Straw Bale House Update - Almost There

[Jim Gray]

I'm building a straw bale house in the Central Texas Hill Country, just NW of Austin.  I've documented the process from the very beginning, starting with the site survey. 

After over a year, we are very close now, and should be in within a month.  Tomorrow the counter tops and appliances go in.  Next week the stone work and metal siding gets installed.  After that, it's just painting, bath fixtures and a little carpentry.  We have been in an apartment for 2.5 years, and we are past ready to move into a house.  If you are interested, I've included a link to my flickr account where I have 224 pictures, more or less in order of construction.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/18026287@N00/sets/72157624928553512/

[masterfins]

Funny, the other day I was wondering how this house was going.  Looks great, glad your almost done.

[Dave Gray]

What's the deal with the missing pieces in the balcony?  Is that a screw up or something that's just not finished?

[Jim Gray]

What's the deal with the missing pieces in the balcony?  Is that a screw up or something that's just not finished?

I think you are asking about the railings having gaps in them.  They were installed incorrectly.  I'm headed there this afternoon to get that sorted out.

[jtex316]

This is a great looking house!

There seems to be a lot land / dirt in the surrounding house area. Do you / are you required to build a driveway and some type of gate / fencing that leads into whatever the closest road is?

[Jim Gray]

Thanks Joe.  The house is on 5 acres in a small community where all properties are between 2.5 and 5 acres.  When we built the house, there was already a dirt access road into the property.  It's pretty flat, so all we need to do is cover it with crushed granite.  There are no gates or fences required, and since we are surrounded by trees, I doubt I'll ever fence the property.  I am fencing the garden and orchard to keep the deer out.

[Lee]

I looked through all of your pictures.  That project looks amazing.  You must be a very good planner!

This may be a stupid question (and one you may have already answered in previous posts), but why a straw bale house?  Isn't it possible for the bales to deteroriate over time and then you are left with empty walls of stucko and plaster only?  Also, isn't fire a bigger risk then a cement house?

[fyo]

Lee, Jim answered all those questions (and more) here:

http://www.thedolphinsmakemecry.com/forums/index.php/topic,18285.0.html

Check his first two posts in that thread.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

I look forward to the new pics everytiime to see the progress. It still amazes me and it looks great!!!!!

[BoSoxGrl]

Jim,

This is wicked cool.
I admit, I had to google what a Truth Window was...and now that I know, I LOVE the idea of it.

I can't believe how far it's come along in just a year!

[Phishfan]

  I am fencing the garden and orchard to keep the deer out.

This house is such a cool idea. I had never heard of it before you started making posts about it.

By the way, that better be a tall fence.

[Sunstroke]

Like Yazzer, I had to Google the Truth Window as well, but love the concept of it.

This house is looking so damned cool it isn't funny. I definitely look forward to seeing the new pics every time you post them.

[bsfins]

I love seeing the pictures Jim....I'd have say after you move in seems like a great time for a fishing trip....

[Jim Gray]

I love seeing the pictures Jim....I'd have say after you move in seems like a great time for a fishing trip....

I didn't know you fished.  You planning on making a trip to the Austin area?  If you want to go fishing here......you may need to wait until we get some rain.  We are in an "exceptional" drought.  That's the highest level there is.  My neighbor told me today that our area has received less than 4 inches of rain since October of last year.  We should have something like 30 inches.   Most of the water I fish is in terrible shape.   



 

[Jim Gray]

A comment about the truth window.  My wife is a potter and she made a special frame for it that we will install soon.  I'll post a pic when it's done.  Inside the window, I plan to put some things I found on the property when we were clearing it - a large fossil mollusk shell,  old amber medicine bottles and a rusted animal trap. 

I don't know if I mentioned it in earlier posts, but our property was once used for emancipated slaves at the end of the Civil War.  There are several dry stack walls that runs thought the area, and one of the best preserved runs right through the middle of our property.  There are still many cedar stumps that were cut down by ax when the land was initially cleared .  I don't know how many years the freed slaves were there, but I'd love to get a metal detector and see what was left behind.