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Module 4 – Home Freedom: How To Build Your Own Dream Home

The Freedom Blueprints

By John Hoffman

Module #4 part B

Home Freedom

- How To Build Your Own Dream Home -









COB BUILDINGS

Sometimes it seems we forget that happiness is most often found hidden in simplicity. We crave

for sophisticated settlements that we pay for our entire lives. The effort of building them is huge and the

money required is also huge. Most of all, the houses we build are not at all the ones nature would like to

have as a neighbor’s house. They are usually sources of pollution because many of the materials used are

pollute. What would you say if someone told you that a house can be build with minimum effort and

supplies and that all you need is a fairly large pile of clay-heavy earth, a couple tons of gritty sand, a few

nice big stones for the foundations and some willing cobblers?

So this is a recipe to build a perfectly livable building out of soil, sand and some straw. Come to

think about it, if you have the land to build on, just start building. Do not worry about the supplies. Why

not? Well, the soil that you dig off your site’s footprint should be enough to build your walls!

You can produce cob out of mixing together earth, sand and straw with water. Just like pot

makers, build by sticking and molding lumps together. Such a house can literary be shaped any way you

want it to. All you need to do, afterwards, is to add furniture etc.

Building out of earth may sound eccentric, but there are no laws against it. You need to fit into

some resistance standards that the local authorities set. It is best to check the local laws regarding building

in order to know how far you can go on this adventure.




Talk about “hand-made home”. Cobs reentered the contemporary settlements’ main page

recently, after more people understood the importance of green and sustainable building. People build cob

houses this way for thousands of years, and they inhabit them nowadays to. Such examples can be found

in Cornwall, England and thousands of other places in the World.

Over 30% of all homes on our planet made out of earth. Parts of China’s Great Wall are built of

cob and so are some of the oldest surviving arches and vaults in Iran. In Wales you can find 500 years old

cob houses. Of course, they were not built at that time by choice. Most probably they belonged to some

people that could not afford lumber or stone to build their house. But nowadays things change.

Cob is one of the cheapest building materials and building out of it can be fun. In the US there is

a large self-build culture developing on the West Coast. More people experiment alternative ways building in harmony with their surroundings. There is nothing new about this; our ancestors have done it

more successfully than we do. And we have to deal with the temptation and challenge of modern life.

Although it is not the most popular way of building, may be even overdue, who said it was

primitive? In Yemen, there are buildings 14 stories high that have survived since the 1600s and are built

out of cob. Cob building is being used again in Europe and North America and it leaps out of the Third

World countries and into our lives.

There are a lot of advantages of using cob. For example, no building is everlasting, but cob

buildings have several important advantages over the other earthen buildings. The walls are curved and

more stable than straight ones. Architects argued that if they were to fail, they usually fall outward and

not inward.

The “bone” of cob is the straw. Funny as it may sound, it has no weak, straight-line mortar joints,

so if you build the wall consciously the chances are your house will withstand earthquakes of enormous




force. Another good thing about cob is that you can shape it any way you want. Building becomes

pottery, sculpting, creating art. A cob house easily blends with the surroundings and it has organic shapes

that feel much more homely than the square mechanical ones.

Thermal isolation is one of cob buildings’ strengths; the buildings are suited to a wide range of

climates. Sustainability, that’s another word that goes along with cob. All the materials you use are bio-

degradable or recyclable. The building is as environment-friendly as it gets. Building your home out of

cob is spiritually uplifting.

We can draw the line and set these main characteristics of cob house building:

1.

Energy Efficiency - The amount of thermal mass provided by such a house is huge,comparing to other structures. The interior will thus be warm in the winter while cool duringhot summer days.

2. Inexpensive – What is cheaper than dust? The cob house walls consist in clay, straw andsand, natural resources at anyone’s disposal.

3. Easy to build – You build your cob house (they are owner built). It is less labor involvedthan in the classical structures building process. You can do such a house with only a fewworkers. You need to know some things about carpentry, plumbing and electricity.

4. Fun – Have you ever imagined that building your house could be just like playing in themud? Cob building is an excellent way to stimulate imagination.

There are also some drawbacks for using cob, such as:

1. Difficult to sell – It will be difficult to sell your house, since it does not fit “the standards”, beit esthetics or comfort.

2. Building Permits – Local laws are quite strict about cob and you need to do a lot of researchand put some effort into fitting some standards that the local administration has. Mud wallsdo not sound that good for the people at the Mayor’s Hall.

