A year ago, a 13-year-old kid from Iowa built a tiny home that definitely didn’t look like it was built by a teenager. And one would definitely be surprised knowing that at an age when children were playing games, Luke Thill was building houses. This kid had grown quite excited about the concept of tiny houses after looking them up on the Internet. After having a conversation with his family, he finally managed to do odd jobs throughout the summer to raise a sum of $1,500. This fledgling income helped him build his own home in the backyard of the family home. Speaking to PEOPLE, Thill mentioned, “I knew that it was possible and I put my heart and soul into budgeting money, planning, and executing my ideas.” To him, funding the entire project was the biggest issue at hand. [1]
Fortunately, the architect of this tiny home received help from his family and community. His father helped him with the construction, while his mother pitched in with ideas about interior design. The teenager also received most of the resources from his community as donations. On several occasions, he would be bartering the resources while offering his services. This would entail cleaning a garage in exchange for some electrical circuitry. Despite this help, it is quite natural that the project would still take some time. Thill took almost two years to be done with his house. The project measures 89 square feet and is furnished with a kitchen that has a mini-fridge and a working stove. The living room consists of a loft area with a bed and a dining table that drops down.
Read: Teenage carpenter spends two years building his own tiny, wooden house in parents’ garden
Teenager Builds Tiny Home In His Family Backyard
After completing the tiny home, Thill stated, “Seeing everything come together was very satisfying. There were some very challenging times throughout the build but I never wanted to quit.” As it turns out, Thill moved into this home after building it- something that was never in the works. “The tiny house was always meant to be a space to have friends over and to entertain people. I have had many friends over and we watch movies, cook food, hang out, or play games.”
With the addition of an AC and a proper heating system, the house was comfortable year-round. He even managed to throw a Thanksgiving dinner for his family in this little home. “We had everything a normal Thanksgiving dinner would have. My family of five plus our dog all fit!” Interestingly, Luke’s ambitions didn’t end there. He was accompanied by his brother to build a tiny camper that they could use to travel with. Although it was his brother Cole who decided to lead the project, Luke did enjoy helping out and guiding wherever he could.[2]
Read: Man Saves $100,000 in 7 Years Living in a Tiny House, Plans to Retire at 40
The Construction of the Tiny House Brought The Father and the Son Closer
While the camper cost around $2,500, the brothers feel it was a smashing success. Ever since they built it, they have traveled the country around 50 times. Luke mentions, “Both projects hold great meaning to me because they each had their own set of challenges and successes. The camper was built in a much different way to ensure integrity when traveling at high rates of speed. All in all, the tiny home will always be my favorite. Tiny homes and the tiny home community will always be in my life. I have gained so much knowledge and skills from the countless things I have experienced.”
With such a commendable job done by Luke Thill on the tiny home, his father Greg Thill was definitely proud of his son. But before the construction, he had several rules that his son needed to follow. Luke would bring in the money. He would also construct it. And as a result, he would have full ownership of the house. While his father definitely helped him with ideas wherever he could, Greg mentioned that a large part of the project was completed by Luke himself. The teenager taught himself to stick to the budget, and even devised methods of dealing with adults. The proud father mentioned, “It was a chance for a kid to do something more than play video games or sports. It teaches life lessons.”[3]
As the tiny home came closer to the conclusion, the father and the son bonded over it. Luke mentioned, “Me and my dad really bonded through the process. Me and him spent nights and days building it. He was really busy, but he made sure to spend time with me and coached me through the process of building a house. I’m really grateful for a good dad, mom, and a good family.”
Keep Reading: Man Tired of Paying High Rent Builds Tiny House From Scratch
Sources
- “This Iowa Teen Built an 89 Sq. Ft. Tiny House in His Backyard — Then a Tiny Camper for Traveling!” People. Hannah Chubb. March 1, 2022.
- “A kid saved $1,500 to build an 89-square-foot tiny house when he was 11, and by 17 he owns two tiny spaces and plans to build more.” Insider. Monica Humphries. February 22, 2021.
- “Iowa Boy Builds Tiny House in His Backyard.” Tree Hugger. Mary Jo DiLonardo. August 25, 2019.