This Guy Started With Nothing. What He Had Just 6 Weeks Later Made Me Ridiculously Jealous

When most people imagine their dream home, they probably think of a large, sprawling vacation house that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. When Steve Areen thought about building his dream home, all he had to do was find $9,000 and a place to build. He did just that and, in a few weeks, he had a vacation home in the middle of Thailand that could make anyone drool.


In just 6 weeks, Steve was able to create the home of his dreams. With a Thai friend's guidance, his son-in-law's masonry skills and a lot of work, the team made progress quickly.

Steve was given a place on his friend Hajjar Gibran's mango grove to build his home. The basic structure only cost about $6,000. In Thailand, materials are cheaper, but it's still mind blowing to know just how little this cost to make. The extra details and furnishings of the home brought the cost up another $3,000. Totaling approximately $9,000 for the entire home.

It took elbow grease and dedication. But it seems so worth it. Not only does this dream home look cool, but the low-cost and quick building schedule is amazing.




Cement blocks and clay bricks were used to build the home, as well as some natural materials.




If he had the chance to build the home again, Steve said that he would use compressed earth blocks.




Whether it's a home away from home or your new family residence, this dome would be perfect.




The dome is full of windows and natural light, really helping the house become one with nature.




Imagine spending long afternoons swinging on your rooftop hammock.






Or gazing into your backyard pond, filled with beautiful lilies.


On the outside of the house, Steve built steps up to the roof, you can climb the entire house if you'd like to.


Inside, all of the accents are natural.


His shower is the big stone mosaic you see here.


And the bathroom sink is made of natural bamboo and other materials.


It's hard to believe something so cheap, relative to housing prices here, could be so gorgeous.


Can I go here right now?


Hajjar Gibran, the friend that helped Steve build his dream home, has a dome building company. If you'd like to learn more information on the process, check out his website and sign up for a workshop.

Steve has traveled all over the world, collecting photos and stories to share. See them here on his online profile.