(Newswire.net — March 28, 2017) — Depending on where you’re located internationally, or in the case of the United States, which state you’re in, you may be able to turn a prefabricated structure into a permanent home. Certainly this route isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and in some areas dwelling in such a structure could be illegal; but if you want to save money, this makes a lot of sense.
Regional Eccentricities
What are people saying about living on the grid these days? For the most part, fairly negative things. Living off-grid is an aim for many millennials. You can cut out the cost of energy and other utilities, remain independent, and have a sustainable structure should society implode as it threatens to on a regular basis. People want to live off-grid.
When you consider prefabricated metal structures for this purpose, you’re bound to find many positive factors recommending such a move. Firstly, prefabricated structures are cost-effective. Secondly, they are easy to build even if you’re not architecturally talented. Thirdly, they can often be configured to order within certain limits.
An additional advantage is the convenience of expedient space addition. You need not necessarily remain in “tiny” quarters as per the “tiny” home movement. According to FidelitySteel.com, a site where you can source a metal building kit, “If you need more space in a hurry, this is a great option.”
With prefabricated structures you can build something quickly where previously nothing was, or add to an existing prefabricated structure with expedience. You could build an entire interconnected and insulated complex extremely cheaply. If you insulate it and install your own plumbing (utilizing an on-site well), you’re golden.
Using Solar Panels and Wind Turbines for Energy
Solar panels can be outfitted across the top of a prefabricated structure with relative ease. If you put the structure in a wind-prone area, you can likewise install residential wind turbines. Between these and an on-property well, you will be able to live entirely off the grid with no utility costs whatsoever, saving hundreds if not thousands yearly.
The big advantage of living in a prefabricated structure over conventional tiny home options is that you have the ability to spread out. With a tiny home, curtailing expenses in architecture requires building small. With a prefabricated structure, you can get two to three times the space for essentially the same cost. Then you add on as time goes by.
There’s a reason the military often uses prefabricated structures, and there’s also a reason you’ll find them at airports nationwide. For years, airplane hangars have used prefabricated structures. They’re structurally sound, have no supporting struts keeping the roof up, sustain high winds, are easy to install, and are very cost effective.
All these things combined also represent a somewhat “green” alternative. Many prefabricated structures are constructed from steel, which is one of the most recyclable materials on the planet. So on top of being cost-effective, you’re actually cutting down on your carbon footprint by using primarily “green” materials.
Overcoming Negative Aesthetic Difficulties
With a prefabricated structure you can even outfit a portion of the building as a greenhouse, meaning you can source your own food sustainably. The tiny home movement stands to benefit substantially from prefabricated solutions, the only real downside is aesthetic.
Certainly a prefabricated structure won’t have the aesthetic desirability of many tiny homes; but for those creative enough to think outside the box, it’s definitely possible to overcome this hurdle as well. You could build one underground, or put earth atop it to have a sort of surrogate Hobbit-hole. In short, there are many possibilities.