Earthbag House Plans Blog

[TalkingDog]

A variety of styles and sizes. As little as $10.00 per square foot (really inexpensive!). Super sturdy, energy efficient and low impact.

http://earthbagplans.wordpress.com/

And okay, honestly, I want the hobbit house.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. That is just sooooo cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TalkingDog]

2. I like that you can build anything from a standard looking house

to something really fanciful, without clear cutting a forest to do it.

[Fla_Democrat]

3. I saw them in Mother Earth News

a few months back, looks real easy to build. :smoke:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/

[BrklynLiberal]

7. Thanks for that link. I just subscribed!!!

[Liberation Angel]

4. I live in a passive solar house

and used hay bales and in ground elements (built into a hillside) to insulate.

Would love to try one of these though for an out building

K&R

very cool

[BrklynLiberal]

6. Wow! That is fantastic. Any links to prototypes?

[Liberation Angel]

8. I did a lot of research on hay bale construction

and there is plenty of info online....

But I did mine from scratch with a carpenter or two.

It was an experiment of sorts and still is, and I am still tweaking

But mostly now I am working on projects to pay off the costs.

I heat with solar (passive), wood, gas and oil (whichever is most efficient at the moment. But mostly wood.

I just did a simple rectangular design built into the side of a hill (location is critical). Windows on the south side of the house which is the long side gathers solar heat and excellent insulation in the walls.

Many designs in books and online. I never had any formal plans and worked with friends who were electriicans, plumbers, masons, etc to set it all in place.

[BrklynLiberal]

9. That is great. thanks for the info.

[Liberation Angel]

10. The hardest part is getting a lot to build on

in a place that lets you do what you need to do to survive.

Building codes are nonexistent almost for hay bale in the NE but so I had to jury-rig what i did without the inspectors seeing it (wrapped in plastic around the foundation's exterior) Cost for 100 bales was like $250 ten years ago (probably twice that now).

Once you have a lot you can experiment. Off the grid outbuildings built in ground can be almost invisible to nosy zoning or building officials in the right location (single driveway out of sight of neighbors), and if no neighbors complain it can be great and may not violate any codes at all (for example only structures over five feet high where I live need permits so conceivably you could build all you want in ground legally --- but waterproofing can be an issue, Concrete is a pain as are cinder blocks, and you need good drainage etc and sealant (tar) for waterproofing. If you put in gravel and perforated pipes under and around the foundation with drainage on the low points )easier on a hill) then it should work fine.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. ..

:thumbsup: :hi:

[Donnachaidh]

5. I want one!!!!

:wow: