Here's some research I've compiled. Feel free to discuss below! **Build a Cob House For $58K Instead of Paying $400K For a Mortgage (Full Breakdown)** The average American paying off a $200,000 house will hand over $343,000 by the time they actually own it. $143,000 just vanishes into interest payments. But there's a proven alternative that eliminates debt entirely: building a cob house with your own hands. Let's break down the REAL numbers behind debt-free natural building and show you exactly how regular people on normal incomes are opting out of the mortgage system. **The Brutal Reality of Mortgages:** A $200,000 home financed at 7% interest = $1,331 monthly payments Total paid over 30 years: $478,000 Pure interest paid to banks: $278,000 First year breakdown: $14K interest vs $2K toward equity **Cob House Cost Breakdown ($58K Total):** • Land: $10-15K for 5 acres (rural areas) • Permits: $3K (varies by location, can be $15-50K in strict areas) • Foundation: $6K (with DIY labor + equipment rental) • Roof: $12-15K (metal roofing, quality materials essential) • Walls & Structure: Under $2K (clay, sand, straw) • Interior Finishes: $2K (earthen floors, clay plasters) • Total: $58K with ZERO interest payments **Where The REAL Savings Come From:** ✓ Wall materials: $2K vs $10-15K for conventional lumber framing ✓ Interior finishes: $2K vs $9-12K for tile and drywall ✓ Contractor markup eliminated: Save $20-50K in management fees ✓ Labor costs eliminated: Save $60-80K by doing it yourself ✓ Interest payments eliminated: Save $278K over 30 years **30-Year Total Cost Comparison:** Conventional $200K house: $658K-748K (mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance) $58K Cob house: ~$109K (taxes, insurance, minimal maintenance) **Difference: $549K-639K stays in YOUR pocket** **Realistic Timeline & Savings Plan:** Year 1-2: Live cheap, save $1,500/month = $36K saved Year 2: Buy land ($15K) + build tiny 250 sq ft starter cottage ($12-15K) Year 2-4: Live rent-free in cottage while building main 800-1000 sq ft house

I wanted to share this great video! It documents the restoration of an old German "fachwerk" house. This is a building style I'll be doing myself on my upcoming barn and kitchen projects. If you watch this video, you'll see the many traditional uses of timber, clay, straw, and lime!

Owner builder Ezio gives a tour of his home, talking about design and challenges. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qyJb1rezXxw

Last week was another great class! Just wanted to share some of the photos. We covered cob, straw-clay, strawbale, earth plaster, lime plaster, natural paints, and more.

Hey, I wanted to share this new video with you talking about how I moved out of the city to the country, and started building my homestead on a small budget. I'll update you on my thoughts on the journey so far. I'll present some of the strategies I've taken to make it happen, and I give some pointers for how you can build your own home and do the same thing. Click here to watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts99x1FBCDk