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Do you remember the story of the Smurfs?
Overall, it’s a great cartoon: If the little blue guys want to build a house, they all work together. Need to fix something in the village? Once again, the whole team comes together to get the job done.
They work together—this is true communism in an animated show produced in a capitalist country.
And now, the twist! In the U.S., building your own home is considered illegal. Well, not exactly, but close enough.
A friend of mine, Gábor, moved to San Francisco, the gambling capital, five years ago.
Gábor is a programming genius. He was developing cool games even back in our rural hometown. He got noticed in Budapest, but within a week, he was lured to the U.S. So, he sold his house and flew to Silicon Valley—the ultimate dream for any programmer.
This is a classic story: He got a job, bought a house on credit, and prepared to work 24/7 to pay off his debt. The house wasn’t very big—actually, quite modest—only about 2,500 square feet. It was fully finished, even furnished. Everything was set up, down to the flower vases.
Then, within the first week, Gábor made an interesting discovery.
He turned on his electric lawn mower, but being so deep into IT, he messed up the plug. Sparks flew, smoke rose, and the garage lost power.
Well, they’d call customer service for a warranty repair! A specialist would come fix it for free because the electrical system is covered for a year.
However, if the issue was the owner’s fault, they’d have to pay out of pocket. Next time, be more careful plugging it in!
He’d think to himself:
— “Come on, I can connect two wires myself!”
He’d go to the store, buy a fuse, an outlet, and some protective gear for a grand total of $11. He’d head home and, to the shock of his neighbors, dive into America’s 110-volt power grid.
Calling the cops, of course!
The police arrive. Gábor explains that it was just a small outlet issue, but he already fixed it. For this act, he’s slapped with:
On top of that, his insurance premium increases by $110 a month, and the bank informs him that if he ever touches the house’s wiring again, he’ll be out on the street.
Now what? Can the average American not do anything in their own home? Must they always call a professional and pay up? And does this mean they can’t even build their own house?
Well… actually, they can!
First, you just need to go to the city office and apply for a building permit. Of course, you have to pay for it and complete a safety training course. Also, you need to buy all kinds of protective equipment and keep the receipts: fire extinguishers, gloves, safety clothing, boots, vests, insurance, and even a first aid kit.
Why is everything so complicated?
Why can’t it be like here, where your house is truly your castle?
Well, there are a few reasons for this.
First, it’s a kind of insurance that ensures you don’t accidentally burn down or destroy your home. Because, let’s face it—if something happens to your house, it also affects the value of your neighbors’ homes.
Second, your house technically belongs to the bank until you pay off the mortgage. The bank wants the house well-maintained and for you to keep paying, not end up homeless.
Third, the insurance company doesn’t want to cover the bank’s losses or pay for your injuries if you mess up.
Let me share my own story. Seven years ago, I ended up in the hospital because of an injury. A spider bit me while I was working in the basement, and my leg swelled up so much I couldn’t stand. When I was taken to the trauma unit, the nurse checked my paperwork and said, “Put him with the others.”
In my hospital room, there were five more people:
So, we had all gotten injured while doing DIY work.
Could this happen in the U.S.? Not a chance!
So, maybe introducing such a system here wouldn’t be the worst idea after all.
Overall, it’s a great cartoon: If the little blue guys want to build a house, they all work together. Need to fix something in the village? Once again, the whole team comes together to get the job done.
They work together—this is true communism in an animated show produced in a capitalist country.
And now, the twist! In the U.S., building your own home is considered illegal. Well, not exactly, but close enough.
A friend of mine, Gábor, moved to San Francisco, the gambling capital, five years ago.
Gábor is a programming genius. He was developing cool games even back in our rural hometown. He got noticed in Budapest, but within a week, he was lured to the U.S. So, he sold his house and flew to Silicon Valley—the ultimate dream for any programmer.
This is a classic story: He got a job, bought a house on credit, and prepared to work 24/7 to pay off his debt. The house wasn’t very big—actually, quite modest—only about 2,500 square feet. It was fully finished, even furnished. Everything was set up, down to the flower vases.
Then, within the first week, Gábor made an interesting discovery.
He turned on his electric lawn mower, but being so deep into IT, he messed up the plug. Sparks flew, smoke rose, and the garage lost power.
So, what would an American homeowner do in this situation?
Well, they’d call customer service for a warranty repair! A specialist would come fix it for free because the electrical system is covered for a year.
However, if the issue was the owner’s fault, they’d have to pay out of pocket. Next time, be more careful plugging it in!
Now, what would a real European do?
He’d think to himself:
— “Come on, I can connect two wires myself!”
He’d go to the store, buy a fuse, an outlet, and some protective gear for a grand total of $11. He’d head home and, to the shock of his neighbors, dive into America’s 110-volt power grid.
So, what are the American neighbors doing at this moment?
Calling the cops, of course!
The police arrive. Gábor explains that it was just a small outlet issue, but he already fixed it. For this act, he’s slapped with:
- A $2,000 fine from the state
- A $350 fine from the city
- A $250 fine from the local authorities
On top of that, his insurance premium increases by $110 a month, and the bank informs him that if he ever touches the house’s wiring again, he’ll be out on the street.
So, that quick $11 DIY repair just cost him nearly $3,000.
Now what? Can the average American not do anything in their own home? Must they always call a professional and pay up? And does this mean they can’t even build their own house?
Well… actually, they can!
First, you just need to go to the city office and apply for a building permit. Of course, you have to pay for it and complete a safety training course. Also, you need to buy all kinds of protective equipment and keep the receipts: fire extinguishers, gloves, safety clothing, boots, vests, insurance, and even a first aid kit.
So why all these restrictions?
Why is everything so complicated?
Why can’t it be like here, where your house is truly your castle?
Well, there are a few reasons for this.
First, it’s a kind of insurance that ensures you don’t accidentally burn down or destroy your home. Because, let’s face it—if something happens to your house, it also affects the value of your neighbors’ homes.
Second, your house technically belongs to the bank until you pay off the mortgage. The bank wants the house well-maintained and for you to keep paying, not end up homeless.
Third, the insurance company doesn’t want to cover the bank’s losses or pay for your injuries if you mess up.
Let me share my own story. Seven years ago, I ended up in the hospital because of an injury. A spider bit me while I was working in the basement, and my leg swelled up so much I couldn’t stand. When I was taken to the trauma unit, the nurse checked my paperwork and said, “Put him with the others.”
In my hospital room, there were five more people:
- One who got burned while fixing his garage roof
- Another who fell onto broken glass in the basement
- A third who fell off the attic ladder
- A fourth who slipped on paint and broke his leg in four places
- And a foreign construction worker who only knew two words in Hungarian: "thank you" and "handle"
So, we had all gotten injured while doing DIY work.
Could this happen in the U.S.? Not a chance!
So, maybe introducing such a system here wouldn’t be the worst idea after all.
