Looking for Help

Hello Permies!

I want to get some help building an insulated earthbag home for my wife and myself in Ohio next year, but i am having a difficult time finding someone with experience who can supervise the project. I have been to what seems like hundreds of websites on earthbag building, alternative building, green homes, etc etc.
I understand that part of the beauty of earthbag building is being able to do it on my own, but i just lack the skill and experience to make a structure i would trust for my family to live in and pass down through generations. I've reached out to some builders listed on earthbagstructures.com, but have not heard back (i think the list is out of date). I am having a home designed for my specific lot by a firm familiar with earthbag structures, but i really cant move forward until i know i will have some help turning this into a reality.

It is nothing too extravagant. the plans are still in development, but we are probably going to end up somewhere around 1500 sq ft. nothing too fancy in the architecture.
I would like to begin building spring of 2016. I can provide all the labor and food and accommodations, and anything else that would be appropriate. like i said, i just really need someone to guide the building of the structure and roof and things like that.

Does anyone know of a resource for earthbag home builders or someone who would be willing to supervise the project for me?

Hello Adam...Welcome to Permies...

I am not 100% clear on exactly what is being sought? When I got to the section of, "... all the labor and food and accommodations, and anything else that would be appropriate..." I was a bit confused.

This sounds like the need for a Project Manager/Facilitator with natural building experience...but that is not a "for room and board" kind of project and is usually in the range of 4% to 8% of a project turnkey value on average. Of all the traditional and/or natural building systems out there...one of the most costly..."to have built"...is EB (earth bag.)

Foundational elements of EB is very old, yet the current renditions of "Earth Filled In" (EFI) architecture has no established or proven track record of long term function and durability as full time domestic architecture and is way more "I think" theory than empirical knowledge based building system. I think, as a emergency shelter type structure it is excellent, as a DIY project for certain areas with limited resources it also has wonderful possibilities and potential, yet compared to historical vernacular systems for such regions...it still seems to fall short in almost all cases comparatively.

I have kept a list of many EB conversations here at Permies that I have been part of discussing this new reinvention of EFI structures. Perhaps a few of these would shed additional light on the subject...

Advice for building with earthbags in cold climate

Advice on proper foundation?

Earth Bagging in Central Vermont

Please feel free to ask as many questions as you wish. Getting advice for DIYers and related can be very helpful, but this is vastly different than "contracting" with a professional builder in the traditional/natural building field that can do this or related work. Whomever you hire, vet them well; looking at all they have done, written, achieved or taught. I would also add that usually the most applicable professional for such projects should have more than just EB building experience, as this tends to "jade" the overall perspective of getting good well rounded advice...

It would also be helpful to know where you are located and project budget for such a project.

Regards,

j