The Tiny house Blog

BOXABL Homes: Everything You Should Know & More

Updated on:
March 14, 2024
Boxabl small home in backyard as an ADU

Boxabl designs and manufactures portable building systems that are stackable and highly modular. They can be unpacked on-site in an hour. These homes come with all basic utilities and amenities pre-installed so you don’t have to bother.

Boxabl is the future of sustainable space-efficient alternative housing due to the systems’ design. The Boxabl Casita is a prefabricated single bedroom apartment with a full-size kitchen, a living area, and a bedroom area, containing everything you need from your living space.

The units are also highly energy-efficient owing to the high R value insulation. They also have limited thermal bridging, which means lower utility bills for you.

So are you curious about Boxabl homes, their interior design and what they have to offer? Read on as we answer the most common questions someone like you might have. 

We will tell you about this building system, safety, design, features, and solutions.

What are Boxabl homes?

Boxabl homes represent a significant shift away from traditional housing, offering a modular housing system that's both innovative and practical. Unlike conventional homes, which are often expensive, time-consuming to build, and inflexible, Boxabl homes provide a cost-effective and versatile alternative. These homes are designed to be delivered directly to the buyer, dramatically reducing the need for traditional construction processes and enabling a swift move-in, with the entire home unpacking in as little as an hour.

The core appeal of Boxabl homes lies in their modularity. The units are engineered to stack and connect, allowing for a wide range of building types from the same basic modules. This flexibility enables the construction of single and multistory houses, multifamily residences, and even buildings suited for disaster relief or military use, accommodating a broad spectrum of needs and preferences.

The Casita, Boxabl's inaugural product, showcases the practicality and appeal of these modular homes. Spanning 361 square feet, it is pre-built in the factory for quick installation on-site, often in less than a day. Despite its compact size, the Casita is fully equipped with a living room, bedroom, kitchen, and all the necessary amenities for a comfortable living space, demonstrating the potential of Boxabl homes to provide smart, adaptable living solutions that challenge traditional housing models.

While Boxabl homes prioritize practicality and efficiency with their modular design and space-saving features, they may not initially evoke thoughts of luxury interior design. However, this doesn't mean you can't infuse a touch of opulence into your Boxabl living space. Imagine the sleek lines of minimalist furniture juxtaposed with luxurious accents like velvet upholstery and marble countertops. By blending functionality with elegance, you can create a unique living environment that combines the best of both worlds

Order a Casita Here

How much will a Boxabl home cost me?

The Boxabl Casita retails right now for $69,995. However, keep in mind that this price does not include:

  • Land
  • Utilities
  • Landscaping
  • Permits.

Depending on where you aim to set up your Boxabl home and your specific set of needs and wants, these additional costs can range anywhere around $69,995.

The good news, however, is that you can finance your Boxabl! Boxabl’s financing partners are offering a wide variety of loan options. You can discuss this with our financing partners before you finalize your purchase.

In most places, you will easily be able to finance your Boxabl home with a traditional thirty-year mortgage. The final payment is expected to be somewhere between $250 and $500 a month.

What are the advantages of switching to Boxabl homes?

  • Smaller environmental footprint
  • More sustainable
  • Energy efficient

The environmental footprint of traditional construction methods is far greater than that of solutions like Boxabl homes. 

According to the EPA, the USA produced 600 million tons of construction and debris in 2018. This is two times greater than the municipal solid waste generated. 

Home demolition accounts for over 90 percent of total debris production. In contrast, construction generates less than ten percent of debris.

With so many changes in a short period of time, tiny homes have been increasing in popularity recently, even among celebrities such as Elon Musk.

Elon is among the wealthiest people in the world. It is rumored that the technology tycoon has sold all of his mansions. What’s even more exciting is that he lives in a 361-square-foot Boxabl in Texas. 

It seems like the pioneer of mass electric vehicle production is looking to apply innovation in sustainability in more aspects of his life.

People are willing to experiment with new ideas. They want to engage in new experiences. We are trying to cut back on expenditures in favor of a simpler, more affordable, and sustainable housing solution.

While we are talking about environmental impact, another sustainability bonus of Boxabl homes is energy efficiency. In terms of heating, cooling, and ventilation, the Boxabl modular units prove to be far more efficient than traditional construction. 

Due to their space-efficient design and engineering, Boxabl homes are physically smaller and built with energy efficiency in mind. 

The savings on utility costs are massive. Total utility costs can go as low as $28 a month for a small home!

A smaller space also saves on cleaning expenses, supplies, and time. Moreover, the fact that there is less space to store unnecessary stuff also helps make Boxabl homes greener. 

We buy so much to fill up our big homes to the brim without ever actually considering whether or not we need all of the things we buy.

Lastly, switching to a less cluttered style of living can help you focus on what truly matters; it helps you by ridding you of the unnecessary noise in your life.

