Cob: $500 photos of Ianto's house

Thu Jan 31 08:26:05 CST 2002

Ianto told me his house was approximately 180 s.f. including the loft.  He has a
good time asking folks, especially architects and building contractors, to guess how
big their house is, which they often estimate to be 40% larger than it actually is.
He says its because rounded shaped spaces are perceived larger than comparable
square spaces thus "round feet are larger than square feet."

It is also true, as Darel points out, that labor was not figured in as a cost but I
don't doubt Ianto on how much cash he says was spent on it either, $500. But one
must understand that it required considerable resourcefulness to do it and it does
not have a septic system nor a pressurized water system.  Gray water in a bucket
goes to the garden, and an outhouse takes care of the ...earth.  I believe he said
the roof metal and wool insulation were the most expensive things he paid for, the
front doors I think were a salvage gift.  I know others who were able to find or
salvage materials in order to build very inexpensively but most are not your normal
fully equipped energy hogs that are so common in this country.  This country
discards so much it is not that difficult to save a lot when building if you can
take the time to find, salvage or harvest the things you need.

Howard

Charmaine R Taylor wrote:

> Does anyone know how many square feet the building was? I am
> > also planning on having an attic, so I would need some wood for the
> > floor.
>  Jennifer
>
> Ianto refers to his house as "round feet" and refuses to define the
> size, and it is very tiny indeed with a loft area, so it is two story.
> There is wood on part of the roof as I recall and I believe the floor is
> earthen, and the basic shape is a fat heart.
>
> there are photos at one of the cob sites..
> http://www.deatech.com/cobcottage/#more  >> go here and click on the
> photos page
>
> Charmaine  Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
> http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com
> http://www.papercrete.com
> PO Box 375, Cutten CA 95534
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Ianto told me his house was approximately 180 s.f. including the loft. 
He has a good time asking folks, especially architects and building contractors,
to guess how big their house is, which they often estimate to be 40% larger
than it actually is.  He says its because rounded shaped spaces are
perceived larger than comparable square spaces thus "round feet are larger
than square feet."
<p>It is also true, as Darel points out, that labor was not figured in
as a cost but I don't doubt Ianto on how much cash he says was spent on
it either, $500. But one must understand that it required considerable
resourcefulness to do it and it does not have a septic system nor a pressurized
water system.  Gray water in a bucket goes to the garden, and an outhouse
takes care of the ...earth.  I believe he said the roof metal and
wool insulation were the most expensive things he paid for, the front doors
I think were a salvage gift.  I know others who were able to find
or salvage materials in order to build <u>very</u> inexpensively but most
are not your normal fully equipped energy hogs that are so common in this
country.  This country discards so much it is not that difficult to
save a lot when building if you can take the time to find, salvage or harvest
the things you need.
<p>Howard
<p>Charmaine R Taylor wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>Does anyone know how many square feet the building
was? I am
<br>> also planning on having an attic, so I would need some wood for the
<br>> floor.
<br> Jennifer
<p>Ianto refers to his house as "round feet" and refuses to define the
<br>size, and it is very tiny indeed with a loft area, so it is two story.
<br>There is wood on part of the roof as I recall and I believe the floor
is
<br>earthen, and the basic shape is a fat heart.
<p>there are photos at one of the cob sites..
<br><a href="http://www.deatech.com/cobcottage/#more">http://www.deatech.com/cobcottage/#more</a> 
>> go here and click on the
<br>photos page
<p>Charmaine  Taylor/ Taylor Publishing
<br><a href="http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com">http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com</a>
<br><a href="http://www.papercrete.com">http://www.papercrete.com</a>
<br>PO Box 375, Cutten CA 95534</blockquote>
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