The World's Cheapest House

Is It Feasible? 

According to a news report published during July the Tata Group of India is setting its sights on producing the world's cheapest house in kit form which can be erected in a week.

According to the Times of India newspaper reports, the basic flat pack kit has a 65.5sq.m foot print and is mainly made of coconut fibre and will have a life expectancy of approximately 20 years. Tata aims to offer a prefabricated kit containing windows, doors and a roof to potential buyers. Tata is currently testing the prototype house which may be available commercially in India within the next six to eight months.

The lay-out of the unit shows a living room, kitchen, bedroom, with a bathroom and separate toilet. The kit appears to be wired and plumbed to be connected to electricity and water reticulation systems. South Africa, like India, experiences similar housing shortages. The South African representatives of the Tata Group could not confirm whether the product would be available locally.

The Tata Group also garnered considerable publicity during 2010 when they made the production of the world's cheapest motor car. In the South African context it may be a major challenge to innovators/entrepreneurs to produce a 60sq.m prefabricated house for under R20 000.

Pieter Rautenbach