Teenage carpenter, 17, spends two years building his own tiny wooden house at the bottom of his parents’ garden for just £6,000 with is own shower, wood stove, flushing toilet and room to sleep four people
- Thomas Lear was just 17 when he decided to build his own home from scratch at bottom of his parents garden
- He spent £6,000 two years building the rustic home in the Bristol garden and now doesn’t need to pay rent
- Now 21, Thomas said: ‘It is lovely being 21 and not having to spend all of my money on rent’
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A teenage carpenter decided to save money on rent by building his own tiny wooden home at the bottom of his parents’ garden.
Thomas Lear was just 17 when he had a ‘lightbulb moment’ and decided to build his own home from scratch in his parents garden in Bristol to have his own space.
The carpenter spent two years building the rustic home from reclaimed timber, completing the tiny project for a cost of just £6,000.
Now aged 21, Thomas, from Bristol said: ‘I built it all from scratch on a budget.
‘I just wanted to live a stress-free simple life. It is lovely being 21 and not having to spend all of my money on rent. I own everything and that puts me at ease.’
Thomas Lear was just 17 when he had a ‘lightbulb moment’ and decided to build his own home from scratch in his parents garden in Bristol to have his own space. The carpenter spent two years building the rustic home from reclaimed timber, completing the tiny project for a cost of just £6,000
Thomas’s tiny home takes up a small space on his families land.
Inside, there is an open plan kitchen and living room which has a pull out bed meaning the property can sleep four people.
The house is insulated but requires a log burner as there is no central heating.
He said: ‘The only thing I miss about living in a normal house is the space. As I have a lot of things which simply wouldn’t fit in my new home.
Now aged 21, Thomas, from Bristol said: ‘I built it all from scratch on a budget. I just wanted to live a stress-free simple life. It is lovely being 21 and not having to spend all of my money on rent. I own everything and that puts me at ease’
The home sits on its own at the bottom of his parents’ garden in Bristol surrounded by grass
The tiny home has its own kitchen with electricity, a sink and a tiny oven and fridge
Thomas’s tiny home takes up a small space on his families land
‘We couldn’t even fit in a door for the bathroom so I use a shower curtain. My shower runs off the rainwater harvesting system that stores 50 litres of water.
‘I am able to have a five-minute shower in the warm before it goes ice cold. It takes 30 minutes to heat back up again.
‘My toilet is a chemical one that you would find on a caravan – it flushes but requires emptying.’
To get to his bedroom, Thomas has to pull down wooden ladders from the ceiling to climb on to his bed.
Inside, there is an open plan kitchen and living room which has a pull out bed meaning the property can sleep four people
He added: ‘I had very little help and experience when building my home. I used YouTube a lot or asked family members for advice.
‘I have very little plumbing experience which is why my bathroom is basic but it ties in with the rustic and farmhouse theme.
‘My granddad, who is 82, did the electrics for me and a friend helped here and there. My dad Tim helped with the plumbing.
‘But I did everything else myself – I used to dedicate every weekend to the building.
The house is insulated but requires a log burner as there is no central heating
Thomas’s home as a burner in the living area to keep the home warm as it doesn’t have central heating
He said: ‘The only thing I miss about living in a normal house is the space. As I have a lot of things which simply wouldn’t fit in my new home’
‘Whilst on apprenticeship wage, I had no choice but to use reclaimed materials which I found on Gumtree or old building sites.
‘The most challenging part was the roof as I had to make sure it was right to avoid any leaks.’
Thomas says the biggest benefit is being able to have his own freedom and save money.
He hopes to build shepherd huts in the future and start his own glamping business.