A teenager who was determined to have a place of his own has saved a fortune by building a tiny wooden house from scratch at the bottom of his parents' garden.
Thomas Lear, who works as a carpenter, got to work on the project when he was just 17 years old and within two years he had completed his rustic home, leaving him with no rent to pay.
The now 21-year-old used reclaimed timber to construct the house on his family's land in Bristol, which features an open plan kitchen and living room complete with a pull-out bed to sleep up to four people.
It's insulated but requires a log burner as there is no central heating, the shower runs off rainwater, and it has a chemical toilet - all coming in at a total cost of just £6,000.
Thomas said: "I built it all from scratch on a budget. I just wanted to live a stress-free, simple life.
"It is lovely being 21 and not having to spend all of my money on rent. I own everything and that puts me at ease.
"The only thing I miss about living in a normal house is the space as I have a lot of things which simply wouldn't fit in my new home.
"We couldn't even fit in a door for the bathroom so I use a shower curtain. My shower runs off the rainwater harvesting system that stores 50 litres of water.
"I am able to have a five-minute shower in the warm before it goes ice cold. It takes 30 minutes to heat back up again.
"My toilet is a chemical one that you would find on a caravan - it flushes but requires emptying."
Every inch of space in the tiny home is utilised, with Thomas having to pull down wooden ladders from the ceiling to be able to climb up to his bed.
He did the majority of work himself, using videos on YouTube for help or turning to his family for advice.
"I have very little plumbing experience which is why my bathroom is basic but it ties in with the rustic and farmhouse theme," he added.
"My granddad, who is 82, did the electrics for me and a friend helped here and there.
"My dad Tim helped with the plumbing.
"But I did everything else myself - I used to dedicate every weekend to the building.
"Whilst on apprenticeship wage, I had no choice but to use reclaimed materials which I found on Gumtree or old building sites.
"The most challenging part was the roof as I had to make sure it was right to avoid any leaks."
The build has given Thomas the chance to save money, and in the future he hopes to build shepherd huts and start his own glamping business using the experience he has gained.
What do you think of his home? Let us know in the comments.
