Posted on 08/02/2013 11:34:14 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Imagine if it were possible to build your own home, in this day and age, for less than $35,000. Or to cut up some timber and piece your new home together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
What if you could create, with your own hands, a home that collects its own rainwater and generates its own power, so you never have to pay a bill again?
As far-fetched as it sounds, if you can't afford to buy a house, then designing and building your own may be more viable than you assumed. Today, upcoming architects and designers are coming up with solutions to the problem of rocketing property prices, by building houses of their own and sharing their plans on the internet.
In the UK, a young architectural practice has devised the world's first 'open-source' building. Made of simple materials and freely available plans, the 'WikiHouse' was conceived by English designer Alastair Parvin as a low-cost solution to the global housing shortage.
The aim of the project is to allow anyone in the world to design, share, download, adapt and 'print' a house that is inexpensive and tailored to their own needs.....
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Bump
You are posting some good ones tonight! Not that you don’t on other nights. ;) Love things like this.
Stack them deep and hope the tornado doesn’t notice them
Ping. I think you once posted a thread on alternative house design.
I woulda beatcha iffn’ I didn’t center it.
Yep... twister proof my butt...
lol
With interest rates going up, lowering the price of housing will be a top priority.
Oh! Oh! I have something to add to this. This is a blog by a fellow in/ around Terlingua (Texas) & he’s dome some amazing things (literally by himself, most of the time) using these containers. It’s a regular compound now, but if you read back a ways, you can see it taking shape.
http://www.thefieldlab.blogspot.com
There’s not much beyond a cellar/ underground shelter that can withstand a tornado.
Thanks, 2ndDivisionVet & all who post more links! Adding to my bookmarks.
This is the thread I was thinking about DC:
Video: Family Lives in 320-Square-Foot ‘Shotgun Shack’ (vid and story)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2729626/posts?page=56
Oh wow! Very neat pics. That is so cool. I’ve heard of that before...straw bale homes. Love it.
Supposed to be DIRT CHEAP from what I’m reading.
You would think, but it looks absolutely amazing! I was shown a link about these a couple of years back or saw in on FR.
Supposed to be DIRT CHEAP from what Im reading.Maybe for the bales but it would end there.
Anytime you do anything in construction that is unconventional it will cost you more if not for labor but maybe both labor and materials.
The things to consider before building a bale house are too many to mention.
How are the window and door jambs attached to the bales...you know so they don't fall out in a wind storm or a slammed door?
Are the walls (bales) connected to the foundation with mechanical fasteners?
Are the bales fire resistant?
The straw will compress and shrink over time. What will that do to the solid plastered surface?
How do you run plumbing and electrical in the wall and how do you secure elecrical panels, switch and light boxes to hay bales?...not to mention pictures amd window coverings.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.