Most people would probably have built their dream house when they were at least 30 years old. The exhilarating feeling of building the house of your dreams with your own hands is incomparable.
Imagine drawing plans, investing your blood, sweat and tears, and finally seeing all this become a reality.
That’s exactly what Tom did. With his know-how, ingenuity and perseverance, he managed to turn his dream into reality. And you know what? He was only 17 years old when he started!
It was Tom’s high real estate prices and desire for freedom that motivated him to build his humble home from recycled materials.
He realized that he could build everything from scratch, using recycled materials and staying within his budget.
“My idea in building the cabin was to keep everything simple and to lead a simple and stress-free life, to be honest. Well, I own everything I have, and I paid for everything – everything belongs to me. »
Now that Tom is 20 years old, he is relieved not to have to spend his hard-earned money on rent. “It’s simply a simple life, and everything you have, when you built it yourself, simply belongs to you…,” said Tom.
Tom’s house is located on his grandfather’s vast land. You can always perceive the traditional and rustic feeling, especially with a window on the side
He bought the trailer at the age of 17 and immediately started construction while working and training in carpentry, which he completed at the end of December.
Tom used larch wood at the front, which he bought at a reduced price from a local sawmill. The side coatings at the back and front are fence panels.
All windows are recycled, which Tom bought from a seller of used materials.
He recently installed the veranda after buying boards from a scaffolding construction company, as well as other second-hand and recovery wood that he had recovered at his workplace.
When you enter Tom’s house, the first thing that attracts attention is the beautiful recovered wood and a poster representing a picturesque marine landscape.
“My goal was to use only recovered wood for construction, because it’s economical,” said Tom. Most of the wood used in Tom’s house was recovered from demolitions. He took this wood, sanded it and reused it.
The living room has a small work area that Tom uses to work and eat. You will find a standard sofa and a wall-mounted TV. In the future, he plans to replace it with a versatile sofa with integrated storage space.
Tom also appreciates his cooking. He built a fully functional worktop from recycled materials such as scaffolding boards, which he sanded for hours before varnishing them. The kitchen is also equipped with essential appliances such as a refrigerator, a stove and a practical toaster.
The bathroom is located in front of the worktop. It is equipped with a small chemical toilet with electric flushing.
The shower room has corrugated sheet metal walls. The copper pipes and faucets recall a rustic and simple farm bathroom.
When you return to the living room, you notice a ladder that leads to the attic. The ladder can be lowered and takes you to Tom’s comfortable little room with a double mattress.
Tom began building his dream house at the age of 17, with a total budget of US$8,200. He was paid 5.50 US dollars an hour.
Despite his modest income, he managed to save most of his earnings, which he then used to build his house using recycled materials at an advantageous price.
Imagine what his house would look like if he had made all the improvements he has in mind!
Watch the video below for a complete tour of Tom’s house.
