11-Year Old Is Building a House

When my father was nine years old, he built a functional go-cart from spare parts that he found around the family farm. This kid is sort of like that. Dylan Karam, 11, of Opunake, New Zealand, is building a house:

Since getting a hammer when he was five, Dylan has never been far from a construction site and has helped builders around Opunake in the last six years.

But it is his latest project that could be his most impressive.

The young chippy is voluntarily putting in eight to nine hour days to help build Beau LeProu a new house on Aytoun St.

"He started turning up last year with his apron and his hammer and he's been back every day since. He does more hours than any of us. He is here before us and leaves after us and he cleans up after himself," said head builder Phil Brophy.

"Yeah, I get here at about 7.30am I suppose and stay until about 5pm," Dylan said, hand resting on his 20-ounce Estwing hammer bought just days ago with some of his Christmas money.

He also picked up some magnetic screwdrivers, a tape measure and folding builder's ruler.

When these aren't hanging from his waist in his leather builder's apron they are at home safe in the wooden toolbox he built.

Link | Photo: Cameron Burnell/Taranaki Daily News