Hobbit House Homestead

[MorningSong]

I just love these! Near Black Mountain, NC...my old college-days' tromping grounds...

http://www.rrylander.com/index.htm

Remember to click all over! Enjoy!

[morguana]

this is close to my dream home.......
http://www.simondale.net/house/


You are looking at pictures of a house I built for our family in Wales. It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cosy. I estimate 1000-1500 man hours and £3000 put in to this point. Not really so much in house buying terms (roughly £60/sq m excluding labour).

The house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gives us a unique opportunity to live close to nature. Being your own (have a go) architect is a lot of fun and allows you to create and enjoy something which is part of yourself and the land rather than, at worst, a mass produced box designed for maximum profit and convenience of the construction industry. Building from natural materials does away with producers profits and the cocktail of carcinogenic poisons that fill most modern buildings.


http://www.slipperybrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/hobit-house-2.jpg

Some key points of the design and construction:

* Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
* Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
* Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
* Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
* Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
* Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof for low impact and ease
* Lime plaster on walls is breathable and low energy to manufacture (compared to cement)
* Reclaimed (scrap) wood for floors and fittings
* Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere (windows, burner, plumbing, wiring...)
* Woodburner for heating - renewable and locally plentiful
* Flue goes through big stone/plaster lump to retain and slowly release heat
* Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
* Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
* Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
* Water by gravity from nearby spring
* Compost toilet
* Roof water collects in pond for garden etc

http://www.simondale.net/house/images2/candle.jpg

http://www.simondale.net/house/images2/kitchen.jpg

love m x

[Vidya Moksha]

this is close to my dream home.......

love m x

Mine too mogs,
when do we move in?
:wub: ;)
VM xx
(I would love to build an underground house... great potential... )

[morguana]

Mine too mogs,
when do we move in?
:wub: ;)
VM xx
(I would love to build an underground house... great potential... )

well when i have saved 3000 squids, claimed squatters rights on a patch of woodland, kidnaped some locals to help share the 2000 odd hours needed to build it......well i will give you a buzz and let you know, hehe
love m x

[Vidya Moksha]

http://www.undergroundhousing.com/

Have you seen this? Mike Oehler's $50 and up underground house...highly recommended
I had a copy and found it great for info... it can be done quite cheaply. and the fun is in the build :)

there is a big business here in NZ letting tourists spend megabucks looking round the hobbit houses they built for the Lord of the Rings :)

[Swanny]

I'd love to live in one of these houses. Anyone need a lodger??? :hat:

Good thing about roofs is you can you use them as rain catchment areas :bathbaby:

[panopticon]

http://www.undergroundhousing.com/
Have you seen this? Mike Oehler's $50 and up underground house...highly recommended
I had a copy and found it great for info... it can be done quite cheaply. and the fun is in the build :))

The Mike Oehler book is excellent for basic tips and design ideas.
Another book I own along the same lines is: 'Building a Low Impact Roundhouse'
Website for history of 'That Round House' is:
http://www.thatroundhouse.info/
Interesting site and information on the trials and tribulations of alternative vs government.

Regards,
Panopticon

[Lancelot]

There's a place on the LLeyn Peninsula Wales you can learn traditional buiding techniques for free as a volunteer or on one of their courses-

http://felinuchaf.org/

There's some amazing hobbit like houses there too!
Real inspiring stuff :)

[sshenry]

Those Hobbit Houses are AWESOME! *looks around for Frodo*

Something about a home that has been grown - worked into the natural setting of the landscape and not forced on it - it makes all the difference :)