Cob: foundation height in lowcountry S.C. + a question for EVERYBODY

[Amanda Peck]

Build a rock/block first story, with provisions for letting the water go 
through when there are feet of it around your foundation?  Cob from there 
up?  The Hawaiians did something like that, with walls dug in to the hill a 
couple of feet, rock up to maybe four or five feet, thatch and timber the 
rest of the way up for both walls and roof.  At least that's how I remember 
a theme park reproduction of a pre-contact house that I saw some 35 years 
ago.  My recollection is also that it was wonderfully cool.

If you've got your roof on right, the cob should stand winds well.  Although 
there would be some replacing layers after hours of blowing rain.

Are you going to need stamped architects plans for the inspectors? That will 
raise your price quite a lot.

Evans, et al, The Hand Sculpted House is the newest, shiniest, most complete 
book.  Which isn't to say that there aren't things in some of the others 
that will give you an idea to make the whole project work properly.


Kevin wrote (snipped)

Not to mention the price!

We are currently looking at buying land in lowcountry South Carolina, near
Charleston.  I have spoken with the zoning police recently, and they were 
actually quite friendly.  .....


First of all, the area is subject to flooding.  While we would be several
miles inland from the coast, we would still be near a lot of
river/marsh/inlets etc.  Many of the houses are up on stilts.

....much extra cost is involved in stormproofing it for the above mentioned 
factors?



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