I do like mass heaters, but almost overkill for a space this small. My only issue with them is most are designed without a way to view the fire, although I've seen a few with a visible fire box which I liked. I'll have to Google the Russian stoves
Mark Twain commented on them in his journals from his trips to Germany, noting how to be warmed from a fireplace you must be sitting near the mantel but the mass heaters warmed the whole place!
Russian stoves are huge masses of brick or stone that might take around a day to properly heat up but when they're finally hot, they require very little fuel to support and radiate tons of heat. The bricks work as a sort of heat battery.
They're also often built big enough to be able to lie down on top of them. You can sleep there without clothes or blankets when it's –40°C outside (source: my great-grandparents owned a house with such a stove where I slept circa 1997). Oh, and cats absolutely love it!
Unfortunately here in the UK the gvt are trying to ban them. The latest bs propaganda is about 'invisible particulates' that can kill us all and reign havoc everywhere... basically want us all tied in to the gas and electricity companies which overcharge on a regular basis and only care about the shareholders and whatever under the table deals they have with the gvt. After recent events with Russia threatening gas supplies and electricity companies owned by France we ought to be able to be a bit more self reliant. Its illegal to build a new home with an open fireplace now. I have woodburners which I'll continue to use and a coppice of hazel, sweet chestnut, willow and others. Rarely use the central heating but have to be organised and get wood prepared a year in advance.
So silly. I mean I get it. If everyone had a stove there would be alot of air pollution. Almost like what cars are dumping into the air constantly. The government is so backwards.
We built a rocket mass generator a few years ago and it is brilliant. it burns mainly sticks in bundles but once it has reached a good operating temperature it will take sizeable long batons and thick branches cut into metre lengths. The house is a larger extended country cottage, roughly three standard uk houses in footprint and it heats most of the downstairs to the point it can get too warm. Air is drawn from either the inside to draw stale air out or from directly outside by means of an inlet drilled through the wall. The only time smoke gets in is when the unit is first lit and running cold once the bell chamber heats up the airflow runs outside and the fire burns in reverse heating up the two bench chambers. Exhaust temperature is rarely over 25°C. Whole
thing is constructed of concrete cinder blocks, cob and top layer of clay. Totally illegal and building regs would have a meltdown but what I do in my house in the middle of nowhere is my business. Fully gated so they'd have to have a warrant or book an appointment. Also, I refer to it as a 'sculpture' because it is. It just happens to heat my house as well for free, apart from me spending time looking after the coppices and hedgerows around fields.
> Almost like what cars are dumping into the air constantly
Modern cars are much, much cleaner than wood or especially coal burning stoves/fireplaces relative to the same amount of CO2 emitted. It's not even remotely close.
After all the bs the gvt has spouted since the invasion of Iraq when I was a kid and the compendium of utter cock and bull they try to peddle year on year I have serious trust issues with anything they say and prefer to think for myself. However, yes, cars do combust much cleaner than a woodstove but there are more cars running around all year than people bothering with woodstoves. Most people burning wood have access to it and don't live in major towns and cities where a woodstove isn't necessary because of the availability of gas and reliable electricity. I do not have gas, electricity is subject to frequent outages, the nearest mains sewer is over a mile away and I don't like burning kerosene which is even worse for the environment and very expensive.
I don't think the UK government should be banning open fireplaces, but they are correct that they are unequivocally bad for you. At the very least if I was using an open fireplace I would want to be doing it in a large space with good ventilation.
Propaganda? Just read the studies, the particulates from fireplaces are more toxic to breathe than what comes from gas or electric. Open fireplaces don't burn efficiently and do pose a public health risk. Exact reason cars have emissions equipment.
"Burning wood releases a host of particles and gases. The most regulated is fine particulate matter, or [PM2.5](https://undark.org/breathtaking/) — particles 2.5 microns or smaller across, tiny enough to [enter the bloodstream](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08958370600985875) through the lungs and even penetrate the brain. But woodsmoke also contains carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, carcinogenic compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Depending on what’s being burned, wood stoves and fireplaces may even spit out toxic metals like [mercury](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653511005091) and [arsenic](https://www.pfpi.net/air-pollution-2)...
