Cob: Time and cost?

[Carla Kennedy]

Hi all.

I've been studying cob for the past 6 months or so, and reading your list 
with great interest.  I am thoroughly enamored of the idea of building with 
cob, and will actually be on my little piece of land next summer.  (WAHOO!!)

As my research becomes more focused, I realize that I do not know the 
answers to some of the deciding questions I have.
Given the following conditions, I would like to know your best guesses on 
how long it would take to build a house and how much it might really cost.

I am female and an inexperienced builder.  At the same time I am highly 
motivated, artistic, generally capable, and quite diligent with my chosen 
projects.  I would be able to devote myself full-time to this endeavor.  I 
would have help on the weekends, perhaps an average of 3 people, sometimes 
many more.

Construction would take place in Oklahoma, hopefully commencing by July.  I 
have access to a licensed architect and a seconds builder's warehouse, along 
with a free-advice plumber and some relatives with construction expertise.

I need/want a beginning structure that would include:
kitchen
small dining area
1 full bath  (probably composting toilet)
living area
fireplace
2 bedrooms
office space
laundry space (probably a mudroom)

I would like to incorporate a greywater system, if cost is not prohibitive.
I'm thinking adobe floor, with tile for bathroom, kitchen, and mudroom.
Perhaps living roof, again dependent on cost and further research.

I would love to do this, but cannot afford years to build.  It may be that 
the right thing would be to put up some other structure to which I could add 
with cob.

Again the questions are:
How long?
How much?

I appreciate any input, and sorry for such a lengthy post.

Thanks!
Carla

PS... Would it work to put up internal cob walls in another kind of 
structure?  Any considerations of humidity?


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