I am captivated! Look at this Low Impact Woodland Home!

I posted about this house a fee years ago about a secret off the grid housing project in wales that was discovered by the government. I will one day build a house like this, truly amazing, just looking at it again gives me a funny feeling inside. The best part is that being built into the land like that, these houses stay 68 degrees year round, no heating or cooling bills!

www.abovetopsecret.com...

I'm designing an "above grade" home, all natural and very effiecent (maybe the most).

Once I'm finsih I will post all the plans and details for everyones' use.

www.youtube.com...
( hope that link works if not go to my youtube channel www.youtube.com/user/svenglezz and look at the 3D Multi-House Layouts )

If anyone would like to help please feel free to contact me.

Your Canadian Friend,
Sven

PS I did look at the underground homes, and they are amazing with heating and cooling, but...
can't always build into the ground and most people don't want to live in a hole.

does frodo come with the house as a servant?

good luck doing that, it's probably illegal in almost everypart of n.america. you would need a thousand permits, purchase land and that house would probably fail every building inspection. there's a reason the construction business is so heavily regulated, a main part of the capitalist system is supported by the real estate development and construction markets. if a few people where allowed to build houses with spare wood and a few nails instead of mortgaging their lives to a bank loan to purchase a crappy plywood frame covered in cheap brick insulated by fibreglass and brittle inexpensive ( to the builder ) plasterboard, this system would collapse and the economy would be in huge financial trouble.

In Cappadocia in Turkey there are ancient houses that are literately cut into the soft volcanic rocks, people still use them now...

This ones a hotel

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/fae312962384.jpg[/atsimg]

Folks were building homes long before the pre-fabricated and pre-constructed versions, long before the triple figure mortgage leashes applied over your labors, long before man lost the knowledge to build, construct anything for himself and family.

I think it's kind of special to own a piece of land that has the natural resources available for one to build their own house or pay others to 'assist' them to build one. If you want it done right, do it yourself, bar none, with help of course when possible. No mortgage. No debt. Cash flow to go at your discretion. Sounds good though there may be some building 'code' inspectors at your door to see if you are in 'compliance'. If one builds a house on their own land, of whom are they to be in compliance with?

Who would side with the code compliance fellow on this one?
I would like to find one's 'reasoning' for this?
Are not current building materials much weaker and inferior to nature's stone and hardwoods?
Why would a code compliance officer not take into account the faulty construction materials, the foundation of the house is made of.....when enforcing codes? This fellow would have to be a complete tool not to see the building codes are a carefully calculated scam for the benefit of certain builders, unions and/or pacs etc.. They ensure they comply with political maneuvering while others are de-coded altogether for frivolous reasons. I see code compliance as an issue with folks who wish to build their own 'crib' in most jurisdictions.

Does anyone have more information on where codes are enforced and where they are not? I haven't really researched the topic myself though never had a reason to till now. I'm just curious what the ATS folks/crew think about this topic. I've always found it outrageous for one man to tell another man what to do on his property as long as no man or his property is affected in a negative way from one's labors. Sounds jibberishy though you get the point. Do you want inspectors crawling around your property? How would you know if they are legit? When the chaos comes, who would you trust? How would you know? You could call and confirm their intent but how would you know? Any ideas?

This may sound like a paranoiac rant though if you lived in a dangerous environment for any period of time, these questions are quite understood. The chaos Is coming folks so, these are questions you must answer for yourself in the future. It is good to have them 'worked out' before then. I'm here for a reason too though that's 'mI' choice. Just be prepared folks, your not in Kansas anymore and the view from the tele is not getting any 'clearer'.


no?

An earth house is exactly what I have wanted to build for many years. I saw this one last year and found they used what was on the forest floor for building materials plus some bought things like the pool liner, 2nd hand sheets of perspex and small pallets for the floor base.

Yep, anyone could do this. Growing food, using wind/sun power.. and money for the setup, most people could be self-sufficient if clean water is handy.

reply to post by berkeleygal


This is New Zealand. Unless you have placed yourself in the picture as reference, this is bogus. This is a prop from the LOTR. Nice try though...

reply to post by Kratos40


No, it is real and exists in Wales (UK).

See this article from the Independent: Link

Originally posted by LarryLove
reply to post by Kratos40

 

No, it is real and exists in Wales (UK).

See this article from the Independent: Link

Yes, I know you fool. It exists in New Zealand and in Australia. Sometimes, you have to read the script before you act...

Kratos40

reply to post by Kratos40


Yes, I think you've got the wrong end of the thread's stick.

Nice to see civility at large. The photo is of the house in Wales not the set in New Zealand.

Originally posted by Kratos40
Yes, I know you fool. It exists in New Zealand and in Australia. Sometimes, you have to read the script before you act...

Kratos40

Ok, I'm going off topic again...

There is never a need to abuse a member using derogatory words.

On topic again...

This particular building in the opening post is situated in Wales.

reply to post by IgnoranceIsntBlisss


Earth Bags and Cob have caught my fancy recently. The house in the OP I have seen before and find it lovely and enchanting as well.

Originally posted by randomname
good luck doing that, it's probably illegal in almost everypart of n.america. you would need a thousand permits, purchase land and that house would probably fail every building inspection. there's a reason the construction business is so heavily regulated, a main part of the capitalist system is supported by the real estate development and construction markets. if a few people where allowed to build houses with spare wood and a few nails instead of mortgaging their lives to a bank loan to purchase a crappy plywood frame covered in cheap brick insulated by fibreglass and brittle inexpensive ( to the builder ) plasterboard, this system would collapse and the economy would be in huge financial trouble.

If you build out in the country, a lot of times you don't need inspections, and pernits.
You buy land build what you want, then tell them you built it so they can tax you for the improvements, but you don't always have to deal with inspectors and permits.

I myself would use boulders found on the land and portland cement, wood rots and you get to many bugs.
I would also be at least part way under ground, it is my thought that just about all housing will be underground, in the future. Try and leave a more pristine surface with wild animals and wild natural plant growth.
Once the solar flares that are suppose to be coming no one will want to live on the surface anymore, anyhow.

reply to post by berkeleygal


That is a very unique, fun house, with great interior decorating...Seeing as how it is in Wales, the costs are really of no value for anyone in USA. But the idea is fun, interesting, and inspirational...very charming.

Awww! This house is too cute! I would totally dress up like a fairy at halloween and throw the most awesome parties ever.

Although it looks pretty small. Not sure if I would want to live there....maybe use it as a vacation house. In the meantime I would stay at my 12,000 square foot chateau.

reply to post by HomerinNC


...Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. Bilbo Baggins was his name!

Originally posted by Brad-H
reply to post by HomerinNC

 

...Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort. Bilbo Baggins was his name!

This house is missing a big green door with a doorknob set in the center




as wonderful as this home is and I'd love to have one, unfortunately, no company here in the US would insure it

That is sooo cool!

It's a shame it would never get past the planning regulations here in the UK.

ETA:
Just noticed it's in Wales!!! How the hell did they get planning permission for that? Having worked in planning in the past I'm totally baffled. Maybe the regs are a little softer in the country than here in the urban jungle.

reply to post by nik1halo


They're usually are more lax out in the sticks..its like that here in the US