Looking to get on the property ladder without spending your life savings? If you’re well-versed in flatpack furniture, a self-assembling detached house could be yours for less than £9,000.
And, of course, there’s a catch: space is tight, measuring a cosy 20ft by 40ft, but there’s still space for a kitchen, living room, and bathroom.
These prefabricated homes are built off-site and assembled on-site – just as your standard DIY furniture would be, too.
It’s impressively light too, weighing in at 3,000 pounds, while the average conventional property typically comes in between 80,000 and 160,000.
Yes, it might not accommodate as much space as a traditional house, but the times are a-changing, and it’s markedly cheaper than the current going rate at £8,921.70.
According to research from Zoopla, the average UK house price hit £267,500 in February, a figure that’s estimated to rise by a further 2.5% by the end of the year.
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So, how does it all work? The teeny tiny homes, which are entirely customisable and available on Amazon, are constructed from alloy steel using exclusively environmentally friendly materials – and can arrive in as little as three weeks.
You can also decide the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and even balconies for yourself – though the price will change depending on extras, if you want something more opulent.
Plus, you’ve got the added bonus of it being both portable and quick to build, so if you decide you want to up sticks, it’s an option that’s within reach. You’ll just need to make sure you have the appropriate planning permissions.
What’s more, it’s deliberately designed so that users can construct them themselves, adapting it to a variety of living scenarios – whether for full-time living, a holiday home, garden office or guest accommodation.
Naturally, tiny homes are increasingly prevalent in a world where house prices are skyrocketing and many are looking for more simplistic, compact spaces.
Over the US, one man went in search of an affordable antidote to the horrors of the housing market: a £30,077.98 ($38,999) tiny home on Amazon, which came wrapped in the typical brown cardboard packaging with the logo on the side. Is this, perchance, the largest parcel we’ve ever seen?
Posting under the username @unspeakable_fanytb, Nathan Graham seemed delighted with his purchase.
Noting that it was relatively compact, but that it did come with a shower and toilet, he quickly realised that there was more to the home than first met the eye.
What’s your home like?
This year Metro is partnering with the Ufurnish.com Home Awards to bring readers the best in UK property.
From jaw-dropping before-and-after renovations to effortlessly stylish spaces on a budget and rental DIY masterpieces, the awards recognise outstanding talent across 20 categories covering interiors, gardens, furniture innovation and home accessories.
As part of our partnership, Metro’s Property channel will be full of inspiring homes, fly-on-the-wall property pictures and tips and tricks from those in the know.
Need some inspo (or some eye candy)? We’ve rounded up nine winners from last year’s awards to get those creative juices flowing.
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The sides of the metal home, which came in one piece and required no further construction, needed to be folded out to create extra space – just like a giant Lego project.
Perhaps the most dystopian feature was that the front door keys came glued to the house.
Elsewhere, 27-year-old Levi Kelly embarked on a mission to build the world’s smallest tiny home in a bid to win a Guinness World Record.
Still, he didn’t scrimp on the essentials, as he fitted it with everything a regular house would have, including a bed, kitchen, hot water, a toilet, shower and even air conditioning.
The definition of a tiny home, as outlined by the International Residential Code, necessitates the space being no bigger than an ergonomic 400 square feet – which Levi certainly mastered.
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