How to mix cob, filmed in Summerland.

I have had lots of people asking me how is cob made, well here is some video I shop when I was up in Summerland a few years ago working on a cob recording studio. As you can see, we had a lot of fun while working hard. It is the sense of community that makes this way of building so special.

Thanks to all the participants for letting me film them.

My Mentors Featured in a Cob Homes Article in the Vancouver Sun

Cob construction makes a comeback  is a great article in the Vancouver Sun today written by Megan Cole.
I was working on my Building Permit application form, finding all my paperwork and emailing the appropriate office to get my title search documentation and the  Homeowner Protection Office to get my  Builder Declaration and Discloser Notics etc. This is not particularly fun.  I am excited to be getting it done as it means I am one step closer to building.
While on the computer doing the emails, I saw I had a message from Doug Stanger, a wonderful supporter and steward of the environment.
I am so grateful to Doug for letting me know about this great article in the Sun today. I was excited to read it as it features Patrick Hennebery of Cobworks, who taught me everything I know about building in cob and also OUR Eco Village on Vancouver Island, where I met Elke Cole who designed my house for me. I went to a Design Your Natural Home workshop there two years ago.

Elke Cole leading the Design Your Natural Home Workshop at OUR Eco Village

Patrick is leading a Cob and Community in the Village - Skillbuilder Internship this summer at OUR Eco Village.  He is also my consultant as I build my home and I am thrilled to be working with him.  His time and wisdom are invaluable to me. 

So this is the serendipity of life. I am just putting together my submission for my building permits and I go to facebook and I find this link to information on cob houses growing in popularity. 
I thought I would take this opportunity to share a video of Patrick speaking about his work, specifically the Summerland project that I was a part of. 




 

By the way Building Permit applications are not that much fun.  

Beautiful Cob House Pictures on the Natural Homes Widget.

There is a wonderful website out there called Natural Homes. They have a widget that shares images of natural homes and I selected cob as it suits this blog. I hope you enjoy seeing all these fabulous buildings.  I encourage you to visit their site if you are interested in Natural Building.

Plans and Planning

This past week my official plans arrived from the engineer, after many months of anticipation. This is very exciting for me. I have several copies in various sizes and I can see all the side and rear and front elevations. The structural plans and foundation plans are there. So this weekend I managed to come to Mayne Island and meet with the very important people who are helping me put my plans into action.
Elliot is going to organize and coordinate putting in the foundations. I gave him a copy of all the plans in the big format and we went over them together to check how many post supports there will be and how the beams will go etc. There is lots to do.
Now I have the plans I am filling in my form applying for the building permits and hopefully this goes smoothly and we begin the work in mid July.
The septic field and tank should be in by then.

Septic Field Plans

As the summer approaches I am happy to announce that I took the step of hiring someone to put in the septic field/tank. It is something I dragged my heels on as I really do believe that on an island that needs to conserve water that top of the line composting toilet systems would be a much more sane way to go.
I did a research project on composting toilet systems and there is much evidence that they are safe and a workable sanitation system. There is a community in New York State that has been using one for over ten years to protect their water shed. I will post more on this research later. But here is what a modern day composting toilet looks like. :-)

I fully intend to put in a two toilet composting toilet system from Sancor. These toilets use only 1/2 cup of water per flush. 

However, I realize that such changes if they ever occur to the bylaws will be slow in coming and that I will have to conform and put in my septic system in order to build this summer.

I am happy that Matt Taylor has agreed to put it in for me.  I have yet to meet him, but he and Andrew Money, the engineer, are in the process of designing the system and I hope to hear it is going in soon.

Huge Rocks are a Surprise Discovery as Work Continues

As my neighbour  Evan was moving the stumps down to the bottom of the lot he made an exciting discovery. There a lots of big rocks hiding in the earth and under the salal.  He carried a few up near where the house will be and I will get my wheelbarrow and move some of the smaller ones myself.
This is exciting as I was needing some stones for my foundation as parts of it will be above ground to prevent any splashback from the rain hitting the cob walls.  Aren't they magnificent?

This is where the house will sit. The smaller logs will be cut for firewood.

I discovered this little chap as I was disconnecting my extension cord from the electricity pole.

Before heading home on the ferry I went to the Spring Water Pub for dinner with Carol.  Sweet scented lilacs greeted me as I walked onto the patio. They filled the air. Childhood memories just poured in.

This is the sad part.

The really sad part about building a house on a fresh lot is that even when you are planning to build a natural home you have to cut down some trees.  This was so hard to do as I hate seeing big developers go into forested areas and cut everything down. There are still lots of trees left and we are going to be using the wood from the trees that had to come down to make counters, rafters and floors. My friend has a portable mill and is coming to mill the wood.
Even so this picture makes me think of a graveyard for trees. :-(


It is good to see the site taking shape though and I am in the planning stages for getting the septic field put in.  My neighbour has suggested I get an engineer to design it and then he can put it in for me. This is a great option and I am going to be making the call this week.

The surveyors came and did the corner posts at the front of the lot and are coming back on Monday to do the back posts.  It is good to get the survey done properly so we know we are far enough from the property line when we put the foundations in.
My apartment in Maple Ridge is up for sale and it is hoped that I sell it soon.  I plan on being on Mayne from July for the summer.  If all goes according to plan we will be putting the foundation in during July.