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10 Comments

  1. MamaLiberty
    MamaLiberty May 20, 2014 9:05 am

    Well… I’m sure those would be better than many alternatives, especially in the city… but getting used to such a small space wouldn’t work for everyone. I have 750 sq. feet upstairs here, an equal amount of space downstairs, and still find it too small once in a while.

  2. Matt, another
    Matt, another May 20, 2014 9:11 am

    I like those immensely! I am odd, but I prefer small living spaces. Thousands of square feet and multiple floors doesn’t interest me. I wonder how many counties zoning would not approve such a small house based on the small amount of taxes it would likely generate. I see those small houses as a great starter home for young adults working lousy jobs in the current service economy. The best bet is that they wouln’t have to be government funded. The remind me of seeing a lot of the tar-paper and shotgun shacks travelin through the Appelachians when I was younger.

  3. Joel
    Joel May 20, 2014 9:22 am

    That sepulchral laughter in the background seems to be coming from the tomb of Ayn Rand.

    What is it with architects and unlivable designs? I live in a 200 sq. ft. cabin (which cost a very great deal less than $20K, but I’m a scrounger) and I’ve got a closet bigger than that one house’s kitchen. Where are the windows? I know Alabama gets (very) muggy, but have these people never heard of airflow? What happens when you can’t afford the power bill for the A/C? And if I wanted a tin box, I’d just buy a trailer. Much less work.

    I’m tempted to channel Zoe: “You paid $20K for this, sir? On purpose?”

    Listen to me, I’m bitching like a liberal. See what you’ve done? 🙂

  4. Jim B.
    Jim B. May 20, 2014 9:58 am

    Most likely designed by students who’ve never lived in a non-air-conditioned house and can never conceive of not running an air conditioner. They also probably never had to pay for such air conditioning in their lives.

    Better for the owners to design their own houses with their own needs in mind.

  5. Curt S
    Curt S May 20, 2014 12:10 pm

    This is the best idea I’ve seen in along time. The only thing I question is locality. I’m not at all sure these places would be very good where it gets down to 30 degrees below zero in the winter. As for space. I have learned a long time ago less is more. Most people don’t need half of all the stuff they collect. Think about it…..how many things have you bought that were spur of the moment ideas? Think about how much all that “storage” is costing you in morgage payments. Finally, think about the cost of the land. One looks at all these “image” monstrosities and the land they take up to make them so attractive. Oh, ok, I am forgetting about property values. Yeah, right, It used to be folks built a house to live in. Seems nowadays it is the image as well as the idea to make money on it. Tell you what…..you can keep all those HOA developments and stick them where the sun don’t shine. I figure one’s property is their own to do with what they wish, not some PC stuck up bunch of idiots idea as to what should be allowed as far as gardening or how long your grass is.

  6. naturegirl
    naturegirl May 20, 2014 5:24 pm

    OK, still have to read the entire article. As of now, all I can wonder is if Alabama is in hurricane zone? followed by Why be inside one of those?…I dunno, I’ve lived in a trailer before and can’t say this looks much better…

    LOL at Joel’s reaction.

  7. Anonymous
    Anonymous May 21, 2014 3:13 pm

    Can These $20,000 Houses Save the American Dream?

    Only if you build them from rammed-Earth bricks made from zoning, building code, taxing, lending, and permitting officials.

  8. Paul Bonneau
    Paul Bonneau May 22, 2014 7:40 am

    [that could be built by a contractor for $20,000 ($12,000 for materials and $8,000 for labor and profit)]

    I’ll know people are serious when they start building their own houses and stop contracting out the labor.

    I’m with Joel. Architects, sheesh.

    Ever read the book “Rancho Costa Nada”?

    I could live in a very small shack (as long as I have a shop!). It’s the women who have problems with modest dwellings. I don’t know how many times I’ve had a conversation with other men who just want to get out of the rat race and live in a shack somewhere and garden, hunt and fish, but the womenfolk won’t put up with it.

  9. Claire
    Claire May 22, 2014 9:13 am

    Paul — Rancho Costa Nada is a terrific book! Clever, funny, innovative. Thanks for bringing that up.

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