LIVING SMALL
I built 10ft home using Facebook Marketplace scrap to save £1,000s on rent… bonus feature saw me pocket MORE than hoped
Watch the moment a couple explain how they built their home
A COUPLE has revealed how they managed to DIY their own remarkable 10ft tiny home to save themselves thousands.
Just a stone's throw from London, actors Harrie and Joe have found a creative solution to housing prices which saw them build the property themselves.
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During the nationwide lockdown, the pair found themselves with more time on their hands and so they decided to start building the 30ft by 10ft home.
Built using nearly all reclaimed materials, the couple found ways to cut costs further using Facebook Marketplace to source vital elements such as windows and doors.
They have even been featured on YouTube with the video posted by @livingbig having received over one million views to date.
Whilst filming the couple admit that after living there for three years, it "has been the best decision" they have "ever made".
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They go on to reveal that whilst living in London, housing prices meant that they "couldn't continue living the way" they "wanted to live" and that they were left "craving" their "own space.
So the couple's solution was to build what they wanted themselves.
Harrie added: "It was the two of us and my dad who just retired from building and we went we've got something."
Joe also said: "This was sort of the conclusion we came to, yeah we didn't want to be in a sharer house, couldn't afford to buy anywhere, so we went I know let's build one and no one stopped us.
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"I think I was like the day before he [Harrie's dad] retired and he was like I'm retired, I'm putting down the tools, I'm stepping away and we're like Mick we've got a project for you."
Surrounded by "beautiful gardens" the design is "feature-packed" to ensure the home feels "lively" and "functional".
We’re a family of 5 living in a caravan - it’s always a mess & super stressful, especially in winter, but we don’t pay a penny in rent
This includes having two top sections which can be separated allowing the entire framework to be moved if necessary.
The development has even allowed Harrie and Joe to focus on their careers as full-time actors rather than stressing about financial overheads.
But the build was not always smooth sailing.
Whilst Joe works as a stage actor, Harrie records audiobooks and needed to ensure she would have the space to continue her career.
Despite the limited size available and the plans being drawn on the back of an envelope, the couple have even managed to squeeze in a recording studio for Harrie.
With everything they need to thrive in such a small space, the couple have even started growing their own vegetables in the garden.
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Are tiny homes legal in the UK?
TINY houses can be UK regardless of whether they are on a trailer base or not. The legality of tiny houses is all to do with where it is and what you use it for.
If you want to put your tiny house in the back garden of the home that you own, and the overall size of your tiny house does not exceed 19.8m x 6.7m (65ft x 22ft), then good news! You do not require planning permission.
Tiny houses that fit within these dimensions and are constructed on trailer bases are legally classified as caravans, which means you can legally park them within the curtilage of your home without planning permission.
If this is your plan, then it is a legal requirement that you only use the tiny house as additional living space, like an office, a gym, or a studio, but you cannot rent out the space to a tenant.
For those of you who live on farmland, what is defined as curtilage can be complicated. In these cases, and under any circumstances where you are unsure, we recommend that you speak to your local planning officer.
You can put a tiny house on your land as a temporary structure for 28 days, but for any longer than this we recommend that you speak to your local planning officer as different permissions will be required.
Source: The Qube