This Flat-Pack “Surf Shack” Can Be Plopped Down Anywhere and Assembled in One Week
Whether it was in the midst of a particularly memorable hike, a weekend of rock climbing, a day at the beach or during your daily commute, we’ve all come across a tiny stretch of desolate land and thought, "If only I could live here..." Well, thanks to the Backcountry Hut Company — an architectural design company based in Vancouver that’s focused on creating spaces that are both beautiful and affordable — you may very well be able to turn your happy place into your dream vacation home.
The company just launched an assembly kit for what it calls "The Surf Shack," a gorgeous prefabricated structure that ranges in size from 191 to 937 square feet and does not require any sort of heavy machinery to construct. Taking a page out of IKEA’s catalog, the kit arrives at your desired location via helicopter, in flat-pack boxes that take a crew of four about one week to assemble into full-fledged dwellings.
"We knew we had a great idea and high quality product, but the response has been better than we expected," co-founder Wilson Edgar said in a press release. "We were getting calls from people from Portland to Brooklyn even before we reached the prototype phase."
With the tiny house trend catching on in every corner of the country, Edgar says the company has no one typical kind of client. "Our customers seem to come from diverse backgrounds, but they all share an eye for design and a creative desire to play some part in the building experience," Edgar explained, saying that their first customers have ranged from young tech professionals to semi-retired professors.
"We wanted to create something that captured a certain essentialism," said architect Michael Leckie, Edgar’s co-founder. "A product and process that is unique unto itself, that has a practicality, without sacrificing good design." With two basic exterior and interior styles and a range of sizes to choose from, each structure can be customized to the specific customer. While the exterior is preassembled, customers can choose from a variety of spec interiors or leave that part of the design process entirely to their own devices.
From first contact to final detail, the building experience is a completely collaborative one. Clients work directly with the company to talk about the process and how it all works, while Backcountry’s in-house team of architects assists with permits and documentation requirements. The service is a particularly attractive one to people looking to create their own little slice of getaway heaven in a remote area that might not be able to accommodate a traditional construction team.
“In a lot of cases, our customers want to build on their remote dream property, as a way to escape the 9 to 5,” Edgar said. “Some of those locations can’t accommodate an intrusive, traditional building process.”
The company is currently taking orders. Because each kit is customized, prices will vary on a number of factors — including size and interior details — but pricing generally starts at about $45,000 ($55,000 CAN) for the base 10x10 studio structure, plus a retainer for the company's design services. For specific quotes and more details on all possible options, contact the company directly.
H/T: The Daily Mail
All images courtesy of Backcountry Hut Company.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.