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She built a $10k tiny house in only 10 months…


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She built her tiny house on wheels for about $10,000 in only 10 months and she did it without the help of a builder.

Her tiny home has a solar panel, rain gutters for water collection, and is built right onto an 8×16 trailer so she can legally tow it and move it if she wanted to. It has a 12V LED porch light on the covered front porch. When you go inside you’ll see she has a kitchen, bathroom, living area, closet, and upstairs sleeping loft. She built her tiny house on a 8×16 trailer. It has a custom built 2′ wide screen door she created with a decorative sun on it (see below). She also made her own door mat from a rope. And she even harvests her own spring water from a nearby spring whose water originates underground.

Young lady’s $10k tiny house! She built it herself in 10 months time without the help of a builder.

WOMAN-BUILDS-TINY-HOUSE-FOR-10K-IN-10-MONTHS-06

WOMAN-BUILDS-TINY-HOUSE-FOR-10K-IN-10-MONTHS-02 WOMAN-BUILDS-TINY-HOUSE-FOR-10K-IN-10-MONTHS-04 WOMAN-BUILDS-TINY-HOUSE-FOR-10K-IN-10-MONTHS-05

Our big thanks to C. for sharing her inspiring DIY tiny house story with us!

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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!
{ 26 comments… add one }
  • dave
    October 27, 2014, 6:39 pm

    Nice to see a tiny house that uses basic gravity fed plumbing, and doesn’t cost a bajillion and a half dollars. I hope she gets many happy years use out of it.

  • Ruth Ruddock
    October 27, 2014, 8:07 pm

    I admire anyone building their own tiny house, but this young woman has done a great job on this structure. My only other comment is that the video is so dark that I could bearly see what was being shown….perhaps it is my computer? Not sure.
    Congratulations on a nice job!

    • Harmony Kieding
      October 18, 2015, 10:29 am

      Yes, Ruth, I agree about the video being so dark I could hardly see what was going on. I really think the video should be re-done, because what I could make out of the woman’s work on her tiny house showed that it was really well thought out. It would be nice to actually SEE it! Congratulations to her!

  • Joe
    October 27, 2014, 9:55 pm

    It looks like a great place to live and a deffinate insperation to anyone thinking about building a TH of their own. The only thing I would add would be a propane demand water heater and 12 volt pump oh one more thing I’m 6ft.3in and 200 pounds that wash tub… not happening. I congradulate and admire this young lady for her drive and skill.

  • Renee
    October 28, 2014, 8:09 pm

    Thank you for sharing your tiny home. I fill more encouraged now knowing that someone was able to build tiny house for $10,000. I have the same budget. I am zlso going to be living off the grid too. I am hoping it wont take me a year to build my tiny house. My shell will be built my a subcontractor. The cost for labor will be $1,500. The interior will all be done by me and my professional free labor friends.

  • gar
    October 29, 2014, 11:55 am

    I’m much more impressed with stories of people building their own for a realistic cost than how a new company has just started into the business and pictures of their new $50k model.

  • Marsha Cowan
    October 29, 2014, 11:54 pm

    Wow! You did a fabulous job and seem to have thought of everything! I like the water system. Do you think that an RV filter would clean up the water in the barrell enough to be able to use for bathing or cleaning? Seems ashamed not to be able to use it for at least that much so you would not have to haul up so much from the well. Just a thought. I really am impressed by everything. You obviously put a lot of thought and planning into it. Enjoy!

    • Michael
      December 4, 2014, 3:22 pm

      A Berkey water filter could be used to make rainwater and water from the stream drinkable and safe. They come in many sizes. They also sell filters without the containers so you could make your own water container for less money and just buy filters when needed.

      Most big cities collect water and put them through filters. Then that water is pumped through old pipes that have cracks and all sorts of debris inside them. It might be safer to filter water for yourself.

      • Lisa E.
        December 22, 2014, 5:31 pm

        Thank you for this information, Michael. Very helpful. Thanks, again.

  • Cyndi Ann
    December 22, 2014, 3:35 pm

    Here’s a young lady that I admire in her determination to find her own space and to adapt to living of grid, well done. It’s really a neat tiny home.

  • Lisa E.
    December 22, 2014, 5:33 pm

    Yes, kudos. It’s great to see a woman go after what she wants, build it herself and be successful at it. It was a big project but you brought it home. Great job!