Are Boxabl homes legal in all states?

Yes, Boxabl homes are legal in all states. Boxabl homes have modular approval instead of being classified as tiny homes. Hence, they are approved for use in all of the US.

That being said, you should check your local zoning laws before you make up your mind. Boxabl has partnered up with permits.com to provide an easy source of information about permitting. 

Click here to see whether or not you can build a Boxabl on your land.

Are Boxabl homes safe?

Boxabl homes are as safe as traditionally built homes, if not more. This is due to the materials used to construct them.

What are Boxabl homes made of?

They are made out of steel, concrete, and EPS foam, meaning that they are just as safe as regular homes. 

Moreover, the roof, walls, and floor are constructed as structurally laminated panels. This makes them stronger than the average traditionally constructed building.

Is the Boxabl design durable?

A Boxabl home is just as durable as the average traditionally constructed building. 

It has the added bonus of a much smaller amount of construction waste generated when the unit is put together, which helps in reducing your footprint on the environment.

Are Boxabl homes hurricane proof?

Boxabl homes are rated for hurricane speed winds. This means that they can handle the worst wind conditions in North America.

Are Boxabl homes safe when it snows?

Boxabl homes are built to specified snow load ratings. 

The roof system is flat. However, plans for a pitched roof can be provided to your installer. 

In case you plan to set up your Boxabl in an area that requires a pitched roof, your installer will directly install the roof on-site.

Is the Boxabl design fireproof?

The units are built to be fire-resistant. Interior and exterior claddings are constructed out of non-combustible materials, significantly lowering the chance of a fire.

Are Boxabl homes water and mold resistant?

Boxable homes suffer from much less water damage in the event of flooding. They do not use standard lumber or sheetrock. This materials decision also allows the buildings to be mold-resistant.

Are Boxabl homes stackable?

Yes, you can stack Boxabl homes on top of or next to each other. This lends you bigger spaces if need be. 

You can hook up utilities such as HVAC, plumbing, and electricity to the exterior corner of your Boxabl home on site.

How long does it take to assemble a Boxabl home?

A Boxabl home can be completely assembled in one hour by a Boxabl certified and state-licensed installer. Boxabl will connect you to your local installer once you purchase a unit. 

Once fabricated, the Boxabl unit folds down from 20 feet to 8.5 feet wide. This has been well thought-through so as to be transported without any additional fees by train, truck, sea, and air to any corner of the world.

Does Boxabl have a toilet?

Yes, a Boxabl home has a toilet. The Boxabl Casita has a standard bathroom that includes:

  • Deep shower and tub
  • Vessel sink
  • Large counter
  • Backlit mirror
  • Sliding glass barn door

What about utilities?

Your Boxabl home comes with utilities such as water, plumbing, electricity, and HVAC pre-installed. 

Once on-site and assembled, your new tiny home will hook directly to utilities. The connection will be made at the exterior corner of the unit. 

Can I have my Boxabl home off-grid?

Yes, your Boxabl home can have its utilities set up to your liking. Water tanks and/or solar panels will integrate with your Boxabl home just like regular utilities.

What’s the Boxabl home layout like?

A small home by Boxabl typically consists of 

  • a bedroom area 
  • a living area 
  • a full-sized kitchen 
  • and a bathroom. 

An abundance of windows all around brings in tons of natural light. There’s also integrated dimmable mood lighting.

For the moment, you can not specify customizations for your Boxabl from the factory. If you would like to modify or customize your Boxabl, you will have to do that after it is delivered to you.

The distribution of space in a Boxabl home has been tailored to be especially conducive toward differently-abled individuals. 

Two of the doors are roomy enough for a wheelchair to pass through them. There are also protrusions in the dining area table to allow for a comfortable and natural dining experience for the differently-abled. 

For a detailed review, you can look at the following schematic of the Boxabl Casita:

Boxabl floor plan layout

Or these 3D renders:

Boxabl 3D render floor plan
Boxabl 3D Layout rendering

You can also head on over to the Boxabl website for virtual tours of the Casita, as well as our office and factory. 

As you can see, there are plenty of things to learn about this innovative and sustainable house design. We are sure we made you curious, so we’ll provide you some more information on the cost of such a home and what advantages it brings. 

Conclusion

Tiny homes are catching on as more and more people become environmentally aware and conscious of their environmental footprint. 

Boxabls are a stride towards making housing more portable, efficient, and environment-friendly. 

In addition to the environmental aspects, Boxabl homes have the benefit of being more affordable compared to traditional homes. 

Add to that the energy efficiency due to superior insulation and smaller size, and you can see how Boxabl homes are really approachable for the majority of people.

So, with all the advantages and celebrity power to back it, what are you waiting for? Head over to this listing on https://www.tinyhouse.com/ and check out all the features that Boxabl homes have to offer!

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