This is the story of a 13-year-old who built his own tiny cabin for only $1500!
Meet Luke Thill, who at age twelve started working on his very own tiny house- one a mere 5′ by 10′, but with a sleep loft, transforming dining table, and even a small kitchenette. At age thirteen, using money from summer lawn-mowing jobs, and bartering (electrical wiring help in exchange for cleaning out a garage in one case), Iowa’s Thill completed his tiny house- one that he calls the practice precursor to a future “real” tiny house he plans on designing and eventually living in.2
Don’t miss other inspiring stories and builds like this – join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more!
Inspiring 13-Year-Old Builds His Own Tiny Cabin for only $1500
Images via YouTube/RelaxShacksdotcom
Images via YouTube/RelaxShacksdotcom
Video: 13 Year Old Builds Tiny House (Tour)
Luke Is Inspiring Other Young People To Learn How To Build!
Wouldn’t it be cool if we could teach more young people how to build? It’s an amazing skill! How would your life be different if you already knew how to build by the time you were 13?
Resources
You can share this using the e-mail and social media re-share buttons below. Thanks!
If you enjoyed this you’ll LOVE our Free Daily Tiny House Newsletter with even more! Thank you!
More Like This: Explore our Tiny Houses Section
See The Latest: Go Back Home to See Our Latest Tiny Houses
The following two tabs change content below.
Alex
Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!
Latest posts by Alex (see all)
- The Honey Suckle Rose Tiny Yurt Cabin in Austin, Texas - November 29, 2023
- Nomadic Van Life in his Nissan NV2500 That’s Built Like a Cabin - November 28, 2023
- Movable Roots’ Coastal Gem: The Tiny Wave Tiny Home - November 8, 2023
This is really cool. Good job!
Don’t like your time-wasting “YouTube” format.
A few “still” pics, maybe a little bit of writing, then….
on to the next one. 8 minutes of this ca-ca is BORING!
Thanks for feedback Sam!
Really Sam? Why be a “hater”? Have a nice Thanksgiving.
Luke, pay no attention to this guy! I thought your metal rod/desk/table idea is ingenious! What a great way to utilize your “space”. So resourceful! So inventive! Just awesome!
Geez Sam, give the kid a break!
Wow Sam. Really helpful comments. NOT! I’ve seen worse video’s from some of the professional outfits. Ca ca? Sure you don’t mean Ka ka? Boring it ain’t. However, imho, arrogant you are. Oops sorry, I meant ARROGANT you are. What have you done to be the super duper expert?
As Sam says, why be a hater? Did you do anything as awesome at 13 years of age? Give him a break.
Hmm. Here’s a quick and easy solution — don’t watch the video. Problem solved. Meanwhile, the rest of us can watch the videos and not be dictated to as to what we may and may not learn about the houses being profiled.
See how simple that is?
Impressive, well done, you remind me at that age with tons of imagination.
Me too. Had heaps of imagination. Skills to do it? hah, no way, yet my old man was a builder. Go figure.
This is fantastic!! This is how I envision the future of tiny homes. Affordable, efficient, and tasteful. I also love how you make use of the outdoors as part of the house!!!
Really a great way that you yourself created with your own wants and ideas.
Good job makes me a proud person of the younger generation.
This young gentleman is working pretty well, good job! (I wish my own son could work like him…)
Luke you did a really good job, I am really impressed
Irène from Canada
Sam I’m not one to make a fuss but your comment is just RUDE! The boy is 13 and he is proud to show off his great accomplishments! Caca is so rude! He even got his friend to film it. More than you had built at 13.
So absolutely totally awesome!! Cute as can be, and very liveable. Pretty and functional. My man! You rock!
. . .one more thing. . .get yourself a queen sized downy comforter, cover it, fold it like a taco shell, and slide in it to sleep at night. In really cold weather, add a blanket or two on top, but try not to run any kind of heater while you are sleeping. The only safe heat for sleeping is duct heat. Any other kind, no matter how careful you try to be, is hazardous if left unattended. I use a tent propane heater during the evenings when the temps drop, but once I get ready to sleep, it gets turned off. I also have a tiny 250 watt electric heater to turn on for a few minutes first thing in the morning before I get up when I don’t yet need a lot of heat, but even that I would not run while I was sleeping. I have been sleeping in weather down to 9 degress at night with a wool quilt over my comforter, and slept like a warm bug in a rug. Just a thought. . .take care and be safe, fellow X-tra tiny house dweller.
Great job! Beautifully Done!
Good job Luke, what a clever tiny house. You have a bright future ahead of you!
Good Job! Did you get stuck on any of it as you went? Anyway I’m very proud of your work, I’m sure you you will continue to make more in the future, thank you for sharing 😃🔨🔨🔧🔩
Wow! So many cool details in such a small space. I loved the idea of the drop-down table/would need different dimensions for myself. Loved the easy design for a sink. Loved the explanation and use of the furnace filter. And I admire the heck out of you for diving in to a project like this. Well done.
Luke:
When you accomplish something as big as this you will be criticized by a few. Ignore ignorant people and continue to succeed! Fabulous project.
Wow! Impressively creative design and excellent workmanship! Your presentation was very well done, too.
I know the article says he bartered for help with the electrical but I wonder what else he had help with. Personally, I think a video of him building this would have been equally if not more interesting. The headline implies he did it by himself and I’m rather skeptical. Ditto with the total price. The TV alone would be $100, his grandmother bought him that ottoman for the dining area, his dad gave him his mattress for the loft etc. However, if he really did think of this himself and built some of it, Kudos for that!
Jaroslaw, he has a youtube channel and you can see over the course of multiple videos how he built it and how much was all him and how much he had help with but he did do most of it… Including financing it as he actually works… Doing things like mowing, garden work, and other jobs around the neighborhood and got things either with reclaimed materials he gathered up or saved up for…
Jaroslaw, did you count the cost of your furnishings in the cost of your house? The ottoman is the same as your couch and his foam mattress is the same as yours. I’ll bet your also didn’t include the cost of your TV/TVs either.
That said, the guy did a remarkable job for any age in that small an area. It’s essy to be a Monday morning quarterback but he’s the real deal.
Way to go Luke!
Wow Luke, what an accomplishment! You can be very proud of your cool habitat. You are an inspiration for young people. Ignore Sam, maybe he had a tough day. The rest of us love your video. Way to go!
I am very impressed with you Luke! Not only did you do a great job on the tiny house, but you’re using your abilities to make your world a better place! Good job!
I am soooo impressed with you! I am sorry haters had to put their 2cents in, but you have far more admirers. I love all the creativity you have put into reclaiming and repurposing items; I especially love the repurposing of the glass from your family’s front door. I too think it’s ONE of the coolest things in your beautiful space! I’m going to. Check out your other videos because frankly you have superb taste and an immense amount of creativity! Keep up the awesome work, so proud of you!!
Super impressive! Wish I had one in my backyard. Nice job!
Really amazing what you have accomplished. And, you have a really good presentation style. So great to see what you have done. Thank you for sharing it.
Mirana