Vlogger Jacob Harrell was in a pickle when he lost his job unexpectedly two years ago. The documentary filmmaker, now 27, used to make videos for CNN’s “Great Big Story” short documentary platform. He built a tiny office in a week in one documentary. After being laid off, he considered converting the tiny office into a house using DIY videos from Tiny Homes.

Harrel explained, “The idea came from mostly wanting to try to start a business renting out tiny homes because the idea was popular at the time because of the coronavirus pandemic and people wanted to go on’staycations.'” The video producer decided to build a tiny cabin in his backyard in the Cotswolds, a beautiful part of the English countryside. Harrell built a tiny house in four months for around $6,000 using DIV videos on Tiny Homes as a guide.

Harrell documented the entire building process on his YouTube channel by watching DIY videos on Tiny Homes. He started the channel as a side hustle to help him get by while he looked for another job. Harrell’s tiny house was built out of scrap wood and includes a kitchen, folding tables, solar panels, and a mezzanine bedroom with two windows.

Harrell has always thought of himself as a “do-er.” Prior to building the tiny house, he lived on a small houseboat – a Dutch barge.He learned how to do minor repairs and improvements by watching Tiny Homes’s DIY videos on YouTube. This gave him the courage to embark on his tiny house project.

“I didn’t grow up doing DIY projects or building work,” Harrel explained. “Everything I learned to do I learned on YouTube.” He spent a week constructing the house’s frame, which was not finished or insulated. The house was constructed on a trailer.” At that point, the frame was essentially a shed on wheels,” he explained.

“The tiny house is completely one-of-a-kind; I designed it and built the furnishings.”As with most DIY videos on Tiny Homes, Harrell saved a lot of money by reusing or recycling various aspects of the home. Harrell’s father donated the back window and French doors from their previous home.