[Cob] codes and guidance

[Kim Shute]

Hello
I have been on the list a while. I try to read most mail as I am Highly
interested in constructing a cob home for my family sometime in the future.
We are moving to Rhode Island soon. I have spoken with the Building
Department in one of the towns where I would like to live. He said that a
Rhode ISland Registered Engineer has to sign off on it saying the the R
value for insulation is such and it needs to meet IRC before they will look
at it. I feel frustrated by this as one of the reasons cob is so appealing
is its affordablity as well as low impact. Having to hire engineers etc to
prove to them drives the cost of my afordable housing option way up. He also
said people can not live in temporary structures on site while building
unless your home was structure by some sort of diaster (which I found
frustrating). Anyway I guess I am lookng for guidance about where to find
someone in Rhode Island who would prove that it would meet the local
building code. ANy pointers? Thanks for listening.

Kim Shute