It’s hard to find a person who has never dreamed about having his own house. But buying even a small one is pretty expensive, so it takes years for people to save enough money. But Luke Thill, a boy who was just 13 years old at that moment, didn’t want to wait. He proved to the whole world that if you want something you can get it even if you don’t have enough money. So here is the unbelievable story of how Luke built a small house spending no more than $1500. Trust me, his dedication and belief will inspire you.
Killing The Boredom
You may not believe that but such a small boy was planning a house and actually made the whole project by himself. But what’s even more important: Luke says that the house was just the beginning of his ideas and projects. So yeah, be ready for more soon.
It all started when Luke had no idea what to do on his summer break. To kill the boredom, Luke opened YouTube videos to find some projects he could make with his own hands. Luke was always very excited when it came to building something as he didn’t like to be bored.
Where To Find Inspiration
People think that Luke had some unbelievable inspiration to do such hard work. But in fact, nothing serious has happened, the boy was just on his summer break, and he decided to do something instead of being bored.
When he was interviewed by ABC he explained that he was just watching random videos until he saw the one about a small house. He enjoyed the topic so much that he started to search for other videos like that. He was all into it and decided to make his own house.
An Unusual Kid
Even though Luke was a pretty ordinary boy, his interests were not even close to the ones that other kids had. Instead of playing games or chilling all day long, Luke found a new goal.
The boy realized he would like to build a house, although he knew that it would not be easy for a kid.
Asking The Parents
Luke didn’t want to wait, so he decided to share his idea with his parents to get their permission. He was sure they would support his idea.
His mom and dad (Angie and Greg) knew that Luke was very talented and creative, so they were trying to support him in everything. When they heard about his idea to build a home they allowed him to do that in the garden.
Follow The Rules
Greg allowed his son to build his tiny house, but he also decided to create several basic rules that Luke needed to follow. First of all, it was Luke’s task to raise the necessary amount. Second of all, dad took Luke’s word that the boy would do everything by himself. Later in an interview, Greg explained that he wanted to make sure that his son would be serious about his project. That’s why he made the rules so that Luke could plan the budget and choose materials by himself.
Luke was completely fine following the rules. He knew that if he wanted to make something as serious as building his new house, he should be determined and work on everything by himself.
Your Own Experience
Even though Greg was very excited he didn’t allow himself to help his son with the construction process. He really wanted Luke to do everything by himself and learn a lot.
So Luke needed to deal with everything by himself: he was building a structure, wiring the building, talking with the professionals, and even making decisions regarding his budget.
Life Lessons
Greg was sure that building a house wasn’t an easy task so that work could teach his son many important things that he would use in adult life.
The boy’s father also mentioned that such tasks could be even more beneficial for kids’ development than sports or especially some PS games.
Raising Money
Luke and his dad decided that the budget for the home would be $1500. And to start any construction work, the boy needed to get that amount. It’s probably not so difficult for many people to get it but imagine how hard it was for a little boy.
To earn enough money Luke was cutting lawns and getting some online support. That was the first serious project the boy was working on so of course some extra hands helped him a bit.
Working All Day Long
The work wasn’t easy, and any other boy would probably give up his plan. But Luke wasn’t like that. He was ready to do every task that he found to get what he needed.
At first, Luke offered the Scout leader to mown his lawn, and as a result of which he got a carpet for the bedroom. Then the boy offered the electrician from the neighborhood to clean his garage, and the man helped Luke to wire the new house.
Father Couldn’t Be More Proud
Luke’s determination and readiness to work really hard made Greg very proud. The boy’s father said that he was impressed by his son.
Even when the project was on pause for a while because of some financial issues Luke wasn’t ready to give up and worked even harder.
Using Materials Rationally
If Luke wasn’t minimalistic he would never be able to build a house for such a small amount of money.
The boy made really smart decisions: he decided to recycle some siding from the house of his grandmother, and then got a door from a friend of his uncle. Luke explained that he preferred to be rational and minimalistic instead of having a mortgage.
Sincere Help
The friend of Luke’s uncle really enjoyed the kid’s work and decided to help him by giving him his old door with some windows.
The man explained that he realized that even if the house was tiny some windows were still required.
Materials That Got New Purpose
To build such a small house you need to think rationally and use old items that you can recycle. If only you knew how many things that can still be used we put into the trash.
75% of the materials that Luke used were recycled. However, it’s not only significantly cheaper, it’s also really great for the nature and environment.
House Sizes
Luke decided that his house should have some terrace outside, and after understanding the space better, he started to work on a stable plan floor. The sliding part was made of vinyl and cedar rubber.
The size of the house was 5,5 X 10 ft. And yes, it’s not much, but it was great for the tiny house that Luke wanted.
The Home Is Ready
After some really hard work, Luke was happy to announce that his new house was ready to welcome guests, so he invited people.
The house looked really cozy inside: there was a very small kitchen there, a comfortable ottoman, a TV set, and a cool folding table.
