‘We’re Building a House With $0 – Here’s How We’re Doing It’
No matter where you live in Australia, the dream of putting down a deposit for property can remain well, a dream forever. Property prices are continuously increasing and owning a house – or even an apartment – is something that is unattainable for many. This is exactly what prompted Rachel Ware and Jarryd Sime to set themselves a mammoth goal: to build a home entirely on their own... with zero dollars.
After buying a vacant block of land, the 19-year-olds from East Gippsland in Victoria have gone viral on social media platform TikTok as they share their progress toward achieving their goal. Dubbed the @0dollarbuild, their bio reads: “Just tryna see if it’s possible to build a house for free.”
The first video they posted has amassed over 1.7 million views at the time of writing, with people from around the world curious to see if the two can pull off the impressive project by their goal date of December 2021.
@0dollarbuild I’m making these for my grandma 🥺#building #aussie #fyp #1111 #money #free
♬ Stuck in the Middle - Tai Verdes
While many have expressed their scepticism, Rachel and Jarryd seem to be defying the odds, collecting building supplies from Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and donations from social media followers to make their ‘off-grid’ home a reality.
Bed Threads Journal sat down with the courageous and inspirational pair to find out everything there is to know about their incredible project and exactly how they’re building a home for free.
Hi Rachel and Jarryd! What inspired you to build a house with zero dollars?
In all honesty, this project wasn't something we took time to think about and plan. We were out one night with a few drinks in our system and the idea just came to our head. It was really a lucky idea!
Can you tell us about your career journey? Do either of you have any experience in the building industry?
Rachel is a nanny and works at a pizza shop, so she has zero knowledge of the building industry. In saying this, she has shown to be a very fast learner and picks up things easily.
Jarryd is a first-year apprentice carpenter, so this journey will expand Jarryd's knowledge within the building industry and help challenge his skills while still learning.
@0dollarbuild Guess our favourite take out ?¿? 🤭🤑🥨 ##fyp ##building ##aussie ##2222 ##free ##money ##tarrot ##sign
♬ Follow me song is Too much FYOTP YT - 🦈
Can you take us through your thought process of planning this incredible project?
We began to actually go ahead with our spontaneous idea when Rachel came across a free bungalow frame on Gumtree. The deal was that if we took it down then we could keep the materials. With the shortage of timber at the moment, it was a very good deal.
While Rachel is sorting the approval from the council, we have been gathering up materials for the structure like timber, bricks and insulation. When we have been unable to find structural materials, we have been looking for small DIY projects.
Where are you sourcing your supplies from?
We have sat down and made a spreadsheet of everything we need and what we need it for, which helps us know what to find. As Jarryd works 7am-3pm and Rachel works from 2pm to 7pm (some nights even as late as 10pm!), we sometimes find it hard to get the materials together. All of the materials we have been able to get so far have been from Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or people who follow us on TikTok and are throwing out materials.
@0dollarbuild should we make a daily Instagram account? ##fyp ##aussie ##building ##2222 ##tarot ##free ##challenge ##sign ##money
♬ Josh - Peach PRC
What has been the biggest challenge of the process so far?
The biggest challenge has been getting the timber as it's very limited at the moment. Also, because we're building the house for zero dollars, finding the materials for free can be a bit of a challenge - but that's all part of the fun.
What has been the most memorable part of the process so far?
A year ago today, we would have never thought we would be trying to build a house for zero dollars. This whole journey has been – and will be – a memory we will cherish. Not only have we challenged ourselves but we have also had the pleasure of meeting so many people.
Do you have any plans for what your next project will be after you complete the house?
We were hoping to finish this house by the end of 2021 but we've been put on hold a few times due to Melbourne continuously going into lockdown, which does delay the process.
But once we do finish it, we actually already have a few ideas of what we want to do next. Stay tuned on our TikTok to find out!
@0dollarbuild what should we cook in our lockdown video ? 🤪🤌 @smokinfatdoinkzz ##HairFoodChallenge ##fyp ##tarot ##building ##duet ##free ##333 ##aussie ##sign
♬ BORN FOR THIS - Foxxi
What is your best advice for anyone looking for property but simply can’t afford it?
Rachel had saved her money for a few years to buy this block of land as property prices are always increasing. If you can get into the market then we'd recommend just going for it.
Unfortunately, we can’t really give advice to anyone trying to buy property who doesn't have the money as money is something you have to work for. We guess it comes down to how you save and spend your money in the first place.
