Comments on: Your Time to Shine… http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house The World's Leader in Straw Bale Education Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:14:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Andrew Morrison http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-31854 Andrew Morrison Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:58:48 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-31854 Hi Sonja. There are some factors in this that will greatly impact the number. I would need to know the height and length of the walls, the amount of windows and the height of the landscape wall. I no longer contract, but I teach workshops and consult with builders and owner/builders all over the world. Hi Sonja. There are some factors in this that will greatly impact the number. I would need to know the height and length of the walls, the amount of windows and the height of the landscape wall. I no longer contract, but I teach workshops and consult with builders and owner/builders all over the world.

]]> By: Sonja Carson http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-31853 Sonja Carson Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:35:57 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-31853 Andrew, Can you tell me approximately how many bales required for a 3,000 sq. ft. home and an acre fenced with strawbale? Also, I live in the Methow Valley in easter Washington. Do you work here? Thanks. Andrew,

Can you tell me approximately how many bales required for a 3,000 sq. ft. home and an acre fenced with strawbale?

Also, I live in the Methow Valley in easter Washington.
Do you work here?

Thanks.

]]> By: Andrew http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-2115 Andrew Tue, 03 Jun 2008 05:42:02 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-2115 Sarah, I prefer to use water isolation walls to keep the tubs and showers away from the bales. This also allows more room for the bathroom size in a home design. Basically, build a 2x6 wall behind the shower and then isolate the sides of the intersection of that wall with the bale wall with roofing felt. it is hard to explain in words on a blog, but something I can show you in person or perhaps better explain in direct contact. The key here is that you can build a shower next to an exterior wall, but I would recommend against using a bale wall in that area. Sarah,
I prefer to use water isolation walls to keep the tubs and showers away from the bales. This also allows more room for the bathroom size in a home design. Basically, build a 2×6 wall behind the shower and then isolate the sides of the intersection of that wall with the bale wall with roofing felt. it is hard to explain in words on a blog, but something I can show you in person or perhaps better explain in direct contact. The key here is that you can build a shower next to an exterior wall, but I would recommend against using a bale wall in that area.

]]> By: Sarah Locke http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-2113 Sarah Locke Tue, 03 Jun 2008 03:15:07 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-2113 We are building a strawbale home in eastern BC this summer, and I'm wondering about bathroom moisture issues. Is it okay to have tubs/showers next to strawbale walls, or should they be placed on interior walls. Layout is way better if placed on exterior wall, so I hope this is a viable optionb. Sarah We are building a strawbale home in eastern BC this summer, and I’m wondering about bathroom moisture issues. Is it okay to have tubs/showers next to strawbale walls, or should they be placed on interior walls. Layout is way better if placed on exterior wall, so I hope this is a viable optionb.
Sarah

]]> By: Betty J Polley http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-1929 Betty J Polley Thu, 08 May 2008 16:33:42 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-1929 Lesleigh; I don`t own a camera but if you know what a real igloo looks like you got it only much larger, I did not use lumber at all. I used filled in old tires for the foundation, permafrost is somthing I have no knowledge of. I used chicken wire, baleing wire and mud/clay/straw for plaster.I build it one layer at a time placeing pipe style natual light as I went .I build a central open fireplace with a large cap which keeps the roof intack. Betty Jo Lesleigh; I don`t own a camera but if you know what a real igloo looks like you got it only much larger, I did not use lumber at all. I used filled in old tires for the foundation, permafrost is somthing I have no knowledge of.
I used chicken wire, baleing wire and mud/clay/straw for plaster.I build it one layer at a time placeing pipe style natual light as I went .I build a central open fireplace with a large cap which keeps the roof intack.
Betty Jo

]]> By: Lesleigh http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-1915 Lesleigh Tue, 06 May 2008 21:48:10 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-1915 Do you have any pictures of your house to post, Betty Jo? I love the idea of building in a circle, which would certainly be appropriate up here in the arctic, but I think the most I can do is maybe an octagon due to the restrictions of material supply (everything has to be pre-ordered to come up by ship in the summer, so it is hard to experiment and run to the local lumber yard for odds and ends when you need them. You also say "circles", can you give us an idea of your floor plan? Lesleigh Do you have any pictures of your house to post, Betty Jo? I love the idea of building in a circle, which would certainly be appropriate up here in the arctic, but I think the most I can do is maybe an octagon due to the restrictions of material supply (everything has to be pre-ordered to come up by ship in the summer, so it is hard to experiment and run to the local lumber yard for odds and ends when you need them.
You also say “circles”, can you give us an idea of your floor plan?
Lesleigh

]]> By: Betty J Polley http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-1902 Betty J Polley Mon, 05 May 2008 04:44:25 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-1902 Dear Andrew, Thank you so very much for all your valuable information, I am so pleased. I started building a lifelong dream home of circles last spring the main part was finished just before winter set in and I spent most of a really cold windy winter as snug as a bug in a rug. This circle is 40 ft. in diamiter and is the main part of the house to be. The hardest part was designing it so I could build it by myself as I have no nieghbors for miles . Although it was a lot of work it is exactly what I thought it would be, I am planing to start the next circle which will be the kitchen if it ever stops storming. Happy Baleing and thanks again. Betty JO Dear Andrew,
Thank you so very much for all your valuable information, I am so pleased.
I started building a lifelong dream home of circles last spring the main part was finished just before winter set in and I spent most of a really cold windy winter as snug as a bug in a rug. This circle is 40 ft. in diamiter and is the main part of the house to be. The hardest part was designing it so I could build it by myself as I have no nieghbors for miles . Although it was a lot of work it is exactly what I thought it would be, I am planing to start the next circle which will be the kitchen if it ever stops storming. Happy Baleing and thanks again.
Betty JO

