13 Year Old, Luke Thill, Builds Own Home For Just $1,500

Buying your own home is no easy feat, then again, neither is building it. However that’s exactly what 13 year old Luke Thill did – he built his very own tiny home in his parents’ backyard – and all for $1,500 buckaroos! I know, it sounds too good to be true, but that’s exactly what happened! Read Luke’s impressive story to discover all the ups and downs that building your own home presents – and there’s plenty of tips here so you can build your own (tiny) home someday! The idea to build his own tiny house didn’t stem from the fact that he’s from a small town in Iowa but rather that he wanted to do something useful. And there aren’t many teenage boys who are willing to freely build their own tiny home! It takes a lot of dedication and hard work. But Luke was up to the challenge. He worked odd jobs so that he could earn money to help him in his building process.

Now Luke is not alone in this process, in fact there’s a whole tiny house movement sweeping the nation. While there is no set definition currently as to what establishes as a tiny house; however it is said that a residential structure below 500 square feet is usually accepted as a tiny home. When the the financial crisis of 2007–08 crippled many Americans, the small house movement became even more widely popular, as it was way more affordable and also ecologically friendly. Japan, Spain, Britain, and Germany are also experiencing the tiny home movement but it is hugely popular in the States. The growing number of amateur and professional builders is of concern because of safety concerns. Although there have been a number of conferences and modules on proper ethical business practices and guidelines for construction of a tiny house – this has helped to improve safety guidelines. However for people who build tiny houses on wheels, their biggest challenge is finding a place to park their tiny home. At the end of the day, when it comes to the taxes and building, heating, maintenance, and repair costs of having a tiny home, it is far more worth. The pros outperform the cons any given day. So just did a 13 year old boy build his own tiny house? It’s pretty remarkable how easy he makes it all seem! Just click for his incredible story.

My Own Two Hands

Now, Luke Thill is only an 8th grader from Dubuque, Iowa – who had the idea to build his own 89-square-foot “structure” but guys, he refers to it as his “starter home.” Go figure.

Many of Luke’s efforts involved him rolling up his sleeves and doing odd jobs to earn the cash required. But he would stop at nothing to achieve his dream.

His Inspiration

So just what Luke’s inspiration? “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 told ABC News in October 2017.

“I got obsessed with them and decided to build my own.”

Tiny House Movement

While looking through at some video-sharing sites, he came across tons of “Tiny House” instructional YouTube videos. “Tiny House,” as we’ve already explained, is a movement that looks to advocate living more simply in smaller houses.

Granted the homes might be small but it has all of the basic needs any house has. And seeing as a 13 year boy made it work, we think adults can too!

No Ordinary Kid

Moreover there is just one other reason he decided that he wanted to create his own home, was because he found himself getting really bored during his summer vacation.

While some kids might complain or lock themselves indoors with their PlayStations and what-not, he was getting ready to build.

Permission

Once Luke started to plan the in’s and out’s of building his tiny home, he needed to ask his parents for permission of course.

Greg and Angie Thill, Luke’s parents, immediately recognized that their son was on a serious mission. Therefore they gave him the all-clear to build his home on the family’s four-acre property.

Dad’s Rules

Greg, Luke’s dad, told his son that when he began the project, there were a few simple rules to follow: Luke has to raise the money on own.

Build it on his own. Lastly, Luke’s the owner. Now I don’t know about you but those sound like some tough rules to follow! But with Luke’s determination, things were moving in the right direction.

Ground Rules

“We said, ‘If you’re that serious we have to set some ground rules,’” Greg Thill told ABC News in October 2017.

“We told him he had to have the financial responsibility of it, raise the money and choose the materials and stay in the budget.”

Housing 101

Of course Greg Thill was there to work alongside Luke in order to guide him, but ultimately he wanted Luke to learn a lot all on his own.

Such as framing a structure, wiring the home, dealing with grown-ups, making crucial financial decisions, and not wavering from the budget. Important lessons we can ~all~ learn from.

Life 101

“It was a chance for a kid to do something more than play video games or sports,” Greg said. “It teaches life lessons.”

Of course Greg couldn’t be more right with his decision. In today’s viral world, many children often focus on digital things than what’s right in front of them.

Honor Thy Neighbor

When Luke first started, he set out to raise money by mowing lawns, raising money online, and used reclaimed materials.

Plus Luke even bartered for extra hands to help out. A lot of planning went into Luke’s house building mission – while some plans went out the window, others went off without a hitch.

One Man’s Trash…

Tiny house philosophy advocates living simply while also promoting the use of recycled and re-appropriated items to help build the house.

