In Your Instructor’s Own Words
Solid Design is Paramount to Your Straw Bale Success
From Timbo Scursso, Your Instructor and Design-Professional
Designing a straw bale home asks you to work with details that do not show up in conventional construction. These details affect structure, performance, durability, and cost. When they are missed, small mistakes compound during the build and lead to stress, delays, and expenses that you could have avoided.
This workshop gives you the knowledge to design with confidence. You learn how straw bale systems fit together, how to make sound decisions early, and how to integrate the details that create a high-quality and efficient straw bale home. You also learn what building departments, banks, insurers, and subcontractors expect to see in your plans, which protects your project timeline and your budget.
I also share practical construction tips and tested methods gathered from years of straw bale and conventional building. These tools help you design a home that performs well and is easier to build.
You receive live instruction from home, along with clear guidance that supports your success as you move from ideas to a solid straw bale design.
MOBILE SPACER
Topics Covered
This series walks you through the core elements of designing a straw bale home, from early vision to a clear concept you feel confident in.
Vision and Design Journey
An overview of how to shape a design that reflects purpose, priorities, and the experience you want a home to support.Site, Space & Straw
A look at how site conditions, solar patterns, and straw bale wall thickness guide general layout and spatial decisions.Structure & Shell
An introduction to common structural systems, roof forms, and the key details that support durability and performance.Bringing It All Together
A review of how the pieces fit into a cohesive concept, along with guidance on next steps in the broader design process.MOBILE SPACER
MOBILE SPACER
Making Your Decision
It’s cheaper to make changes on paper than in the field
-
It is if…
You are getting started and want clear answers that books and videos have not given you.
You are busy and want a focused format that helps you keep momentum on your project.
You are already designing your home and want a stronger understanding of how straw bale systems shape good decisions.
You are an industry professional who wants to add straw bale to your work with a solid grasp of the details that set it apart from conventional construction.
-
StrawBale.com has been empowering people to build their own beautiful straw bale homes since 2004. Over the years, thousands of people have learned best practices at sb.com 7-day hands-on straw bale workshops and from that process it is clear that with passion, focus, and dedication pretty much everyone can hand craft their own beautiful straw bale home.
Our mission is to create and offer the highest quality resources and instructional material possible, so that you can save time, money, and your peace of mind as you build. We are glad that you have found us and we hope to empower and support you as you go through your personal process of creating your dream straw bale home.
Timbo Scursso
Your Instructor and Design-BuilderTimbo embodies the spirit of the Master Builder of pre-modern times. Rooted as a practical designer and an accomplished builder, his simple designs and finely-crafted details exemplify what is achievable in straw bale construction. He is excited to share his lifelong construction experience and the wisdom of twenty years of specific straw bale design/build knowledge with a larger community.
-
All you need to do is click a link to attend. The workshop will be held on Google Meet. (Nope, you do not need a Google account to attend.) If you can surf the web, then you already have all the skills and tech needed. We will offer an optional meet n greet the Friday before the workshop, so you can have a test run and meet folks.
We recommend being on a larger screen, such as a laptop or desktop, with a reliable internet connection.
Need to use a tablet or smartphone instead? That will work. Some features may be limited, such as you will need to switch screens to see chat and the speaker instead of having them on the same screen at once. For the best experience, follow the directions in the registration confirmation email to download the free Meet app. Android here. iOS/Apple here.
No internet? While we recommend an internet connection and being at a screen to view the instructor’s presentation and group discussion, you can also dial in to attend in listen-only mode if needed.
If you have questions, feel free to contact Timbo at info@strawbale.com.
-
Your purchase information is protected and secure. We do not share this information. Orders are processed through secure servers and our merchant service providers are PCI/CISP certified (the highest level of internet security available) to secure your personal data.
One Registration per Participant.
To support your learning process,all of the Participant-only Workshop Learning Materials are shared with you at the time of purchase, whether you pay using a Payment Plan option or Pay In Full. These are delivered to the email address you use at purchase.
Tuition and Deposits are nonrefundable. Because organizing these events is a significant undertaking with many moving pieces, and planning, and involves many people, over months and often years, we maintain this policy.