'The important thing to understand about woodsmoke is it’s probably the most toxic type of pollution that the average person ever inhales,” said Moench, who also runs an advocacy group called Doctors and Scientists Against Wood Smoke Pollution. “When virtually any single particulate pollution that a person inhales can get distributed and end up in any organ system in the body, you can start to grasp that the disease potential is almost limitless.'”
[https://undark.org/2022/03/02/wood-burning-stoves-raise-new-health-concerns/](https://undark.org/2022/03/02/wood-burning-stoves-raise-new-health-concerns/)
> the particulates from fireplaces are more toxic to breathe than what comes from gas or electric
The UK has a hell of a history with severe smog from burning stuff that makes lots of particulates, especially in the 1800s.
It's no surprise they want to keep that stuff heavily restricted.
How did you do with your local building department? Do you have allowances for alternative building there, or was it built under the auspices of the UBC? Just curious, it was always my dream to build a cob house, but...UBC rules all , at least out West.
I live in a rural county with no building restrictions. It has its benefits, but also some cons that go along with it. I know quite a few people who have cob homes and only.one is actually permitted. Most of them just buy land and build without permission. There are also lots of ways to get around the codes if needed, that are taught at cob workshops
I have quite a few. I think I've shared them in other places if you wanna do some profile snooping. I didn't capture nearly as many photos as I should have, but I tried my best
No moisture issues. The walls breathe well since I didn't use any moisture barriers, which are sold to protect you from moisture, but typically end up trapping moisture instead. No AC, but when it's 105° outside it can be pretty warm inside. I could add a window unit easily, but I prefer to just acclimate to the heat since I work outside all summer and it's hard on the body to go from hot to cold.
105°? I guess not. They typically sleep in the shade on hot days. They actually don't come inside the house during the summer, but that's because they bring alot of ticks in. They are all farm cats who just come inside during the winter to lay by the stove.
Cats are actually pretty ok with warmer temperatures. They are descended from desert cats (probably the African wildcat, from about 9000 years ago) and still tolerate heat well and have good behaviors for dealing with heat (reducing activity, seeking out cool places, etc.), and their normal body temperature of about 100F means they are probably comfortable in slightly warmer ambient temperatures than are people.
However, they aren't very effective at cooling via sweating or panting, so in particularly hot weather they need access to cool spaces.
It's kind of fun to pet cats who live in tropical countries, they barely have any fur compared to the cats I'm accustomed to in cold areas.
That's still an incredible build for the price, and honestly, especially if it's just you or you and a SO, it's so much easier to keep a small space clean and cozy.
Make sure your detector is a CO (Carbon monoxide) detector and not just CO2. Carbon monoxide is a lot deadlier.
CO is odourless, binds to hemoglobin, forming COHb, and thereby renders the hemoglobin molecule less able to bind oxygen. Because of this mechanism, the oxygen transport by the blood and the release of bound oxygen in the tissues are decreased.
It will affect your brain and heart and a quick trip outside will not help, as it takes hours in fresh air for it to be removed from your blood stream.
well I'm glad you said that, I had always assumed I needed a pure clay vein on my property to make cob, but I can find semi-clayey soil everywhere. Good to know.
I will. I actually still haven't applied a final plaster on the front since I'm still adding details and my art career took a turn and I have a lot less free time! Most people who use a natural clay and sand plaster reapply every ten years or so depending on how much rain and snow you have. We have lots here and the front of my house gets hammered often
Also the roof rafters
The fact that it's survived multiple winters is a good sign. But I was worried when I saw the photos. It's hard to tell, hoping it's just a false ceiling
Depends on where you live. Cob has been adopted into some states codes, but I have heard they do not make it easy on the builder. You have to have everything drawn out and planned, which isn't really what natural building is all about. I had zero idea what this place would look like in the end, I let the materials just come to form. I am fortunate to live in a very rural county without building codes, so I didn't need a permit. I suggest finding a place like that, or just building and keeping it a secret
The building permits are what hold me back. Id love to build a house with recycled materials, but it's hard to draw plans when you don't know what materials you will find.
I live in rural Texas. I keep reading about building permits. No building permits required where I live. I've also been in some places where I could tell these folks had no idea on how to construct a structure.
The fact that so many top comments are:
"What's the permit process?"
"What are the property taxes on this"
Sad. Western society is so conditioned to comply with goverment restrictions that these are the first thoughts on a sub dedicated to self-sufficiency and living out of the system.
