I want to poke a stick at spending thousands on an earthbag building workshop. For that same money you could do all of the following: – learn carpentry fundamentals and basic wiring and plumbing through websites, library books and videos; – buy several books; – volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and weekend natural building wall … Read more
I invite you all to visit my new website Earthbag House Plans. At this point I have 77 earthbag plans in the preliminary design stage. Most are houses, but there are some cabins, shelters, sheds and shops. All are small and made with sustainable materials — earthbags, straw bales, earth floors, earth plaster, sustainably harvested … Read more
How would you build earthbag walls up to 12 feet above ground on pier footings? A reader asked me this recently. Hmm. Moving tons of earth up that high would be difficult, and that got me thinking of alternatives. One solution I came up with uses an insulation blowing machine and hand-held bag sewing machine … Read more
This is probably the most common question of all: How much do earthbag houses cost? It’s sort of like asking how much does a car cost? Well, it depends on the size, features, construction details and how much work you are willing to do. The short answer is it can cost as much or as … Read more
The two largest obstacles to home ownership are expensive building materials and overly complex construction methods that require specialized skills and equipment. The problem is so acute that over 70 percent of Americans are unable to afford contractor-built homes. With the current downturn in the economy and the loss of millions of jobs, the housing … Read more
Perhaps you’re getting ready to build your earthbag house and would like an extra hand (or 5-6!). At the same time, there are quite a few people looking for hands-on learning opportunities. Communities have utilized barn raisings and similar events for many years. Now it’s easy to promote your project and get the help you … Read more