Gute “Classic” Shepherd’s Hut Is Affordable Mobile Living Sanctuary for the Wild

Ladies and gents, you may have seen these sort of structures before, maybe you haven’t. They’re simply known as shepherd huts, quaint, rustic, and mobile homes, yes, the same ones that have been around since the 15th century and used for lambing and other livestock-oriented activities.

Today, these structures are being used for a similar purpose as when they first appeared, but due to modernization, a whole new wave of attention has been bestowed upon these near prehistoric nomadic homes. All this attention has brought forth the idea that these puppies are “mobile homes,” even though the constructions very often include a steel chassis or frame and cast iron wheels. Not sure what that may be like at 60 mph (96.5 kph) on a highway, especially during a turn. As for the hut before you today, it’s a 21st century build, so don’t worry about rust or mold.

It’s called the Classic, and it’s a shepherd hut from a little-known Canadian team named Gute, a family-owned business with a love for building these sorts of homes. They also build other non-mobile pre-fab homes, but seeing how these have wheels, I believe they may be of more interest to you.

Just to make things clear, two separate packages exist for this structure. The first starts off with a price tag of $19,695 Canadian ($15,361 U.S. at current exchange rates) for the Essential package, and the second is the Premium package that begins at $24,495 Canadian ($19,105 at current exchange rates). Best of all, no matter which of these two options you end up choosing, the final product will still be a “ready to move in” home.

As it stands, the Classic is 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) wide and 12 feet (3.6 meters) long. Honestly now, when’s the last time you paid under $20K for any home capable of year-round use (made possible by an air circulation system during winter).

The reason this hut can withstand year-round use is due to its construction. Depending on the package you choose, either plywood, corrugated steel, red cedar shakes or solid pine boards with machine painted sidings can be chosen.

A similar process unfolds for the flooring and interior cladding as well. You can select from hand-scraped hickory to grey oak, bamboo, and even reclaimed hardwood flooring, depending on your tastes and styling ideas. Cladding can take the form of plywood walls, solid polar beaded boards, and even solid pine or MDF ceilings.

Windows, doors, and those quaint little entrance steps also come in preselected woods and building materials based on the package you pay for. Taking into consideration that the Premium package offers the best features, insulation, building materials, and even extra windows, for under $20K, that doesn't sound bad at all.

So what’s the downside? Well, depends on who you ask really. One thing you’ll notice from the image gallery is that the home doesn’t include a kitchen or even bathroom, but what it does include is a modular sofa bed, and plenty of storage space to eventually bring in a stove-top or maybe a mini fridge. It even looks like there would be room for a portable cassette toilet inside.

For everything else, you’ll probably need your Mastercard as the team does take full pleasure in seeing a customer walking away with their desired home, meaning they’re open to helping you add the features you want and need. An outside shower sure sounds nice.

As it stands, the Classic seems to have room for only about two adults, unless your friends don’t mind sleeping on the floor wrapped up in sleeping bags. If they do, they can just go out and buy their own Classic.

Here’s a business idea, grab five of these beauties and create a campground experience similar to that of glamping, but the way it’s been done for centuries, after all, this design has gone unchanged since the 15th century, just a tad more modern.