What would a usual 13-year-old boy do? Play with his mates, ride a bicycle, play video games and...build a house? Yes, you read it right. There's one boy at that age who managed to build a house all by himself!
You may wonder where he would find the money for that? Thousands of dollars are probably needed for such a project. Well, it turns out not so much. Read on to find how he managed to build a house on his own and how much it cost him.
Luke Thill
Luke Thill is an Iowa middle school student. He is in the eighth grade and has already yearned to have a promising future ahead of him. It was hard not to notice that Luke has always been persistent in achieving the things that he wanted to reach.
Just like any other youngster, he is also a dreamer. We all know that at that age, nothing seems impossible. At least for Luke, it was this way. So when one crazy idea сame to his mind, he was determined to make it happen.
Tiny House Ideas
Scrolling through some videos on Youtube, Luke was fond of building small houses. "I was just on YouTube looking around and came across a tiny house idea, and then that spiraled into looking at almost every YouTube video there is, it felt like," Luke said.
With this, he had grown so much affection at how those houses are made. With time his interest had only leveled up. One day he decided to build one by himself. Even though he was just 13 years old with almost no money, he came up with some really creative solutions.
Getting Obsessed
"I got obsessed with them and decided to build my own.", Luke proclaimed. With his obsession, he had decided that if he had to work towards it and make enough money, he would build his own tiny house.
He had always hoped for the positive effects that his idea would make. He knew that his vision would not be as easy as it looked, but he has made himself ready for whatever circumstances may come. And you might guess, there were numerous obstacles on his way.
Luke’s Parents
Luke's parents, Greg and Angie Thill, saw their son was on a mission and gave him the go-ahead to build the tiny house. They understood that their son needed their support, and they had completely given it to him.
They have realized that this project will help their son grow his creativity and passion. By this means, Luke was overjoyed by the support that his parents had set forth to him. Soon, however, he would understand that just his parents' support was not enough to pursue the dream.
Location of the Tiny House
Luke's family has a four-acre property that has played a part in where the tiny house will be located and built. The location of the little house in the backyard of his family's home in Dubuque, Iowa.
Since the area was already settled, Luke has started planning out what he needed for the tiny house. He had also started sorting out the amount of money that he would be required to construct the house.
Ground Rules
"We said, 'If you're that serious, we have to set some ground rules,'" Greg Thill said. "We told him he had to have the financial responsibility for it, raise the money and choose the materials and stay within the budget," he added.
They are fully inclined to give Luke the support that will be an essential factor in Luke's pursuance of building the tiny house. At the same time, they wanted him to work and plan everything out independently, but they will be with him all throughout the process.
Support from His Family
Building the tiny house, Luke got full support from his family. He got help from his dad on the home's construction, and his mom helped with the interior furnishings. Luke's sister and twin brother also supported.
He learned how to barter his services with friends and family who donated reclaimed materials and their skills. Each of them has their contributions to Luke's unique project.
Raising Money for the House
To start with the construction, Luke had to work for several jobs to save up enough money to begin building the tiny house. Raising money for the home, Luke mowed lawns and helped neighbors and friends. He also did lots of bartering.
He has also set up a donation drive through GoFundMe. At the end of all these proceedings, Luke has raised about $1,500, which will now be capable of starting the construction of the house.
Construction of the House
After collecting up enough money to buy the materials needed to start the house, Luke has then come up with the construction of the house. Considering all the experiences that he had gained while raising money for the home, Luke knew that he had more challenges to face in building the house.
Even with this cloud of doubt, Luke believed that he could still do it in his best possible way. He also thought that he had always had his family at his back.
Documenting the Process
Luke started a Youtube channel halfway through the building of the house. From there, he began documenting the process that he had gone through to furnish the home.
Luke would film his steps in converting the raw materials in putting up the house. The documentation has become living proof of his hard work and dedication, from setting up the house's foundation to the refurnishing of the furniture and fixtures of the house.
Learning a Lot
Throughout building his own tiny house, Luke has dramatically acknowledged that he has been learning a lot in all the activities that he has been involved with while building the house. He had opened up new doors of discoveries in the due courses of action.
Luke had learned a lot about framing and wiring to which he had little knowledge at first. Along the way, he had mastered some framing techniques and different skills.
His Takeaways
During the construction process of the tiny house, Luke could not contain how grateful he was about his takeaways in establishing the house. He has acquired knowledge about carpeting stuff and a lot of woodworking skills.
With this gained expertise, Luke has become more confident in working first-hand on the necessary steps in constructing the tiny house. It was also lovely to see that he got to learn a lot of things as young as he was.
Familiar with the Tools
Luke had gained several skills on how to use some of the tools properly. It is not also a top-secret to say that he was already familiar with some of the tools because he had always observed his dad how to use some of them.
Some of the things that he has learned are how to use a saw, a drill, and other multiple stuff and tools. Having been exposed to using the tools at a young age, Luke took an easy way of learning some of the tools that he wasn’t very much familiar with.
Interior of the House
The tiny home's interior features a TV, seating area, mini-refrigerator, and a fold-up dining room table. Luke says his friends think the house is "cool" and often stop by to hang out.
Nearing the end of the construction, Luke cannot hide the excitement he was feeling because he was always passionate about doing this. The tiny house symbolized Luke's competence and ardent desire to attain his goal.
Bonding with His Dad
From end to end of the process of building Luke’s tiny house, his dad was always present by his side. He had always helped Luke, which resulted in a stronger bond between their father and son relationship.
