Luke Thill, in approximately 18 months and for just $1,500, built his own tiny home in the backyard of his parents’ four-acre property. Luke’s father, Greg, often worked alongside him and helped guide him. Luke’s grandmother made the curtains. 

The house, which Luke calls his “started home,” measures 5 1/2 feet wide and 10 feet long. The exterior is half cedar shakes and half vinyl siding. The house is equipped with electricity but not plumbing. For washing, Luke uses a large water jar with a spout and bowl.

The interior is comprised of a kitchen area with a small refrigerator and a microwave oven. The living room/hang-out area has a wall-mounted TV and a flip-down table, where Luke does his homework and entertains friends. The loft, reachable by ladder, contains a mattress, where Luke sleeps a few nights per week.

Luke financed the building of his house by raising money online and by doing jobs such as cutting lawns. He also bartered for labor help. For example, a neighbor, who is an electrician, helped wire the house in exchange for Luke cleaning his garage.

Approximately seventy-five percent of Luke’s affordable housing was made from spare supplies, such as leftover siding from his grandmother’s house, and a front door from his uncle’s friend. Luke devised his own air-conditioning system comprised of $2 furnace filters, water and a fan. Luke explained, “I like the minimalism…and I wanted to have a house without a huge mortgage.” During Luke’s speech at a tiny house festival in Iowa, he explained, “I want to show kids it’s possible to build at this age.” 

For more information about Luke and his Tiny House, visit his YouTube channel.
(Dubuque, Iowa: 2017)