[Cob] New, climate questions

[Jamie Carr]

Bernard, I want to keep the house 60 to 65 in winter, we like it cooler than most people once acclimated to the season. Spring and Fall the weather swings from 40-70F almost daily, (w/like 55 avg) I'd love if then it could stay at 60 with little heating, just windows opened and closed at the right times. It's only like 2-3 months out of the year that closer to 50F wouldn't be preferable to whatever it is outside. But what you're saying is to only compare it to what it is inside? A good layer of straw slip between the sand and the denser earthen floor would help me out?

We will be in one of two places, either the TN or VA mountains, so pretty fair sunlight hours. Woodchips might be a very good insulation option for something easy to get, we may need to clear some smallish trees on the property anyway. Straw or wood with clay slip is an interesting method, I'd need some kind of forms for it to dry in, how hard is that to do? I like some aspects or strawbale but moisture concerns and the need for wood framing kinda turn me off of it.

Most of the time my crew will be small, myself and my sons and half the time my husband. We'll bring friends over to help whenever we can. The time frame is 1 year, spring to the next spring, with a slowdown in the winter. If we could get it move-in ready sooner it'd be nice. Will do excavation with a bobcat, we'll be mixing with a small cement mixer. We will attend a full workshop before we finalize the plans and begin to build.

Dorothy, thanks for the validation. I do spin, knit, sew, preserve, cook, garden, and brew. We have people over for dinner in the winter, too. I am beginning to train as a midwife's assistant and may one day see clients at home in the living room/office, examining them on my cob-and-cushions couch. I think those who build small dwellings end up with many outbuildings. I still might some years later add buildings for more purposes. For my family's sake I do want to be sure inside our home really meets all our immediate needs comfortably

Jamie