Not A House Technically
Even though Luke was calling his new place with some ladder and loft a house, it wasn’t technically a house.
Greg explained that the place should be called a shed in accordance with the city classification.
Becoming A Celebrity
When the house was ready, Luke shot a video tour of his new home, and then he added it to his YouTube.
People really enjoyed the video as it got several million views. Besides, the viewers wrote several hundreds of comments telling they were impressed by the boy’s work.
Work No Matter What
Of course, like every successful person, Luke faced some criticism from his schoolmates. But the boy didn’t pay any attention to it.
Luke continued working on his project like nothing happened. And it paid off once he finished his house: even his critics were impressed.
Curiosity In The Town
Luke was living in a really small town that had less than 60000 people. And the news in such a small place spread out really fast. Almost every citizen wanted to come and look at the tiny house.
Because of people’s curiosity, Luke made his own channel on YouTube to show his new home to other people. The video became viral really fast.
The First One In His Category
Luke was really excited when he noticed that of all people who were building small houses, he would be the youngest.
He said that all people were older than 14, and that fact inspired Luke to do his own thing. That’s why he was filming the construction process to edit it later and upload it to YouTube.
The Little Hero
The boy made a YouTube channel just to share the process and show other people how he was building his home. He couldn’t even imagine that his work would be such a motivation for many other kids.
Luke said he was shocked that so many kids all around the world contacted him to talk and show their own tiny homes. Some of those children were even younger than Luke!
School’s Reaction
Luke was sharing all his experiences on his YouTube and once he told about the meeting with the principal of his school. Luke was a really good student who was studying really hard, so of course he was stressed once he heard that the principal wanted to talk with him.
Just try to imagine how relieved and happy the boy was when he realized that the principal just wanted to praise the student. Even a journalist came to the meeting to tell the boy’s story on the news. Luke couldn’t believe that he became interesting to so many people.
School’s Reaction
Luke was sharing all his experiences on his YouTube and once he told about the meeting with the principal of his school. Luke was a really good student who was studying really hard, so of course he was stressed once he heard that the principal wanted to talk with him.
Just try to imagine how relieved and happy the boy was when he realized that the principal just wanted to praise the student. Even a journalist came to the meeting to tell the boy’s story on the news. Luke couldn’t believe that he became interesting to so many people.
Not Everything Was Perfect
Luke admitted that he had several failures, but he learned how to deal with them.
He told the viewers how he spoiled the countertop. He took some broken colored glass and varnished it, but the lacquer flowed everywhere.
Overcoming All Problems
It wasn’t really easy to go through all those things alone, but the boy did it! To be honest, not many adults could do what Luke had done.
Luke didn’t quit his project, instead, he faced all failures and learned from them. He believed that all difficulties appeared just to make him stronger.
Would You Live In The House?
When you see how cozy Luke’s new home is you will definitely want to stay there: there is electricity there, TV, and even water.
But there are some things you would definitely miss: there are no plumbing and air conditioner there. However, it’s understandable because Luke was building the place near his parents’ big house so he could not add some things.
A Young Cook
When a person is talented he is probably talented in many things. Turns out Luke is not only an impressive builder, but he’s also good at cooking. He can’t prepare rare meals, but he can cook eggs, and that’s a real achievement for a young boy.
You can even check one of his videos where he was cooking his first meal in the house.
Participating In A Festival
After Luke’s videos became viral people became interested in his home. As a result, TinyFest contacted the boy. He was really excited as it was the main festival dedicated to tiny homes.
Luke was asked to say something in front of reporters and journalists, and he performed with a speech that inspired many people.
A Great Place To Chill In
After the construction was done, Luke measured his home and stated that it was 89 square ft. He brought a small refrigerator and an electric stove to the kitchen.
Luke also made an area to store things: this area is under the countertop. To be honest, the house that the boy built is really incredible and cool!
Hiding From The Whole World
Building this house took one year. And it’s really fast considering how hard it was to build a cool house you want to live in with limited resources.
If you think that Luke only sleeps at his new place from time to time, then you are wrong. He comes here regularly to chill, hide from the whole world, and even do his homework.
A Cool Spot For Barbecues
Of course, the house is really tiny, but its backyard isn’t, it’s really great for some parties.
Luke invites some friends for picnics pretty often, and they always have a great time chilling in the backyard.
The Star Of The Newspapers
In 1997, one of the most famous architects Sarah Susanka wrote a book about tiny houses making the idea of building them really popular among people. However, Luke’s work impressed the world more than any other tiny house.
It was so because when a young boy builds his own house, while almost all adults can’t do it, it impresses the world. The boy’s story made famous newspapers like «Telegraph Herald» and «Des Moines Register» publish an article about Luke.
Time For Good Morning America
Probably one of the most impressive things was the fact that «Good Morning America» decided to meet with Luke and tell his story. The agents of the show contacted Greg and Angie asking for an interview.
The reporters came to Luke’s place to ask him some questions and make a video of his cool home. Besides, a real house designer called Luke makes the boy more than happy.