3. Financing – Because they are unique it can be difficult to get a loan in order to build such ahouse. On the other hand, being as cheap as it can get, there is no real reason to get a loan inorder to build a cob home.




4. Durability – Depending on the way you build it and on the climate cob may be morevulnerable. You need to build a larger roof to keep water from pouring over the walls

VI. STRAW BALE BUILDING

Yes, they are made of straw, which is not the same thing as hay, but the cereal harvest leftovers.

It is mostly used as bedding for livestock. Straw bale goes a long way back. Sure, they probably used

grass huts in the Stone Age, but in the States there are records that show straw bales homes existed in the

1890's. The place the documents attest the straw bale settlement is Nebraska, a place with few trees and

roughly isolated at that time.

Straw bales are nowadays used, by more and more people, for house building. The bales used

come in different sizes, mostly cubic shaped, and the straws are tied together by some strings. There are a

couple of standard bale sizes:

- 23" x 16" x 42" (80 lbs)- 18" x 14" x 36" (55 lbs)

Building using bales is simple. Basically you just use them as bricks and you enforce them with

some proper-sized “pins”. Most commonly the straw bale walls are sealed with stucco cement on theoutside and plaster on the interior.




What are the advantages of building a straw bale house?

1. Cost – A straw bale will cost anywhere from $5 to $100 per square foot. It basically costs justas much as a cordwood home of the same dimensions would cost.

2. Energy Efficiency – The straw bale wall provides R-28 values, which is more than excellent!Isolating material put on the inside adds to the thermal mass and will transform the settlementinto a very energy efficient house. The only thing you need to do is to be sure that the wallsare not wet or do not get wet. Insulate your roof to match the efficiency of your walls and build a large one so the walls do not get wet.

3. Environmentally Friendly - Straw has little if any impact on the environment well being.Making it is far less polluting than making other building materials.

4. Easy to Build - Almost anyone can build a straw bale house.

5. Easy Availability – Unlike wood, straw cutting is not an issue. It can be found just aboutanywhere grass grows.

What are the drawbacks of building a straw bale house?

1.

Moisture - If the walls get or are wet and they are not sufficiently ventilated, the straw willstart to rot. It is best to build such houses in arid places with little rain. There are houses inAmerica that were built 100 years ago and still stand.

2. Difficult to sell – It will be difficult to sell your house, since it does not fit “the standards”, beit esthetics or comfort.

3. Building Permits – Local laws are quite strict about cob and you need to do a lot of researchand put some effort into fitting some standards that the local administration has. Mud wallsdo not sound that good for the people at the Mayor’s Hall.

4. Fire – This is an issue only until you apply the plaster and stucco. Once the walls are sealed18" straw bale walls survive fire penetration for more than two hours. Unfinished walls onlysurvived for 34 minutes.




HOW TO BUILD YOUR GARAGE. THE THINGS YOU NEED.

By now you know the basics for building your own house. Building the garage should be kinds

play by now. The easiest way to build the standard garage. These are the things you will need in order to

build the:

1.

Foundation:a. 8 pieces of 5/8 rebar b. 45 two rod chair holdersc. 1 roll 6 inch wire tiesd. 1 roll 10x20 6 mill plastice. 1 roll duct tapef. 4 cubic yards 3000 psi concreteg. 12 inch by 4 foot up rod

2. Walls:a. 360 8x8x18 masonry blocks

b.

25 8x8x8 masonry blocksc. 4 bags masonry cementd. 2 yards masonry sande. 1 4-6 door header f. 1 4-6 window header g. 1 10-6 garage door header h. 5 bars 5/8 rebar i. 10 12 inch by 7 foot 6 inch down rods j. 65 cavity caps




k. 1 37 inch window silll. 3 yards 4000psi lintel concrete

3. Roof system:a. 6 roof trusses 2 foot on center

b.

5 sheets 4 x 8 plywoodc. 1 box ply clipsd. 1 roll 15 pound felte. 6 2x4x16 spruce lumber f. 2.5 square of shinglesg. 1 roof venth. 6 pieces drip edge

4. Miscellanies:a. 1 3-0 exterior door with locks b. 1 2-5 single hung window

c.

1 8 foot garage door d. 7 gallons exterior painte. 8 pieces aluminum fasciaf. 15 pieces soffit

HOW TO SAVE MONEY




One basic rule you need to keep in mind if you want to start building a house is to keep the costs

in perspective. The average house dimensions are of 1,500 to 2,000 square feet. If you intend to build on a

larger surface, ask and answer yourself “why”. Follow this advice and the following others and, if you do

your part of the job right, you may be able to save thousands of dollars on ordinary home improvements

and household expenses.

