-Square-Foot Solar-Powered Shipping Container House with Greenhouse for $25,000

This do-it-yourself shipping container house is designed to get people off the grid for cheap.

The simple, energy-efficient design incorporates recycled shipping containers, a greenhouse and solar power.

The shipping containers serve as a 640-square-foot. two-story house:

Later, a greenhouse is attached, not only to grow food, but to warm the house:

Cut out some windows and add wood paneling for insulation if you want:

The greenhouse is so efficient at warming, solar panels are sufficient to power the whole house:

“I wanted to design something that met the basic criteria for self-sufficiency while providing maximum living area, small footprint, and a large growing area to produce as much food as you could possibly eat,” writes the designer and founder of OffGridLiving.net Eric Wichman.

If you’re a handy person with any building experience, you can put this “bare bones” structure together for about $25,000 Wichman says.

See his detailed instructions here.

But even if you had to hire some help, you could still have a super sturdy, super energy efficient home and garden for relatively cheap.

Wichman started Off Grid Living Magazine to share his wealth of ideas for how to affordably get off grid and become more self-sufficient. This home design is one of many he’s come up with.