Simon Dale built his own 'Hobbit House' for less than $5,000. Dale says the whole building was constructed with just a hammer, a one-inch chisel and a chainsaw, and was made largely of scavenged materials. Dale says: "Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere -- windows, burner, plumbing, wiring."
Dale, who has no training as a builder, built his eco-home with the help of a few friends and family members. His ecologically-friendly home uses water from a nearby stream, and is heated by a wood burning stove with wood gathered from the surrounding forests. The property has a compost toilet, and is powered by solar panels on the roof.
After living in the cozy house, Dale moved out in 2009, leaving the property to be used by the woodland workers who pass through the site. He has now applied the principles he learned during the construction of his first home to build a new small house in West Wales.