I think you will love today’s share on My Trade Story. Karen is part of the tiny house movement, and has just built a tiny house for herself and her 3 children to live in. Her tiny house is in the process of being moved to a larger property where it will remain on a more permanent basis for them. Her business Dandelion Home Designs is just starting to take off and I believe she has very cleverly filled a void in the construction industry. I am very excited to share her story with you.

My Trade Story with Karen Ashton

I grew up watching my dad build houses and always wanted to hang around to watch. As a young girl I was discouraged when it came time to choose school subject like drafting. I did a full circle after doing many other jobs and having my family and came back to building.

After going through a marriage breakup I needed to find my passion for life by doing something I loved to do. I have just completed my Associate Diploma of Building Design and finally found a solution to the high costs of rental and mortgage costs.

While studying I was looking for a building solution that was not the generic cookie cutter style housing. I love to build houses that make sense and that are economical so the tiny was perfect for what I would love to promote and continue to build. The materials used in the tiny house are materials that I have seen at sustainable expos and throughout my three years studying. The building process was surprisingly quick and easy with the house finished just five weeks. It is built from durable materials that should last as long as the average home.

My tiny house is 100% self-sufficient as it is on solar and has a composting toilet. I will have a 1000L tank on a trailer that can be filled in town when needed. I will grow a small vegie garden watered by the rain from the roof.

I would encourage others to build tiny houses as they are within reach of most people without a loan or with a small loan. They give a freedom to life that most people don’t have. Not to say they are for everyone but they are suitable for most. The main challenge for tiny houses are the ‘where do I park?’ and I would love to petition councils to come on board and create tiny parks that caters specifically for tiny houses as they are in the US.

I have just built a tiny house and have loved the process and am about to live in my tiny house with my children. I am very proud to now own my house and not be paying a large rental fee each week. I will now aim to save up and buy my own block of land to permanently house my tiny.

So that is me I am a building designer by trade who is passionate about sustainable housing that is not only easy on the planet but easy on the hip pocket. I want to teach my kids that you don’t have to go into huge amounts of debt to have a roof over your head just because that is what everyone else is doing. I want them to live a life where they are not thrown about with the latest interest rate or the loss of a job because they are living from pay to pay.

What an amazing story! Thank you Karen for sharing. I wish you every happiness in your tiny home. Be sure to keep an eye on Karen’s website as she continues to grow and develop her business.

Are you a lady in the construction industry? I would love to hear from you!

Nicole xxx