House made from recycled materials (less than $10,000)

Dan Phillips' houses are truly one-of-a-kind. The buildings, made entirely from recycled materials ranging from scrap lumber and tree branchesto bones, are designed based on the material at hand. Advocates say the recycled style is a low-cost, green housing solution, as well as a striking architectural style.
......

Texas home builder Dan Phillips transforms trash into artful treasures, creating intricate floor mosaics with wood scraps, kitchen counters from ivory-colored bones and roofs out of licence plates.

The fantastical houses which spring from his imagination are made almost entirely with materials which would otherwise have ended up in a garbage dump.

"People have been doing this for hundreds of thousands of years: using whatever is available to build shelter," Phillips said. "If you ponder what could be used, then building materials are everywhere."

For as little as $10,000 it builds affordable homes for single parents, low-income families and artists.

Plus, each house is highly energy efficient with ample insulation, an on-demand solar hot water heater and a catchment system that recycles rainwater to flush the toilet and wash clothes.

http://www.househunting.ca/victoria/green-homes/Homes+made+from+garbage+leave+unique+impressions/4103394/story.html

As far as building codes are concerned, it all depends on the construction and the materials. We can't see exactly how this house is built, so it's tough to tell what's under the walls and roof.

Unconventional homes can be just as safe as any other. It just all depends. That one was built in the USA, so it probably meets code.

It's not to my taste, but it's not my house, either.

I documented the building of a home from an old, abandoned redwood municipal water tank, 24' in diameter and 36' tall. The tank was built like a barrel and was completely disassembled, after marking the components. It was then reassembled on the site, with changes made to add windows and doors and a conical roof. Electrical was done in wooden races, and the new house had three floors. The staves of the tank were 8" thick clear redwood, bound by iron rings.

To convert it into a house, detailed engineering drawings had to be prepared, and the unconventional plumbing and electrical components had to get approval in advance.

The finishes house was very unusual looking, but inside, it was spectacular. The guy who built it spent far more on this unique house than a conventional house would have cost, but he ended up with something that couldn't be duplicated. He paid almost nothing for the original tank. It was all the work making it satisfy the local building people that made it cost so much, along with the very expensive amenities he built into it.

They have low infiltration, therefore moisture is retained.

Seismic and fire protection for starters. Not saying they are sacred but accommodation would have to be made

This guy Dan Phillips is great! I saw his Ted Talk and had to watch it 3 more times. He is fantastic! Not just as a craftsman, but as a humanitarian. He has an apprenticeship program where he jobtrains at-risk youth.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dan_phillips_creative_houses_from_reclaimed_stuff.html

He's right, this is how houses used to always be built, with whatever's at hand. There are many ruins across Europe, with many parts missing. People would come and take bits of abandoned buildings to use in building their own homes.

Julie

Recycling is energy intensive. It means melting things down to turn them into new things. But repurposing takes things as they are and puts them to new uses. Far easier on the environment -- and the results are far more unique.