[Cob] International Building Code

[Deborah Denmark]

Caroline, Thanks for the great link.  I especially liked the part that says the IBC is not meant to prohibit designs and methods not specifically provided for.
Hope continues to spring forth.
I have just about come to the conclusion that I may not need a copy of the code so long as my design exceeds it.  After all, I do want a house that the all the wolfs in the world can't blow down :o)

I have to admit I bristled inside when the secretary was not so nice.  The whole permit thing really eats at my sense of freedom.  Of course I understand the need for it due to unscrupulous people who would sell you a pig in a poke so to speak. But to be completely honest, How dare the government tell me I have to ask their permission and pay them for that permission to provide one of my most basic needs for myself and by myself.  But if I think on that too much I get livid.  So I am going the legal route.  

Again to be honest, because a permit is the only way I can get my husband to agree to the cob house.  He has finally agreed that if I get a permit he will be supportive of the building process.  And I would prefer he be supportive at this point.

Bonnie, thanks for the used book store idea.  We do have a good one here and I shop there on occasion.  Even an out of date copy would help me to understand some things I need to learn about.

Barbara, I originally thought to build a small building and live real simple and then later thought to do it mostly for the experience and to use as a studio or garden shed or some such thing.  But am thinking that I would rather not do that now.  May do a playhouse with the grandchildren just to show them that they can do it.  They would really get a kick out of it too.  And their dad would maybe take me more seriously then.  My own son who knows how I can accomplish things once I set my mind to it just does not believe I am going to do this.  And he really should know better by now.

Lance, Thanks so much for the semantic pointer.  It is just that sort of thing I need to be aware of.  I may be remembering wrong but I think most everything I have read on cob has referred to the footers as the foundation.  And I really do have a lot to learn with just the terminology.

I can see your point with the three marks against me.  If I run into a male chauvinist mindset it will be difficult for me to bite my tongue and conceal my true feelings.  But that is way off topic and I want this enough get through such obstacles.  I can always voice my true thoughts at a later time and I can also do it in a subtle way if I choose that will most definitely get the drift across.

As for not being a pro and learning, that is what I am doing with all these questions and the reading and internet searches I have been doing.  And chewing on my design has helped me find the questions I need to ask.  

I have not done any experimenting with my soil as yet.  That is the least of my concerns at this point as I have lived here for over 20 years and know the dirt of this mountain well.  It is a wonderful soil for cob.  

Of course I will have test bricks made and dried before I make my first appointment with the building inspector. I plan to go with all my ducks in a long neat row.

And if I get my permit and I mess up my house I will take the responsibility myself.  I don't go in for all the nonsense today with everyone suing over broken fingernails or anything else that really is their own doing most of the time.

Back to the kitchen to finish off the last of today's canning,
Deborah