Our Eco House Plans Outline
So here's a basic outline of our plans:
- We, Mum - Sarah, Dad - Paul, three children 13yrs, 11yrs, 7yrs and Pumpkin the dog are joining resources with Sarah's Mum for an eco self build which will create a family home for all of us.
- We have been researching eco building and self build for several years now - using the internet, reading books, going to show, going on courses etc.
- We sold our house in West Yorkshire in Winter 2009, then move into a rented house in Devon early 2010. Once Sarah's Mum sells her house and moves in with us we'll start looking for land, which we hope to have by Autumn/Winter 2010.
- Once we have land, we'll probably work with Amazonnails (for the drawing up of plans etc.) as we are going to use straw bales for the main walls.
- Then it's onto planning permission, building regulations and hopefully beginning building in 2011.
Our House/Build
- We are planning to build a straw bale house because of their "greenness" - the wonderful insulation and sound proofing properties of straw and we love the thick walls (we currently live in an old stone house).
- The green technologies we plan to include initially are: passive solar heating and passive cooling, a ground source heat pump supplying under floor heating, solar hot water, brilliant U-value FSC timber windows, and rain and grey water recycling.
- Throughout the property we plan to use "green" options - like lime-crete rather than cement, lime (external) and clay (internal) plasters, FSC timber, natural insulation (sheep's wool / cellulose) etc.
- On the ground floor of our house we are planning an apartment for Grandma with a living/kitchen area, a bathroom and a bedroom, along with an open plan living/dinning/kitchen area and a separate library/relaxation/sitting room for us. On the first floor we are planning four bedrooms one of which will be en suite (our room) and a generous landing for our children to relax and play together. Then if the budget and straw bale building technique we choose allows, on the 2nd floor their will be a further sitting area/guest room and a family/hobby room.
- We also want a large garden (we currently have a very small garden/planting areas) to provide space for: the children and Pumpkin to play, trees - we'd love our own woodland, to grow our own organic fruit and vegetables, to live outside much more and because I (Sarah) love designing gardens......
- And whilst Paul continues working full-time, I (Sarah) plan to project manage our self build, whilst continuing to home educating our children (two of which have learning disabilities).


