Ricardo Churchill, like many of us, was shocked at house prices and the idea of being lumbered with a huge mortgage.
But, while many of us grumble and save what we can to hopefully buy the conventional way, the 32-year-old had a different idea.
Metal fabricator Ricardo began working 18-hour days on his dream home – a houseboat he’s now living in.
The boat, which is 57 ft long and 10 ft wide, and stands on the River Soar near Kegworth, Leics, took just five weeks to build and cost £25,000 – compared to the mortgage he was expecting at 10 times that.
Ricardo, who is single and has no kids, made the decision after looking at a tiny house costing £250,000, realising he could be paying off a mortgage for decades to come.
‘The last thing I ever wanted for myself was to be stuck with a £250,000 mortgage to live with for the rest of my life,’ Manchester-born Ricardo said.
‘I don’t like banks really and I don’t like landlords. I think a mortgage is massively overrated.
‘I don’t owe anyone a penny on my home and I think that’s even more important nowadays.
‘I just never understood the want to have to borrow so much money to have somewhere to live, and then having to work to pay that off for your whole life.’
The amazing structure, with a steel shell, has all the mod cons one could expect in a plush home, including a kitchen fitted with appliances, double bed, TV, sofa and utilities.
Ricardo added: ‘The great part about it for me is firstly that I could do this myself, I knew I had the skills to get it and I have always loved working with my hands.
‘Secondly, I never wanted to be a person that relied on the bank or a landlord to have somewhere to live – it feels amazing knowing that every month I don’t have rent or a mortgage to pay for.
‘It took a lot out of me, the work is difficult and takes a lot more thought than what a lot of people think, it’s not just about building something, it’s about budgeting, planning and timing.
‘I only had five weeks to use the workshop so I knew I couldn’t make any mistakes.’
The university graduate says the build cost £25,000 – a fraction of the whopping mortgage he was first quoted in Nottingham.
‘The first thing I built and the main part of the build was the steel shell, then I put the windows in, got it insulated and got the interior done so that it was liveable,’ Ricardo said.
‘The paint jobs, engine and other parts came after because I knew I didn’t need those parts to live in the boat so took extra time with that.
‘It’s about the size of a one-bedroom apartment and has everything I need, I even saved money on the paint job by doing it myself, which was quoted at £12,000 if I had hired a professional.
‘I’m living the dream at the moment, self-sufficient, getting up when I want and cracking on with work when I need to.’
If you’ve got the skills to do it, why not?
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/06/man-who-couldnt-afford-a-mortgage-builds-himself-a-houseboat-instead-13379283/
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