  • Pam D.
    December 22, 2014, 10:38 pm

    Nice job! Great to see a totally self/sufficient Tiny Home. That’s what I want!

  • Gary J.
    December 23, 2014, 5:07 pm

    You are so right, Pam D. She did a very nice job, one she can be proud of, and the ‘OTG living’, I envy you and you have inspired me to hurry up and finish my t h. Thanks!!

  • di
    January 12, 2015, 12:24 pm

    Love the simple off-grid ideas. The hidden commode and shower tub are great space-saving ideas. Camping shower bags can also be used to wash dishes. They’re about $30 online.

    Pull-out baskets beneath a bench may provide easier access to needed items. A simple bench on legs with lower adjustable shelving works well. Baskets are easy to carry around when cleaning up or when going to the laundry mat, etc. To sort through a basket, place it on top of a piece of furniture or counter top.

    This place seems to suit her needs. Enjoyed the quilting!

  • Karen R
    February 2, 2015, 6:29 pm

    As they say in the south, “Well, bless her heart”! She is quite an inspiration!

  • Dennis Reynolds
    February 3, 2015, 7:32 am

    First I want to say WELL DONE ! You did a great job ! Please don’t think I’m criticizing in any way, but I have few suggestions to make. To make things easier on yourself, get rid of the little cook stove you have and get a propane one. That way you only have to have 1 type of fuel for your heating and cooking. It just simplifies things in my opinion. Another thing, if you just set your water container from the spring inside instead of transferring it to your current bottle, you can get a small “motorized” pump to put into the top of those type bottles. That may not work as well for you since it doesn’t look as pretty as your current container, but I just wanted to throw that out there. One more thing, you may not want to go to the expense of putting in a freshwater holding tank (you could still fill it with bottles from the spring) and a small H2O heater (cheap, less that $100 from “Sportsmans Guide”, it runs on propane and is a small “On Demand” unit for a shower or sink) but it will sure make life so much easier on you. You could at the very least put the solar shower bag you have in the shower outside to heat up the water so it takes less energy to heat it on your stove like you currently do. I’d LOVE to meet you and see your house in person. I’m only in VA, on Smith Mtn Lake. I intend to build my tiny house someday soon, only I want to do it on my own land instead of making it mobile. You are an incredible woman who really showed the guys up on this build ! Your house is far better built than most this size. !

  • Ed Costello
    February 3, 2015, 12:50 pm

    Good for you! If this is your first constructive effort then you have a good future if you choose to continue in the trades. Have fun with it all!

  • Dennis Reynolds
    October 17, 2015, 4:19 pm

    I commented back in February when I first saw this video. I wanted to throw something out there for other tiny house builders that are near Bedford county VA. I am very experienced in building, carpentry, electrical, and plumbing. I’m disabled, but currently work part time for a camper dealership. I’m very familiar with 12 volt systems. I would LOVE to help someone with building their tiny home. Please feel free to contact me rbtpartsman at yahoo dot com if you are nearby and I can help you. I’m offering very cheap and even some free labor and advice. I just want to help out.

  • randy pullen
    October 17, 2015, 9:43 pm

    Excellent job young lady !!!! just wondering how many sq. ft your tiny is ?

  • D.Bobson
    October 17, 2015, 9:50 pm

    Wow, what a cutie pie. love the house and individualistic designs.

  • lindatolbert
    October 17, 2015, 10:34 pm

    great job i am going to have some tiny house lots available in white co , sparta tenn 38587,soon with water and elec hookup if needed with septic dead end cove CASHDOLLAR HOLLAR.

  • Theo
    October 17, 2015, 11:41 pm

    At last, one built for a halfway reasonable price. However, yet again another loft.

  • Josie
    October 18, 2015, 12:04 pm

    Where do you purchase a galvanized wash tub with a drain hole? I am also hoping to find something with a stopper to plug the drain. Thank you! Great video.

    • Dennis Reynolds
      October 18, 2015, 12:28 pm

      Josie, you buy these type tubs at farm supply stores, they have several sizes and styles, and you put your own drain plug in. You simply drill a hole and you can put in a regular sink or tub drain from your local hardware store. Your drain comes with a stopper.

  • Michael L
    May 29, 2019, 7:18 pm

    What video?!

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