Joel Weber knew that dorm life was not for him due to rising cost of living and he is one of the struggling college students. Because of that, he decided to build his own home for $15, 000.
A room in a school's residence hall costs around $1,135 a month, while a one-bedroom in a nearby district outside the campus has increased to $1,913, according to a real estate site.
Weber, 25, tried to cut his expenses by constructing a 145-square-foot tiny house in his friend's backyard. He was able to build it through his resourcefulness and some generous donations.
Weber was able to earn an associate degree and travel before after enrolling at University of Texas in Austin as a sophomore. He is now paying nothing in rent and plans to graduate debt-free.
Weber started by laying rope, shaping his future tiny house in his friend's backyard. "I would sit in it and imagine where I'd want my bathroom," says Weber, a design major.
He had some experience in plumbing and handiwork. However, he still needs some help in building his home. He was a trainee under a plumber and a carpenter while studying full-time. He also borrowed some architecture books from the library.
He used all his savings and emergency funds for his home. "I knew it was a risk," Weber laughs. He finished building the house after spending a year and around $15, 000. He could not have been happier.
He called his home an "organic-contemporary" where wood and stainless steel came together.
The interior is very versatile. The steps in the foyer are also used as storage, a work desk and stairs to the loft, where his bed is located.
Weber used wood scraps to create a sitting area. These were given by the families who sheltered him while building the house. "That's how their homes live on with me," he says.
There are some offers to buy the house. However, he wants to stay there for as long as he can, and eventually list it as a vacation rental on Airbnb. "It's a feeling of being underneath a canopy of trees," Weber says. "You feel that space embrace you."
