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If you have not heard about the work Martin Hammer has done in developing the national straw bale construction building code, then you have missed out. Martin has worked tirelessly, and continues to do so, for all of us. He co-authored the code which was approved in the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) and has […]
The recent wildfires in California have created massive devastation across the state; however, they have also given us an opportunity to see, first hand, just how well straw bale structures perform in wildfires.
It’s the million dollar question you’ve all been wondering about: is it enough to have just gravel in your toe ups or do you need something more? Okay, it may not be a question worth a million dollars, but making a bad decision here can indeed cost you money. In some cases just a little […]
Learn the ins and outs of creating a positive relationship when working with your local building department, right off the bat.
The inclusion of straw bale construction in the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC) has made it easier to get insurance and lending for straw bale homes. It may not be as easy as getting insurance and lending on conventional homes yet, but we are making major headway.
It may sound obvious, but learning how to build a house, of any kind but especially a straw bale house, is a good thing to do before you actually start building. Ask yourself the following 15 questions and if you cannot answer them with a high level of confidence, you would be best served to gain some more experience before you start building.
It’s pretty obvious that they are differences between a straw bale house and conventional homes. What is not so apparent are the differences encountered during the construction process. For example, the order of operations and thus inspections is different for a straw bale house.
Allow me to share with you what I have learned over my 20 years as a professional builder and land developer. All tweaks and adjustments aside, this will be a good footing to start out on for anyone interested in the start to finish process of finding, developing, and building on raw land.
Whether you are an accomplished builder or just starting out, this book will help define the myriad of details that define a quality builder, contractor, sub contractor, consultant or any other professional working within the building industry.
Keep these simple bullet points in mind when looking for building permit approvals for your straw bale house.