Restrictive building codes are forcing people to look for alternative housing. Building a portable trailer is one of the best tricks for bypassing building codes legally. No permanent foundation and no utility hookups typically mean very few codes. There’s a wealth of free information on trailer houses and tiny houses on the Internet.

But it doesn’t necessarily have to be tiny. Here’s one example using straw bales or earthbags filled with lightweight insulation such as lava rock or perlite: Double Wide

It’s not difficult to set up a DC power system and live off grid if you’re willing to cut out energy wasters and make some basic lifestyle changes. Laptop computers, LED lights and compact fluorescents use very little electricity. Set up a solar shower, composting toilet, etc. to simplify your life.

Where can you put your trailer? I recommend networking with people in a rural area you’d like to live in. The souring economy is forcing many people to consider additional ways of making money. You may be able to make a deal with a farmer, for instance, who allows you to park your trailer on their farm. Or maybe make a trade with an elderly person who needs an extra hand. You could make offers through Craigs List, Woofer sites, post office and restaurant bulletin boards, etc.

It’s relatively easy to make your own earthbag tampers, but some may decide it’s simpler and more expedient to just purchase them. Here’s one tamper I came across after a quick search on the Internet: Ames True Temper 8″ x 8″ Tamper, 42 inch hardwood handle, $24.98, available from Lowe’s building supply centers.

Ames True Temper Earthbag Tamper

There’s a plethora of building options not covered in the current earthbag literature, one of which is using wood siding on earthbag houses. Plaster is by far the most common wall finish, but it’s always good to know about other options.

Slab Siding

Wavy Edge Siding (top portion)

For instance, you may have access to a portable sawmill and low cost timber and can make your own furring strips, slab siding and wavy edge siding. Gleaning wood from logging operations or tree trimming companies are two examples. Or in certain regions, you may be able to buy offcuts inexpensively from a local sawmill (very common).

2×2, 1×3 or 1×4 furring strips will all work. Rough milled wood is fine for furring strips, which means you can mill your own for very little money. Whether you cut your own wood or buy it, make sure it’s dried properly to avoid twisting and bowing. Take care to keep furring strips in alignment (all in one plane) on the wall or your finished siding will be uneven. Cedar shims will come in handy. Take special care when stacking earthbags, and use corner guides to create straight, vertical corners. Attach furring strips with poly baling twine. Embed lengths of twine as you build, and then add furring strips after wall is built.

For ease of getting a permit for earthbag houses, buy rural land with few or no building restrictions. Ask building officials about building restrictions before buying land! Some will let you build with alternative materials (earthbag, strawbale, adobe, etc.), some won’t. Although alternative materials are allowed by code, some counties make the process so difficult that it’s not worth the trouble. In contrast, some counties have almost no building restrictions except septic systems. It makes no sense, but that’s the way it is. The world desperately needs sustainable housing, but yet all these codes create barriers to alternative building methods and increase cost of construction.

Building codes were written by the insurance, steel, concrete and timber industries to protect their interests and maximize profits. The same thing is happening today with lobbyists in Washington, and that’s why things are so screwed up.

Even if your building officials allow you to build an earthbag house, it will likely cost several times more than it has to. They’ll want concrete foundations, concrete floors, factory trusses, certified wood, etc. Figure $80/sq. ft. minimum in the city instead of $10/sq. ft. do-it-yourself in rural areas. Example: 846 sq. ft. x $80/sq. ft. = $67,680

This is conservative. You’ll likely pay a lot more after permits, engineering fees, utility hookups, etc. And if you hire contractors to do everything, the cost could double. And at this point you may need a home loan, which drives up the price even more. This is part of the reason why there’s a housing crisis and over a billion people can’t afford housing.

You’ll need to talk to your building officials since codes vary county to county. Even a few miles outside the city in a rural county may mean virtually no codes. Try to locate other houses made with alternative building materials. Print various articles and pictures from our websites (www.EarthbagBuilding.com, www.GreenHomeBuilding.com, etc.) and show your building department. Pin them down on specifics. They’ll say something like “you’ll need stamped drawings from an engineer or architect.” Find out exactly what they want.

Building in a city shoots down most options. In most cases it’s not worth the time struggling against the system. Maybe you’ll find a local architect or engineer who specializes in alternative/green building and can help you through the process. Do a google search using key phrases.

I’ve just unveiled my first zero energy house — Zero Energy One — at Earthbag House Plans.

