13-Year-Old Boy Luke Thill Built His Own Tiny House

Buying or building a house is never a simple task, especially for a young child. Luke Thill, a 13-year-old boy from Dubuque, Iowa, became pretty obsessed with the idea of tiny houses when he saw them on YouTube. Since he felt quite bored during summer vacation, this 8th grader decided to build his own tiny home. After asking his parents, Greg and Angie Thill, they agreed to let him build it on their four-acre property.

He Was In Charge Of Everything About The Tiny House

His parents thought it was a chance for their son to learn some life lessons. So they set a ground rule for Luke, he should raise the money by himself and chose the materials within the budget. Greg Thill worked alongside Luke to offer guidance, such as framing, wiring, dealing with people, and taking financial responsibility.

Luke started raising money via doing odd jobs including cleaning neighbor's garage, mowing lawns, and bartering. What's more, he chose to use some reclaimed materials—some leftover siding from his grandma's house, a door and some old windows from his uncle's friend.

Hard Work Pays Off

Soon, people in the town started knowing Luke Thill, they asked him about the house whenever they saw him. Therefore, Luke decided to record the entire process and putting it on YouTube, which appears to be a right choice. Many people, some even younger than Luke, have messaged him and shared photos of their tiny houses.

Of course, Luke Thill also received some unfavorable comments from others, but he ignored them and continued to build on his tiny house. He could achieve his goal, and there was nothing could stop him.

A Quick Look Of This Tiny House

After a year's efforts and spent about $1,500, Luke Thill finally accomplished his tiny home! He proudly made his first meal in it and posted the video on social media.

It is a small but beautiful house with 5½ feet wide and 10 feet long. There is a small kitchen area, complete with a counter. Behind a shelf is the sitting area with a large ottoman, a flip-down table, and even a wall-mounted TV! What makes this house better is the attic loft with sleeping mattress!

Cozy Personal Space

Luke now spends a few times a week studying and sleeping in his tiny house. He also entertains with his friends in it and backyard. It's a pity that there was no toilet because plumbing would cost more time and money. But it's good enough for Luke as it can give him personal space he needs sometimes. Given that he has a twin brother, it is quite reasonable.

He said the best part of building his tiny house was bonding with his dad, who made sure to spend time with him despite of the busy work. And Greg Thill is very proud of his son's work and determination. "He's a very driven kid for his age", he said.

His Story Inspired Many People

Luke was invited to attend as a special guest on a tiny home festival in Colfax, Iowa. What's more, his impressive story was reported by social media, local TV stations, and also other media outlets. There were two newspapers made Luke their front pages. Even ABC TV program Good Morning America contacted him for an interview!

After that, Luke was contacted by Derek Diedricksen, a tiny house designer and he is actually the inspiration to Luke. They had an one-on-one chat and became friends. Now, Luke and his brother Cole, who created his own teardrop camper, get a YouTube channel together and they already have over 9,000 subscribers!

Luke Thill’s Future Plans

Luke Thill did not anticipate his tiny home would draw so much attention. The only reason he shared his experience online was to prove that it's possible to build a house at young age.

When talking about the future, Luke is planning to build a little larger one on a trailer and stay in it full-time; perhaps he will utilize it as his campus accommodation. After all, it will undoubtedly cost less.