After all of the walls are up you need to get organized. A first step would be to add zones to your

home (heating and air condition). There are only a few areas in your home that you and your family use

the most. Because there may be rooms you do not use, why should you pay to warm them up? An

experienced HVAC provider will be able to help you with the zoning part.

You cannot keep an eye on everything that is going on inside your house. You should not spend

too much time doing this, either. There are automatic machines that do this for you. For instance, a

programmable thermostat saves the cost of installation because it sets more efficient temperatures while

you sleep or you are at work.

Giving such advices may seem funny, since you may have heard them from your wife or parents.

Some of them are as true as plausible as they can get: stop running the air conditioning system while it is

not hot outside. You can reduce the ambient room temperature by up to 10% the rest of the cooling season

if you just use the ceiling fans in every well-used room.




There is an old European saying that sounds like this: if you don’t let the sun come in through the

window, de doctor will come in through the door. The catch is: open the windows, even though it is more

convenient to dial the right temperature into the thermostat.

Use a whole house fan that circulates all of the stale, warm right up and out of the house. This

way you will lower the temperature and provide some relief from humidity. It also costs a lot less to use a

fan.

If you want to have a lawn, have a real one. Do not drug it with chemicals and all sorts of

“preservatives” that are supposed to make the grass look greener and fairer. It is more difficult not to

cheat, but it is healthier. This is a thing that you will only start to realize after years and years of

gardening.

Use plants that do ok in their environment while greatly reducing the need for maintenance such

as watering etc., because low maintenance means low cost. Install awnings, for their looks as well as for

their sun ray blocking potential during the hot summer days. This will mean less money for cooling down

the place. Also, the blocked rays do not damage or fade the furniture or carpet.

Gutter shields may help you save money if you are systematically paying someone to clean the

gutters several times per year. With some upfront work you will save significant money and time on the

long run.

Another way to save some money is to use concrete patios instead of the ones made of (carved)

rock. Due to nowadays technology the patio elements are stamped and dyed in a way that can fool, at a

first look, even the most experienced eye. Also, engineered or laminate wood flooring is what you need to

save some cut some bills: they are easier to install and required maintenance work is less.




You can give your property the looks of a catalog homestead by properly planting trees around.

Research about the size and proper types of trees before you do it. They are good for oxygen, keepingnoise out and cooling down your property in the hot summer days, after they are grown.

There is a way to save up money and cool your place and you will definitely enjoy this if you

work from home - the window air conditioning unit. Using this you will keep the room you work in or

spend most of your time, at the right temperature level and it will save you about $200 per year.

Use window shades! Simple, classical, old-fashioned, but hey, they exist for a purpose and by

doing what they were built for, if using them properly, you can save electricity money. They are best used

during the winter, and when the sun is shining in and warms up the space, helping your heating

installation not to consume too much power, gas, wood, or biomass. On the other hand, just reverse the

process by keeping them closed during summer time. It is all in the wrist.

Do not waste water by taking long showers. Sure, it is your money but using water saving

showerheads is not that big of a deal. They are becoming the norm these days. Install motion sensors or

timers for your security lighting, when you need have some light for some misc. purpose. Sensors do not

cost that much nowadays and using them is the way of the future.

I mean, why bother leaving the lights on if they will lit up when they sense you coming. Since we

are at this chapter, another good advice would be to set a timer to your sprinkler system. This way it won'thappen to forget it on and use too much water and have large bills. You need to water the lawn or plants

several times per day but not all day or all night. By the way, program your sprinklers to work over night

so that you do not feel any discomfort because of the water during the day.




Check if your house is properly insulated by calling a professional. If it is not properly insulated

your heating costs are way higher, especially if your building is drafty. You can also keep heat inside andcold outside, or the other way around (however you like it) by having quality windows. Energy saving

and solar blocking technology got better during the years. It is not at its rookie period. If your walls are

well insulated but still spend more than you should on heating or cooling the place, check the windows.

Your heating systems’ efficiency is subdued by dirt if you do not clean the filters once in a while.

