Many architectural firms are making modern prefab homes. That means you can order your house and move in almost immediately.
Are these off grid homes perfect? No. Would it be better to build your own off grid home to your specifications? Probably.
But these prefab homes show that getting off the grid is easier than you probably thought.
Want to become more self-sufficient but not sure where to start?
Check out these articles
- Checklist For Living Off The Grid
- Off Grid Living Costs
- Off Grid Living Equipment and Supplies
- Off Grid Laws
- Off Grid Communication
Jamaica Cottage Shop
This is a cool prefab home company based in Jamaica, Vermont. They specialize in tiny homes, cabins, and storage spaces.
As for off-grid options, the Solar Cabin is one of the best offerings. It has a wood stove, gray water sink system, and other features that allow it to be 100% off-grid. Prices start at $29,800. They also have other 100% off-grid prefab homes.
Their homes can be delivered to the continental USA and parts of Canada. Learn more here.
Plant Prefab
This firm offers a vast selection of prefab homes that are designed to be eco-friendly. They aren’t off-the-grid by default. However, they have a “Zero 6” vision in which they work to get a home’s energy and waste loads down to zero. This makes it easy to turn one of these prefabs into an off grid home. Learn more here.
Method Homes
These prefab homes target the eco-movement, which is great for those wanting to live off grid. They are prewired for solar and made with super-efficient features. There are options like grey water, off grid septic, and more. Learn more here.
Ark Shelter
This prefab cabin can be shipped almost anywhere in the world. Aside from being portable, it includes off grid features like rainwater catchment and a wood stove and is designed to last a lifetime. Learn more here.
Ferris Off Grid Homes
Ferris makes prefab custom homes in California. Their off grid home option includes solar and is zero-net. No longer available.
Green Modern Kits Solar Homes
If you are on a tight budget and want an off grid cabin, consider Green Modern Kits. Their prices are around just $30,000. For that price, you can get a Zero-Net home with solar. Learn more here.
Plant Prefab
This is a spinoff of Living Homes. The way that it works is that you first choose one of their prefab home designs. Then, you work with your architect or one of their design partners to adapt it.
The original prefab designs aren’t entirely off-grid (the focus is energy efficiency). However, you can adapt them to be off-grid if you wish. You can learn more here.
Nugget by Modern Tiny Living
The prefab home company Modern Tiny Living specializes in tiny homes. Their layouts are practical and have cool features like transporting your home as a trailer.
The Nugget is their only prefab design with a complete off-grid package. It includes a 100-gallon fresh water tank, propane heater, solar system, and energy-efficient building.
It’s only 12 square feet but includes a kitchen with sink and cabinets, shelves, storage, and a stowaway bed. The price starts at $39,000. Learn more here.
Backcountry Hut Company
This Canadian company delivers your home stacked on a pallet (like you’d get IKEA furniture). There is a modular system, so you can adjust the size from 1 module (206 square feet) to 4 modules (845 square feet).
They deliver to almost all over North America. They’ll even deliver the home with a helicopter if your location is hard to access.
Prices start at around $77,000 (USD). Learn more here.
Ecocapsule
Is the world ready for off grid living in a tiny egg-shaped home? I guess so because the Slovak company that makes Ecocapsule has been a big success.
The Ecocapsule doesn’t need to be plugged in because it runs entirely off the grid on solar and wind and collects rainwater. It costs 79,000 Euros to buy, plus VAT and shipping/customs fees if you are outside of the EU. Learn more here.
ZeroHouse
ZeroHouse is a small, prefabricated off grid house that can be shipped and assembled quickly. Some of the cool off grid features of this home include: Solar panels, a power bank, a Rainwater collection system, and a “Digester” below the home that turns waste into compost, and all off grid features run automatically and are fully customizable.
Shelter-Kit
This company has been around for 45+ years. They have a lot of different prefab kits, plus allow for many customizations. If you are looking for a tiny home, you’ll need to visit their “cabin” section. Models start at 144 sq. feet and go up to 1500 sq. feet. Learn more here.
Bungalow in a Box
This is a smaller, family-run company based out of Maine. They have many options, and their prices are quite affordable. Learn more here.
Green Magic Homes
These are a very different type of home. The tunnel homes come as reinforced frames that can be put into the earth. Or you can literally grow plants over the home. That means you save on insulation plus get a cool hobbit-looking home. Note that these are not DIY assembly! You’ll need to use one of their certified builders. Learn more here.
kitHAUS
If you are looking for a more modern-style of prefab off grid home, this is a great company to choose. They’ve been around since 2005 and make systems out of aluminum impervious to rust. The homes are designed for energy efficiency and can be constructed in a few days. Prices start at $27k. Learn more here.
Bamboo Living
These prefab bamboo homes are designed to be eco-friendly and sustainable. There are single-wall options for warm climates and double-wall solutions with insulation for colder climates. The Zen 400 (shown here) starts at $30,320. Note that these are not turnkey solutions – you’ll need your own fixtures. Learn more here.
Solid Build Wood
Available in the continental USA, these cabin kits are made from real wood. You get the shell delivered and assemble it yourself. According to their website, the parts aren’t very heavy and it only takes about 8 hours for two people to build a small shed. Learn more here.
Cornerstone Tiny Homes
This company has built in Virginia, Florida, Illinois and the Bahamas. They boast that their homes even went through Hurricane Sandy with very little damage. They’ve got a good selection of prefab homes, including models on wheels. Full builds start at $65k. Shells can be purchased for much less. Learn more here.
Moveable Roots
This company offers 4 models of tiny homes on wheels. You choose a model and then choose customizations to suit your needs. They will also do completely custom builds. The use of lofts means that these homes are suitable for families. To get an idea about costs, the Henderson model starts at $95k. Learn more here.