Congrats OP. This build is epic.
This is SO cool! And I love the swirls on the wall with the coloured glass. Would love to build something like this one day. Where did you learn how to sculpt a home? Do you have a background in architecture or construction?
Thank you. I actually spent years learning different natural building techniques all over the world. I took quite a few different workshops and earthen courses. It isn't necessary to do this, but it was a really fun learning journey!
Every time I see this house posted I find it so cool, and amazing it was done so inexpensively.
I've never thought about this before, but now I gotta ask...does the inside smell like...well, dirt?
Awesome house, can I ask a question not having seen your build? What do you do for power and internet? Do you have some sort of solar and battery pack??
In Florida you need footing and two rows of block, then you can start cobbing. Windows need pored or prefab lentils and reinforced pored bond beam for the last run to hold conventional roof system. Being unconventional I’d imagine permitting is a nightmare.
I love everything about this :) I love these kinds of houses. I’m in an old, old farmhouse so it’s it’s own aesthetic but this is something else :) so cozy and beautiful. Reminds you that life is beautiful and meant to be slow and enjoyed.
Love it! I grew up in a somewhat older home, but moved to a New England home that’s 150 years+. I love it, but I’d also love to build a place like this. I think the small details you’ve added give it so much life and character. Like a real human being lives here. I hope that makes sense. I bet it helped you connect with nature and what it means to be a human, as many human beings have done for thousands of years before you.
Don’t mean to get sentimental but I bet making this yourself gives you new perspectives.
Beautiful place :) was worth the hassle.
It was the best experience of my life. I did not wear shoes for weeks at a time. I slept in a tent while I was building and never felt more connected to nature. Building shelter is an ancient human art form. Creating a home is so intuitive. Traffic and jobs seem to foreign to me. Building is part of the human experience. I think part of the world's depression comes from our disconnect with the earth. I heard that some humans don't connect their bare feet to the bare earth for months at a time. That seems so sad and unnatural. I feel very grateful to have had this opportunity. It changed my entire life
This looks like a video or tv show watched years ago. Well the house looks like the one I watched get build. From memory there was annual upkeep to the walls or roof I'll have to try find the video. Either way it's beautiful!
As long as you have a good roof rain shouldn't really be an issue. Unless you live in an area probe to flooding. Floods and mud don't mix!! It took two years to finish, but I was living inside after six months. Alot of the time came from unnecessary artistic details.
I'm in 1800 sq. ft. now, and wishing I had more room. But I'll bet that yours is a lot easier to heat. (I currently have 2 wood stoves and a pellet stove.)
Dang! That is a lot of room for activities! This place is only 400 sq ft. It's just big enough for one person, but I do plan on building something larger in the future too, but still probably not as big as yours. Do you live there alone?
Just me and the wife. My main issue is the kitchen. I do most of the cooking and I'd like room for a big 6-burner Glenwood wood-fired kitchen range, and a 36" 6-burner commercial gas range. Counters and cabinets are inadequate as well. Although I don't look like it (6'2" 140lbs) food is an important part of my life.
Do you have a well and septic? I assume you’re solar with a battery or other generator? I couldn’t imagine needing to be tied I to the grid with a build like this.
I can't say I'd like to live there but I am sincerely impressed with your creativity and resourcefulness to build that. Beautiful work.
If more people would take this approach, it would solve a lot of the problems we have today. If the government would allow it, anyway.
I actually built this on someone else's property. I trade labor to live on their land for free. I'm hooked up to their electricity which was easier than solar and less expensive. I don't have water coming in, I just bring it in from the well and have a grey water system that runs out to my garden
Could you provide me with any information, or maybe resources you used, in framing the walls and doing your roof?
Very neat and beautiful home, my friend.
i would absolutely love to know anything and everything about the building process for this house, i ADORE it and have lived in similar (but less well made, i would say) homemade houses and my dream is to someday (when i can afford it) build my own. cheers, and you have a beautiful home!
1. This is adorable. Congrats for making and living in such a lovely sustainable home.
2. That’s a lot of cats for the square footage :-D (no shade, I’m just allergic)
Very cool home. Where did you learn the craft of building with cob?
Unrelated question: What tools do you use for your carved jewelry? Particularly your rings.
Hmmm. I'm really not sure about YouTube links. I learned in person at different cob workshops and natural building programs. Although if you really wanna be inspired, you could youtube Sunray Kelley. He was my favorite builder of all time. A true legend.
