Winning Over Your Significant Other

Sara: John, you know I’ve been reading about earthbag building and natural building lately. Well, I’d like to build our new home this way. John: [long pause while thinking] Are you sure? I really like those trailer houses we’ve looked at. Sara: Come on John, trailer houses are shoddily built and you know it. And … Read more

Vernacular Architecture

“Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it exists. It has often been dismissed as crude and unrefined, but also has … Read more

Cumulative Home Energy Costs

– Why Every American Homeowner Should be Concerned “The following table represents a scenario where home energy bills increase by a very modest 5% per year over a 50 year time frame. Look up your current monthly energy bill to see what your cumulative energy bill will be years into the future. The column highlighted … Read more

Anasazi Stonework

“Ancient Pueblo People or Ancestral Pueblo peoples were an ancient Native American culture centered on the present-day Four Corners area of the United States, comprising southern Utah, northern Arizona, northwest New Mexico, and southern Colorado. They lived in buildings called pueblos, designed so that they could lift up entry ladders during enemy attacks, which provided … Read more

Log End Flooring

I’ve assembled some of the best photos I could find on log end flooring. This type of flooring is made with end grain (with the wood grain oriented vertically). Log end or end grain flooring has been used for centuries in palaces, luxury homes and high traffic areas because of its beauty and durability. End … Read more

A Letter from the Borg Collective

Dear Mr. Geiger, My wealthy and powerful associates are not happy with your message of low cost owner-built houses paid with cash, and building small and simple with local materials. To us, this is sacrilege. You see, we are the powers that be that control most everything in the world and who have created the … Read more