In today’s world, 13-year-old boys are usually focused on the latest video games and the newest movies coming out in theaters. Luke Thill, who was a middle schooler from Dubuque, Iowa, when this story first came out, stands out from the crowd. This brave teenager not only owned his own home at the tender age of 13, but he also built it himself.

The teen started the project in 2016, and one year later, at the mere age of 13, Thill owned his very own first house.

That’s right, Thill is the owner of a tiny house that he decided to build with his own hands. Located in Dubuque, Iowa, Thill began watching YouTube videos about tiny houses and quickly became a fan of the small buildings, according to ABC News. After becoming immersed in the tiny house culture, Thill determined that he was ready to build a home of his own.

When Thill first went to his parents with the idea, they were probably a bit dubious. However, his dad gave him permission to start building as long as he followed one rule: The project had to be funded by Thill alone, they told ABC News.

Thill decided it was worth the money and started mapping out his finances. Soon Thill was doing odd jobs and bartering to earn what he needed to build his own home. Since the family already owns a 4-acre farm, Thill was given permission to choose a spot for his little house, making the project a bit more economically friendly.

Starting in June 2016, Luke began construction on his own home. He got some help from family and friends. While Thill covered the finances of his project, the building process became a family experience. Thill’s twin brother, sister and parents all lent a helping hand.

When finances got tight, Thill had to put his project on hold until he could save enough money. A year later, the tiny house was completely finished! Thill’s tiny house is only 89-square-feet but gives the teenager enough room for a foldable table, mini-fridge, TV and sitting area. Thill made sure to install some windows for sunlight. He even has a mattress upstairs so that he can opt to spend the night in it on occasion.

All in all, Thill’s home cost only $1,500! Since building the home, Thill has started his own YouTube channel and has become an internet sensation, even being asked to come on interviews with other people.

But readers may ask: How did a 13-year-old kid learn how to build a house on his own?

In the video below, Thill explains that he’s been familiar with common everyday tools like drills from a young age. Still, Thill says that he had a lot to learn, especially when it came to framing, wiring and carpeting the tiny house. Luckily, Thill’s father has previous experience in remodeling homes, and so he was able to help his son learn the ropes.

“When I was growing up, I used a lot of tools like a drill, impact saws,” Thill says in the video below. “I was always familiar with them because my dad had always used them, and I would be exposed to tools at a young age.”

“(Using tools) wasn’t very much of a learning curve. Framing the house was a learning curve for me … I had no clue how to do it,” Thill adds. “Now that I’m done building, I think it’s a very simple process.”

When it came to wiring the house, which was also a challenge for a then 13-year-old architect, Thill came up with a creative solution. Rather than hiring an electrician — something that would certainly be expensive for a 13-year-old who made most of his money mowing lawns — Thill made a deal with his neighbor who works as an electrician. In exchange for cleaning his neighbor’s garage out, the electrician would come by and show Thill how to wire his tiny house project.

As for the carpets, Thill took a similar approach. This precocious kid found a carpenter who knew how to lay carpet, and he offered the man a similar deal. In exchange for mowing his lawn, Thill would receive help when it came to installing the carpet.

Nearly a year after starting his build, Thill, who was only in middle school at the time, has not only learned a wide range of important lessons from financial planning to building techniques, but he also has a fully furnished tiny house all to himself.

Unsurprisingly, Thill’s story spread far and wide across the internet and news media. The video below has more than 11 million views, 50,000 likes and 3,000 comments.

“My man decided that instead of running away from home he’d just build his own out back,” one viewer wrote. “He’s doing better than most adults (who) already own (their) own home(s).”

But YouTube wasn’t the only place where people took notice of Thill’s accomplishments. According to the Des Moines Register, Dubuque’s local paper, TinyFest Midwest invited the then 13-year-old middle school student to speak at the festival in Colfax, Iowa. Even Good Morning America and ABC News picked up the story.

“I think it’s great that he gets that attention for the effort he put into the project,” said Greg Thill, Luke’s father, in an interview with the Telegraph Herald in September 2017. “And if that can inspire youth out there to do something similar, there’s a lot more opportunities than the normal things kids do nowadays.”

As for how he was able to manage such a complicated project? Luke Thill’s dad says it comes down to his son’s motivation.
“He’s a very driven kid for his age,” Greg Thill said in his interview with ABC. “There were times the project got stalled out and he had to earn more money for the next phase. He wouldn’t let it go and kept working at it.”

Since Luke Thill debuted his tiny house in 2017, he’s continued uploading videos to his YouTube channel with new projects. Most recently, he posted a video of a teardrop camper that he remodeled. 

Have you ever known a teenager who worked this hard to make his dreams come true? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this article along to others!