Adam and Sian’s Handmade House Truck

The images here are from this new mini-doc by Happen Films. Happen films was founded by Jordan, a documentary filmmaker currently working on the film called, A Simpler Way: Crisis as Opportunity. He also regularly makes short films about permaculture, tiny houses, voluntary simplicity, and sustainable living for the Happen Films YouTube Channel.

In this film, Adam and Sian share their tiny house truck home. They estimate the house is 85% recycled. The cabinets are made from old wine crates. The floors are hardwood end cuts – waste from a mill. The counter tops are from a cypress tree that fell nearby. The tin cladding came from a friend who had it weathering in a paddock. Much of the wood boards are from old fences that were being rebuilt. They collected this fence wood for about a year until they had all they needed. The truck is a 1969 Bedford which was lovingly cared for by its previous owner.

The house is off-grid. They cook on a gas stove. The fridge is 12-volt DC. Their small solar electric system has 4 photovoltaic panels and 6 batteries. They keep their power meter in plain sight. When you live with a small solar system, keeping track of your daily budget helps you make the best energy trade-offs.

They chose to build a tiny house on a truck because they needed mobility and wanted to start building without delays. It just made more sense than other, more permanent options. Their home is currently parked on a farm.

If you’re thinking of building a tiny natural home in Australia – and looking for someone to talk to – Adam is available for consulting. He’s been a builder for 10 years, first in the UK and now in Australia. To learn more visit their website at Evergreen Homes. If you love the video, considering donating to Happen Films, so they can make more.

You may notice they have no bathroom in their home. Their plan is to setup a composting toilet outhouse where every they live. If they continue to choose to live on farms, this shouldn’t be a problem.

The house does have a shower – out-back. There’s a gas-powered instant hot water heater and a flip-up deck that covers the shower pan. I can see how handy a shower like this would be after working all day outdoors.

If you love this house, learn more about the builder at Evergreen Homes.