While many people typically wait until they are at least 30 years old to build their dream home, the thrill of hand-crafting your ideal living space is unmatched.
Imagine the journey of creating a plan, putting your heart and soul into it, and finally seeing your vision come to life. That’s exactly what Tom did. At just 17 years old, he used his skill, creativity, and determination to make his dream a reality.
Driven by rising housing costs and a desire for independence, Tom set out to build a modest home using recycled materials. He discovered he could create something completely from scratch while staying within a budget.
“My vision for the cabin was to keep things simple and provide a stress-free lifestyle. Everything I have is mine; I paid for everything”, Tom explained.
Now, at 20, Tom is relieved knowing he won’t have to spend his hard-earned money on rent. “It’s a no-brainer life and once you’ve built something, it really is yours”, he added.
Tom’s house is located on his grandfather’s extensive property and retains a charming English country aesthetic, complete with a side window. At 17, he bought a caravan and immediately began building it while working and completing his carpentry apprenticeship, which he completed in December.
The front of his house is made of larch wood, sourced cheaply from a local sawmill, while the side walls are made of fence boards. All the windows are recycled, sourced from a website that specializes in used materials. He recently added a porch, using boards from a scaffolding company and other scrap and reclaimed wood he recovered from the job.
Upon entering Tom’s home, visitors are greeted by beautiful reclaimed wood and a tranquil poster of a seascape. “My goal was to use only reclaimed wood for the build because it’s budget-friendly,” Tom noted. Much of the wood in his home was salvaged from old homes that he personally stripped down, sanded and repurposed.
The living area includes a compact workspace for his work and meals, a standard sofa, and a wall-mounted TV. In the future, he hopes to upgrade to a multifunctional sofa with built-in storage.
Tom especially loves his kitchen, where he made a fully functional worktop out of recycled scaffolding boards and spent hours sanding and painting it. The kitchen is equipped with essential appliances such as a fridge, stove and toaster.
Opposite the kitchen is a compact bathroom with a small chemical toilet with electric flush. The shower area has corrugated iron walls and copper fittings, evoking a rustic farmhouse feel. Back in the living room, a ladder leads to the loft, which leads to Tom’s cozy bedroom with double mattress.
Tom began building his dream home at age 17 with a budget of $8,200 and an hourly wage of $5.50 and managed to save most of his income to finance the construction of his home using recycled materials.
Imagine how his home will evolve as he completes the various upgrades he has in mind! For a full tour of Tom’s home, check out the video below
20 Times Life Confounded People When They Least Expected It
The best part of being alive is that the strangest things can happen when you least expect them. But even when things get bad, you can always take comfort in knowing you can look back and laugh at yourself.
1. He can always pretend he’s listening to the radio.
2. Let’s hope the school didn’t hire their own students to make this sign.
3. Everything has its limits.
4. You shouldn’t give away your bakery’s secrets so easily…
5. It’s like an endless cycle.
6. To be fair, what better material is there to keep the scissors inside?
7. “This is why you should always hide a spare key…”
8. Headphones break off all the time…but so perfectly?
9. At this point, you’re just throwing money at it.
10. “I almost had a heart attack this morning…”
11. The job is well done, indeed.
12. The common doorbell…the mechanic’s one weakness!
13. If we can put a man on the moon, we can teach snowmen how to drive.
14. This puppy is leaving its schooling days behind.
15. You always hear about people eating wax fruit by accident but never think it could be you.
Do you have any photos of times you or someone you knew was less than lucky? Let us know!
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