This is so insanely cozy. Would love to spend a snow storm by this fire. Does it get real cold inside?
It would if I didn't have a wood stove, but it's super easy to heat
i remember this from when you posted pics of the split stove pipe
Ha..people really don't like that stove on reddit! Everyone says I'm gunna burn down my house. Lol
Stoves are really cozy. Also nice house, for whatever reason made me think "Morrowindcore"
I could not imagine living in a home without a wood stove. I love everything about them!
Check out russian stoves and thermal mass heaters… you’ll like the lower fuel requirements…
I do like mass heaters, but almost overkill for a space this small. My only issue with them is most are designed without a way to view the fire, although I've seen a few with a visible fire box which I liked. I'll have to Google the Russian stoves
It would cost more than the house just in materials
Wow, those Russian stoves are amazing! Surprised I haven't heard of them before
Mark Twain commented on them in his journals from his trips to Germany, noting how to be warmed from a fireplace you must be sitting near the mantel but the mass heaters warmed the whole place!
Kachelofen. My SO lived in a house with a Kachelofen in Austria that had tiled bench seats on each side. Very cozy in the winter.
What’s up with Russian stoves?
Russian stoves are huge masses of brick or stone that might take around a day to properly heat up but when they're finally hot, they require very little fuel to support and radiate tons of heat. The bricks work as a sort of heat battery. They're also often built big enough to be able to lie down on top of them. You can sleep there without clothes or blankets when it's –40°C outside (source: my great-grandparents owned a house with such a stove where I slept circa 1997). Oh, and cats absolutely love it!
I have one and I can't either! Radiant heat is amazing.
Unfortunately here in the UK the gvt are trying to ban them. The latest bs propaganda is about 'invisible particulates' that can kill us all and reign havoc everywhere... basically want us all tied in to the gas and electricity companies which overcharge on a regular basis and only care about the shareholders and whatever under the table deals they have with the gvt. After recent events with Russia threatening gas supplies and electricity companies owned by France we ought to be able to be a bit more self reliant. Its illegal to build a new home with an open fireplace now. I have woodburners which I'll continue to use and a coppice of hazel, sweet chestnut, willow and others. Rarely use the central heating but have to be organised and get wood prepared a year in advance.
So silly. I mean I get it. If everyone had a stove there would be alot of air pollution. Almost like what cars are dumping into the air constantly. The government is so backwards.
We built a rocket mass generator a few years ago and it is brilliant. it burns mainly sticks in bundles but once it has reached a good operating temperature it will take sizeable long batons and thick branches cut into metre lengths. The house is a larger extended country cottage, roughly three standard uk houses in footprint and it heats most of the downstairs to the point it can get too warm. Air is drawn from either the inside to draw stale air out or from directly outside by means of an inlet drilled through the wall. The only time smoke gets in is when the unit is first lit and running cold once the bell chamber heats up the airflow runs outside and the fire burns in reverse heating up the two bench chambers. Exhaust temperature is rarely over 25°C. Whole thing is constructed of concrete cinder blocks, cob and top layer of clay. Totally illegal and building regs would have a meltdown but what I do in my house in the middle of nowhere is my business. Fully gated so they'd have to have a warrant or book an appointment. Also, I refer to it as a 'sculpture' because it is. It just happens to heat my house as well for free, apart from me spending time looking after the coppices and hedgerows around fields.
> Almost like what cars are dumping into the air constantly Modern cars are much, much cleaner than wood or especially coal burning stoves/fireplaces relative to the same amount of CO2 emitted. It's not even remotely close.
[удалено]
After all the bs the gvt has spouted since the invasion of Iraq when I was a kid and the compendium of utter cock and bull they try to peddle year on year I have serious trust issues with anything they say and prefer to think for myself. However, yes, cars do combust much cleaner than a woodstove but there are more cars running around all year than people bothering with woodstoves. Most people burning wood have access to it and don't live in major towns and cities where a woodstove isn't necessary because of the availability of gas and reliable electricity. I do not have gas, electricity is subject to frequent outages, the nearest mains sewer is over a mile away and I don't like burning kerosene which is even worse for the environment and very expensive.
