Markus and Hannah were able to fulfill their dream of owning an affordable home for themselves and their three children after all. Their former railroad caretaker's cottage is a cozy 85 m² and is already over 100 years old. Despite a tight budget, they have carefully and lovingly renovated it themselves. The section of track on which the railroad cottage is located has been used by trains since 1848, and in 1894/95 a level crossing was set up at this point, along with a station keeper's cottage - Post 37. Located directly on the Tübingen-Stuttgart railroad line, two to four trains an hour still rush past the kitchen window today. No problem for the small family. After all, the noise of the train is over in a few seconds and the idyllic country house is restored just as quickly as it was interrupted. By a stroke of luck, Hannah and Markus found out about the small railroad keeper's cottage around four years ago, saw the opportunity to wake the old building from its slumber and bought it. The renovation took well over a year. Only the necessary, technically important details such as the roof and insulation were carried out by professionals. They did the rest themselves with the help of friends and family. This enabled them to keep the costs low. It was particularly important to Hannah and Markus to preserve and restore the history of the little house. They therefore converted the two rooms on the first floor back into a spacious kitchen-cum-living room - just as it would have been a hundred years ago. During the demolition work, they also uncovered half-timbering and old woodwork and incorporated them into the room design as design elements. This is also how Hannah and Markus discovered the history of the old cottage: in those days, train attendants were not paid very generously, so they were given a cottage as well as a large plot of land where they could keep livestock and farm to support themselves. The family therefore also benefited from a large, wild garden - a natural idyll just a 15-minute walk from the town. The former stable was therefore located to the left of the entrance to the house, with a step separating it from the living area. The new bathroom was created here during the renovation. Instead of bringing the floor of the former stable and the living area to the same level, Hannah and Markus left the step in its original state - as a reminder of the house's history. Hannah and Markus also exposed the old beams and half-timbering on the upper floor and turned the gable of the small house into a shared "sleeping cave" for their eldest children. The parents planned with foresight: the children's room below the gable can be divided when the children grow up and want their own room. Sustainability is very important to Hannah and Markus. Much of the furniture in the little house is therefore second-hand, some has been taken over from friends and some was still in the house from the previous owner. They have installed a solar system on the roof, which produces far more electricity than the small house needs and can therefore also store it. Together with the infrared heaters distributed throughout the house, the solar power ensures that the family is almost 100% energy self-sufficient. The family spent a total of around 330,000 euros on buying and renovating the house. Originally, a small extension was even planned and included in the calculation. Although they had calculated very generously, they canceled the extension during the construction phase and the planned money went towards the renovation. Prices in the construction sector were already rising too sharply at the time. Now the family is happy without the extension. A movie by: Jörg Hommer (editor), Baharak Bayat (camera), Johannes Bock (camera / sound) and Petra Hölge-Finkbeiner (editor). 00:00 Old railroad keeper's cottage becomes home 00:42 Living and dining area 02:39 Kitchen 04:50 Bathroom 05:54 Children's room 06:39 Bedroom 07:22 Playroom 08:33 Outdoor Area