Twice a year should do the trick, but do not forget. Also, try paint before you jump to conclusion and

remodel. Use vinyl flooring and not expensive natural materials which are excessively pricey

Water is one of the utilities most used and mostly wasted. We do not value it because we have

plenty of it. But we need to discipline our water spending habits. You can save a lot of money by using

water heaters that do not have a water tank. Such devices only heat water as it is used. Such heaters also

occupy less space and if you buy or make one that is of the proper size for your building, then you will

not have any headaches with it.

If you have a tank water heater though, be sure you do not loose heat by leaving it with no

insulation. By loosing heat, the water gets cold and you need to consume more energy and money to

reheat it. Moreover, do not stop at insulating the tank. Continue with the pipes. Heat is lost through the pipes also. Do not expect to feel all these savings in your wallet immediately. It takes time but all the

effort will pay up in the end.

Bottled water became an industry several decades ago. People tend not to use tap water anymore.

They say bottled is cleaner. Well, good news for you guys! Tap water can get just as clean with ne new,




modern water filters you apply to your system. Technology advanced and with a filtration system you

actually will have better quality water than the one “in the can”.

CONCLUSION

It is best you know for the start that building your homestead is not like making an instant noodle-

soup. It takes time to find the ideal homestead. There is one very important thing you need to do at the

beginning: a list of what elements are essential as to where you want to live. There are a lot of issues you

need to consider. Here is a list:

Environment Accessibility Agriculture

Personal/Miscellaneous Issues

A. Environment




- Climate – Where do you go from and where do you go? Compare the two. How manyseasons are you used to? Do you like the change of seasons? It will be a good idea to visit the place in more than one period of the year (try all four seasons if possible). This way you canfind out how the climate differs the place you come from and what other issues seasons bringon your future homestead.

o Advice: visit a doctor and find out if you have any allergies to the plants that grow near your land. Make sure that you can physically tolerate the weather. Be sure you canemotionally tolerate the seasons, also. Research what sorts of vegetables you will be ableto grow on your farm. Are you willing, and will you be able to eat the new food?

- Natural Disaster Potential – Are you exposed to any floods, earthquakes, blizzards etc.?

- Urban Messes – Ask local authorities and neighbors; do a little research yourself to find outif there are any waste dumps near your place.

o Advice: Realtors should give away such information, but you are planning to stay thereyour entire life, or as long as possible, so you must take no chances: ask as many realtorsas possible. Such incidents are quite common.

- Farm Businesses – Find out if there are any large farms or farm businesses near your property. Intense livestock activity, fruit or vegetable farming pollutes a lot and spreads of disease.

o

Advice: the local government agricultural center should be able provide you with theinformation you need regarding the local policies and laws regarding huge farm practices.

- Alternative energy sources – Will you have enough sunny days, consistent winds, a river close to you so you can provide hydropower? Renewable energy will save you money,eventually, so you should consider it when you choose the place you want to build your homestead. You will also help the environment if you increase self-sufficiency.

B. Accessibility

- Utilities – Are you linked or at least close to an electricity, water, and gas or phone system?How close are you? How far down do you have to drill to reach for water in the ground andwhen you reach the source will you reach quality, drinkable water? Will you need a septicsystem above or below ground?




- Necessities - We all dream of becoming very independent, but the reality is that there areneeds that must be considered. How far is it to a local hospital, veterinarian, gas station, homecenter or food store? What about utilities such as electricity, gas, water and phone? If your land comes too cheap, ask why. Usually, price is related to such necessities and you need tofind out as much as you can.

- Vehicles – How many ways are there to access your land in case of a disaster or roadconstruction?

- Family and Friends – Even if you leave the city in search for a more quiet and healthy life,no not get isolated. Try to keep as close as possible to your relatives. How far away are you

from them? This is a question you should answer before taking a decision. Of course,sometimes you may want the distance, but it is best you know where you stand in all this.

- Employment – Investigate local job markets and see if you have any opportunities. You needto provide for you and your family and get a job until you become self-sufficient andestablish the homestead. Of course, if you have enough money sustain you and the ones youcare on a long period of time you might not have to worry about a job.

C. Agriculture

- Soil Quality – Not all types of soil are ideal for agriculture. But most of them can be used togrow different sorts of plants. You need to know whether the soil on your land is rich andloamy or full of rocks and clay.

o Advice: Find out what your neighbors or the farmers in the area are growing; this should be enough to draw a conclusion. However, to be certain, research a bit about soil. Read




the Food Freedom Module (Module 3) of the Freedom Blueprints for best descriptionsabout soil mixtures, types. Look at the crops farmers in the area have. This should be agreat indicator of the soil composition and quality. Hay would mean that you will havefewer options. Vegetable gardens, on the other hand suggest fertile lands. Smallvegetable gardens can be built on virtually any type of soil, so look at the size of thecrops in the area. You may not be able to produce a lot.

