This site includes details on the process of building a wonderfully distinct woodland house in Wales, that is environmentally friendly.
It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cosy. I estimate 1000-1500 man hours and £3000 put in to this point.
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Some key points of the design and construction:
- Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
- Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
- Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
- Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
- Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
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- Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
- Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
- Water by gravity from nearby spring
Fantastic stuff. Read more about how they did it and why.
Related: Green Building with Tire Bales – posts on personal engineering projects from our engineering blog – Livable Buildings Awards
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Love it… very ‘Hobbit’, practical with a bit of sweat and magic
This home is absolutely hobbitish…and I love it. We have been looking for something like this to build for retirement. This has some great possibilities…thanks for positing.
Really neat!,
How do you avoid mold in the hay living in a wet climate such as Wales or the pacific NW?