Daydream thread... without the rose-tinted specs

lostinrates

ferretkeeper wrote: »

LIR when you say 'shell' do you mean the walls etc, because if so have you considered straw bale?

I know I'm a total hippy about all this renewable eco build stuff but it actually makes bloody good sense.

I found out recently that you can build extensions with straw bales, so that is exactly what we will do...one day...it's probably the only way we could afford to do it.

Timber frame goes up as normal so no load bearing walls, but the straw is an excellent insulator, thermal mass, air quality, sound etc. It's very un-technical and you can usually rope in 'volunteers' who want to learn the technique to make labour very cheap.

It's been on several Grand Designs, Ben Law's house in the woods is the most memorable but a couple in France did it, can't remember any more at the mo....

There's a really good book called Building with straw Bales, lots of good info on all aspects of building. I might have another read of it to get re-inspired, too easy getting bogged down with daily life!

Thanks for the link CTC, will contact them tomorrow most likely, and for the grand tour of the ranch! Missed that program, meant to record it, did it give you any new ideas?

Very, very originally before we built this, infant for years and years before, I wanted to build a straw bale house.
Might even have that same book!

In this application at least its not going to be practical i think. I'm more hesitant now about things like damp permeation from the footprint to the walls, and also this has one brick wall which I'd like to keep in place decoratively, but in all likely hood will have to spend on a bricks taking down and putting back up as part of the building for the wall's own benefit and the soundness of the building. .

I'm frankly also not that keen here on this property to consider something that's a non standard construction, and probably anywhere now.

I have become less sure that its certain we will retire in uk, and that the property might benefit us by releasing funds one day ins more traditional fashion than we had first envisaged. Seeing changes that have impacted on itsme frankly I am keen to minimise the risk.

It's a personal blow. I have dreamed of straw bale houses since I first heard of them, before grand designs! (And I was only a chicken when that started really!).




I've also heard of people trying to render bales for stabling. I'm really not sure how that works out. It's a very damp environment, subject to all the kind of things that cause most damage......if it works I'd be up for it.


The one wall, to about five feet, and some damaged cubicle flooring, is all there is left. We want to replace almost as was, making workshop, garage, office and outdoor dog room and shower room down stairs and some admittedly 'cosy' bedrooms and small studio space upstairs. Would like to raise roof line ever so slightly to achieve the upstairs space and foresee this as being a potential issue. It's the only 'building' on which we have no uplift clause though . So makes since to go with it! We'll face uplift in the future with another building and cross that budge when we are ready. For now we still need a feed room, so no rush!:D

Any way, problem is, this is a long narrow potential building, in a narrow area. Straw bales are simply going to be too footprint heavy.

ayshaqureshi295

Thanks for new Post Alex & We hope this one brings Many more daydreams to fruition.

rozeepozee

Another one to add to CTC's list of the "without the rose tinted" bit: we've got the structural engineer's report back on the roof. It's not good news, unfortunately. Just adding some extra joists to shore it up isn't an option from the looks of things. We've got the man from the company who designs attic trusses coming tomorrow morning....

On the other hand, we may end up with a much better roof space. As we've said in earlier threads, better to improve and make use of an opportunity.

I thought I'd be miles more stressed about this. And don't get me wrong, I'm somewhat stressed and I may be more stressed when we get the costings, but it's a million times less stressful that going through IVF four years ago. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, eh? Annd I have my three lovely chickens :eek:hoops, Freudian slip there.... I meant children!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Rozee ..lol you are totally smitten with your chooks:beer:

I KNOW, I KNOW a lot of you love this weather, so do I to a point, BUT I need cool air now:o looks as though this is def going to be here at least until Tuesday

Really do feel sorry for the peeps that have to work outside in this weather....

Davesnave

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Really do feel sorry for the peeps that have to work outside in this weather....

I worked outside most of the day. I know I didn't have to, but with the roof off the wood shed I have to go for it!

And the darn thing still isn't done, but most of the supporting structure is, so it's getting easier. If only they'd built it in a rectangle, but no, every bit has to be measured and cut individually. :mad:

The hay was baled too, around lunchtime. So that's us nice and tidy again. Only a dozen big bales this year, but quality stuff and of course the sheep were on there late.

Hay Harvest 2013 by trouserferret, on Flickr

ukmaggie45

Thought you might like a look at our lavender hedge in front garden.


Lavender Hedge by ukmaggie45, on Flickr

managed to visit lottie this evening for a short stay. First sign of bean flowers! :j

rozeepozee

Well, a day spent trying to sort out attic trusses in the morning (it looks like we can add another £10K to the build costs and that's the hopeful figure) and then enjoying our environment.

I sat with the chooks on the only bit of lawn near the house that hasn't been mashed by the builders. I am in the present moment with the chicks! They are like cats and sit with me, sunbathing. The silkie is the wierdest bird. It's like a mini emu and sort of honks gently. The frizzle likes me the best and just wants to snuzzle into me. Are all chickens like this or have I manage to find breeders who are raising them to be totally tame?

The pics of your piggies CTC are hilarious. If I'm like this with birds, can you imagine what I'll be like with other animals?

I popped to the beach at lunchtime with the girls yesterday and went after again school with all three of the kids. They loved it. The waters cold, but they were paddling up to their chests. It's great to remember what we came here for. there were a few holiday makers, but also a lot of locals enjoying what is really one of Pembrokeshire "okay" beaches. It's a fifteen minute drive away

And after a couple of hours running around like mad things in the sea air, they sleep like babies

I love lavender, Maggie. I can't wait to be able to do that.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Davesnave love the pic, BUT even though it was of a lovely field of just baled hay, I kept thinking, I couldn't keep pigs in there, as there is no shade:rotfl:

Maggie lovely lavender...

In the middle of watching duck dynasty I love that programme:rotfl::rotfl:

edit.. Rozee Not all chickens are as friendly as your little ones, but it does help to handle them lots when they are growing up... and that goes for pigs, and most animals..

I am trying to work out how much the price has gone over so far rozee 14k??

rozeepozee

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

edit.. Rozee Not all chickens are as friendly as your little ones, but it does help to handle them lots when they are growing up... and that goes for pigs, and most animals..

I am trying to work out how much the price has gone over so far rozee 14k??

About that, CTC.The ten grand is a rough estimate based on the cost of roof trusses, crane and six man days labour for the carpenters, plus the extra steel work that we still need, plus the additional labour. It could be more, it could be less. There are some offsets of these costs and others, that were already costed into the original roof work that was planned. Our original window fitter backed out this week. Fortunately, I had forseen this and have a Plan B, and possibly C, but it means some more research. We have one huge window in this build that I would hate to go wrong. We want someone who knows what they're doing. This week has been a particularly bad week build wise, but, hey ho, things can only get better, as they say.....

lostinrates

Meanwhile I'm trying to claw some money back rozee. My beautiful tiles which I have been dreaming about for two years are expensive. There is no way to sugar coat it, they are expensive. I'm a bit funny about tiles, not many I like and I love these.

I'm going to a tile warehouse place to day to see if I can like something else cheaper. .