WATCH ABOVE: Geoff de Ruiter speaks to Sonia Sunger on Global News’ BC1.
VANCOUVER – One B.C. man has found an innovative solution to the high cost of living in B.C.
Thirty-one-year-old Geoff de Ruiter bought a half acre of land on Pender Island for $35,000 and built his own treehouse.
He said he got the idea from a number of places, including the tiny house movement, which has grown in popularity in the past few years.
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“Everybody loves treehouses,” he said. “And I wanted to own some land, or a place that I could call my home.”
The treehouse is 165 square feet over two floors.
“You have to be very efficient,” said de Ruiter. “You have to live outside of it more, so you have to get to the library to work or you have to see your friends more often, but in general, it’s just like a smaller space that many people would have.” He also divides some of his time between Vancouver and Prince George.
WATCH: Take a tour of a tiny house in West Vancouver
While this may not be de Ruiter’s final home, he thinks there is definitely a place for the tiny home movement. “But when you have a family, when you have two people living in a tiny house, it’s not a long-term plan.”
Right now however, this is an investment for him while he saves money for his future. “I have lots of goals,” he said, “so we’ll see where it takes me.”
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