£18,000 I’m building my petite pad myself

Katie Grayson, 32, works in hospitality and lives in north yorkshire. she says:

MORE than a decade ago I went travelling around Europe with two friends in a little Renault Clio, laden down by a huge rucksack of clothes, toiletries, other belongings and books. That’s when I first realised I didn’t need so much stuff. Three years later, I went to teach English in Japan for a year and boarded the plane with nothing more than a small carry-on rucksack, a Kindle and a love of Netflix instead of space-consuming DVDs. While on my travels, I came across tiny homes online and watched videos of people building and living in them. They appealed to my new, pared-down, sustainable outlook, so I decided lockdown was the perfect opportunity to build my own. The hardest part was taking the plunge — but once I’d told people I was going to build a tiny home, I had to get on with it. I ordered the trailer base last December and it arrived in July complete with windows and a rotresistant timber frame, all costing £6,000. For the past three months, I’ve been building it by hand on my boss’s father’s land, while I live-in at the hotel where I work. At some point, I’ll probably move it elsewhere. I can safely say it’s one of the hardest but most satisfying things I’ve ever done. My dad and my boss have been a terrific help and I’ve watched endless YouTube videos to teach myself how to fit windows, attach cladding and install insulation. I’ve learnt to use power tools, a circular saw and a jigsaw cutter. My next challenge is to install a log-burning stove and tackle the electrics. After that, I’ll get on with the décor and furnishings, which I intend to make myself. My tiny home is 6m long by 2.5m wide and 3.5m tall, with two loft spaces and a mezzanine floor at either end, which house a bedroom and chillout space with a futon. Outside, it even has a tiny garden, with vegetable boxes. Friends and family are supportive and my parents love it. The aim is to move into it in the new year, having completed it within my overall budget of £18,000. As a thank you to everyone who’s helped and cheered me along, I’ll be throwing a tiny housewarming party.