Construction Costs Estimates For Building House Of Straw In US
It is possible to use straw to build houses in the US which will require low construction costs estimates because straw is an inexpensive building material in the US. Coupled with other green technology applications such as solar power, straw promises to be an environmentally-friendly option for house building in the US. A straw-bale house is also made from other types of material. Cement stucco is generally used on the exterior walls of a straw-bale house to make the structure water-proof and fire-resistant. Using straw-bale alone will not keep out water or prevent fires from breaking out since straw is incendiary. To counteract this effect, cement stucco is used on the bottom half of the wall to guard against water. Mud plaster is another building material used on the upper half of exterior walls. Adobe goes well with straw-bale materials. To complement it, you may add minimal wood details to the design of your house. Cobb is another type of straw, but it is mixed with a bit of mud so that the two types of straw will congeal together. Finally, adobe thermal mass is used to build the walls of your home to ensure that heat is retained and released appropriately.
When building a straw bale house, you can keep the construction costs estimates low by following these tips. First, keep the house minimal in size. Think about it, do you really need a large house to live in? Many homeowners build such large houses with rooms that they do not really use daily. A small house will not only keep building construction costs low, but it will also consume less fuel for heating and cooling purposes. You have to factor in heating and cooling when estimating home construction costs because, even if you are able to save on preliminary building costs, if the house is not energy-efficient you, may have to spend thousands of dollars later on for heating and cooling your house. A small house is easier, and cheaper to build and is less expensive to maintain. The next thing that you need to remember is to have a proper layout design. Your house will not look cramped if you ask your architect to select the right layout for your straw-bale house. This involves using windows of the right size to give you a feeling of space in a small house. Windows will also allow proper ventilation. In addition, a straw-bale house needs a broad foundation to keep it stable since cement is used at a minimum to reduce the greenhouse gases released into the air. For the foundation, use rubber trench instead of cement so that you can cut down on concrete use by more than 50%. Estimating home construction costs will go easier if you rely on adobe thermal mass walls. If you find it hard to get adobe thermal mass, you can use stone and brick instead. The trick to enjoying the benefits of straw-bale construction is using the right building methods and materials. This will make your job of estimating home construction costs much easier at the onset of the building process. |