People will collect large amounts of junk which usually fill up their garages and sheds, and they’re thrown in the trash. However Luke Thill cleaned out those garages and found tons of materials that he could use.

Rolling Up His Sleeves

Some of Luke’s bartering was pretty solid. He cleaned the garage of his electrician neighbor so he would help Luke wire the house.

He cut a Scout leader’s lawn so that he’d add carpet in the loft bedroom. Nothing like a bit of hard work to build your own house!

Proud Papa

Now Luke’s dad is incredibly proud of what he’s doing and his determination. “He’s a very driven kid for his age,” said Luke’s dad.

“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 Thill – The Minimalist

However Luke didn’t just do odd jobs in exchange for help to build his house. He recycled too! Luke used some leftover siding from his grandma’s house and also a front door his uncle’s friend gave him.

‘I liked the minimalism,” Luke said (sounding way older than 13). “And I wanted to have a house without a huge mortgage.”

Windows

His uncle’s friend didn’t stop with the door, though. Later he came to Luke’s rescue again with some old windows.

Well what is a house without windows? We just hope he doesn’t have any pesky, nosy neighbors peering in!

Werk

Oh, Luke’s house is made from nearly 75% recycled materials! Most of his windows are recycled too. Can any of us homeowners say the same thing? Probably not.

Having a house that’s economically friendly costs a ton and is often difficult to achieve but for Luke, it was easier than he thought.

Dimensions

Luke’s home is a staggering 5½ feet wide and 10 feet long! However it also features a loft.

With a small deck outside, Luke had a pretty stable floor plan. Before we forget, the siding is also half cedar shakes, half vinyl.

Come On In!

If we take a look inside then we’ll see a small kitchen area, complete with a counter.

Moreover there are shelving leads that lead to a back sitting area that has a large ottoman, a flip-down table, and also a wall-mounted TV.

Woodwork

The 13 year old has got some brilliant skills when it comes to woodworking.

Need we remind you that he assembled a large majority of the house himself, meaning he saved a lot of money in the process. How many of us can say the same?!

Fulltime

“I’m not moving in fulltime into the house, but I do spend a couple of nights sleeping in it,” he says on his Youtube channel.

Luke also uses an electric fan when he’s in his sleeping loft for the hot summer nights. And when it’s ice cold in the winter months, he uses a portable space heater.

It’s A Shed

Get this, there’s even a ladder that leads up to an upstairs loft, which has a mattress for sleeping.

Greg Thill told reporters that city codes actually consider the tiny house “a glorified shed.”

Hard Work Pays Off

Even though he got some negative feedback from some people at school, he brushed it off and kept working at his dream home.

There was absolutely nothing that could bring down his aspirations to realize his goals.

News Spread

It didn’t take long for the rest of the town to hear of Luke’s adventures. With a population of some 58,000, we’re not surprised at how quickly word traveled.

Every time someone saw Luke, they would ask him questions about the house – so Luke decided to create a YouTube channel so that everyone could follow along with progress. This channel caught the eye of the media too!

An Example

“I couldn’t find anyone younger than 14,” said Luke when he first began watching tiny home construction videos.

“I thought if no one is out there, I might as well do it so I started documenting the whole process and putting it on YouTube.”

An Inspiration

And it looks like his decision to post on YouTube was the right one!

Luke said, “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.”

Come On Down

In one specific video, Luke says he was called down to the principal’s office.

Considering that he’s a good student with good grades, he was really nervous. “I don’t go there very often,” he said in a video of his. “I’ve never gone there for anything bad.”

You’re A Star

However he had no reason to worry as it turns out the principal called him down because he was friendly with a reporter who wanted to report on the story.

Now that’s pretty cool when you’re 13 and the paper wants to do a story on you!

Quite The Mess

Now Luke Thill admits that one of the biggest things he learned over the course of building his home was learning to overcome disappointment.

One big moment was his total “counter-top fail.” He used broken colored glass below for what was meant to be a lacquer surface. Unfortunately when Luke poured the lacquer, it was far “too watery,” and completely ran all over everything.

Learning From His Mistakes

Instead of throwing his hands in the air and giving up, Luke was determined to make the most of it. So that’s exactly what he did.

The lacquer then created a bond which held the counter to the wall – job done. See what Luke did there was attach a traditional counter surface over the already messed-up lacquer surface that has a hinge for a lift-top storage space. Nice work, Luke!

A Few More Setbacks

Fans asked if there were any other mistakes he encountered while building the tiny house, and Luke answered truthfully.

Because of course he did. He revealed that the light fixture that he used in the home was much too big and people bumped their heads on it. Moreover Luke also regrets the paneling, which he said he completed too quickly, that lead to scuffs and scrapes.

