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Man Builds $10k Tiny Home in only a Week!


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This is the story of Rob’s $10k tiny home. Amazingly, he built it in just one week’s time!

So here’s a quick interview with him on how he did it, why he did it, and what it’s like.

Please enjoy and let us know what you think in the comments. Thanks!

Rob’s $10k DIY Tiny House He Built in a Week

Robs 10k DIY Tiny Home Built in Just One Week

What’s your name?

Rob

Where are you from?

Canada

How did you first become seriously interested in tiny houses?

After wasting all my hard earned money on useless utilities and mortgages.

What type of tiny house do you have?

8×12 with loft and open concept.

Robs 10k DIY Tiny Home 001

Why did you go tiny? What are you hoping to get out of it for yourself?

After working full time to pay high taxes, silly hydro bills and all the mortgage interest that was enough. Now we travel three months a year and work only part time.

How long did it take you to finish your tiny house?

One week.

How did you do it? Who helped? How much did it end up costing you to build it?

We (girlfriend) did it together and nobody took photos along the way. 8.5 x 12 is like a glorified shed with a 12′ vaulted ceiling inside. We run an electric fridge off solar and burn wood with a Jotul stove. Cost all in about 10k.

Robs 10k DIY Tiny Home 003

Did you have any construction experience?

I have been in construction most of my life,  about 20 years.

How did you figure out where to put it?

Pointed my finger.

What about land?

We just bought some raw land and put in a driveway drilled a well and built the house. It wasn’t really difficult to find.  This is our second tiny house.  The first one we lived in for three years.  This will be our second year in this tiny house. The land was listed on mls as a rural building lot. You do not need a permit for anything under 107 sq ft. in this township. This is 102 sq ft.

What’s been the most challenging part about going tiny so far?

Nothing at all! I did have a mishap with the skillsaw though and lost the end of my little finger on my dominant hand so that slowed me down for about three months.

Robs 10k DIY Tiny Home 002

What benefits are you experiencing after going tiny?

Lots of extra money, so much free time and the ability to do almost anything you want on a given day.

What helpful piece of advice would you give to others who are interested in going tiny?

Stop working so hard to make others rich.

Do you have a website, blog, or social media page(s) where we can connect with you and follow along?

No, just like sharing the passion with other folk that like simple living. Communities are starting to pop up around here. Very exciting and glad to see other people wanting to life simple too.

Robs 10k Tiny Home

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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!
{ 8 comments… add one }
  • jerry
    June 12, 2018, 3:49 pm

    Very smart couple. Building THs is very easy and cheap if done right.
    And their outlook on life is very smart too.
    By cutting expenses to the bone with few or no monthly payments, it is quite easy living on say 10hrs/week.
    It’s not how much you make, it’s what you spend and what you spend it on.
    For instance this TH will be paid for with savings in just 2-4 yrs.
    And one can do it for much less.
    My THs in the 150sq’ class, my local max size for no permits only cost me about $4k each in materials.

  • Marsha Cowan
    June 12, 2018, 8:55 pm

    Couldn’t see too much from the pics about how the house is laid out, but it is cute as a button. Will you put a finish over the insulation? I noticed that the kitchen cabs are already up, so just wondering. Love the porch!

    • James D.
      June 13, 2018, 11:09 am

      Photos appear to be just from when they first built it but they’re on their second year now in this home…

  • Richard H Chapple Sr
    June 12, 2018, 9:25 pm

    Curious if the 10k apent might have included the land?
    At any rate, good job and I applaud them. Who knows, they could add another 8 x 12 for a Murphy bed and extra living space and still wouldn’t spend much.

  • Jonathan
    June 13, 2018, 12:12 am

    People have no clue how quickly 10,000 can get eaten up. Roofing cost, tar paper, nails screws , insulation, roof plywood, shear panels, siding, pressure treated lumber, flooring, foundation more if you are on a slope, windows doors etc… it ads up quickly.

    • James D.
      June 13, 2018, 12:15 pm

      True, especially once you start adding everything that makes it livable and finally a home… Never mind the ongoing long term costs of owning and living there, which because they’re ongoing costs can eventually add up to multiple times what was originally paid for the property…

      Thus, it’s not insignificant to note they don’t have to pay for water, electricity or heating as that’s all included in how they set up their property with solar, a well, and a wood stove… Among other things they’re saving a lot on with the ongoing costs…

      The result being they basically only have to work part time, remaining not only debt free but can also travel abroad 3 months out of the year.

      Sure, some things will cost more than others and that’s all optional but what really, really, really matters are the long term costs and whether the home lets you live the life you actually want to have…

      This is why even people who can afford big houses are looking for alternatives…

      There are always trade offs to consider but a home is where you live and not something you just own and so should be looked at from the perspective of that life and how it effects it…

  • michael carman
    June 13, 2018, 3:32 pm

    people don’t have a clue how expensive “stuff” is? now johnathan

  • Scott
    July 10, 2018, 2:44 am

    He did say he was in construction for 20 years, so he could have most of the materials for free or at a heavy discounted rate. Could be he also “gathered” things from jobs. Not saying stolen but asked for items because of over-orders.

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