She hand-built a solar-powered tiny home from scratch with no experience after being told it couldn’t be done

Lara’s hand-built tiny home rests quietly on a peaceful farm, tucked among horse stables and gardens she designed herself.

Finding this spot was no accident — after her first parking plan fell through, she discovered her current location simply by talking to people at a local pub.

Warm, rustic, and full of heart, the small house reflects not only her creativity but also her courage to try something she had never done before.

For nearly 10 years, Lara worked in the circus as a costume maker, living in tight spaces — a van, a caravan, even a wooden wagon.

Then the pandemic stopped the entertainment industry overnight. Instead of losing hope, she chose to build something new.

She had no building experience. As she puts it, she began with “a drill that was really rubbish from like a supermarket.” Still, she was determined.

With research, help from handy friends, and a willingness to learn, she started building her own hand-built tiny home from scratch.

“Challenging, but really, really fun,” she says about the process. “I absolutely loved it.”

Today, that brave decision has changed her life.

She not only lives in the home she built herself, but also discovered a new path in carpentry and a career as a circus set builder.

The size, smart design, and cost of Lara’s hand-built tiny home

Lara’s hand-built tiny home sits on a 5.4-meter by 2.4-meter trailer (540 cm x 240 cm). At just over 5.5 meters long, it is compact even by tiny house standards.

But the pitched roof design adds extra height, making the space feel open.

“I think it’s the height. I think that makes such a difference,” she explains.

The raised ceiling allows her to stand comfortably and stretch upward. That simple design choice changes how the home feels inside.

The exterior is clad in larch timber that she milled herself with help from a local expert in Devon. Milling her own wood helped cut costs.

The home runs mainly on solar panels but can connect to mains electricity when needed, especially for underfloor heating during winter.

“And so to be able to plug that in like the depths of winter is heaven. It’s absolute heaven.”

Wool insulation lines the walls, keeping the home warm in winter and cool in summer.

Water comes from a 140-liter tank filled from an outdoor tap. The bathroom includes a composting toilet to keep the system simple and efficient.

Remarkably, the entire hand-built tiny home cost around £12,000 ($16,143) from start to finish.

The low cost was possible because her labor was free, and many materials were reclaimed or bought secondhand — including a bath she found online for £50 ($67).

Inside the hand-built tiny home: Small spaces with big purpose

The Living Area

Stepping inside, visitors often feel instant warmth. Lara describes waking up and thinking, “I built this. I get to live here.”

The living room centers around a wood burner, making it cozy in colder months. Built-in seating doubles as storage, a smart choice in such a small footprint.

“It heats up real quick which is nice,” she says.

Reclaimed stained glass windows and Indian cupboard doors — rescued from a film set skip — bring color and character to the space.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is compact but practical. Ash wood countertops with a natural live edge add warmth.

She milled much of the timber herself, including the stairs made from ash, oak, yew, and spalted beech.

Open shelving neatly stores herbs and spices. The gas oven, however, can be tricky.

“They’re savage,” she jokes about gas ovens, adding that hers is “a bit of an incinerator.”

Still, everything she needs fits into the space.

The Bathroom

The bathroom is small but thoughtfully planned. A tiny bath doubles as a shower tray and even a dog-washing station.

Copper details frame the doorway and fixtures, slowly developing a natural patina.

A composting toilet keeps things simple. A reclaimed stained glass window fills the room with soft light and color.

The Sleeping Loft

Upstairs, the sleeping loft offers enough headroom to sit comfortably.

“I wanted there to be enough head space to be able to sit and read in bed,” she explains.

An opening skylight brings in natural light and fresh air. Her record player now sits upstairs, surrounded by colorful fabrics that reflect her costume-making past.

A safe place for Lara and a community to belong

Parking was one of the biggest challenges. Her first arrangement fell through at the last minute.

Eventually, she found her current farm location through a simple conversation at a local pub.

“Found this parking spot by talking to people down the pub,” she says.

Now she rents her space, helps on the farm when needed, and enjoys both privacy and connection.

“It’s really nice to be part of a community. There’s people checking in. Like I feel safe, which is really nice.”

After three years of living in her hand-built tiny home, she still loves it. The journey strengthened her confidence.

“The journey of building this tiny house and living in this tiny house has taught me that I’m very stubborn and I really like the challenge.”

Her advice to others is simple:

“Just do it. Like I couldn’t do it and I’ve done it.”

For now, her hand-built tiny home stands as proof that courage and creativity can reshape a life — even when it begins with nothing more than a basic drill and a bold idea.

Watch Lara tour her hand-built tiny home and share her inspiring journey, and subscribe to Living Big In A Tiny House for more heartwarming tiny home stories.