Even if his dad has a hectic schedule, he still finds time to help Luke build the house. They spent nights and days building the house, but they still considered it all worthy despite how physically draining their work.
Challenges of Building the House
Just like any other journey, Luke’s way of building the house wasn’t just all good. It has also come to terms with some challenges. “There were times the project got stalled out, and he had to earn more money for the next phase.
He wouldn't let it go and kept working at it.", Luke’s dad revealed. However, Luke bravely overcame these challenges, and he became even more determined to make his house to be at its best.
A Driven Kid
"He's a very driven kid for his age," said Luke's dad. He is a witness of how Luke spilled out his compassion and dedication throughout the whole process of the house construction. Luke started building the house when he was 12 and finished it when he was 13.
Upon learning this thing, Luke's attitude towards working was exceptional. From this, his father knew that Luke would always do things earnestly to succeed.
Duration of Building the House
The duration of building the house was over a year and a half. During this process, it is undeniable that Luke has grown better perspectives in life because he got to do things independently.
Even with the accompanied assurance of his family, especially his parents, Luke has developed to become more independent than before. Building his tiny house has given Luke a great avenue to nurture his knowledge and skills.
89-Square-Foot Tiny Home
After over a year and a half, the 89-square-foot tiny home has finally been completed. It was such a great accomplishment for Luke that he got to successfully build it. His parents were also proud of what he had accomplished.
They have also believed that Luke would be committed to reaching this achievement of his. The tiny house was fully well-built and had access to furniture and fixtures, just like an average house.
Facade of the House
The house has a front wall and a sidewall. Fronting the house was a fully reclaimed deck, which meant that Luke spent zero money on it. At the side of his house, Luke had some landscaping with peony bushes, a flag, and a spruce tree.
One can also see the electricity source on the side of his house. Luke had some more flowers on the back of his house, and the wall was covered with vinyl.
Reclaimed Materials
To save up from buying new and expensive materials, Luke had some of his materials reclaimed. His steel door was from his uncle’s friend, to which he reclaimed and painted. The window beside his door was also reclaimed for free.
Meanwhile, the upper window of his house was $35 to which he bought using the money that he collected. The home also has a 4-foot overhang so he can unlock the door when it rains and doesn’t have to worry about the rain at all.
Inside of the House
Walking into the house, he has a carpet because he believes it will make his home homier. The floor was made up of plywood to which he had leveled out and painted. The house was not air-conditioning.
The house also has its own kitchen on the right side. It has a medicine cabinet on the countertop to where he stores cups, lighter, flashlight, silverware, and some seasoning stuff.
More About the Inside of the House
The tiling on the countertop part is a floor tile that looks nice. Above the countertop were some storage cabinets with paper towels and a mini tripod on them. Luke also has put up a cupboard beside the kitchen.
He stores the water, the water bowl, and a bar of biodegradable soap. Under the kitchen is where the electric Coleman fridge, hot plates and pans for cooking, and food storage which contains pancake mix and canned goods.
Features of the House
The house's main feature was the small TV which you could pull out and swivel as much as you wanted. The house also has an ottoman couch that he got from Ikea, to which if you lift it, you will have storage underneath it.
The coolest part was the full table which you can fold up and down. There is also a stair that will bring you up to the loft, where you can find a mattress, a fan, a signature smoke alarm, a storage box, and furnace filters
Dimensions of the House
The tiny house was 10-feet long and 100-feet wide. The tallest point of the house was 10-feet tall. Meanwhile, its lowest point was 8-feet tall. With a total measurement of 89-square feet, the house was eligible enough to stay in.
With these dimensions mentioned above, Luke’s tiny house could bring coziness and comfortability to a person who will be staying in it. The home was also welcoming and friendly.
Tiny Home Conference
Luke was invited to speak at a tiny home conference this month in Iowa. Luke was also featured on the front page of the Telegraph Herald, a daily newspaper published in Dubuque, Iowa. The newspaper wrote a whole story about Luke and his house construction.
He was interviewed, and pictures of his tiny house were taken. The young builder had also gotten emails from TV producers who were also interested in his spectacular project.
Inspiring Other Kids
Uploading the videos of the construction process on YouTube, Luke hopes to inspire other kids to follow to not let their age stop their dreams. He wanted them to believe that if he could, they also could.
Luke also wanted to become a role model to his fellow children on setting their goals straight and correctly. His success in building the house has reflected his relentless drive to reach his goal, which is to complete the tiny house.
Impact of the Tiny House
"Now lots of kids have messaged me and showed pictures of their tiny houses that they're building, and they're even younger than me.", Luke said. The impact that he made in the building of his tiny house has spread among his fellow children.
They have set him as an excellent example of never giving up if they had a goal to aim for. Even if they are still young, they can already make a difference and seek a better change.
Future Projects
Luke's next project is helping his brother, Cole, build a teardrop trailer. Then he plans to return to where he started and build another house. "In a couple of years, I want to build a bigger house and stay in it full-time," he said.
Luke still wanted to aim for his best in creating and building better houses for his future projects. With his continuing perseverance and optimistic outlook in life, Luke has secured his unwavering steps towards his future goals.
When one strives for something, they always tend to do their best and strive to achieve their goals even if the process is accompanied by specific challenges. One may stumble and fall during the process as one takes their steps towards the top. Still, with pure determination and faith, one will be able to overcome and succeed.
The path to success is not a completely smooth road. It is also composed of rough and rocky roads that they need to conquer and learn as it will add up to their experiences in their journey towards the greater good.