]]> By: Andrew http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-1572 Andrew Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:06:23 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-1572 Buck, It is possible to build a straw bale home for less than a conventional home, but not when built by a contractor. The cost of labor is much higher than the cost of materials and building a bale house takes a lot of labor. In addition, the plaster is very expensive when compared with regular siding and you have to do it on both sides of the walls. In other words, plaster on the inside and out is much more expensive than drywall and siding. Finally, the other trades like plumbing and electrical have to work with materials they are not accustomed to and they often charge more for the work as a result. The good news is that you save thousands on heating and cooling bills for the life of the home and the extra money spent up front is gained back and more over the life of the home. Buck,
It is possible to build a straw bale home for less than a conventional home, but not when built by a contractor. The cost of labor is much higher than the cost of materials and building a bale house takes a lot of labor. In addition, the plaster is very expensive when compared with regular siding and you have to do it on both sides of the walls. In other words, plaster on the inside and out is much more expensive than drywall and siding. Finally, the other trades like plumbing and electrical have to work with materials they are not accustomed to and they often charge more for the work as a result. The good news is that you save thousands on heating and cooling bills for the life of the home and the extra money spent up front is gained back and more over the life of the home.

]]> By: buck http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-2#comment-1571 buck Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:42:10 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-1571 Why is it that straw bale is more expensive? What drives the cost up? I would have guessed it could be done much cheaper? Like the site... Want to build one soon. Why is it that straw bale is more expensive? What drives the cost up?

I would have guessed it could be done much cheaper?

Like the site…
Want to build one soon.

]]> By: Carlos http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house/comment-page-1#comment-1550 Carlos Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:41:44 +0000 http://www.strawbale.com/straw-bale-house#comment-1550 I have been building an infill type straw bale home for about 3 years. It took me almost 14 months to get a building permit. The home is to the stage of putting in the bales. It is an oval shaped (viewed from on top of the bluff) home on 35 acres. It has a well, septic system, solar thermal panels, and p.v. panels. It is a one story on a full basement. It has taken so long for several reasons: the shape, the distance from civilization I work on it and sometimes my wife but not many other people, and usually I am quoted what I feel to be outrageous sums of money to do something. I have helped others build homes (over 20) not straw bale though. I Help at Habitat for Humanity, for over 19 years. Everyone asks me why, why I want to live in a place with grass sticking out, did you ever hear of the three little pigs, what about wind, spiders,snakes,bugs, mice, why do I want to live off-grid, without running water, without electricity, or gas, or heat. I do get a lot of people who come and look and ask questions for hours. Some who say they would like to help, most never come back. I have really no traffic other than all kinds of birds (eagles,falcons,hawks,bluebirds,hummingbirds) or moose,elk,deer,antelope, bobcat, lynx and long-tailed weasels and at night when it is clear, I can see more stars than I could count and the Milky-Way does look milky. Anyway, I would like to finish the house this year and move in (carrying and stacking several hundred bales does take 1 person a while). We are going to use lime for the finish and I will be getting some metal tanks to fill with water and the lime to let it hydrate as soon as I can. I figure it will take about 11 cubic yards to put on the inside and outside 1" thick. Our land has red sand from the Morrison formation in Colorado so I will just add that to the exterior lime coat. I have never done any of this before with this material or straw. I have pictures I could send, but no website, sorry I have been building an infill type straw bale home for about 3 years. It took me almost 14 months to get a building permit. The home is to the stage of putting in the bales. It is an oval shaped (viewed from on top of the bluff) home on 35 acres. It has a well, septic system, solar thermal panels, and p.v. panels. It is a one story on a full basement. It has taken so long for several reasons: the shape, the distance from civilization I work on it and sometimes my wife but not many other people, and usually I am quoted what I feel to be outrageous sums of money to do something. I have helped others build homes (over 20) not straw bale though. I Help at Habitat for Humanity, for over 19 years. Everyone asks me why, why I want to live in a place with grass sticking out, did you ever hear of the three little pigs, what about wind, spiders,snakes,bugs, mice, why do I want to live off-grid, without running water, without electricity, or gas, or heat. I do get a lot of people who come and look and ask questions for hours. Some who say they would like to help, most never come back. I have really no traffic other than all kinds of birds (eagles,falcons,hawks,bluebirds,hummingbirds) or moose,elk,deer,antelope, bobcat, lynx and long-tailed weasels and at night when it is clear, I can see more stars than I could count and the Milky-Way does look milky.

Anyway, I would like to finish the house this year and move in (carrying and stacking several hundred bales does take 1 person a while). We are going to use lime for the finish and I will be getting some metal tanks to fill with water and the lime to let it hydrate as soon as I can. I figure it will take about 11 cubic yards to put on the inside and outside 1″ thick. Our land has red sand from the Morrison formation in Colorado so I will just add that to the exterior lime coat. I have never done any of this before with this material or straw. I have pictures I could send, but no website, sorry

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