Follow every step Garrett used to build a stunning €40,000 reclaimed‑window cabin from scratch with no prior building experience.
Based on: Extraordinary Cabin Built From a Puzzle of Old Windows by Living Big In A Tiny House
▶ Watch the source video on YouTube
What if the most beautiful room you ever stepped into was built entirely from windows someone else threw away? That question is exactly what Garrett — a jazz musician with zero building experience — answered when he spotted a photo online and refused to let the idea go. The result is a breathtaking 6m x 6m x 11m cabin in the Netherlands, dripping with character, flooded with natural light, and built for around €40,000 all-in. And he did it himself, mostly, with help from his teenage son and a few willing neighbors.
Maybe you have land sitting idle, a dream of a creative studio or guest cabin, or you just cannot stomach the idea of paying contractor prices for something you know you could figure out yourself. The problem is knowing where to actually start. Where do you source reclaimed windows without ending up with a mismatched mess? How do you design a structure around irregular materials? What foundation system works without pouring a single yard of concrete? How do you sequence the build so you are not stuck halfway through with a leaking roof and no idea what comes next?
That gap between inspiration and execution is exactly where most people stall. They pin beautiful salvage builds on Pinterest, watch the video twice, and then do nothing because the path forward feels too vague.
This checklist changes that. Living Big In A Tiny House documented every key decision Garrett made — from sourcing windows on Amsterdam street corners and local marketplaces, to screwing iron poles into the ground instead of pouring concrete, to building scale models with tiny figurines to solve headroom problems before a single real beam was cut. Every one of those decisions is mapped into a clear, ordered action step you can follow.
You will know which materials to source new versus reclaimed and why. You will know how to design around a puzzle of irregular windows rather than fighting them. You will know how to build a radiant-style fireplace heating system, pour a stone-effect floor over wood, wire in character lighting, and handle the bathroom waterproofing stage that Garrett admits gave him the most trouble.
Garrett proved that patience, a scale model, and a willingness to look everything up is enough to build something extraordinary. This checklist gives you his entire playbook in one place so you can do the same.
Every checklist item comes with actionable notes to guide you — things like "Don't forget to do this before you start," "Avoid this common mistake," or "Set a reminder for 30 days out." Nothing vague, just clear next steps.
+ 26 more action items inside...
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