Everyone dreams of owning their own home. However, building or owning a house is not cheap. People save for years before they are able to build or buy their own home. But Luke Till, a talented 13-year-old, didn’t want that. He showed the world that he could build his own house, even with limited resources. What he has done is truly unimaginable. Let us show you how Luke built his own tiny house for just $1,500 (yes, it’s as incredible as it looks). Now, get ready to be inspired and motivated.
Small Hands, Big Deeds
“How on earth did a young boy figure out how to build an 89 square foot house for himself?” People might say. Believe it or not, this boy called this building his “starter home.” Yes, he was destined for big things.
Luke was bored during the summer and wanted to do something fun. So, he did what any boy his age would do these days. He used the Internet to find interesting DIY projects. He had a lot of energy and was convinced that he wanted to do something fun instead of sitting around.
Luke’s Inspiration
So what was Luke’s inspiration for doing different things? It’s because he doesn’t want to be bored and spend his summer vacation at home doing nothing.
He told ABC News, “I was watching stuff on YouTube and I came across a little house idea and it just spiraled and I started watching pretty much every YouTube video. He added, “I got hooked on them and decided to build my own house.” He adds.
He was never a normal kid.
Luke was a kid who always found a way to keep himself busy, so he wasn’t going to spend his summer vacation complaining (like most kids do) or playing with his PlayStation.
He’s determined to build his own house and knows his age won’t get in the way of that.
Getting permission was the easy part.
Before Luke could face the enormous task of building a house, he first had to get permission from his parents, which seemed like a small thing.
Luke’s parents, Greg and Angie Till, had recognized their son’s potential and didn’t waste any time in signing the permit for Luke. They then gave him permission to build a home on the four-acre lot.
Remembering his father’s rules
Luke’s father gave Luke full permission to start his own project. However, Luke had a few simple rules. Luke had to raise his own money and build the house entirely on his own. Greg Thiel told ABC News. I told him that if he was that serious, he had to set some ground rules. I said you have to raise the money, you have to choose the materials, and you have to stay within the budget.
For a kid who wants to build a house, those rules aren’t strict next to his determination. He knows what he wants to achieve and is prepared to follow all the rules.
Self-directed learning
In his excitement, Greg Till doesn’t want his son to do a lot of things for him. That’s because he wants his son to learn a lot on his own.
This includes everything from building structures, to dealing with adults, to wiring a house, to making financial decisions to stay within a budget.
Important life lessons.
Luke’s father believes that the experience of building a house without the help of others was a great learning experience for his son.
It was an opportunity to do more than play games and sports,” Greg says. It gave him life lessons.”
First order of business: earn money.
Luke and his father had to set a budget of $1,500 to build a house. Getting that money was their first priority. It may have been a small amount of money for others, but it was still a lot of money for young Luke.
So he started raising money by mowing his lawn, using recycled materials and getting help online. This was Luke’s first big project, and he didn’t have enough people to help.
Working hard to make his dream a reality
It would have been easy for Luke to give up building his house, but he persevered. He rolled up his sleeves and started doing whatever work was needed.
He mowed the Scoutmaster’s lawn, carpeted the attic bedroom, and cleaned out his electrician neighbor’s garage to help wire Luke’s house.
Proud father.
It makes his father very proud that Luke has achieved this at such a young age”. Luke’s father said, “For his age, he is a very driven kid.
In any case, Luke remained steadfast even when the project stalled due to funding and program implementation issues.
Adopting Minimalism
Without adopting minimalism, it would have been nearly impossible for Luke to build a house for only $1,500.
He reused the siding from his grandmother’s house, and the front door was given to him by a friend of his uncle’s. ‘I like minimalism,’ Luke says. ‘Plus, I wanted to own a house without a huge mortgage.
Generous help
Luke didn’t have to buy new doors, but a friend of his uncle’s also brought him some old windows.
This was because he just didn’t want Luke to have a windowless house. Who wouldn’t like a nosy neighbor?
Recycling and reuse
The Little House philosophy promotes a simple lifestyle and the use of recyclable items. You may not realize how much useful stuff we throw in the trash every day.
Luke’s house is made of almost 75% recycled materials. Using recycled materials is not only economical, but environmentally friendly.
