This House Kit from Home Depot Makes a Cozy Backyard Getaway — And It’s Less Than $13k
Having your own space is a special feeling. Consider that plywood treehouse you assembled during your childhood, where you’d hide out with friends. Or think about your first apartment, where you could finally curl up on the couch and watch TV uninterrupted. Yet these sorts of moments can feel next to impossible these days — you can thank skyrocketing home prices for robbing you of a place of your own. Somehow, though, there’s something oddly comforting in knowing that you can head to your phone or laptop and order a house on demand. In fact, house kits are rising in popularity thanks to retailers like Home Depot and Amazon.
At first glance, a house kit costs a pretty penny: This one from Home Depot, the Huntington Plus 150 sq. ft. Steel StudFrame Kit, comes in at $12,997. But when you compare that to how much you’d be plunking down for a condo or single-family home, that price tag is looking pretty darn good in comparison. Of course, a house kit like this one doesn’t have all the amenities you’d find in a typical house, like a kitchen and a bathroom. But if you’ve got a cozy backyard where you want to create your own space, this might be the perfect fit.
The Huntington is designed to provide extra space beyond the confines of a traditional home. It consists of a DIY system that provides you with a preassembled framing kit to place on a concrete slab. A steel frame serves as the sturdy framework for a space that could be adapted into anything from a peaceful yoga studio or quiet home office to a storage facility or kids’ playhouse. It can also be insulated to function in all seasons, which is a major plus. Measuring 150 square feet, the house kit could feel kind of like having your very own studio apartment… right in your own backyard.
Of course, there are plenty of downsides to purchasing one of these. It doesn’t come with doors, windows, electricity, and finishes, and buying one requires you to assemble it on your own or hire someone else — and you probably know contractors don’t work for free. Therefore, if the idea of assembling a new bookshelf freaks you out, this certainly will do the same thing times a million. But if you’re a DIY aficionado, maybe you’re willing to give it a whirl. (The website says it should take about four to six hours to assemble the steel frame on its own.) Perhaps most critically, you must already have the land to put it on — I’m guessing your landlord won’t be cool with you setting up shop in your apartment building’s parking lot.
So what separates this house kit from a traditional shed in your backyard? Well, a few things, the most notable being the galvanized steel frame, which is built to withstand almost anything. And when it comes to the rest of the thing, you choose your own siding and roofing materials, allowing you to take a “choose your own adventure” type of perspective on creating your own space. But hey… at least delivery is included!