- Restrictions - Certain places have laws against growing certain crops or animals in your farm, so you should find out if this is your case. Even if there are no restrictions, there stillmay be different taxes applied, according to the type of farm you have. Do not launchyourself into a dead-end. Find out all you can about the place.

- Livestock – You cannot raise as many animals as you can, wherever you want. You need acertain amount of land for a determined number of animals. The land can provide limited

food for your livestock, depending on the vegetation in the area. Consult the local farmersand see how many head can be supported per acre. Find out which breeds are the most costeffective. Examine the market: there may be livestock no one else breeds in the area so youmay just hit the jackpot. Form a good insight and find out why certain breeds are not presentwhere you want to move.

-Demand – This brings us to the last point regarding restrictions. What you may plan to raisemay be scarce, and this may bring you profit. Is there a demand on what you are planning togrow or raise?

D. Personal / Miscellaneous Issues




- Comfort - Do everything you need to do to be certain this place feels ok for you and your family. Write down all the advantages and disadvantages of moving to this place andcompare them. Is it worth it? How is the view? Is there enough wildlife? How close is it tothe road – is it far enough? Is this a quiet place?

-Money – Do not get out of your lead. You need to save money, not spend money. Well,sometimes spending a lot may worth it, but be sure you have done the entire “math” before paying. Keep in mind that there is nothing worse that worrying about mortgage. Informyourself about the taxes in the area and keep payments low. If you have cash, use cash. Talk to experts: will this place have larger taxes in the future period? How about the next 10-20years?

- Land – You must not buy more land than you can work. Will you use all the land? Shouldyou buy the entire area you plan to buy? Think ahead: how will you use the land? How muchtime will you spend in working the land? Is this going to be your main activity or will youhave a job. Will farming fit into your schedule? How much space will you need for raising

vegetables or animals?

A typical adult human skeleton commonly consists of 206 bones. A typical house commonly

consists in 3,000 different parts. Just like bones, all these components are put together with skill and have

a purpose. Just like ours, the house parts get old and need adjustments, repairing, and maintenance.

Routine is easy to manage. You know something only lasts for 10 years, and that other things need to be

cleaned once per month. But here are some advices for those moments not in your schedule.

Whenever a problem arises, identify its nature, write it down and send a mail to the builder (mostof them require written complaints or informs in order to take action). Such a letter should have:

1. Name, address

2. Home and work telephone numbers.3. Type the letter if possible. Handwriting leaves room for misunderstanding. If you do not have

a printer, write so that your handwriting is readable. If not, use printing or handwriting that is easy to read.

4. Be reasonable and state precisely what you want done and how soon. Keep the letter brief and to the point. Include all relevant details.

5. Include copies of all the relevant documents regarding the problem. DO NOT send theoriginals, and keep a copy of the letter.

Familiarize yourself with your warranty papers, how much the mortgage covers etc before you

send your letter. Usually, on the written warranty there is written a thorough procedure for making claims.

While some builders handle the warranty repairs themselves, others may have contracted with a home

warranty company to handle all warranty claims.




No matter how upset you may be with a problem, try solving it amiably before handing it over to

lawyers, government agencies, home builders' associations or any other third parties. It is just being

reasonable. They should fix the problem as soon as possible. If not, well, just go where you wanted to, in

the first place. Understand that you are dealing with other human beings and that you may be wrong abouttheir fault in the problem. Do not be sarcastic or threatening because this could do more harm than good.

They have lawyers too, you know. And all the rights you have, they have.

Ask around and find out if, by any chance, you live in a state that have enacted notice and

opportunity to repair laws that require you to follow certain statutory procedures before any other legal

action. Sometimes “being reasonable” is stated by law and you may have to hand over a written notice of

the problem to the builder, give them a chance to inspect and solve the problem. These laws have been

passed to avoid unnecessary lawsuits. Remember, lawsuits are expensive.

Check if your builder is a member of the local builders’ association and find out if it can solve the

problem without going to court. Remember that such associations do not have the authority to compel

either side in a dispute to do anything, and that basically it only moderates the problem.

By doing the things you have read above you should be able to resolve most of the problems that

appear after finishing your house. Good Luck!

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