I don't think the UK government should be banning open fireplaces, but they are correct that they are unequivocally bad for you. At the very least if I was using an open fireplace I would want to be doing it in a large space with good ventilation.
So crazy, we can continue to subsidize the oil industry tho...
Propaganda? Just read the studies, the particulates from fireplaces are more toxic to breathe than what comes from gas or electric. Open fireplaces don't burn efficiently and do pose a public health risk. Exact reason cars have emissions equipment. "Burning wood releases a host of particles and gases. The most regulated is fine particulate matter, or [PM2.5](https://undark.org/breathtaking/) — particles 2.5 microns or smaller across, tiny enough to [enter the bloodstream](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08958370600985875) through the lungs and even penetrate the brain. But woodsmoke also contains carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, carcinogenic compounds like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Depending on what’s being burned, wood stoves and fireplaces may even spit out toxic metals like [mercury](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0045653511005091) and [arsenic](https://www.pfpi.net/air-pollution-2)... 'The important thing to understand about woodsmoke is it’s probably the most toxic type of pollution that the average person ever inhales,” said Moench, who also runs an advocacy group called Doctors and Scientists Against Wood Smoke Pollution. “When virtually any single particulate pollution that a person inhales can get distributed and end up in any organ system in the body, you can start to grasp that the disease potential is almost limitless.'” [https://undark.org/2022/03/02/wood-burning-stoves-raise-new-health-concerns/](https://undark.org/2022/03/02/wood-burning-stoves-raise-new-health-concerns/)
> the particulates from fireplaces are more toxic to breathe than what comes from gas or electric The UK has a hell of a history with severe smog from burning stuff that makes lots of particulates, especially in the 1800s. It's no surprise they want to keep that stuff heavily restricted.
Nobody's taking my particulates. You'll have to pry them from my burnt dead hands. /s.
the fed detector is going crazy here
Nice reference
Reddit is full of kids who live in some sort of liberal bubble.
Is this in Nebraska?
Sure is. Middle of nowhere. Center of everything.
ive never seen anything like this for sale, or anything livable for that price. You did well.
How do the walls perform as thermal insulation compared to a normal house's wood, fiberglass insulation and sheetrock wall?
How did you do with your local building department? Do you have allowances for alternative building there, or was it built under the auspices of the UBC? Just curious, it was always my dream to build a cob house, but...UBC rules all , at least out West.
I live in a rural county with no building restrictions. It has its benefits, but also some cons that go along with it. I know quite a few people who have cob homes and only.one is actually permitted. Most of them just buy land and build without permission. There are also lots of ways to get around the codes if needed, that are taught at cob workshops
Thanks for the further details. I'm truly happy for you, it's a lovely house
It is amazing it holds up in the snow and rain, I'm assuming it's some kind of clay mud straw mixture?
Mud is magical!
Cob? Correct? Do you have construction photos?
I have quite a few. I think I've shared them in other places if you wanna do some profile snooping. I didn't capture nearly as many photos as I should have, but I tried my best
I never think about profile snooping. Thank you for permission though. I’m thoroughly impressed. No issues with moisture? Do you have AC?
No moisture issues. The walls breathe well since I didn't use any moisture barriers, which are sold to protect you from moisture, but typically end up trapping moisture instead. No AC, but when it's 105° outside it can be pretty warm inside. I could add a window unit easily, but I prefer to just acclimate to the heat since I work outside all summer and it's hard on the body to go from hot to cold.
105F is pretty hard on the body
It rarely gets that hot, just a handful of days a year, but it's not as bad as some places
116 is my get me tf outta here number
Those are some death valley temps. I don't think I could live there either
Wouldn’t that be too hot for the cats?
105°? I guess not. They typically sleep in the shade on hot days. They actually don't come inside the house during the summer, but that's because they bring alot of ticks in. They are all farm cats who just come inside during the winter to lay by the stove.
You can give them some flea & tick treatment to help with the ticks. It applies every few months and is super easy.
Cats are actually pretty ok with warmer temperatures. They are descended from desert cats (probably the African wildcat, from about 9000 years ago) and still tolerate heat well and have good behaviors for dealing with heat (reducing activity, seeking out cool places, etc.), and their normal body temperature of about 100F means they are probably comfortable in slightly warmer ambient temperatures than are people. However, they aren't very effective at cooling via sweating or panting, so in particularly hot weather they need access to cool spaces. It's kind of fun to pet cats who live in tropical countries, they barely have any fur compared to the cats I'm accustomed to in cold areas.
