[Cob] COBBING in CT?

[Marlin]

I'd do some form of cordwood (we like "cobscrap" - scrap 2x4s rather than cut tree wood - email me for details) to improve the performance of the cob building from an insulation standpoint and the fact it uses 1/2 or less the amount of cob, which is huge part of the effort! Also build small and modular so that you can create a livable space (extended kitchen) and then add on.......little is big when it comes to COMPLETING a cob building :)

Humanure style works great - our deviation in the city - is to use biobags in the buckets, lots of sawdust, and throw the bags into 55 gal. barrels that have aeration tubes in them (again offline for details)....all the above improves the ease and tidiness of the system, important for city situation!

Shallow foundation will work if you hit solid rock, you've got a foundation, clay is what heaves and lifts buildings not solid rock, that makes a good foundation. You might also OUTSILATE around the foundation to keep it warmer in general. Good idea for a little work, warms to building envelope completely.

Simple, cascaded 55 gal barrels (another good urban waste product) work well for rain catchment if you're needing a quick temp solution. There's great cheap drinking water filters for what little you actually consume rather than water or bathe with.......

Last for now, recycled GOOD windows and old patio doors (double paned tempered) along with a good roofing solution (metal?) will be BIG cost drivers in your building so look for them early and you'll save boatloads of money.

any code issues, probably in CT?

Marlin
           info at outtathebox.org  
           www.outtathebox.org
"There are solutions to the major problems of our time, some of them even simple. But they require a radical shift in our perceptions, our thinking, and our values."
   - [Fritjof Capra]



-----Original Message-----
From:     s Bay <hi_eagle at hotmail.com>
Sent:     Tue, 04 Jan 2005 16:07:37 -0600
To:       coblist at deatech.com
Subject:  [Cob] COBBING in CT?


Hello!

My parent's have a beautiful 7 ac site in NE Connecticut and have asked us 
to build near them.  They've got a creek that comes from a natural spring 
uphill, running right thru the property, and it is backed on 3 sides by 
State Wetlands, so it'll never get built on.  They live on a mountain, that 
is very rocky and I've been dreaming of building cob there.

With the creek, I have a good chance of finding some clay right??

but the rest of the terrain is sooo rocky I'm worried about labor for 
digging a foundation.....

Maybe no foundation, or a plinthe (sp?) or perhaps a shallow rubble trench 
foundation as done by Frank Loyd Wright?????

Also about toilets.  I've done the composting humanure toilet and with great 
success, should we just stick with that?  I've got bids for the well at 300 
ft deep for $9 thou! Yikes That's all our savings and then what about 
sewer???!!???

Can I do a greywater pond with this location?  CT isn't as cold as MN.

Any ideas on catching rainwater till we save for a well??

Any ideas are greatly appreciated!   We've got about 10$thou saved up for 
our dream cob house and an old airstream trailer ready for us to live in 
while we're in construction. Plus with the parents right next door it's easy 
to do laundry and and such.




Sarah Markie

POLLYWOG ALL-IN-ONE AND PLATYPUS FITTED DIAPER PATTERNS
http://www.pollywogbabies.com



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