alternative housing

Billy the Blogging Poet made some great points about my last post, and I'd like to expand on them. I've studied this subject some, but I don't know everything there is to know about it, so I'd welcome comments from others who might shed additional light.

Straw bale houses and other kinds of alternative houses are a great idea, but they're too hard for most people to build. There are no straw bale, cobb, or rammed earth home floor plans you can choose from when you have most contractors build your home. Next, it's just about impossible to get financing to build alternative housing. Most people build it themselves and pay as they go, so it can take years. I've seen a straw bale house in progress being done that way, and the bales were moldy because they'd been exposed to weather and humidity for too long. In this climate, they might get moldy like that anyway. Who wants an energy-efficient, sneeze-producing house?

There are some great alternative prefab house packages out there, but they're for rich people. It'd be great if I could live in a palace made from shipping containers, but not if it's going to cost me more that it would to build a conventional house.

Billy made a great point about using trash in bales to create housing, but I fear there's danger there in creating a new market for housing materials. In other words, manufacturers might start choosing to manufacture "trash" specifically for the house-building market instead of recovering trash that's already out there, and we'd be increasing instead of decreasing what we consume.

Finally, inspections departments won't know what to do with alternative houses because they're so unusual, so it can be difficult to get the necessary permits you need.

The other thing that bothers me about alternative housing is that it's got to somewhere out in the 'burbs or the boonies. It seems like all new house construction goes on in places where you're guaranteed a 20-30 minute drive to town, with nothing (coffee shops or bars) within walking distance. For those wanting to live in alternative housing because they want to reduce their carbon footprints, all that driving defeats the purpose.

All the alternative/energy efficient housing developments I've looked are out of my price range or located in places where it would be hard to make a living or both.

I'd truly love to live in a bermed-in, passive solar home. But if it's more affordable to live in Fisher Park, where I can walk to Maya's or Fisher's if I get hungry and have money to spend, I'll do that instead.

Comments

[Billy The Blogging Poet]

Verona said, "There are no straw bale, cobb, or rammed earth home floor plans you can choose from when you have most contractors build your home. Next, it's just about impossible to get financing to build alternative housing."

Sad but true. There is a very small rammed earth industry in the Northeast but the homes they tend to build are usually very upscale and done so without banks.

"I've seen a straw bale house in progress being done that way, and the bales were moldy because they'd been exposed to weather and humidity for too long. In this climate, they might get moldy like that anyway."

I've read of 100 year old straw bail houses that lived their first 30 years without waterproofing but I'm willing to bet that is a major reason why many straw bail houses have gone to house heaven. Straw bail houses need to be built very quickly. Better choices for the lone builder building out of empty pockets would be plastic bails, cordwood or dirt filled tires.

"but I fear there's danger there in creating a new market for housing materials. In other words, manufacturers might start choosing to manufacture "trash" specifically for the house-building market instead of recovering trash that's already out there, and we'd be increasing instead of decreasing what we consume."

That is something that should be taken very seriously. Perhaps we should work towards legislation that requires these types of houses be made from recycled materials only. But if I were a betting man I'd lay odds that new material for the plastic bail houses I'm pitching would cost more than conventional housing.

"Finally, inspections departments won't know what to do with alternative houses because they're so unusual, so it can be difficult to get the necessary permits you need."

Exactly. A lot of alternative builders dreams are crushed by building inspectors but the project I'm planning is going to involve an engineering firm and product testing just like the makers of brick, block, concrete and other materials must face. In many commercial buildings the building inspectors have much less input and control than in regular home building because well trained and well respected engineering firms are better qualified and willing to stake their reputations and performance bonds on a positive outcome.

"The other thing that bothers me about alternative housing is that it's got to somewhere out in the 'burbs or the boonies. "

Again, sad but true. It goes back to uninformed inspectors and building codes designed for only one or two types of buildings.

"All the alternative/energy efficient housing developments I've looked are out of my price range or located in places where it would be hard to make a living or both."

And to add insult to injury most of those houses are anything but green as any energy savings is wiped out by wastful building practices.

PS. It's good to see you got your computer back.
PPS. Did I tell you my home has solar hot water, a 96% efficent central air system and I'm going to be adding passive solar heat in stages beginning in a few weeks?