The Meeting You Can Only Dream About
When Derek Diedricksen called Luke the boy thought it was a prank. Derek is a famous designer of many tiny houses. Now imagine what Luke has felt.
That call was even more important for the boy as a year ago it was Derek who inspired Luke with his videos to build a house. And now Luke could hear how his inspiration was praising him.
Talented Brothers
After Luke’s success, his brother Cole decided to work on his own project. He created a camper with the use of different recycled items and materials.
But it was much easier for Cole as he could ask for help from his experienced brother.
YouTube Development
Luke and Cole decided to upload new videos to the YouTube channel so that the number of subscribers would grow. As a result, they have about 70000 followers, and it’s growing.
The Brothers also decided to upload the video of how their mother renovated an old camper.
Hiding From The Brother
Luke said that his tiny house became his safe space where he could just be alone and chill a bit.
The boy mentioned that having a twin wasn’t always an easy thing, and sometimes he really wanted to be alone.
How Much Was It?
Once the home was built, Luke decided to calculate how much money he spent on his project.
The boy said that it took about $1200 to build everything: he even rounded the amount up in case he didn’t add some expenses.
An Example To Other Kids
Luke couldn’t even imagine that his house would be interesting for so many kids and adults.
He was happy that he inspired others, and he once said that he wanted his project to show other children that they could build anything despite their age.
That’s Not It
One day Luke shared his plans proving that he wasn’t planning to stop building homes. Instead, he wanted to continue doing it.
First of all, he wanted to expand his new house. He wanted it to be more comfortable without any serious expenses.
Let’s Go, Boy!
When ABC was interviewing Luke he told them about his plans to build a big house. And no one had any doubts after his successful project.
Luke explained that in his opinion, a person who already built a tiny house could build a bigger one based on the gathered experience.
Young Entrepreneur
It’s interesting, but Luke is good not only at building homes, he definitely has some businessman vibes inside.
The boy decided to design and produce some T-shirts and sweatshirts with his new logo. He believed it would be a great way to earn some money for his next projects.
Daddy’s Love
Of course, Luke was enjoying the whole process of creating the house, but he was also happy because of his great and strong relationship with dad.
The boy said that even though his dad was really busy he was always trying to care for Luke and help him. And that meant a lot to the young boy.
Simple Lifestyle
Luke has realized how beneficial it is to live in a tiny house, and he is spreading this idea around the world now.
Luke says that people preferred big houses earlier but now many of them realize how cool and practical it is to live in a small house. It can let you do whatever you want instead of spending all your savings on a house.
The Brave Woman
Here is Renee McLaughlin who is also famous because of her cool tiny house. But earlier the woman had a really huge house. However, one day she decided to sell it and move to a tiny house that was almost 38 times smaller.
Renee said that she realized she needed to change something when she understood that stuff was running her life. She couldn’t live like that anymore: working to buy stuff to feel better.
Could You Imagine That?
Nowadays, the idea of living in tiny houses is spreading out.
Do you remember that TinyFest invited Luke to participate? Well, its organizer is actually Renee McLaughlin. Isn’t it cool? She was impressed by the boy’s project and wanted to hear his speech at her festival.
Making The Life Easier
Of course, there are people who think that Renee’s decision was more than stupid. But she doesn’t care. She says that now she’s living her life without regrets: she can travel and do anything she wants without any debts or mortgage.
It’s true that such small houses allow you to save money and spend it on other things. Besides, you will definitely have less stress.
Trying To Live A Simple Life
Ms. McLaughlin explains to people how great it is to have a simple lifestyle. She truly tries to inspire others to get rid of the things they don’t really need. She is fine with throwing her clothes away, and recycle stuff, and she doesn’t get to the stores much.
Of course, she confirms that it wasn’t easy for her to throw away her stuff at first, but now she doesn’t care about it. She’s just a usual girl living her life.
Tiny Homes Movement
It’s becoming more and more popular to live in a small house. It’s not only cool because of interesting architectural decisions but also because it’s much cheaper, and you can save some money.
This idea is really great for those who want to make their lives simpler.
The Developing Idea
Even though there are people who support the tiny home movement, most people don’t enjoy the fact of living in a small place. But the number of those who choose small homes is impressive anyway.
A survey was made in the USA lately and the results showed there were about 3000 tiny homes in the US. And the number is definitely growing.
Cheaper Than Any Other House
A standard tiny house costs around $25000 which is a pretty reasonable price. It means that almost all owners of such homes don’t need to think about mortgages.
If you have a dream that requires money you can save them by choosing a tiny house. In this case, you won’t need to use your salary for paying for the big house.
Let’s Do Better
Luke’s story can definitely teach us many things. His drive, motivation, care for the environment, and simple lifestyle can be a great example.
Let’s continue his work and improve the world. If you think that there is nothing you can do: trust me, you can. You can recycle many items instead of just throwing them away, you can buy environmentally friendly stuff. If you take care of the world, it will definitely pay you off.