Looking for some independence but not wanting to pay a huge sum for rent, 17-year-old Thomas Lear built his own tiny home at the bottom of his parents’ garden.
The carpenter spent two years creating it from reclaimed timber, completing the tiny project for a cost of just £6000.
Now aged 21, his mates of jealous of his bills being so low – although he admits there’s not really enough space to invite anyone back to his place.
Thomas, from Bristol said: ‘I built it all from scratch on a budget.
‘I just wanted to live a stress-free simple life.
‘It is lovely being 21 and not having to spend all of my money on rent.
‘I own everything and that puts me at ease.’
Inside, there is an open plan kitchen and living room which has a pull out bed meaning the property can sleep four people.
It is insulated but includes a log burner for the winter as he doesn’t have central heating, and he has managed to fit in everything else he needs.
He said: ‘The only thing I miss about living in a normal house is the space.
‘As I have a lot of things which simply wouldn’t fit in my new home.
‘We couldn’t even fit in a door for the bathroom so I use a shower curtain.
‘My shower runs off the rainwater harvesting system that stores 50 litres of water.
‘I am able to have a five-minute shower in the warm before it goes ice cold.
‘It takes 30 minutes to heat back up again.
‘My toilet is a chemical one that you would find on a caravan – it flushes but requires emptying.’
Working as an apprentice carpenter at the time, he taught himself other things using the internet and got help from family to keep costs down.
Thomas adds: ‘I had very little help and experience when building my home.
‘I used YouTube a lot or asked family members for advice.
Breakdown of costs
Paint £50
Windows and doors £ 50
All Timber £2000
Roof sheets and fixings £450
Insulation £300
Kitchen £200
Decking £ 100
Plumbing £250
Electrics £800
Appliances/ all interior £500
Carpet/flooring £160
Cladding £350
Log Burner £400
Screws £50
Toilet £120
Guttering/water £55
Shower tin/shower tray £165
Total: £6000
‘I have very little plumbing experience which is why my bathroom is basic but it ties in with the rustic and farmhouse theme.
‘My granddad, who is 82, did the electrics for me and a friend helped here and there.
‘My dad Tim helped with the plumbing.
‘But I did everything else myself – I used to dedicate every weekend to the building.
‘Whilst on apprenticeship wage, I had no choice but to use reclaimed materials which I found on Gumtree or old building sites.
‘The most challenging part was the roof as I had to make sure it was right to avoid any leaks.’
In the future, he wants to use what he learned to build shepherd huts in the future and start his own glamping business.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/21/teen-builds-his-own-tiny-house-in-parents-garden-for-just-6k-14120675/
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