What there is of it

[kingston_123]

Major Reisman brings twelve military convicts to an open area and says:

This will be your home until further notice. What there is of it will be built by you...... but it will not interfere with your training. The sooner you get it up, the sooner you'll sleep in out of the rain.

What is the meaning of "What there is of it "?
Source: Dirty Dozen (1967) film
Written by Nunnally Johnson, Lukas Heller

 

[JMurray]

The phrase "what there is of it", usually acknowledges that there really isn't much to this thing at all. It is very basic or minimal, often with the implication that it is unsatisfactory by most standards. So the "home" being referred to is probably a very simple construction.

Here is the phrase in another context from a film review.
"The plain fact is, he doesn't have much of a story to tell, and what there is of it is thuddingly obvious." (sfgate.com)

 

[tedmc]

There is not even a shelter provided for the convict, but just material for him to construct something very basic and spartan.
I think "what there is of it" is more like "whatever little there is one can make do with".