Exterior dimensions.
Luke’s house has a fairly stable floor plan with a small deck on the outside. The sliding panels are made of half vinyl and half cedar wood.
This beautiful little house is 5.5 feet wide and 10 feet long. Is it habitable? Read on to find out.
Welcome to my little house.
Luke shows the inside of his house, which is finally finished.
There’s a small kitchen area with counters, a living space with a large couch, a TV and a flip-top table.
A shed, to be exact.
For Luke, it’s a small house with a ladder leading to an upstairs loft, but it’s not (technically) a home.
Luke’s father told reporters it was a “good-looking shed” according to municipal code.
Going viral
When the house was finished, Luke created a video showing the interior of the house and uploaded it to his YouTube channel.
Unsurprisingly, the video received a huge response and was viewed millions of times. The video received hundreds of comments praising his efforts.
Hard work always pays off.
There was some negativity in the school, but Luke didn’t let it bother him.
He kept working to build his dream home, and the end result surprised even his critics.
Media attention.
In a town of about 58,000 people, word about the boy spread quickly: everyone was excited about the 13-year-old’s project.
So Luke created a YouTube channel to show the world the progress of his project. Luke’s channel quickly gained media attention.
The exception.
When Luke started watching videos of people building tiny houses, he realized that no one was younger than him.
‘I didn’t see anyone under the age of 14. I decided that if no one was there, I would do it myself, so I started recording the whole process and uploading it to YouTube’.
An inspiration to others
Luke created a YouTube channel to show everyone how he built his tiny house. Little did he know that his little project would inspire so many kids.
Now, a lot of kids message me and show me pictures of their little houses that were built by kids younger than me,” he says.
The reason for the tension
In a video uploaded to YouTube, Luke talks about the time he was summoned to the principal’s office. He was a high achiever and was nervous because he didn’t know what he was doing.
However, the principal wanted to recognize his efforts. A reporter in the principal’s office wanted to interview Luke, and it was good news for a 13-year-old kid that the newspaper was going to cover him.
He had to take on a lot of trouble.
One of the things Luke learned from the experience was how to overcome disappointment.
‘I painted over the broken stained glass, but it ran all over everything and I couldn’t put it on the counter.
A big lesson in a small house
Luke has experienced many failures that would shake the confidence of even a grown man, let alone a young boy.
But Luke didn’t give up and learned from his mistakes. In the words of Batman’s Alfred: “Why do people fall down? So they can learn to pick themselves back up.
Is the house fit to live in?
One look at this house and it cries out, “I want to live in it. It has electricity, running water and a bathroom.
But there is no air conditioning or plumbing. That’s because it was built in Luke’s parents’ backyard. Nevertheless, the house is really easy to live in.
A boy of many talents
Luke is not only a talented construction worker, he’s also a great cook. You can’t call him a chef just because he knows how to make eggs, but it’s still pretty amazing.
He posted a video on YouTube of his “first meal” in his new home.
A little holiday.
As Luke’s house grew in popularity (thanks to his YouTube page), he was contacted by a representative from TinyFest Midwest – a festival that promotes and celebrates tiny houses.
He was asked to speak and gave an inspiring speech in front of special guests.
The perfect house
When Luke finished his home, it was 89 square feet (9.5 square meters) in size. The house was equipped with an electric stove, a small refrigerator and a separate bedroom.
The kitchen had storage space under the marble countertops. The house is especially suitable for young boys.
Comfortable setup
It took Luke about a year to complete his little house. But for him, the house was more than just a project; he wanted to live in it.
Not only did he sleep in the house a few days a week, but he also did his homework there. For Luke, it’s like a little “man cave.”
Best place to relax.
Although the house is small, it has a large backyard that is great for gatherings.
Luke’s friends can get together for a fun party and enjoy cooking in the backyard.
News worthy of front page coverage
Since 1997, when renowned architect and best-selling author Sarah Susanka kicked off the tiny house movement with her book The Not So Big House, many people have built tiny houses. But why has Luke attracted so much attention?
It’s because it’s big news that a boy as young as 13 years old has accomplished what many people take a lifetime to do. Luke’s story made the front pages of the Des Moines Chronicle and the Telegraph Herald.
