'If someone else can build a tiny house, then why not me?'

Dec 17, 2023

Kiwis of a certain age might remember Pippi Longstocking, the fictional children's book character who was relentlessly glass-half-full.

One of Longstocking's favourite quotes was: "I’ve never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that."

They’re words that Marie Beringer, who grew up with the Swedish books, lives by. Despite never having touched a power tool, the 33-year-old built her own tiny house in Auckland. The experience also led the former environmental scientist to a career change as a carpenter.

Originally from Strasbourg in north-eastern France, Beringer came to Aotearoa a decade ago as part of a university internship focused on wastewater treatment.

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"I absolutely fell in love with New Zealand," says Beringer. "After two years in Hamilton, I had to go back to France to finish my environmental science degree, but as soon as I did, I moved to Auckland."

While working at Watercare, Beringer stumbled across a YouTube video of a Kiwi bloke building his own tiny house.

"It was my a-ha moment," recalls Beringer of the clip. "I was renting and couldn't afford to buy a house, but owning my own place seemed possible if it was a tiny house."

The adventurous Beringer didn't let a lack of building experience get in her way.

"I thought, if someone else can build a tiny house, then why not me? I didn't want to buy a tiny house because I wanted to learn how to build my own. I knew it would be hard, but I was mentally prepared for the challenge."

She was also relieved to find that in her adopted home, she was able to give it a go.

"In France, it's not that easy to build your own home because you have to have a qualification and be specialised in one area. But there was no such limit here – in New Zealand, if I wanted to do something, I could try. So much more is possible here."

In 2018, Beringer signed up for a tiny house building workshop on Waiheke Island, where she learned the basics of building and how to use tools. The workshop also introduced her to builders and others willing to offer advice and hands-on help.

"There's a saying that you shouldn't tell people your dreams, that you should just go and achieve them. But I’m a great believer in telling everyone what you want to do, because people will help or know someone who might be able to help. I was a bit obnoxious, telling everyone my tiny house dreams, but strangers offered to help."

Beringer designed the 5m x 3m house herself, as one big room with a separate bathroom and a sofa bed. Her only non-negotiable was a round window.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I’ve always wanted to live in a house with a round window!"

In early 2019, Beringer ordered a trailer for her tiny house to sit on and, through a friend of a friend, found a workshop on a rural section just outside Auckland where she was able to start building her home.

"I’m very interested in recycling, so I found lots of building materials on Facebook Marketplace and TradeMe. I also visited demolition yards to buy things such as windows, which I designed the house around."

Hardware stores including Bunnings and Mitre 10 were scoured to make up the shortfall. "The staff there were really helpful and gave me lots of advice. And, of course, I watched YouTube videos."

Beringer had a budget of $40k and a timeframe of a year to build her tiny house. "I gave up my day job and found part-time work in hospitality, which gave me more time to work on the house."

Using recycled building materials meant Beringer was able to save money. But some of her biggest outlays were for solar panels (around $6k) and a bio-digester toilet that she had to import from Israel.

"It's a bit of an unusual set-up, but it means that there's no waste because I use the methane produced from it to cook with and the rest is fertiliser for my garden."

True to her word, Beringer moved in a year after she started building her tiny house.

"It wasn't finished, but it meant I could give up my flat. I had power and a mattress on the floor and I was able to be on-site to finish the interior work."

Beringer eventually moved the completed house onto another rural site where she pays $160 a week rent, which also includes a workshop where she tinkers with building projects.

In fact, when Beringer finished building her tiny house, she realised that she had no desire to go back to her former career. "I love building so much that I didn't want to stop."

She started a three-year carpentry apprenticeship, which she will complete in November.

"I’m currently working for Allison Brothers Construction in Albany, which I love. And I’m teaching woodwork to other women at the WomenzShed in Sandringham."

Via her new career, Beringer met two other women who similarly gave up their jobs to pursue a building career, both of whom have become close friends.

"One of the women is French, and the other is Kiwi, and one day we’d love to start our own building firm. I’d love to see more women in the building trade."

Also on the cards is future travel to Canada and Northern Europe, where Beringer would like to pick up other countries’ building techniques.

She recently spent four months in France, where her family was thrilled with her career change.

"Building is my love language, and it helped me bond with my brother, father and step-father. I ended up helping my family with renovation work and put up some shelves with Mum. My parents own a restaurant and they’re always telling customers, our daughter lives in New Zealand and she built her own tiny house. They’ve very proud of me."

Beringer, who is currently adding a deck to her tiny house, would encourage anyone thinking of buying, or building, a tiny house to go for it.

"We live in a beautiful country where anything is possible. And actually the less money you have, the more you’re forced to be creative, so not having lots of money can be an advantage when building a tiny house. But I love what I’ve created and the happy home I’ve made here."