California DIY, shipping container tiny home and a cargo trailer bedroom

Lulu is a single mom who'd gone back to school and didn't have the time or interest in working full-time to pay for rent. So when she had to move out of her more conventional home, she decided to move herself and her daughter into a shipping container.
With no building experience, Lulu spent just one month cutting windows and a door and installing insulation and a basic kitchen (complete with propane-powered campstove and on-demand water heater). 
Then she and her daughter moved into the 8 by 20 foot square foot home, fitting a bed, couch, bookshelf and kitchen cabinets into the 160 square foot box.
When Lulu decided they needed a bit more space, she went from shipping to trucking waste and began to build their bedroom on a used flatbed trailer.
"It's really mostly built like a shed. It's a nice looking shed, but it's really an 8 by 16 shed with windows in it."
Using only recycled building materials- including used floorboards, windows, cabinets, doors, bathtub, toilet and sinks- she built the entire thing for about $4,000 (trailer included).

Original story here: http://www.faircompanies.com/videos/view/california-shipping-container-tiny-h...

Music credit: "I Am a Man Who Will Fight for Your Honor" by Chris Zabriskie (http://chriszabriskie.com/)

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• small home
• small house
• small space
• downshifting
• home size
• simple life
• simplicity
• downsizing
• small house movement
• microhome
• tiny house
• wabi-sabi
• recycled building materials
• salvaged materials
• recycled furniture
• salvaged furniture
• DIY home
• DIY housing
• handbuilt house
• mortgage free
• mortgage free home
• cheap home

[kc7fys]

Your love and attention makes this place a home. You are very resourceful, and will likely always have what you need. I'm amazed and impressed.

[isabstmr]

Of all the container home videos, this is my favorite. As she kept on talking, my smile grew bigger and bigger. You are an inspiration.

[catawba909]

What 3rd world country is this? Maybe i can help with donations.

[MrBlackfoot66]

you are one of a kind, I only hope in the face of diversity i would shine as you have .

[TheDystopiaInside]

I would so love to do this. This woman is an inspiration to me. I've been looking into tiny homes for about a year and this is one of the best videos I've seen. I would wonder how she gets to do this without the city bothering her.

I think if people own the land, and as long as the house is safe, the city should mind their own business.

[trinketbox1]

Uh, WHO owns the property this storage container is setting on? What states is this? Do you get mail there?

[MimiZ914]

Great that she can do this and not have the city officials slam her with their list of ordinances. The way things are going, we all might be doing this, and sitting around a campfire telling stories & acting like free agents again.

[VoodooPolitico]

@isabstmr Im thinking the SF Bay Area possibly. MAYBE even Central Coast California. Santa Fe/Taos means SNOW and COLD for a couple months. Her water lines (green garden hose) would freeze, etc...She is someplace moderately warm. Either way a very resourceful lady. Her daughter is going to grow up with special skills and an outlook that most kids wont have.

[kykykynon]

how cool you have done well interesting land area where im from its all corn fields and few trees

[MrExcogitate]

How do you keep the government from screwing with you...especially in CA?

[jasonac20021971]

@theonlyjaie Redneck is a racial slur that you throw around so easily. When someone says nigger you freak. Hypocrisy at its finest.

[slyseyes]

Oh yeah...to YourLoveLetter and Santos Regal: REALLY??? You have to pick a forum like this to bitch each other out? The sad part is - you two are the only ones who care what the other has to say. Don't muddy up something nice with your B.S. conversation. Be a grown up and stick to the subject at hand: Lulu and her homemade home.