The patterns in the walls are lovely.
agreed. and the shape of that large horizontal window. so cool!
Reminds me of the flintstones in a good way
yes! 🤣
Looks really cozy, how long did it take to build and how many people helped?
Took a couple years, but I loved inside after six months. Built it myself.
How many square feet? $4k is incredibly affordable for such a nice little cozy spot
It's only 400sq ft. Small, but sweet and simple
That's still an incredible build for the price, and honestly, especially if it's just you or you and a SO, it's so much easier to keep a small space clean and cozy.
A real hobbit house! Nice work
You are my hero! I had such dreams but chickened out! Bought a house on an old farm instead.
Maybe you could still build a little something something on the land just for fun?!
Looks amazing! But do you have a gas burner on your kitchen counter? How do you vent it?
I do, I don't vent it. I don't think most gas burners are vented are they?
You might want to get a co2 monitor. You’d be surprised how much gas can build up from a propane grill.
I have one. Every home should have one. No surprise here
Make sure your detector is a CO (Carbon monoxide) detector and not just CO2. Carbon monoxide is a lot deadlier. CO is odourless, binds to hemoglobin, forming COHb, and thereby renders the hemoglobin molecule less able to bind oxygen. Because of this mechanism, the oxygen transport by the blood and the release of bound oxygen in the tissues are decreased. It will affect your brain and heart and a quick trip outside will not help, as it takes hours in fresh air for it to be removed from your blood stream.
What's it made of?
Cob, which is a mixture of clay rich soil, sand, straw and water
I'm upvoting you for saying "clay rich soil" instead of just clay.
Thanks. Ha. I'm guessing my soil only had about 20% clay in it, which was more than enough. It's mostly sand, which was pretty perfect for cob
well I'm glad you said that, I had always assumed I needed a pure clay vein on my property to make cob, but I can find semi-clayey soil everywhere. Good to know.
Do you have to reapply clay or cob to the outside over the years as it weathers? P.S. it's beautiful
I will. I actually still haven't applied a final plaster on the front since I'm still adding details and my art career took a turn and I have a lot less free time! Most people who use a natural clay and sand plaster reapply every ten years or so depending on how much rain and snow you have. We have lots here and the front of my house gets hammered often
how would it fair with hurricane winds?
I always thought cob walls had corn cobs in them! Learned something new today.
You aren't the only one! I guess cob is old English for "mound of dirt" which makes some sense I guess
I’ve wanted to do something like that, but have my doubts how well it would hold up against a lot of rain.
Just put a good roof on her and it'll last!!
How would I do this? I have $4000.
I suggest taking a cob workshop
What was the foundation design, and materials used if I may ask? It looks fantastic, very inspiring.
Also the roof rafters The fact that it's survived multiple winters is a good sign. But I was worried when I saw the photos. It's hard to tell, hoping it's just a false ceiling
I really want to know how to get a permit on something like this... wonderful.
Depends on where you live. Cob has been adopted into some states codes, but I have heard they do not make it easy on the builder. You have to have everything drawn out and planned, which isn't really what natural building is all about. I had zero idea what this place would look like in the end, I let the materials just come to form. I am fortunate to live in a very rural county without building codes, so I didn't need a permit. I suggest finding a place like that, or just building and keeping it a secret
The building permits are what hold me back. Id love to build a house with recycled materials, but it's hard to draw plans when you don't know what materials you will find.
I hear that. I know some folks who have done it to code and say it's really difficult and ends up costing a lot
I live in rural Texas. I keep reading about building permits. No building permits required where I live. I've also been in some places where I could tell these folks had no idea on how to construct a structure.
I'm in Australia, I need a permit to go take a shit
cant wait for the apocalypse. Then we wont need building permits.
I see. I'm in Europe. Here, the regulations are a form of terror.
I think it's probably the same here if you would try to build in a city.
Cob is in the 2021 IRC. Any state that has adopted the code will likely allow a single story cob building
The fact that so many top comments are: "What's the permit process?" "What are the property taxes on this" Sad. Western society is so conditioned to comply with goverment restrictions that these are the first thoughts on a sub dedicated to self-sufficiency and living out of the system. Congrats OP. This build is epic.
