Couple Uses Recycled Windows To Construct Mountain Cabin Spending Only $500

Jun 29, 2020 by apost team

We all envision moving far away from home to the mountains or beach, leaving our old lives and the stresses they entail behind us. While the cost of doing so is out of reach for most families, this couple found a way to make it happen.

Nick Olson and Lilah Horwitz had their first date at one of Nick's favorite local camping spots. Little did they know it would be the place they eventually settled down. On his family property in West Virginia, Nick considered building his first home with Lilah in the beautiful West Virginia Mountains.

Meeting in Pennsylvania through an artist residency program, Nick and Lilah were an instant match. After hitting it off immediately, Nick wanted Lilah to experience the beauty of the mountain sunset on his family's mountain property.

On the edge of the forest with a lake view, Nick and Lilah found themselves in a romantic setting that they could see being their own one day. With interests in art, carpentry, and photography, these two began to form what would one day be their home in their minds, leaving no detail untouched.

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Using their imagination, a bit of money, recycled materials, and the land belonging to Nick's family, these two began building their life together in the mountains. Utilizing salvaged wood and old windows that were readily available on the property, the couple agreed to use minimal cash for the few other items they might need. With love and a desire to build a place of their own, Nick and Lilah began putting their home together piece by piece.

Seven months after their discussion about building a mountain home together, their dream began to come to fruition. Using money they had on hand, the two quit their jobs in order to fully concentrate on building their dream home. Nick and Lilah knew that the spot where they had their first date would be the perfect place to watch sunsets for years to come.

Using salvaged old windows or antiques that could be purchased for a low price, the two constructed the front of their home solely out of discarded windows, reports Curbed. Facing the lake and the mountains, this allowed the two to breathe in the beauty of mountain sunsets and lake views every day.

Spending only about $500 total on hardware and salvaged items, approximately 90% of this home is comprised of reclaimed materials. With no other purpose, these two made discarded materials a part of their home together. Using YouTube tutorials, local library resources, and a handful of materials, the pair made their dream come true.

Learning all about construction, tearing apart barns for materials, and saving money are new skills that Nick and Lilah learned quickly. Being able to combine all of their things in a home that they built and would live in together meant so much more than purchasing a turn-key house nearby. Taking seven months to complete, Nick and Lilah grew closer than ever. Learning to come together over setbacks and work together towards a common goal set them up with lifelong skills necessary for relationship building.

If you enjoyed this story about two young people building their life together in a quaint cabin home, let us know in the comments!