Cob: design/build considerations, heights

[Amanda Peck]

Miscellaneous notes.

Actually most of the books use circles/ovals for the design process.

And circles may well be stronger with cob.  Ask someone other than me.  But 
the guys pouring your footings and foundations will hate you.

I'd get machines to do that, if they could get in easily.  Especially in my 
rocky soil.  It's no fun at all to dig in.  Shovels DON'T work, picks or 
those six-foot iron bars, followed by pulling the dirt out with one gloved 
hand and a trowel seems to be the way to go.

Don't know if it's going to be easier or harder, but your design would lend 
itself to putting the roof up first on poles and either building up to it or 
lowering it onto a bond beam.  One more step with a post-hole digger--manual 
or hydraulic.

I've occasionally wondered if phobia treatment would be appropriate for my 
fear of heights. (I had to be helped off joists just two feet off the ground 
once)

.....................
Jill wrote(snipped):
Some say make it smaller, some say you can expand, and some say I should 
expand to make room for storage. hmmmmm

but we are having the foundation and drains dug out for us, by a business 
with machines. They are also doing the plumbing and electrical up to the 
foundation. Then it is up to us.
I like the idea of 2 stories, and saving on the roof expense, but I am quite 
afraid of heights So I am sticking to one story with a loft (will get help 
with that part and the roof). Plus I can always add on.

The idea of a garage door with screens and such, is just what I had in mind 
- thanks Marsha (family is from WI, maybe that is where I saw the idea). I 
may forgo the idea of having it in the kitchen, but if I make a garage (used 
for the romper room)  can utilize that idea.
The Hand Sculpted House book says to use circles to make the floorplan - I 
am having trouble with that. I live in a box.


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