Cob - Build a house, pay cash.

[josh7328]

Have you guys ever heard of the building material called cob? Looks like a pretty amazing way to go if you're thinking of building your own house. Only thing is you gotta find a place with building codes that allow you to build it. Google it!

Here is an example of a nice Cob house.
http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/the-lit...ouse-in-texas/

Various Cob homes and structures:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=GbM2In5Hfx4

[josh7328]

we looked at alot of these techniques, cob, staw bale, rammed earth, underground, concrete geodesic, etc.

I think many of them would be GREAT homes. Great for insulation against temperature variations, wind noise, etc.

And you can build most of the ones I mentioned yourself, or with minimal help. (depending on who you are)

The problem we have run into is... will there be a buyer for the home, IF you decided to sell. Most Americans stay in there home roughly 5 years, I think they say. But, if you were going to settle down permanent, or for a family cabin it would be great.

Good point, but I think that one would be more motivated to stay put if they actually put their own blood, sweat and tears into the house.

[birddog]

We have looked into all of that stuff and its awesome! Most building codes wont allow it (although straw bale is catching on especially around Salida).

There is a lot of building techniques that are not really that different, just used on new ways that is super smart. Things like thermal mass, sun angles, etc.

[Longnecktipper]

Cool house , and building them yourself only adds to the cool factor .

[BushMasterBoy]

I still like the shipping container home. Made out of a steel shipping container, it won't burn! I kinda favor the F-Troop style fort made out of shipping containers. But this cabin style is really cool...

[relichunter]

Nice! Shipping containers are cool if you keep it simple. There is a three story straw bale house here in FOCO. It took at least 2 years to sell if it ever did. I saw them replastering it last year. Very thick walls = quiet and well insulated. http://www.reelmotioninc.com/videos/...mes/merten.php Friends of mine built their own house in New Zealand with straw bales for next to nothing. Unless you build it yourself cob, straw, etc typically cost about 20% more than traditional stick build.

I still like the shipping container home. Made out of a steel shipping container, it won't burn! I kinda favor the F-Troop style fort made out of shipping containers. But this cabin style is really cool...

[wyome]

My uncle made a house out of straw bales and recycle/reclaimed telephone pole timbers. Walls were like two and a half feet thick of straw...ceiling was about three feet thick of straw before the sheathing and tile. He stuccoed the exterior and interior himself, and got almost all the supplies for free.

Hard part was getting code inspectors to sign off on stuff...when they wouldn't he just went ahead and built the place anyway...couldn't get home owner's insurance either. Just insurance for the contents of the home.

Home was always cool in the summer and warm in the winter...quite an accomplishment living out by El Paso TX!

Before that he built a house out of doors. Hundreds and hundreds of doors...

[josh7328]

I would be worried about the strength of a straw bale house. Am I missing something?

[Irving]

What happens if you break a window? I don't know much about construction, but it looks like it would be difficult to do a replacement on some of those. Is there framing underneath, then you just build the stucco back up?

[wyome]

In my uncles place the house's corners were cut down telephone poles. The walls were poles laid on the there side at the bottom and top. Before the top was placed on the wall holes were drilled into the poles for rebar. Then the bales were placed up top and pushed down with the rebar going thru them before the top pole was placed on top.

The roof was done the same way....but sideways.

Instead of anchoring the poles to the concrete slab they dug out the foundation areas to accept the poles, and they were placed in the cement slab as it was being poured. Very few nails used structurally in this house.

Their problem was selling it 20 yrs later...no once could get a loan for it...so they sold the land, with a "shed" on it.