We want our teenager to have privacy, so we built him a house in our backyard

"We wanted a space for our teenage son to hang out, but we wanted him to be close by too!" Mum Charlotte writes in the viral post. 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a teenager in want of privacy deserves a place to relax. 

Charlotte, a mum from the UK, decided that her teenage son needed a place to stay that offered privacy but wasn’t too far from home. 

So she set her sights on a DIY project - building a tiny home from scratch. 

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A UK mum built her teen son a house in their garden. Source: Facebook/ DIY on a Budget Official

Parents wanted a space for their teen but were on a tight budget

Taking to the DIY on a Budget Facebook group, the mum-of-two shared images of the transformation in her own backyard. 

“Wanted a space for our teenager to hang out but to be close by too!” she wrote on the social media platform.  

Rather than move house or undergo a renovation, which could cost up to $50,000, Charlotte decided to build a granny flat herself. 

The whole thing cost her £7,200 (AUD $14,000), including the flooring, painting, lighting, hiring an electrician, windows and insulation. 

She and her husband began building the house in their backyard, opting for second-hand equipment and furniture and cheap alternatives from local shops. 

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The tiny house in all its glory. Source: Facebook/DIY on a Budget Official

Family decked out granny flat with second-hand and affordable materials

Despite their handy skills, there were plenty of hurdles to overcome. Without any experience beforehand, when they needed help, the family turned to YouTube tutorials. 

The family was initially quoted £1,800 (AUD $3.200) to install a new kitchen unit. Baffled by the high price, they built it with their own two hands. 

“We bought a sideboard for £30 [AUD $58] off Marketplace, bought some old scaffold boards to make a new top and my partner followed a YouTube tutorial to it the sink,” she explained in the comments. “Then we painted.” 

She admitted that the floors were installed by a “wonderful carpet fitter” who helped out, but the rest was done by themselves. 

“If you know an electrician, it will be cheaper, as it was one of the most expensive things,” she cautioned others. 

Once the build was done, they decked it out with bedding and decorations from fast fashion retailer SHEIN. 

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Fans online were jealous of the teen's new pad. Source: Facebook/DIY on a Budget Official

“When your son moves out, can I move in?” 

Other DIY lovers were impressed with the outcome of the project. 

“That's beautiful, I could live in there myself!” an admirer wrote. “You have a very lucky teenager.”

“That's amazing. Lucky son,” said another. “One very lucky lad with super parents to do this for him," a woman commented. 

Some wanted to pack up their belongings and move in themselves. “When the teenager moves out, can I move in, please?” someone joked. 

“How cool is that! His very own Shepherd's Hut to hang out in,” a fan wrote. “Brilliant job.” 

Originally published as We want our teenager to have privacy, so we built him a house in our backyard