While many people typically wait until they are at least 30 years old to build their dream home, the thrill of hand-crafting your ideal living space is unmatched.
Imagine the journey of creating a plan, putting your heart and soul into it, and finally seeing your vision come to life. That’s exactly what Tom did. At just 17 years old, he used his skill, creativity, and determination to make his dream a reality.
Driven by rising housing costs and a desire for independence, Tom set out to build a modest home using recycled materials. He discovered he could create something completely from scratch while staying within a budget.
“My vision for the cabin was to keep things simple and provide a stress-free lifestyle. Everything I have is mine; I paid for everything”, Tom explained.
Now, at 20, Tom is relieved knowing he won’t have to spend his hard-earned money on rent. “It’s a no-brainer life and once you’ve built something, it really is yours”, he added.
Tom’s house is located on his grandfather’s extensive property and retains a charming English country aesthetic, complete with a side window. At 17, he bought a caravan and immediately began building it while working and completing his carpentry apprenticeship, which he completed in December.
The front of his house is made of larch wood, sourced cheaply from a local sawmill, while the side walls are made of fence boards. All the windows are recycled, sourced from a website that specializes in used materials. He recently added a porch, using boards from a scaffolding company and other scrap and reclaimed wood he recovered from the job.
Upon entering Tom’s home, visitors are greeted by beautiful reclaimed wood and a tranquil poster of a seascape. “My goal was to use only reclaimed wood for the build because it’s budget-friendly,” Tom noted. Much of the wood in his home was salvaged from old homes that he personally stripped down, sanded and repurposed.
The living area includes a compact workspace for his work and meals, a standard sofa, and a wall-mounted TV. In the future, he hopes to upgrade to a multifunctional sofa with built-in storage.
Tom especially loves his kitchen, where he made a fully functional worktop out of recycled scaffolding boards and spent hours sanding and painting it. The kitchen is equipped with essential appliances such as a fridge, stove and toaster.
Opposite the kitchen is a compact bathroom with a small chemical toilet with electric flush. The shower area has corrugated iron walls and copper fittings, evoking a rustic farmhouse feel. Back in the living room, a ladder leads to the loft, which leads to Tom’s cozy bedroom with double mattress.
Tom began building his dream home at age 17 with a budget of $8,200 and an hourly wage of $5.50 and managed to save most of his income to finance the construction of his home using recycled materials.
Imagine how his home will evolve as he completes the various upgrades he has in mind! For a full tour of Tom’s home, check out the video below
WATCH Travis Kelce Throws Helmet, Has Altercation With Andy Reid
Travis Kelce is back in the headlines, but this time, it is for his football-playing exploits instead of the constant reIationship drama between him and Taylor Swift that has been ever-present throughout the last half of the Kansas City Chiefs NFL season.
As the year came to a close, the Chiefs suffered a painful 20-14 Ioss to the Las Vegas Raiders, which clearly set Kelce into a tirade.
Following a game in which Kelce’s efforts as a tight end were impactful but not up to his standards as the elite player that he has become, he was seen throwing his heImet in the first quarter and speaking his mind to head coach Andy Reid on the sideline after the loss.
This tension flared in full sight of cameras as NFL fans all across the country witnessed the turmoil.
The helmet throw, which is not typically the most uncommon sight in pro football, was a shocking move as Kelce launched his protective headwear at the team’s water cooler. That didn’t seem to get all the anger out, however, as a staff member was denied by Kelce when trying to return the helmet to the disgruntIed superstar.
After the game, a quick discussion that appeared to be a bit heated sparked up between Kelce and Head Coach Andy Reid in which the two bumped each other.
That can be seen in the video beIow, which was posted to X by NFL on CBS.
Andy Reid, for his part, seems over the altercation and ready to move on to next week’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year’s Eve. He told reporters after the game, Yeah, listen, I mean, he went back in and did a nice job. So, things happen, emotional game. Trav’s emotional and sometimes my red hair gets to me a little bit, but it all works out.
Kelce has yet to comment on the matter, and with Reid being over it so quickly it wouldn’t be surprising if we never got a peep out of the star tight end about this.
Star quarterback Patrick Mahomes answered question after the game about the state of the team and the plan for the season going forward as the group Iooks to secure a playoff spot.
Mahomes said, They played better than us today, and they were the team that deserved to win. All you can do is move on to the next day, and the next game…I still believe that we can go do what we want to do, it’s just a matter of correcting our mistakes as quickly as possible.
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