Pallet Houses for DR/Haiti?

AlterEgo

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Jan 9, 2009
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I came across this today, pallet houses built for $500. Over the past couple of years, we've seen some pretty nice outdoor furniture made from used pallets, all around DR, this just goes a step further. Guess they'd need to be somewhat termite proofed, unless they use the plastic pallets!

[video=youtube;3M2j5SIPC6U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M2j5SIPC6U[/video]
 

Eugeniefs

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Jan 24, 2008
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This sounds like a good idea and yes, termite proofing is a MUST. I am sure anything is better than nothing and sometimes the simplest solutions are the best. And I am sure that this would be better than a tent!
 
May 29, 2006
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I came up with a design for temp shelters in Haiti using pallets after the quake. I made a car port a year or two back with the design using eight pallets along the base and then gussets to make the arches out of two by fours. If you brace the bottom of the arches, you can take it apart and move each section, or you can take it apart at the top of the arch to put it in storage or put it into the back of a pickup truck.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1...NjQ0LTkyNGYtMWM0YTUyZjRhNmI0/edit?usp=sharing

You'd start with tarps for a cover, then add in purlins so you could cover it with corrugated metal on both the sides and roof. It should be anchored to the ground in hurricane zones.

The design is scalable. With gusseted trusses, you could make a house 40' x 40' or bigger. The pallets are helpful in getting the truss pairs into square.

I was appalled that most of the T-shelters they came up with for Haiti cost over $2000 and used plywood, which is barely available in Haiti or the DR and triple the cost of the US mainland.
 
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May 29, 2006
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The design in the original post is WAY too complicated. Keep it simple and make it so anyone can copy it without written instructions. The floors should be temporary/removable since they will rot with contact with the ground.

Another issue is they use power tools. Not easy to come by in Haiti and not much use if there is no electric.
 
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