Cob: Regulations

[Great Spirit Software]

> Anyway when I approched  the seller
> regarding above covenants his response was that people just go ahead and 'just
> do' (in other words: build and do not ask) and after all this is the "Wild
> West"!!  What do you think gang? (Jesse James excluded)

I concur! Here in New Mexico, the pioneering spirit is alive and well. Many of us have chosen to lead a life of peace and quiet,
autonomy and independence. If you're willing to accept all that comes with this lifestyle, then you've "earned" the right to do your
own thing. Build your home as you see fit, whether it's cob, compressed earth blocks, adobe or otherwise. Build it with strength and
wisdom, and it will serve you well.

BTW, I did a little research on building here, and what I found was interesting. I don't know if I'd want to hash this out in a
court, but the State's building regulations seem to imply that if YOU are the builder and you're building your OWN home for your OWN
use, the rules don't apply to you. Check out the definition of "contractor" in the following excerpt. I'm sure the phrase in Section
D, Paragraph 10 about "done in conformity" means they =want= you to obtain permits, inspections, etc. My personal feeling is that if
you're far enough away from the mainstream, "just do it."

One last note: After looking at cob, adobe, rammed earth, compressed earth blocks, logs, strawbale and cordwood, I decided to go
with compressed earth blocks. A friend of mine made the Cinva Ram for me. If you're interested, check out
http://ferncometal.stormloader.com/ -- the price is right and it's a great little machine.

Cheers,
Chris

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The New Mexico Construction Industries Licensing Act consists of
Article 13 of Chapter 60 of the New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978.

The sections and text that constitute The New Mexico Construction
Industries Licensing Act are available below.

60-13-2. General definitions. (Effective until July 1, 2006.)

As used in the Construction Industries Licensing Act [this article]:

D. "person" includes an individual, firm, partnership, corporation,
association or other organization, or any combination thereof;

L. "building" means any structure built for use or occupancy by
persons or property, including but not limited to manufactured
commercial units and modular homes or premanufactured homes designed
to be placed on permanent foundations whether mounted on skids or
permanent foundations or whether constructed on or off the site of
location;

60-13-3. Definition; contractor. (Effective until July 1, 2006.)

As used in the Construction Industries Licensing Act [this article],

"contractor":

A. means any person who undertakes, offers to undertake by bid or other
means or purports to have the capacity to undertake, by himself or through
others, contracting. Contracting includes but is not limited to constructing,
altering, repairing, installing or demolishing any:

(2)  building, stadium or other structure;

D.  does not include:

(10)    an individual who, by himself or with the aid of others who are
paid wages and who receive no other form of compensation, builds or
makes installations, alterations or repairs in or to a single-family
dwelling owned and occupied or to be occupied by him; provided that
the installation, building, alteration or repair is required to be
done in conformity with all other provisions of the Construction
Industries Licensing Act and with the orders, rules, regulations,
standards and codes adopted pursuant to that act;

(11)    a person who acts on his own account to build or improve a
single-family residence for his personal use, including the building
or improvement of a free standing storage building located on that
residential property, provided that the construction or improvement
is required to be done in conformity with all other provisions of
the Construction Industries Licensing Act and with the orders,
rules, regulations, standards and codes adopted pursuant to that
act, and provided further that he does not engage in commercial
construction;