How to Build a Houseboat

By Matt Claiborne

Building the houseboat will consist of two steps: building the hull and building the house. 

Step 1: Build the Boat Hull Part

If you build a house from the ground up, you’ve got to build a houseboat from the water up. The most fundamental question to ask is, how will your home float?

The hull is vital if you want a navigable houseboat. If it just floats, you can use a variety of materials, and the shape isn’t all that important.

Step 2: Build the House Part

Once you’ve figured out the hull, the house should be pretty easy. Like the hull, you can build your house from scratch or find a prefabricated solution.

Your choices of building houseboat parts will dictate the overall time and total cost it takes to build.

If you’re just looking for a cheap way to live on the water, then chances are you’d be better off buying a used houseboat and calling it home.