After years of living in a trailer, a couple self-built their 3,600-square-foot dream home for $410K, saving up to $350K after contractors quoted as much as $800K
Many people dream of building their own home, but rising construction costs often make that difficult. For Allison Brown and her husband, the journey began with a much smaller home that helped them save for the future.In 2019, the couple bought a 1,500-square-foot trailer in a small town in South Dakota. At the time, they believed it would be their forever home. Instead of stretching their finances, they chose a house that kept their monthly expenses low while they raised their family.Six years later, that decision helped them build a much larger home themselves. In 2026, the family moved into a 3,600-square-foot house that cost about $410,000 to complete. Brown told Peopple’s magazine that managing the project themselves and doing most of the work saved them hundreds of thousands of dollars compared with hiring contractors.
A small home at first
Brown, 29, said buying the trailer made the most financial sense when they started out. Looking back, she said it was the best option financially and the best ‘bang for your buck’ situation.The couple’s housing costs remained low throughout the years. Brown said their monthly payment, including everything, was about $600.“Our payment for everything was around $600 a month, which was very affordable in comparison to the average rent or mortgage payment at the time, being around double that,” she said.Because they were spending much less on housing than many other families, they were able to save money over several years.“If we had a traditional mortgage or rent payment that was double that, we never would have been able to save like we did,” Brown said.
Allison Brown and her husband spent six years living in a 1,500-square-foot trailer. (Picture credit: Allison Brown)
Changed of plans
The trailer was never meant to be a temporary home. However, as their children grew older, the family’s daily routine began to change.The children became involved in sports and other activities in a larger city located about 25 to 30 minutes away. The regular travel eventually became difficult for the family.Around 2022, the couple found an affordable plot of land in a golf course community. They felt it was a good opportunity and decided to buy it.Brown added that they could afford the land because they had kept their housing costs low while living in the trailer.The couple also benefited from low property taxes, favourable interest rates and lower housing prices before the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing them to continue saving for the future.Even after buying the land, the couple did not start building immediately. Like many families planning a new home, they watched construction costs rise after the pandemic and worried they might become too expensive.When building costs became more stable towards the end of 2024 and into 2025, they decided to begin construction. They broke ground in April 2025.
Building themselves
Instead of hiring a general contractor, the couple chose to manage the project on their own. Brown said the decision was possible because her husband and father-in-law both had years of construction experience.Although her husband never worked in construction as a full-time business, Brown said he had the knowledge needed to build a house.“Although he never pursued a business in that area as an adult, he still knows everything there is to know about building a home, so he was a huge factor in why we were able to make this happen,” she said.Before starting the project, three contractors had quoted between $650,000 and $800,000 for the same house. By managing the work themselves, the family completed the project for around $410,000. Brown estimated they saved between $200,000 and $350,000.The family carefully compared prices before buying materials. “We price-matched absolutely everything,” Brown said.They also carried out most of the work themselves, including digging, hauling rock, installing siding, insulation, flooring and masonry.“That’s also a major reason why we decided to self-build is because we knew we’d be saving hundreds of thousands by doing it ourselves, and if we had the resources to do that, why not?” she said.Brown said the family’s new home was designed around the lessons they learnt while living in the trailer. The house includes a basement where the children can spend time together, better insulation to cope with South Dakota’s cold weather and much more storage space.After moving into the new house, the couple chose not to sell the trailer. Instead, they converted it into an Airbnb because their hometown attracts tourists.According to Brown, the rental has become another important source of income.“Frankly, I make more money managing the Airbnb than if I got a regular 9-5 job,” she said. “It has been a major blessing, and we are very fortunate for sure.”
