Web designer builds mortgage-free home for $30,000 | Mail Online Web designer builds mortgage-free home for $30,000 | Mail Online Perfect for the SQUEEZED middle: Web designer builds his own mortgage-free home for $30,000 (but at 8ft by 20ft, it'll be a tight fit!) BySimon Tomlinson PUBLISHED:06:33 EST, 19 March 2014|UPDATED:14:33 EST, 19 March 2014 876shares 287 View comments
Tired of the high cost of rent and determined to live mortgage-free, web designer Alek Lisefski turned his attention away from cyber space to build his very own solution.
The 31-year-old has constructed a trailer home at an upfront cost of just $30,000 but with it measuring just 8ft by 20ft, he has needed all his creative abilities to maximise the limited space.
Aptly naming it The Tiny Project, Alek set about building the home in Iowa before towing it all the way to Sebastopol in California, where he now lives with his girlfriend Anjali Krystofiak and their dog Anya. Scroll Down for Video
Small, but mighty: Web designer Alek Lisefski has built his very own trailer home that measures 8ft by 20ft for just $30,000... and now doesn't have a mortgage
On the move: Alek Lisefski with girlfriend Anjali Krystofiak and their dog Anya (left) outside their home which he constructed on a flatbed trailer to avoid building rules
Resourceful: Alek said he used a trailer to avoid maximum square footage requirements that most municipalities have in place for permanent structures
Enjoying the great outdoors: With no rent or mortgage to pay, Alek says he will be able to prioritise his funds on health, leisure and travel
'I think tiny houses are one way in which the next generation will be able to overcome our country's current economic disparity and ever-rising housing and land costs,' Alek said.
Finance is another critical aspect of home-owning and without having to pay rent Alek will be able to prioritise his funds on health, leisure and travel. 'I'll be forced to spend more time outdoors, in nature and engaging with my community. 'But I also couldn't possibly spend $100 a month to heat the place, like I do with my apartment now. More...Real Housewife and her plastic-surgeon husband demolish 1920s mansion after preservationists lose appeal to give it historical status He explained that although tiny houses can be built on a foundation, most people choose to build on a flatbed trailer to make the house mobile and to avoid maximum square footage requirements that most municipalities have in place for permanent structures. Alek is not alone is his idea - smaller sustainable housing is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States and around the world as a means of affordable living. Man builds $30K trailer home and makes most of its space more videos1234Watch video Moment Playboy model is whacked in the butt with golf club
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Compact: Alek's design background is evident and due to its tiny size he had to be incredibly resourceful with materials throughout the house
Tiny and tidy: Alek believes living in such a small space will force him to live in a simpler and more organised way
Creative: The house is sustainable with all the necessary features and appliances you'd find in a standard home
Proud: Alek named his idea the Tiny Project, an innovative design allowing him to live a simpler and debt-free life because he was able to fund all the costs upfront
Growing trend: Smaller sustainable housing is rapidly gaining popularity in the United States and around the world as a means of affordable living
Labour of love: The house took Alek seven months to build and he worked most evenings and weekends entirely by himself
'Building on a trailer means the house is considered more like an RV and does not need to adhere to the same permits, codes, and rules associated with building a normal home,' added Alek. 'I hope this little house can inspire others to choose a similar way of living.' He has moved into his new home permanently with his 25-year-old Anjali and their pet dog. 'I live with my beautiful girlfriend, Anjali, and our angel of a dog, Anya. Go ahead and say it: that's a lot of "A" names.' The house is furnished with sustainable blue-stain beetle-kill ponderosa pine throughout the ceiling, walls and loft floor.
