Simon Dale had always wanted to live in his own home and he has recently achieved his dream – by making a small Hobbit house for him and his family.
The house isn’t only adorable, it’s also super-affordable and cost just around $5,000 for the building materials. In addition to that, it’s also very comfortable.
Although Dale had no carpentry experience, he built his house within just 4 months and used simple tools like a chainsaw, a hammer, and chisel.
The man himself drew a handful of rudimentary plans to get started with the project after he selected an empty plot on a hillside in Wales as the site of the home.
Dale and his wife worked with an intention to cause minimal impact on the environment.
“Our supplies are dwindling, and our planet is in ecological catastrophe. The sooner this change can be begun, the more comfortable it will be,” Dale said.
According to Mrs Dale, “His [Mr Dale’s] main relevant skills were being able bodied, having self-belief and perseverance and a mate or two to give a lift now and again.”
The man made the floor from the spare wood gathered from the surrounding forest, and window frames by supplies from a local trash pile. To construct the floor, Dale placed wooden pallets followed by straw bales and then floorboards.
To make the roof, he used split logs. For the foundation and walls, he used the mud and stones from the excavated hillside. The frame was built from small trees that gave the house its shape.
Dale’s two children and his wife worked tirelessly to collect wood needed for the project. The most difficult part of the process was to live without electricity or water for the initial months.
The family just relied on the light from candles for the first three months.
Dale’s ultimate aim was to live in harmony with nature and inspire other people to alter their lifestyle to a way that is more friendly to the planet.
The final result was unbelievable. The family’s new home was extremely eco-friendly with solar panels for energy generation, lime plaster and straw bale walls, and a compost toilet.
The inside is even more beautiful than the outside, with an airy and pleasant feeling. The family also planted a little garden near their home as a source of natural food.
Dale and his wife are staunch advocates for environment-friendly lifestyle.
When asked how he feels about his life, the man replied: “It’s fun. Living your own life in your own way is rewarding. Following our dreams keeps our souls alive.”