13-year-old saves up $1,500 and builds a tiny house in his parents’ backyard
You certainly can’t blame a teenager for wanting some space of their own.
But it takes a special kind of kid to build his own.
Luke Thill of Dubuque, Iowa was just 13 when he decided he wanted to build a tiny home in his parents’ backyard.
That was a few years back – now Thill has not only saved up $1,500 to buy the materials for his first hang-out spot, but has taken the lead on building it himself, and even embarked on new projects!
His YouTube page is full of updates on the house as well as newer projects like a camper.
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The tour of his 89-square-foot tiny home has over 11.5 million views since he uploaded in in the summer of 2017!
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Of course, he has his parents’ blessing.
At just 12, they allowed him to start saving money by doing chores and supervised all of the construction once he was ready. He also sourced other second-hand materials.
The resulting space is 10 feet long, 5 and a half feet wide – and the tallest part of the house is 10 feet tall, so there’s plenty of room to grow (at least vertically!).
It all began when Thill was on summer vacation as a preteen and started learning about the tiny house movement.
That’s when he realized he could make his own dream come true and began cutting lawns to earn his first dollars.
Electricity was another matter – that required some bartering and a GoFundMe. But in the end, he needed only $1,500 and a lot of energy.
Thill picked up skills like framing and woodworking by watching videos asking to help from his dad’s friends. He already had some skills from spending time in the garage with his dad, so basic power tool skills and safety were not too much of a concern.
Dad helped too and it was a great bonding experience for the duo.
But the process wasn’t without a mistake or two.
Luckily, Thill recorded those as well so that kids who want to build something like this for themselves don’t get too discouraged and have some clues as to how to fix errors.
Thill uses the tiny house for hanging out, homework, and occasionally for sleeping – though it has no running water, so he needs to run in for a bathroom break. Mom and dad won’t let him move in full time.
And not only is the house adorable in itself, but he’s even done some landscaping!
The layout is surprisingly well-designed for a teen with less than 100-square-feet to work with. And since he’s a teenage boy, it’s not like he really needs fancy kitchen fixtures and the like. A hot pot and mini-fridge are good enough.
He even has a loft with a cushion for the nights he gets to sleep in there – and he thinks it’s more comfortable than his own bedroom (though that could be because he has to share that with his twin brother).
A comfy seating area and a TV are the main attractions.
But there’s also a fold-down table that allows him to have a snack or do his homework.
In a few years, the teen hopes to build another, larger house where he can live full time in his parents’ backyard – that one will have a bathroom.
In the meantime, he’s spending his spare time inspiring others through his YouTube channel, which you can check out here.
Be sure to scroll down below to see an interview with Thill about his project and get a tour of his tiny house!
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Source: Child Development Institute, Luke Thill via Facebook, Luke Thill via YouTube