A 19-YEAR-OLD has revealed that he transformed his parent’s garage into a tiny home for himself and his girlfriend to live in.
Josh Jones explained that he wanted his own space, but couldn’t afford to buy a house, so instead decided to put his DIY skills to the test.
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Taking to social media, he revealed that he learnt everything as he went along, and said that the process was very-hard and took him eight months to complete.
In a TikTok video Josh said that he did everything himself apart from the electrics, plastering and plumbing.
He also shared that the conversion set him back almost £15,000, which is a lot of cash for a 19-year-old to save up for.
Despite these downsides, Josh and his girlfriend seem incredibly happy with their tiny home, which is complete with a bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen.
To convert the garage, he first had to raise the roof, which cost £1150.
He then sold the original garage door for £50 and bricked up the space where the door was, leaving space for a front door and a window, which costs him a combined total of £470.
He put in a stud wall and then insulated the walls, using materials he got free from a friend.
The plumbing set him back £750 and he spent £500 fixing a hole in the roof.
Josh managed to bag a number of bargains during his renovation, including second hand bathroom tiles, washing machine and a sink from Facebook Marketplace.
He described the house as being his “first ever dream home” and the finished result looks great, with the couple managing to squeeze all of their belongings into the tiny space.
Josh’s video, which was posted under the username @joshjonesacepaving, has likely left many impressed, as it has racked up over 242,000 views on the video-sharing platform.
TikTok users raced to the video’s comments section to share their thoughts on the garage conversion.
One person said: “To be fair it’s a win-win, helps you with your own space and puts value in your parents house which will eventually be yours anyway.”
Another added: “Nice work. You’re a legend mate.”
A third said: “Good for you! Looks great. Your own space to grow.”
A fourth added: “Well done mate. Fantastic work.”
Living in your parents’ converted garage is a great way to save cash for a house, whilst still having your independence.
Do you need planning permission to convert a garage?
Planning permission is not usually required for garage conversions, as long as the work is internal and doesn’t involve enlarging the building.
However, sometimes permitted development rights are removed by condition, which may prevent garages from being converted without permission.
This is often the case with properties on housing estates.
In this case, you will need to apply to your local council for planning permission.
As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, more and more adults are struggling to get on the property ladder and are choosing to live in their family home for longer.
The 2021 census revealed that over half of people aged 23 and under still live with their parents.
The average price of a house in the UK was £285,000 as of March 2023, and this rises to a whopping £735,254, which is completely unaffordable for many.
Moreover, research from the Resolution Foundation found that the average first time buyer deposit tripled from 5 per cent of the property price in 1989 to 15 per cent in 2019.
This means that buyers have to save for far longer and use up a larger percentage of their earnings to get on the property ladder.
Recent research by property site Zoopla found that 42 per cent of adults under 40 who do not already own homes have given up, due to the astronomical cost of buying a property.
Read more on the Irish Sun
This included 38 per cent of people earning over £60,000 (almost double the average salary for the UK).
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