Hard call, I bought a house at 21 (now 22). My salary isn't great neither is my partners, and ontop of that I have a daughter.
House seems like a good deal, what about selling possessions and downsizing them like car, from the savings pour the additional funds into buying that house, then all you will have is a mortgage rather than rent+saving?
It's hard to say what is advisable as I don't know what your outgoings are like... If anything eliminate any outgoings you don't need...
I manage on a combined income of 28k, with
2 Bed house (Mortgaged)
All the usual bills
Daughter
2 Loans
Small amount on credit card
and still have money left over...
But finding a job that pays that well at your age is hard, I know even British Gas is struggling. As I guy I know never bothered doing any private work always passed it on, won't do a job that pays less than £120 etc... and is now moaning he has no overtime or extra income since the OT dried up and the hours reduced. Swapping careers will see a drop from that salary as said already.
Maintenance companies don't pay as well as they use to, the market is open to companies he win contracts to the lowest bidder.