In 2020, Dao Van Thao, born in 2000 and originally from Nghia Thanh Commune, HCMC, moved to the city to pursue a career in photography. In the early days, he rented a small room to live in and rest after work.

In 2023, he married Vu Quy Xuan Vy, born in 2002. The couple moved into a more spacious rental home and continued making a living in the city.

After spending years in cramped rental accommodation, they longed to have a home of their own. However, soaring property prices made their dream of buying a home in the city seem increasingly out of reach.

Moreover, life in the city was becoming increasingly stifling for the young couple.

Their rented homes never gave them a true sense of belonging. Whenever they wanted to renovate or change their living space, they had to seek the landlord's permission, and some changes were not allowed at all.

In May 2026, Thao and his wife decided to leave the city and return to his hometown to build a house on a 100-sqm plot of land given to them by his parents.

The decision offered them the chance to own a home while living close to their parents, making it easier to care for their child's education.

Their jobs in photography and makeup, which offer flexible schedules, also allowed them to continue earning a living after moving back to the countryside.

“At the time, we had only VND200 million in savings. We borrowed more money from relatives to build the house, with a planned budget of VND250 million,” Thao said.

On the 100-sqm plot, Thao built a 50-sqm house, leaving the rest of the land for a yard and garden.

The single-story house, with a corrugated metal roof, has two bedrooms, a bathroom, a combined living room and kitchen, meeting the needs of the small family.

Thao sketched the initial design himself. Without any formal architectural training, he envisioned the home he wanted, drawing inspiration from ideas he found online and resorts he had visited.

“We didn't need a large house. We prioritized convenience, an airy layout and easy cleaning. For us, home should be a place to rest and relax after a day's work,” Thao said.

To make the most of natural light, he designed 11 openings, including the main door and windows. Their orientation was carefully planned to catch sunlight, keeping the small space bright and well ventilated without the need to turn on lights during the day.

Hiring builders to complete the structural shell cost around VND140 million. The couple set aside the remaining money to finish the house and buy materials and items for the interior.

With construction material prices rising, they had to calculate every expense carefully. Rather than hire carpenters and interior contractors, they decided to do as much of the work themselves as they could.

The couple made their own beds, wardrobes, TV cabinets, desks and kitchen cabinets. They also built the porch roof, laid the brick paving in the yard and ground the floor themselves to reduce labor costs.

“I had never built a house before and had no experience operating machinery or making furniture. But I wanted so badly to finish our home that I was willing to learn from scratch. I worked during the day, then spent my evenings figuring out how to use tools, studying techniques for making beds and cabinets, and finishing every little corner. After two months of construction, I had lost 5kg,” Thao recalled with a laugh.

For certain items, Thao sourced secondhand materials to redesign and repurpose. All 11 sets of doors were repurposed from old doors and adjusted to fit the home's overall aesthetic. Among them, the main front door cost a mere 700,000 VND.

After nearly 150 days of tireless effort at a total cost of 250 million VND, Thao and his wife completed their home.

This cost figure surprised many, drawing skepticism in an era when both construction materials and labor fees are expensive. However, Thao affirmed that 250 million VND was indeed the exact sum spent to achieve their desired 50m2 house.

As the home reached completion, initial criticism gradually turned into surprise and praise. Many were delighted by the spatial layout, color palette, and simple yet harmonious furniture pieces.

Thanh Minh