First Meal

So Luke is not only a visionary and a builder, he is also a chef! Well, somewhat of a rookie at that for now.

He proudly posted on YouTube his “first meal” in his new home, and got a lot of attention. Nothing like having breakfast for dinner!

Speech!

While city code may have considered Luke’s home a “glorified shed”, the people from TinyFest certainly didn’t. There was a tiny home festival in Colfax, Iowa that Luke Thill was asked to attend as a special guest.

As it turns out this was Thill’s first speaking engagement after receiving tons of attention! And yes, the speech went off without a hitch.

Golden Throne

With construction of the home nearing the end, Luke had a place to sleep, eat, and relax. However there was just one hiccup…it didn’t have a toilet!

In order for Luke to install plumbing to his tiny home, it would require a ton of work and way more cash. Something he just didn’t have.

Cozy Setup

It took Luke Thill a year to finish building his tiny home but he did it! Does he use it? You betcha.

Luke sleeps in it a few nights a week, does his homework there, and also entertains his friends in his own tiny home. While it took a year, it didn’t matter – Luke accomplished what he set out to do. And people took notice.

First Night

Luke Thill was eager to spend his first night in his tiny home! Plus he needed to know if it was even habitable, even before it was officially marked as finished. In the midst of sub-zero Iowa winter nights, he decided to spend the night in his tiny home.

He wasn’t sure he had installed enough insulation but after sleeping in his new bed for the first time, he announced on his YouTube page that it actually so warm in the night, he had to open the windows! Sounds like success to us.

Cookouts And Chills

Now even though his home might be small, he has a massive backyard where he hosts some great cookouts with friends.

Sure, he shares the space with his parents, but then again, which kids don’t? At least he can say that he has his own home.

Success!

As soon as his house was done, Luke made a video tour for his YouTube channel. Very quickly, the video had nearly 7.5 million views! Dang. And with just 16,000 subscribers, the viewed amount is extraordinary. His video was flooded with comments and most of them were very positive.

Also, many of the comments called Luke Thill an inspiration. Some were planning to build their own tiny houses just because of him!

Read All About It!

Luke Thill’s story was front page news! Two major Iowa newspapers, the Des Moines Register and the Telegraph Herald, made Luke their front page.

Shortly after some local TV stations, and also other media outlets, picked up Luke’s story. Guys, he was even contacted by Good Morning America!

Attention

Now Good Morning America wanted a tour of Luke’s tiny house and of course to interview him.

After the Good Morning America interview, Luke was contacted by a house designer. Someone he deeply admired too! Luke just couldn’t believe his luck.

Idol

As it turns out Derek Diedricksen, an author of design and building tiny homes, contacted Luke.

Understandably Luke was over the moon, Diedricksen ~was~ the inspiration behind his tiny home. Chatting one-on-one and hearing words of encouragement meant the world to Luke – Derek and Luke are also friends on social media platforms! Just like Derek is an inspiration to many, so is Luke.

Such An Honor

Dubuque, Iowa hosts an annual “Movers, Shakers & Newsmakers” event and Luke Thill was chosen as their #10 most fascinating person of the year! He was recognized for his success in building a tiny home and all the media attention that followed.

Luke Thill was known as “the talk of the town.” As such, he attended fancy dinners and received a nice award. The 13 year old, who was 14 at this point actually, was overwhelmed at the honor.

In The Family

Cole, Luke’s brother, followed in his footsteps by creating his own teardrop camper. Oh, and the camper also used a ton of recycled and reclaimed materials – just like Luke’s tiny home.

Cole also worked out a budget and shared his success on YouTube. However Cole did have one advantage that Luke didn’t – a brother with the necessary experience to help through the project!

But Wait There’s More

At this rate, Luke and Cole’s YouTube channel has more than 9,000 subscribers! Now that’s impressive.

Furthermore, their channel doesn’t just focus on their own projects. Luke also features other people’s projects, including his own mom’s renovation of a 1972 camper and also a sheep herder’s wagon.

His Own Space

Luke explained that his new home grants him the space he needs from his family sometimes.

“I have a twin brother so it gives me the chance to have my own space,” said the confident home builder.

In Total

When he gave a tour of his finished tiny home on his YouTube channel, he spoke about the cost of building.

Luke said that the total cost of the structure was around “more like $1,200, but I rounded it up just in case I forgot anything.”

Entrepreneur

The young entrepreneur decided he would try his hand at retail after all his success with the tiny home. With so many fans and supporters, he released his own line of merchandise.