Age of austerity: Alek estimates that he spent $30,000 on the house including all of the tools, materials, stainless appliances and furnishings
Space-saving: He utilised every opportunity for storage, building shelves and fold-away cupboards
above windows and doors
Alek used high-end stainless appliances including a marine-style propane range, propane on-demand hot water heater and compact combo washer and dryer unit
A birds-eye view of the bathroom: Alek says he has a passion for the visual arts, the great outdoors, architecture and all things natural and beautiful
The Tiny Project is a sleek, efficiently designed, sustainable house on wheels with all the necessary features and appliances of a normal house. The house took Alek seven months to build and he worked most evenings and weekends entirely by himself. 'I had more help towards the end with interior finish work, in order to speed things up to get it done before winter. The total process, including all of the research, planning and design took about a year, he added. The house has a passive solar design with 10 windows and a glass front door to ensure that optimum light can shine through. 'I'm a web designer by trade and have a passion for the visual arts, the great outdoors, architecture and all things natural and beautiful.'
Charming: The house is furnished with sustainable blue-stain beetle-kill ponderosa pine throughout the ceiling, walls and loft floor
Smart: Alek said he had help towards the end of the project with interior finish work in order to speed things up to get it done before winter
Home comforts: Once the house is parked in permanent location, he plans to add solar panels and water collection to make is as self-sustaining as possible
Without the added costs of labour, Alek estimates that he spent $30,000 on the house including all of the tools, building materials, finishing materials, nice stainless appliances and furnishings. Alek's design background is evident and due to its tiny size he had to be incredibly resourceful with materials. He explained: 'All it needs to operate is an extension cord and water hose from the main house on the property where it's parked.' Once the house is parked in permanent location, he plans to add solar panels and water collection to make is as self-sustaining as possible.
Alek said: 'All the home needs to operate is an extension cord and water hose from the main house on the property where it's parked'
Alek's main priority was to build a tiny and practical house. He believes living in such a small space will force him to live in a simpler and more organised way. He utilised every opportunity for storage, building shelves and fold-away cupboards above windows and doors. To maximise space, Alek used high-end stainless appliances including a two-burner marine-style propane range, propane on-demand hot water heater and compact combo washer and dryer unit. Read more:Sonoma County Modern Tiny House | The Tiny Project | Less House. More Life. Share or comment on this article876shares Waw its lovely by JdollMermaid451
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Comments (286) Share what you think NewestOldestBest ratedWorst rated View all The comments below have not been moderated. dmcc,Winchester, United Kingdom,15 minutes ago Superb! Just what we need in the UK for our 'live at home' kids ..... now in their 20's and unable to afford their own home!!:-D New Comment05Click to rate Bobsdesk,HB,24 minutes ago ADA Lawsuit! Where is the wheelchair ramp?
ReplyNew20Click to rate Dangriffiths,Gloucester, United Kingdom,25 minutes ago I'm sorry but how beautiful is this? It's so elegant!
New Comment010Click to rate limeandlemon,Peterborough, United Kingdom,42 minutes ago What a lovely little home, I would be quite contented living there in those surroundings. ReplyNew025Click to rate brenda b,Toronto, Canada,46 minutes ago Very cute but a little small for me, but like the idea that he utilised all the space, very practical!Brilliant ideal for someone who is single and wants to be mortgage free, plus having the opportunity to move whenever. New Comment118Click to rate MrDrummle,Newcastle,56 minutes ago I want that if it has a shower. ReplyNew110Click to rate Kay,Wiltshire,1 hour ago I've seen much nicer caravans for far less money. I wonder why they didn't go that route. New Comment1312Click to rate Hanty,London, United Kingdom,1 hour ago Might as well get a trailer or Winnebago. Silly hippies. ReplyNew3212Click to rate grubstreetnm,New Mexico USA, United States,1 hour ago Love it.When you want to move -- just move.It's a mobile home, but one with style.I once had the thought that someone should sell cozies to drop over house trailers, with the cozy styled like a little bungalow or whatever---.Would save on heat and certainly improve the look of the neighborhood!LOLAs far as storage as concerned, I remember the George Carlin bit on "stuff."We all have too much "stuff." New Comment024Click to rate
kipperwacker,Bosmoreau les Mines, France,1 hour ago It'd be nice for a holiday but whenever I look at these space saving places, including boats, I come to the sad realisation that we'd need to rent a storage unit for all our books - one thing neither of us could ever get rid of! ReplyNew515Click to rate The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Add your comment By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Clear
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