A grandad has managed to build himself his dream home simply by watching tutorial videos on YouTube that taught him the skills he needed to finish the job.
Anthony Launer, from Yorketown, South Australia, began construction on the mammoth project in Krabi, Thailand, in January 2020 - as the COVID-19 pandemic meant he was unable to travel back to Australia.
The 54-year-old photographer then spent almost two years working on the house before finishing it in December 2021, with nothing but DIY guides online to help him navigate the task.
He said: "When COVID hit, we couldn't get back to Australia as all flights were cancelled. So, I decided to use the time and build my own house with my own hands, with no outfit help, except YouTube.
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"Blood sweat and tears was definitely the case here. Working in the Thai heat is not easy. I was overwhelmed many times, especially when I was landscaping and building at the same time.
"There are a million challenges but it's rewarding to achieve each challenge. I couldn't look at the finish line, only the next task ahead.
"Honestly, I find it hard to believe I did it. Many would not believe it. I sit here even now thinking 'but how?' It's amazing what your mind and abilities can do if you just let them do it.
"We hold ourselves back in life, too happy in our comfort zone. You really can do anything if you just apply your mind. I'm very proud."
The dad-of-three and grandad-of-four has even dedicated one room of his new house to his collection of retro memorabilia, as he has a 1950's milk bar that he set up using some of the items he and his wife, Amornrat Amy Launer, picked up while they were still back home in Australia.
He added: "In Australia, our whole house was retro vintage as we fell in love with 'the vibe' of the history of advertising and how they could claim whatever they liked about their products. We started to bring some of our collection to Thailand before the pandemic as it was our plan to eventually live here, so glad we did that.
"After building my house I decided to dedicate one room that connects to the garage into the classic corner store, combining it with the 1950s diner theme and your favourite corner store you loved as a child.
"It took a month to build everything and set it up. I only officially completed it last week. I was very happy with the results."
Now that his project is complete, Anthony says he's "kind of sad" he has nothing left to work on - especially as he now has a completed house, but still has a shipping container full of vintage items that he's yet to display.
He said: "I'm kind of sad that it's finished, and I have no more room to display, as I still have a shipping container back in Australia with loads of beautiful vintage items.
"It was the strangest feeling when I completed the room as I thought to myself 'wow I made all this,' it was an extremely rewarding feeling.
"I didn't want to build a room with four blank walls, I wanted them to be a feature themselves.
"Thailand is a little chaotic with its building and landscaping, so I wanted a place I could come home to and feel relaxed and sorted whilst still loving Thailand for what it is."
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