Titan Park Models
These are technically “recreational park trailers,” but are far from your standard trailer. They have gorgeous designs and smart layouts. They use green construction methods and have features that allow you to save energy. There are numerous models to choose from (all of which are 399 sq. ft.), with prices starting at $40,000. Learn more here.
Zip Kit Homes
Based in Idaho and Utah, this company has been around for 20 years. They mainly focus on prefab homes. Because homes are delivered and built on-site, they only serve: Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, California and western Canada. Learn more here.
Pratt Homes
Based in Texas, this company delivers its tiny and modular homes to: Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. I personally love the designs of their tiny homes. They are attractive both inside and out. They also give many customization options and allow you to go the DIY approach with as much as you want. Learn more here.
Discontinued
Since the publication of this post, several of these companies and suppliers have gone out of business. We will leave them here as they remain interesting as concepts.
Maisons Conteneur High Cube
From the outside, these container homes don’t look like much. But, once you enter, the homes are gorgeous. Even the basic options come with cabinets, wardrobes, counters, and mechanics. You can get customizations like bed platforms added on. The company is based in Quebec. Prices start at about $60k.
Hive Modular Prefab Homes
Hive Modular homes have gotten much attention in architectural magazines because of their unique design. Even though they are compact, the design makes them seem large. The homes are marketed for their eco-friendly materials and process, but you can also get off-grid features as add-ons. These include Geothermal, solar, green roofs, and rainwater collection. This company appears to be out of business – the website is unreachable.
Cabin Fever Prefab Homes
The company Cabin Fever makes prefabricated homes and commercial buildings. They offer an Off-the-Grid package with options like a house battery bank, rainwater catchment system, compost toilets, solar panels, solar water heaters, and windmill. The build time is typically just 6-8 weeks. This company appears to be out of business – the website is unreachable.
Minim Homes
A basic Minim Home is estimated to cost about $70,000. That includes everything for the home, including shipping the container. Aside from being sustainably small, there are off grid options like water, sewer, and electric. This company now appears to be out of business. They are not taking orders, and the website hasn’t been updated recently.
Nice garden sheds! BUT very expensive for garden sheds.
Now, in term of real solid actual HOUSES, like stone, bricks and mortar houses that can stand storms, where are they?
It looks to me that your website is a big click and pay trap.
Ark Shelter website is so dysfucntional that it gives only a blac blan page.
This is what happens when geeks try to overload their websites with useless effects, heavy scripts and gadgetry.
Simpler is always better.
What would be the best tiny home, off the grid for Inyo California (desert living)
Do you sell the actual books? I would be very interested in buying them in print.
Only ebooks at present Jeremy.
Hi I am a domestic violence victim and I am trying to just live without looking around the corner.
I would love an off the grid home for me and my two dogs but nothing seems to pan out or the homes are so far out of a realistic price range. Any suggestions??
Brian
I’m having a well drilled with a wind-driven pump (windmill) with gravity-fed storage tanks. I’ll let you know how it works out.
Would love to know how this works out. Looking forward to an update.
Looking for a way to have running water in a cabin that is off grid. looking to move out of the city , an buy some property, build a cabin , solar panels ,extra. off grid.
Thats a very general question which we can’t answer with more specific info. Where are you planning to move? Is there a water supply or well nearby etc etc
Gravity fed water supply is probably simplest a couple of 50 gallon water barrels on top of your house with water lines coming from that to different parts of your house.
Then a small pump to fill the barrels.
I want more information on pre fabricated homes , I am planning to get out of the city and get land in Nevada
Are there any contractors that are recommended that can provide full services to design and installation of off-grid homes? I think the hardest thing is understanding the full cost and system requirements – is there a firm that helps through the entire process?
Many people see these pre-fab homes but are still a little lost on everything it takes to get a rural piece of land without any utilities to their new homestead or cabin retreat. There must be highly rated companies out there that specialize in this…but I can’t seem to find any. Open to recommendations. Thanks!
Not aware of any specific company but as you say they must be out there. Any readers know of any?
You may be able to contact Yale School of Architecture to see if they know anyone.
Home Depot, have prefab homes to order.
Have you found any companies that provide and specialize in this? Interested in what you may have come up with.
seeking advice: donna S.
Hey Robert – sounds like an awesome set up. Have any readers got any more suggestions for Robert?
I am currently designing a home that is 100% off-grid, and generates most of its power through a pedal-cranked generator (stationary bike) wired to a bank of NiMH batteries with solar as a backup. The generator would also power a water pump that moves water through pipes to absorb waste heat from the batteries and channels it through the walls to heat the home in winter and through inline water heaters in the summer to keep the house cool. What other ideas can I incorporate into my design?
Did you build this and if so how is it working out?
Robert, did you end up pulling this off?? Would love to hear more about this.
GOOD LUCK WITH THE BIKE: TO POWER A LIGHT BULB FOR 1 MN IT’S FINE, FOR EVERYTHING ELSE…
OIL GENERATOR MIGHT HELP, NEVER FAILED ME
My mom left me off the grid property in Cave Junction Oregon! Help! Need to strat the process to build my home there!
Thanks
Darlene Johnson
Hi Darlene. Tons of info around on the net – what specifically are you looking for?
I’m looking for a one bedroom on the main floor that can fit a cal king maybe but at least a queen and a shower that is easy to get into and can get a 6″3 260lb man in it and full appliances in the kitchen please for about 40000or right around there
Hi,
Grateful for any information that you can provide regarding sustainable living.
We are looking for land to purchase at the moment and then we will obviously be looking at house plans to build !!!