Zero Energy One Earthbag House

Unlike most zero energy houses that cost a small fortune (around $250,000), Zero Energy One earthbag house can be built for about $10/sq. ft. exclusive of the energy systems. This design minimizes net energy use, embodied energy in building materials, labor and cost. No other design that I am aware of accomplishes all these things. Complete plans are available through Dream Green Homes at http://dreamgreenhomes.com/plans/zeroenergy1.htm.

Guiding zero-energy housing strategies:
1. Build small
2. Efficient use of space
3. Low-embodied energy building materials (primarily locally available, natural materials)
4. Superinsulation
5. Balance of mass and insulation
6. Multiple use features (serve more than one purpose)
7. Lifestyle change of inhabitants
8. Maximum solar design
9. Appropriate technology
10. Energy-efficient appliances and fixtures
11. Energy and resource-efficient shape
12. Safe and healthy design

http://dreamgreenhomes.com/plans/zeroenergy1.htm

Earthbag building requires very few tools. You mostly need sturdy, basic tools such as shovels, buckets and tampers. Buy the best quality you can afford. This may mean buying from yard sales or Craigslist to get older, higher quality tools. A lot of new stuff is junk that will fall apart in a few days or weeks.

I’d start by reading Doni and Kaki’s Earthbag Building book. They describe everything you need, and their book has lots of photos and drawings on how to make your own tampers, etc.

These are the earthbag building tools I use.

Note: Now I use cement buckets, not the kind in the photo.

Don’t buy anything until you think it over a long time. Chances are you don’t need it. Builders in developing countries have a bag of tools about the size of a grocery bag, and with these tools they are able to build everything up to and including large houses, apartments, shops and other structures. Now personally, I would get a few more than that, but it does show how simple building can be.

We’re happy to announce the 2nd anniversary of Earthbag Building Blog. Thank you everyone for your support. We love hearing about your earthbag projects and sharing information with others. Keep those project submissions rolling in.

In the spirit of celebration, here are some of our most popular posts:
Low-cost Multipurpose Minibuilding
Cost of Earthbag Houses
Cold Climate Earthbag Yurts
Earthbag Rootcellar
Using Earthbags as Ceiling Insulation
Earthbag Building in Cold Climates
Hurricane and Tornado-Resistant Earthbag Houses
Earthbag Cisterns
Creating Earthbag House Models
Earthbag Videos

Over the years Kelly and I have built up a great deal of free online content to help those looking for low-cost, sustainable building options. The amount of information has grown so vast that I now refer to these sites as “our family of websites”. If you’re looking for dirt cheap, DIY, sustainable building information then I encourage you to search our sites. You’ll find dozens of free articles, book reviews, videos, Q&A from experts in their field, photo galleries, house plans, and on and on. Enjoy.

Our websites include:
GreenHomeBuilding.com
GRISB.org
EarthbagBuilding.com
Earthbag Building Blog
Earthbag House Plans
Dream Green Homes
Green Home Building and Sustainable Architecture
GRISB Blog

Wooden shakes on domes

Wooden shakes are a sustainable roofing material because they can be made by hand using a froe and locally available wood. You can make shakes from many kinds of wood, but the best shakes come from old trees with tight growth rings. Install shakes over roofing felt, and fasten with galvanized roofing nails. Steep roofs of 5:12 pitch or more will reduce risk of leaks and wind damage.

Wooden shakes can be used on walls and roofs built of pallets. See Pallet Roofs

Here’s a good article by Mother Earth News magazine on making wooden shakes:
The Froe and You: How to Make Hand-Split Shakes

So far very little has been written about earthbag basements. Earthbags are suitable for basements and other underground applications such as cisterns and rootcellars. Round or curved designs are inherently stronger than long, straight walls, which require reinforcing columns or buttresses.

Earthbag Basement Wall Detail

General guidelines for earthbag basements:
- 24″ wide poly bags (measured when empty)
- lime stabilized soil tamped solid
- 10%-20% type-S lime hydrate to dry soil by volume
- mix lime and soil thoroughly before adding water
- two strands 4-point barbed wire
- rubble trench with French drain
- taper walls slightly outward
- double layer 6 mil polyethylene moisture barrier
- use scoria, pumice, etc. for improved insulation

Build on high ground, and grade the site away from the building. Dry climates are obviously more suitable than wet climates. Use caution — working below grade is dangerous. Temporary shoring may be required. Avoid problem clay soils. The final design should be based on soil tests and calculations by a licensed engineer.

I have one plan with a basement: Habitat Earthbag House