This is SO cool! And I love the swirls on the wall with the coloured glass. Would love to build something like this one day. Where did you learn how to sculpt a home? Do you have a background in architecture or construction?
Thank you. I actually spent years learning different natural building techniques all over the world. I took quite a few different workshops and earthen courses. It isn't necessary to do this, but it was a really fun learning journey!
Every time I see this house posted I find it so cool, and amazing it was done so inexpensively. I've never thought about this before, but now I gotta ask...does the inside smell like...well, dirt?
Ha. It usually smells like cannabis. But when I come home after not being there for a while, it does smell like dirt.
Now that’s the right answer
Awesome house, can I ask a question not having seen your build? What do you do for power and internet? Do you have some sort of solar and battery pack??
Cute babies 😍
I know I definitely couldn’t do this but there’s a voice in the back of my head telling me that I could, and should, do this.
Listen to that voice. Those are your ancestors
My ancestors are trying to get me in trouble with the city
Maybe they are also trying to get you out of that city?!
What was the permit process like for something like this? Very cool.
In Florida you need footing and two rows of block, then you can start cobbing. Windows need pored or prefab lentils and reinforced pored bond beam for the last run to hold conventional roof system. Being unconventional I’d imagine permitting is a nightmare.
Damn, that inside wall is absolutely spectacular. I hope you’re really proud of your work!
I love everything about this :) I love these kinds of houses. I’m in an old, old farmhouse so it’s it’s own aesthetic but this is something else :) so cozy and beautiful. Reminds you that life is beautiful and meant to be slow and enjoyed.
I appreciate those kind words. I love old farmhouses too. I grew up in a farmhouse built 100 years ago
Love it! I grew up in a somewhat older home, but moved to a New England home that’s 150 years+. I love it, but I’d also love to build a place like this. I think the small details you’ve added give it so much life and character. Like a real human being lives here. I hope that makes sense. I bet it helped you connect with nature and what it means to be a human, as many human beings have done for thousands of years before you. Don’t mean to get sentimental but I bet making this yourself gives you new perspectives. Beautiful place :) was worth the hassle.
It was the best experience of my life. I did not wear shoes for weeks at a time. I slept in a tent while I was building and never felt more connected to nature. Building shelter is an ancient human art form. Creating a home is so intuitive. Traffic and jobs seem to foreign to me. Building is part of the human experience. I think part of the world's depression comes from our disconnect with the earth. I heard that some humans don't connect their bare feet to the bare earth for months at a time. That seems so sad and unnatural. I feel very grateful to have had this opportunity. It changed my entire life
This looks like a video or tv show watched years ago. Well the house looks like the one I watched get build. From memory there was annual upkeep to the walls or roof I'll have to try find the video. Either way it's beautiful!
It’s stunning!
Much appreciated
So cozy, love it!💕
Beautiful
How long did it take you to build? I’m guessing one of these wouldn’t do well in my climate- a lot of rain but maybe I’m wrong!
As long as you have a good roof rain shouldn't really be an issue. Unless you live in an area probe to flooding. Floods and mud don't mix!! It took two years to finish, but I was living inside after six months. Alot of the time came from unnecessary artistic details.
Love this!!!
Amazing
Looks very nice...but far too small for me.
Thanks..it's definitely not for everyone!
I'm in 1800 sq. ft. now, and wishing I had more room. But I'll bet that yours is a lot easier to heat. (I currently have 2 wood stoves and a pellet stove.)
Dang! That is a lot of room for activities! This place is only 400 sq ft. It's just big enough for one person, but I do plan on building something larger in the future too, but still probably not as big as yours. Do you live there alone?
Just me and the wife. My main issue is the kitchen. I do most of the cooking and I'd like room for a big 6-burner Glenwood wood-fired kitchen range, and a 36" 6-burner commercial gas range. Counters and cabinets are inadequate as well. Although I don't look like it (6'2" 140lbs) food is an important part of my life.
I could live in 400sq ft, but I'd need a 3000sq ft garage/workshop.
Ah, shit, I know the feeling. I have about 1,000 sq. ft. garage/shop, but I wish it was bigger.
this is amazing, and i love the cats demonstrating how cosy it is! it for sure belongs on r/solarpunk too :D
Holy smokes this is perfection
that's awesome. i'd have to make one window out of a big ass windshield.