He designed his own sweatshirts and T-shirts! This was a brilliant way for him to put his name out there and also to show support for the tiny house movement.

Clean Up

A disadvantage of owning a large house is how long it takes to clean it! That can be a chore and nightmare all on its own. But when you’ve got a tiny home, ahh, that goes out the window.

Luke Thill said he cleans his house at least four times a week and he said it only takes about 15 minutes! First of all, not many teenagers like to clean so that’s impressive on its own. Second, 15 minutes sounds like heaven. HEAVEN.

Hero

There was no way for Luke to know that his tiny home would bring him so much attention, that’s not what he set out to do.

After it’s all said and done though, Luke has a message to share, “I want to show kids it’s possible to build at this age.” That’s admirable, Luke! But what’s next in store for Luke Thill?

Upwards and Onwards

“The main purpose is to be my starter home,” Luke said. “I’m going to save money and expand.”

Within a few years, Luke hopes that he can build a slightly larger tiny home that goes on a trailer – maybe he can use this as an alternative to campus housing. It’ll certainly be cheaper!

Why Not?

Luke told ABC News, “In a couple of years I want to build a bigger house and stay in it full-time.”

I guess if you’ve built a tiny home, you’re probably better equipped to build a large one too. And with Luke’s determination, it seems highly likely that he’ll succeed!

The Best Part

What was the best part of building the tiny home? For Luke, it was bonding with his dad!

“Me and my dad really bonded through the process…he was really busy but he made sure to spend time with me.” What a sweet kid.

Smart Thinking

For Luke, he’s thinking ahead, the future is closer than ever.

“Everyone had to have a big house, and now people have changed and realized it’s not practical,” said Luke Thill. “You can save money, travel the world and do what you want instead.”

The Best Year of My Life

Via his YouTube channel, Luke Thill released a video titled The Best Year of My Life on New Year’s Eve.

In it, he talks about the past year, what he accomplished in 2017 and how much he loves his tiny home. He also spoke about all the new skills he gained, how he overcame failure, and the confidence he had gained. Luke Thill is such an inspiration.

Meet Renee McLaughlin

Renee McLaughlin is just like Luke Thill – she built her own tiny home. Not only did she sell her 3,300-square-foot home, but she is now living in a tiny home – one that’s only 87 square feet. “I think we’ve reached a threshold where this ‘stuff’ is running our lives.

We spend all our time working to buy it, clean it and organize it,” said McLaughlin. “It’s not making us happy.”

The New “In”

Tiny homes, which are less than 500 square feet, are becoming quite the ‘in’ now.

Renee McLaughlin is the organizer of TinyFest Midwest and she’s the one who invited Luke Thill as a guest speaker at the festival. She absolutely loves her tiny home – which is on wheels – and she’s not ashamed either!

An Affordable Option

While some people laughed at her, they’re not intrigued with housing prices, tiny houses seem to be the obvious choice now.

“I now own everything outright with no debt,” she said. “I can move around. It’s nice to know I can just go.” And yes, tiny homes CAN be stylish, just look at the image below! That looks amazing.

Chuck Em Out

Renee advises getting rid of excess things that we all tend to hold onto. She shops less, and gives away clothes that she doesnt need anymore.

She did admit however that chucking out shoes and clothes was difficult – “I’m a simple girl, but a girl, nonetheless,” she said.

City limits

While the idea of tiny homes is tempting and the chance for us all to cut down on what we use and need, most infrastructures don’t support it.

For example, city codes usually require a house to be larger than a certain measurement. In Des Moines, housing codes demand that a home be at least 24 feet wide, so for our young innovator he’s just made the cut!

Let’s Move

In today’s “tiny house movement”, not only is it an architectural idea.

But it’s also a social movement which advocates the living in a small home. With everyone looking to downsize, this is surely one way to go.

Looking At The Numbers

The idea of living in a tiny house seems exciting, doesn’t it? But when you look at how much influence this movement has created, we can understand that there is much work to be done still.

According to a recent survey, only 3,000 out of 1.5 million homes listed in the United States were “tiny homes”.

No Mortgage

Now on average, a tiny home costs around $23,000. What does this mean? It means that almost 70% of owners of tiny homes have no mortgage.

If you’re a homeowner, you know one of the biggest killers is the monthly mortgage which usually lasts for around 25 to 30 years. Having a tiny home cuts that out almost completely.

It’s In Our Hands

The chance for us to change the way we live can be greatly influenced by this young man’s determination.

With a future that seems to be heading to mass consumption and even greater disposal, it is important that we find other methods to soften our carbon footprint. Small homes are not just an idea for the future, they are the future!