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I have received a lot of messages in recent days asking about the cost of straw bale construction. The basic question is: what does it cost per square foot to build a bale home? It is all but impossible for me to answer this question because there are so many factors involved in calculating cost. What region is the home built in? What design features does it have?
Perhaps the most important question is: What kind of interior finishes will be used? Most people don’t realize that the real budget killers are things like plumbing fixtures, cabinets, and lighting. These items can take an inexpensive house over the top quickly.
The actual cost to build a bale house compared to an exact copy in conventional construction is a bit easier to consider. I tell folks to plan on about a 20% increase in price. This is because the labor the install the bale walls is quite high and the other trades like electricians are impacted by the bales as well. Consider that you will likely see an energy savings of about 75% over a conventional home for the life of the home. This savings more than makes up for the higher initial cost of construction.
About the Author
Andrew Morison is a specialist in straw bale and green construction. He has shown thousands of peple how to build their own straw bale projects through his comprehensive series of instructional straw bale, concrete foundation, and plastering DVDs. You can chck these out at http://www.LearnStrawBale.com.com.
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December 18th, 2007 at 7:23 am
I am interested in buildin g a very small (200) sq ft straw bale getaway in my back yard nothing elaborate I am in SC what wxactly would I need to do to start other thatn finding and retieing bales?
Please reply
December 19th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Teri,
You will need to come up with some kind of design and plans. Even a small building can be difficult if not done with a set of plans to work from. You can buy a set of plans for a 200SF cottage at http://www.LearnStrawBale.com. Once you have plans, bales, and an understanding of how to build with them, you need a solid foundation and some good sleep!
Andrew
March 4th, 2008 at 10:03 am
If you do most of your own labor does that lower the cost? We want something that will be cheaper than conventional construction. Are there other ways to lower the cost?
Cammie
March 10th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Hi Cammie. Yes, the labor is a big part of the cost. Another large part is the plaster material. If you can use a native clay soil and mix it with lime (rather than using pure lime plaster or stucco) you will save money on materials. The other thing is to plan for material use before you start. Design your building to use the material you have smartly. In other words, if the most expensive material is the drywall (obviously hypothetical) then design the layout of the walls to use full sheets so you don’t throw away the material scraps that have cost you so much! Another huge piece is to design the building as a simple structure. The more unusual the design, the more expensive it will likely become. If you have second story walls bearing on an open floor plan below, you will require engineering and expensive beams. That is one example of many that can influence price. Good luck.
April 28th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
se puede tomar el workshop en espanol??
saludos
April 28th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Por desgracia, no hablo muy bien español. Tengo el básico: lo suficiente para mí alrededor de la ciudad en Mexico, pero no lo suficiente como para enseñar. Este mensaje ha sido traducido por mí, no sabía las palabras de mi propia cabeza. Espero mejorar mi español en el futuro y ofrecer un taller para los que hablan español.
October 5th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Hi Andrew,
I am looking at a larger building that would be square. It would be partly a health spa and partly home, and bed and breakfast. How does cost change when increasing size? In other words is 200 sf the same cost proportionate to 1000 or 4000 sf? In other words does the sf cost change as the house gets larger? By roughly how much?
November 12th, 2008 at 8:12 am
My husband’s parents have added on to their existing house using straw bale construction. I love the fact that you naturally have well insulated walls and even roof. My husband and I want to build our house using this same technique. I was wondering if you knew of finance companies that will finance straw bale construction. We live in UT and the few companies that are in town have said they won’t finance because it is new.
November 12th, 2008 at 8:21 am
Hi Kristi. First off, I would advise against using bales in the ceiling or on the roof for insulation. They are very heavy and so the framing has to be increased significantly to accommodate them. There is not enough increased insulation value to justify the extra cost and work involved in this.
As far as banks, there used to be several who would loan on straw bale construction; however, with the current financial down turn, i do not know if they are still actively funding straw bale construction.
Do a search at the top of http://www.StrawBale.com for “Financing and Straw Bale Construction” and make sure the SB.com button is marked. That will take you to an article I wrote about financing bale homes that will help you find what you need. I don’t see why you would not be able to get financing assuming you are “loanable” under current conditions. Good luck.
November 20th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Hi Andrew,
I plan on building a straw bale home in the near future as my first home; however, I was wondering if installing floor heating and possibly a wood stove would change any of my plans on building?
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:06 am
Those items are a great asset in a bale home. You will need to incorporate them into your plans, but they will be easily added with little affect on your overall plan.