ALTERNATIVE BUILDING PRO`S AND CON`S

[cordwoodguy]

I WAS SURPRISED THAT THERE WASN`T ALL THAT MUCH ON BUILDING HERE.[EVEN A SEARCH FOR CORDWOOD ,STRAWBALE ETC CAME UP EMPTY.]FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN ALTERNATIVE BUILDING SYSTEMS,I HAVE A PAGE WHERE I DISCUSS THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH.HERE IS A LINK TO IT...I HOPE!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alternative_building

IF YOU CHECK THE LINKS YOU WILL FIND SOME ON LINE BOOKS ON HOW TO BUILD SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS.PLEASE NOTE,THE BOARD IS MEANT TO BE A FORUM AS SUCH...NO MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON CORDWOOD CONSTRUCTION ,FIRE AWAY!

CORDWOODGUY

PS: I USE CAPITALS DUE TO A VISUAL DISABILITY,SORRY!

[desdawg]

Well, I can think of one pro and one con right away.
Pro-Inexpensive, use lots of native or salvaged materials. Pick a method that coincides with what you have available.

Con-Almost every method I have looked at is very labor intensive. You need to have a lot of time on your hands.

Two of the most valuable commodities are time and money.

[cordwoodguy]

Well, I can think of one pro and one con right away.
Pro-Inexpensive, use lots of native or salvaged materials. Pick a method that coincides with what you have available.

Con-Almost every method I have looked at is very labor intensive. You need to have a lot of time on your hands.

Two of the most valuable commodities are time and money.

DESDAWG.......TRUE ENOUGH,BUT THE SAVINGS ARE IN DOING MOST OF THE WORK YOURSELF.[YOUR SWEAT EQUITY]WITH CORDWOOD YOU COULD HAVE CHILDREN HELPING AS SMALL DIAMETER LOGS WOULDN`T WEIGH THAT MUCH.
SOME PEOPLE LIKE THE FACT THAT THEY CAN BUILD AS THEY GO.THEY UTILIZE THIS TO BUILD WHEN THEY HAVE THE MONEY TO CONTINUE AND ALSO AVOID A MORTGAGE.SOME CORDWOOD HOMES HAVE BEEN BUILT OVER 3-5 YEAR TIME FRAMES.SOME WERE BUILT DURING SUMMER VACATIONS ONLY.


CORDWOODGUY

[desdawg]

It's working for me. No glitches.

[cordwoodguy]

It's working for me. No glitches.


DESDAWG......THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT ALLOWED ME IN SINCE MY LAST POST.GLAD TO SEE IT BACK UP.


CORDWOODGUY

[rassd71]

Another con is dealing with the building depts. They can make anything 'alternative' a nightmare!

[Backwoods_Bob]

I've built my homestead with cordwood, straw bale, poles I cut and peeled myself along with stacked and filled concrete block and recycled materials, ( see my barn thread for that one - http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/yabb/forum.pl?board=han-building-tools;action=display;num=1168900015 Woops! Looks like I need to redo all the photo links - )

Now I'm experimenting with ferro-cement over a frame of cattle panels. Here is a drawing of my lattest brain storm
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o320/etdbob/Cabin/bobsgasthaus-Model.jpg
This was a full size mock up of the frame - And you can see a corner of my cordwood shed.
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o320/etdbob/Cabin/P1010057.jpg

Alternate building methods can be very time consuming. Cordwood certainly is.
But load bearing straw bale is very fast and easy to do.
This is what my "straw hut" looks like in winter

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o320/etdbob/P2230071-2.jpg
Of course, you sure can't leave a partially finished straw bale building alone and pick it up next spring like you can with cordwood!
So, each method has it's own pros and cons.

[DaNgEr_KiTtY]

cordwoodguy there are alot of stuff on this topic in the magazine. i cant count the different ideas i have read about over the years in the publication. it was funny the other day when ii saw some show about different houses & architecture. a concrete dome house was featured on the coast as indestructible to hurricanes. i laughed cause i read about that same method like 15 years ago in the magazine. same with the straw bail houses.