I built my tiny home from scratch for under $50,000. Doing it all myself was hard, but the money I'm saving is worth it.
Margo Fairchild, 34, built her tiny home in her mother's Virginia backyard for less than $50,000. It was difficult, but worth it to save the money.
In 2020, Margo Fairchild, a 34-year-old woman, decided to build her own 240-square-foot tiny home on her mother's property in Virginia. With no prior experience in construction, Fairchild spent 15 months and nearly all of her paychecks to complete the project, which cost her $43,779. She chose to build the home herself to avoid the high costs associated with hiring a professional builder and to stay within her budget.
The hardest part of the project was maintaining the mental energy to continue working long hours, often after her regular job and on weekends. Fairchild used her savings and rented space from her mother to cover the costs. One of her biggest expenses was purchasing the shell of the home, which she had to modify herself. She relied on YouTube tutorials and social media to gain knowledge and support throughout the process.
Despite facing challenges, such as hiring an inexperienced plumber and incurring a $7,000 to $8,000 repair bill, Fairchild remained committed to her goal. She moved into the tiny home in 2022 and finds the small space freeing and therapeutic. While living in a tiny home presents some drawbacks, such as the need for constant tidiness and the lack of a dedicated office space, Fairchild believes the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
The home has helped her save money for retirement and even generated additional income through social media. Fairchild advises anyone interested in building a tiny home to seek out a supportive community to help them through the difficult times.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
