[Cob] foundation near trees

[Amanda Peck]

Still might not be great for your tree roots--sinking them too deep, keeping 
water away from them, etc.  And, around here, oaks sometimes get 
heart-rot--suddenly fall over, hollow inside.  If it's something you HAVE to 
do, try putting a deck, (non-treated?) wood with gaps for rain, out over the 
drip line of the tree. the main house well away.  With a pergola if you want 
the illusion of enclosed space.

Consider Christopher Alexander's idea.  Are you trying to build your house 
next to the trees because it's the "most beautiful place" on your property 
and the house would look great there?  Not, according to him, a wonderful 
idea because you'll still be inside looking out a lot.  Better to site your 
house so that you will be LOOKING AT the most beautiful place from INSIDE 
the house.

(signed--the person who bought a house in Nashville because of the nice 
roses in the yard.   They all died a year or three later.  They were 
replaced with pretty bullet-proof ones later on.  I am also a veteran of one 
really awful ice storm.)
......................

earlier thread--herb and orion:
Sure. If you can't go down, raise the ground. Build it on grade and pile
earth up around it on the outside.

herb at medicinehill.net


 >Hi, when looking our prospective cobin site, a landscaping relative
 >   pointed out that if we cut away the hill to level the site, or dig
 >   foundation trenches where we had inteded he thinks we will kill the
 >   two Oak trees that we wanted to build near.  He suggested a peir
 >   foundation, but I explained that in order to build with cob, you have
 >   to have a solid footing on the ground.
 >
 >   So now I'm in a quandry.  We picked this site partly because of the
 >   trees.  We can't just move the site away from them, as the hill gets
 >   much steeper.
 >
 >   In Hand sculpted house they suggest snugging your house up near a
 >   tree.  Is there a way to build a foundation near a tree that won't
 >   kill it?
 >
 >   Any thoughts from folks would be great.  Thanks
 >
 >   -Orion
 >
 >

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