Updated: Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:14:55 GMT | By Stephen Jones, editor, MSN Money
The 'hobbit house' that cost just £3,000 to build

How Simon Dale built a £3,000 home in a Welsh hillside

An external view of Simon Dale's £3,000 'hobbit home' in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
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  • An external view of Simon Dale's £3,000 'hobbit home' in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
  • The plans of Simon Dale's £3,000 hobbit house in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
  • A revised version of the plans for Simon Dale's £3,000 hobbit house in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
  • The groundwork for Simon Dale's £3,000 hobbit house in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
  • The inner frame of Simon Dale's £3,000 hobbit house in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
  • Building the roof of Simon Dale's £3,000 hobbit house in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
  • The finished roof of Simon Dale's £3,000 hobbit house in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
  • Simon Dale and family outside their £3,000 hobbit house in Wales (© Image: www.simondale.net)
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Can't afford to get on the property ladder, or just fancy something a bit different? You might take a leaf out of father-of-two Simon Dale's book. He put four months and around £3,000 into building the remarkable, environmentally-friendly home you can see above - dubbed the 'hobbit house' - in a hillside in Wales. And here's how he did it...

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174Comments
fred wood (midnight cowboy 1945)
07/11/2011 09:50
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seriously,i think this guy deserves a knighthood,no disrespect to stand-up comics and the likes,but this achievement is ,"somethin else",it looks so cosy,and his little family look so happy with their new home,WELL DONE SON!!!.
Ciss Powell (kisskatt)
06/12/2011 13:42
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Hats off to you Simon! Truly amazing achievement!
Caroline Lee (xspannerx2002)
03/01/2012 21:12
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I must say I am so impressed with this house. It looks amazing, unique and a happy place.  Also had a look at his personal website and his photography is amazing too.  I'm very jealous!
Gillian Hoskins
14/05/2012 17:15
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I want this house, i would have solar power, no bills,
mari wray
09/05/2012 10:08
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hi that is so cool ,jus because we grow in to adults doesnt mean we have to loose the child fantasies within us .it looks natural fun and magical well done .
A Bull (dophinl)
06/04/2012 23:21
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Great idea but how much did the land cost? Low cost housing is needed in this over crowded island, when ikea talked about a flat pack houses people came into ikea to find out how to buy one?? They are built in Sweden so why not in the u.k ideal first time homes. Why can't the house builders sort this out it maybe the start of something BIG........and affordable for all
Dennis Riddell
08/06/2012 22:48
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Fantastic, well done, would love to do some thing like this myself!

 

fred wood (midnight cowboy 1945)
07/11/2011 09:56
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hey,collin,cmon now i only just come across it,and for me,its just brightened up a very miserable winters day!
K D (Flanders903)
06/12/2011 14:46
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Wasn't this on an episode of Grand Designs? It is a great example of what can be done but very few people have access to build on land such as this and as far as I know you can't buy a wood for £3k?

Don Beattie
24/10/2011 21:09
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just brilliant - wish I'd had the foresight to do something like that, this idea could catch on!!!!
leon
15/05/2012 01:57
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Thats awesome! you could build your own hobbit villiage for about £50k, if you had the land ofcourse but still.
louise boyes (JX2 Mum)
18/10/2011 19:32
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great house and when can i move in???
Someone
01/05/2012 23:05
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love the natural feel,thats how we are supposed to live i think,living with a direct link to mother earth that would relive alot of peoples stresses and create harmony,away from concrete,metal and wi-fi's.nice one.how do you get planning for something like that anyway?building regs?
reginald hughes
03/05/2012 10:49
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i dont think there is enough money in somthing like this for building companies  good luck to this man start your own if one could afford to buy apiece of land

 

maggie bennett
01/05/2012 10:33
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Love it, would like one to call my own. Well done Simon are you going to build more?
Jessy Joseph (taheera)
19/10/2011 00:19
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One word, "eco-friendly"! It reminds me of Schumacher's, "small is beautiful" the house reveals the philosophy, its a beautiful mind that envisioned, planned, built and furnished it. I like the way the builder retained the natural features of the logs used. This is what gave the unique shape to the house: walls, windows, pillars and beams.

Julia Brown (virgoan1)
18/10/2011 20:43
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Oh I love this cosy looking home. When I was a child I used to dream of living in a hollow old tree amongst the roots with a carved window in the trunk. On the floor would be a pile of leaves for my carpet and moss for my pillow and blankets. I still hanker after that dream, I guess this would be the 'up market' version ! Smile 
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