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converting an existing home

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So our home is a conventional house. It has two septic tanks and one well. However I want to eventually have a grey water system so that we aren't wasting so much water. The original part of the house was built in the 30s and is made with lava rocks, the addition was put on in the 50s and is cinder blocks on the outside. In the addition, is the front room and has a natural gas fireplace (behind the big window on the left). I have been collecting all the materials to build a rocket mass fireplace, but I worry that the floor won't be able to support the weight of the cob/bench.

All the earthships have amazing ideas that I would love to incorporate into our house, like solar, grey water collection, rain water collection etc. But my family is completely clueless as to what I'm looking for. My building skills are very limited. All the ideas I have, would cost a fortune for an architect/builder to help me with. Is anyone here knowledgeable? Hire-able?
Thank you in advance for your ideas and input.
Amy
www.magicvalleysoap.com
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pollinator
Posts: 4187
Location: Tennessee 7b
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Do you know where your leach field is? That water doesn't have to be "wasted" if you have productive plants growing there. It doesn't have to be food, it could be coppice wood for the fireplace or crafts or something for the soap business.

Retrofitting plumbing gets very expensive very fast, and probably not a good use of money unless you have special circumstances--you have to replace pipes anyway because of age, grey water would prevent having to redo the whole septic, etc.
 
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