That said, if you are unable to attend the workshop location and date that you originally selected, we will gladly work with you to transfer, or credit, your tuition towards a future workshop (assuming there is a future workshop.) You must contact us before the start date of your initially scheduled workshop purchase for this credit to be issued. Your tuition credit would be valid for one (1) year from the start date of your original workshop. Alternatively, you can transfer your tuition to another person to attend in your place if that is your preference.
What happens if the workshop is canceled? This is something that we work hard to avoid and is rare in the overall schedule of events. That said, because there are elements of the workshop that are outside of our control (acts of God, COVID, etc.), there is always a slight chance that it could happen. If it were to occur, we would offer you the following options to choose from:
1. Switch your tuition to another workshop location in the current year’s schedule.
2. Transfer, or credit, your tuition to a location in the following year’s schedule.
3. Receive a full refund for your tuition. Cancellation of a workshop is the only situation in which the non-refundable tuition becomes refundable. -
There is no payment plan available for online courses.
If you have any questions, contact us at info@strawbale.com.
-
Of course! We want you to be 100% comfortable in your choice to join in the workshop fun. Sometimes folks have questions about food, travel, tools, camping, etc and we know it’s impossible to list every question on a website! You can choose a time to chat on a call with me, Timbo here. 😊 Or email info@strawbale.com
MOBILE SPACER
What’s Included In Your Tuition?
Your tuition includes live instruction and bonus learning materials that support your success.
-
20+ years of straw bale specific design-build experience and a lifetime of general construction. Get your questions answered by someone who not only designs, but understands how it all goes together in the field! See Timbo’s design-build portfolio here.
-
Custom designs that work! Tested over years of workshops and available for DIY building, or take the drawings to your local welding shop. Learn more here.
-
Easy reference guides for your toolbelt for where you need them most... When you're out there doing the work on your own build, or helping a friend out! Provided in downloadable pdf files.
-
A Modern Look At Straw Bale Construction covers the best details for a high-quality straw bale build in 214 pages (with over 100 color images). Downloadable. Learn more here.
-
10+ hours of instruction by Andrew Morrison on:
Concrete Foundation
Framing
Post And Beam
Load Bearing
Lime Plastering
Learn more here.
-
"Be Your Own Contractor"
Video series, hosted and taught by Andrew Morrison
-
22-Page Instant Download Booklet
MOBILE SPACER
FAQs
Curious about the details? Here’s what participants often ask.
-
One person, or Participant, per paid registration please.
A Participant is an individual who joins the workshops' learning activities and Q&A sessions.
Please ensure the number of registrations in your Cart exactly matches the number of Participants you are registering.
-
That’s okay! Sometimes life happens. Pick right up with the class by visiting the Learning Center Course online lessons and completing the exercise so you’re ready for the next class.
Class sessions are not recorded, so try not to miss the live discussion and teaching!
-
Tuition is nonrefundable. Because organizing these events is a significant undertaking with many moving pieces, and planning, and involves many people, over months and often years, we maintain this policy.
That said, if you are unable to attend the workshop location and date that you originally selected, we will gladly work with you to transfer, or credit, your tuition towards a future workshop (assuming there is a future workshop.) You must contact us before the start date of your initially scheduled workshop purchase for this credit to be issued. Your tuition credit would be valid for one (1) year from the start date of your original workshop.
Alternatively, you can transfer your tuition to another person to attend in your place if that is your preference.
-
This is something that we work hard to avoid and is rare in the overall schedule of events. That said, because there are elements of the workshop that are outside of our control (acts of God, COVID, etc.), there is always a slight chance that it could happen. If it were to occur, we would offer you the following options to choose from:
1. Switch your tuition to another workshop location in the current year’s schedule.
2. Transfer, or credit, your tuition to a location in the following year’s schedule.
3. Receive a full refund for your tuition. Cancellation of a workshop is the only situation in which the non-refundable tuition becomes refundable.
MOBILE SPACER
-
Designing your own straw bale home starts with a clear vision and the right support. In this four-part Home Design Online Workshop Series, I’ll walk you through each stage of the process—from shaping your ideas to refining details that make your design work. Join me and begin creating a home that truly reflects you.
-
Virtual Happy Hour, optional meet and greet
February 27, Friday, 4 PM to 5 PMPart 1
March 01, Sunday, 4 PM to 6 PMPart 2
March 08, Sunday, 4 PM to 6 PMPart 3
March 15, Sunday, 4 PM to 6 PMPart 4
March 22, Sunday, 4 PM to 6 PM
