We have 2 x 30,000L water tanks which is way in excess of our needs with only two people currently residing here. With the house being built from two used shipping containers, maintenance on the structure will be kept to a minimum in years to come due to their robust nature. With a large 1 acre section, there is plenty of opportunity for additional buildings. Our plan is to sink the container pool into the ground closer to the deck and then purchase another container to transform into a bedroom and bathroom for grandkids and guests. The 'Lobby' could also be used as a dining room or an extra bedroom if required.

Our home is 46m2 with a 70m2 deck (nearly 40m2 of which is undercover), which provides ample space in doors as well as the ability to entertain outside. We are both foodies, so the kitchen took priority, choosing a galley style kitchen which maximised the width of the container meant that we are able to work together in the kitchen without issue. A central fireplace is the only source of heating required for the whole house, although we also have two electric wall heaters, one which can be remotely turned on to ensure warmth when arriving home from work on a cold winters day. The east facing bedroom wall has a smaller window which lets in plenty of light and allows through flow of air in summer but minimises cold in winter.

We used recycled windows, doors and containers for this build. We used grooved pdf on the walls and ceiling, and maximised the pink batts in walls and ceilings to ensure a well insulated space. The timber beams are laminated veneer lumber which offers extensive spans and a clean, strong appearance.

Both the living room and the bedroom open out to the generous deck with french doors. The bathroom is at the end of the kitchen so guests do not have to walk through our bedroom to reach it. The galley style kitchen maximises space in a somewhat narrow area like a container so that we have close to a full size kitchen. The 'lobby' which joins the 40ft container to the 20ft container provides necessary space for storage, clothes dryer, freezers and a back door. This provides three entry/exit points for our tiny house. With the large tinted clearlite roof over much of the deck we are able to utilise the outside 'living room' for much of the year and it helps to keep the house cool in summer without detracting from the light inside.

The container was painted in Grey Friars, with detailing of stained Douglas Fir in three places on the exterior of the house. The stain was also used on the large beams that hold up the roof over the deck. The same combination of paint and stain ties in the sheds, swimming pool and treatment room - all made out of recycled shipping containers. This provides and attractive and cohesive appearance to our property. The inside was painted mount aspiring quarter to provide a clean background that maximised the ability to reflect light. The strategically placed doors and windows allowed maximum light into the container, while still allowing it to be cosy in winter. We have a normal flushing toilet, but its special feature is that there is a worm septic tank system outside the bathroom wall designed by Andrew using recycled materials and tiger worms.

We hope you like our tiny home, we have been living in it for over a year (we moved in before it was finished) and did almost all of the construction ourselves. Friends helped with some of the lifting of the heavy beams over the deck. We love living here, as do all our animals and wouldn't hesitate to recommend this kind of build to others. It will be good to showcase how lightly we can live upon our beautiful earth.