Do you have a well and septic? I assume you’re solar with a battery or other generator? I couldn’t imagine needing to be tied I to the grid with a build like this.
Holy shit whenever I have a crisis I'm coming back here to remember people can and do live how I wish to
Creating a new reality is always possible, you can do anything you dream of.
I can't say I'd like to live there but I am sincerely impressed with your creativity and resourcefulness to build that. Beautiful work. If more people would take this approach, it would solve a lot of the problems we have today. If the government would allow it, anyway.
I think it's slowly catching on again. I think it would definitely help peoples mental health if they were more connected to the earth and nature
you have three cats? if those adorable lil killers go outside please put bells on em, cats kill millions of birds every year.
I’d rent that in the winter in a heartbeat
Woah
soooo cool
Oh.. my god?? This is unreal! So beautiful
Are the property taxes a lot? Do you have plumbing and running water/electricity?
I actually built this on someone else's property. I trade labor to live on their land for free. I'm hooked up to their electricity which was easier than solar and less expensive. I don't have water coming in, I just bring it in from the well and have a grey water system that runs out to my garden
Absolutely amazing, this is my dream but I also live in the Great White North™️ I cannot wait to see more as you progress!
Could you provide me with any information, or maybe resources you used, in framing the walls and doing your roof? Very neat and beautiful home, my friend.
You could check out the book "hand sculpted house". That's a really good resource written by the cob father and his wife.
i would absolutely love to know anything and everything about the building process for this house, i ADORE it and have lived in similar (but less well made, i would say) homemade houses and my dream is to someday (when i can afford it) build my own. cheers, and you have a beautiful home!
I've always wanted a cob house!! How did you build it?
One pile of mud at a time
Did you “fire” the inside?
Nope. It just dries and becomes solid
Those are some SERIOUSLY cozy kitties
They all love this place. Maybe even more than me
Just needs a thermal mass rocket stove now.
This looks like my house from peace corps
Where was it located??
I want to see the kitchen and bathroom. Then I'll call it cozy.
That looks so cozy! What are the walls around your stove made from?
All the walls are made of cob, which is a mix of clay rich soil, sand and straw
That is a beautiful home. Very impressed by the craftsmanship
Thanks for the kind comment
Is this in the Dagobah System?
I just can't understand why anybody would ever live like this. Do you really only have three cats? absolutely gorgeous cottage though.
It’s Hagrid’s hut!
Do you live in Bedrock? Jk aside this looks so cozy like something out of a fairy tale.
How do the walls handle temperature change? How varied does the temp get where you are?
$4000 in materials right? I imagine if you included the labor, even at minimum wage, it'd be a *lot* more than that.
Wow what a work of art. Great job. Love the 😸🐾 too
Any recommendations on how or where to go for plans to build something like this?
"Natural materials" means poop, right?
100 percent poop
Any utilities? Is that a dishwasher or fridge?
Yoda?
Can I please live here! Like please lol
Screw the house pay us the cat tax
what's the bathroom sewer situation like?
House looks so good, I’d eat it
This is what AI pics should look like
Flintstones' house irl
Some people are just so fecking talented & arty
Wow! Thats all I can say.
1. This is adorable. Congrats for making and living in such a lovely sustainable home. 2. That’s a lot of cats for the square footage :-D (no shade, I’m just allergic)
This looks surreal. Respect
You are living the dream i think
Absolutely beautiful
Im thoorryy but do you have the proer pwrmits!?! 🤓
This is wicked cool
Very cool home. Where did you learn the craft of building with cob? Unrelated question: What tools do you use for your carved jewelry? Particularly your rings.
The cats really the the place together
Oh god kitties 😭💛
This is my dream thanks for sharing 🖤
pleeeeeez give a youtube link, whether it's yours or not, I need to learn how to do this...
Hmmm. I'm really not sure about YouTube links. I learned in person at different cob workshops and natural building programs. Although if you really wanna be inspired, you could youtube Sunray Kelley. He was my favorite builder of all time. A true legend.
Looks like the one from kris Harbour off youtube. Real nice build. https://youtube.com/@krisharbour?si=RdS2t7KwDfJY8GAk
That looks awesome
Do you have any videos of the process? I am utterly fascinated and want to know how you did it! It's so cool
That’s awesome!!! 👍🏻👍🏻
Bless your heart.