Garage w/ 2nd Floor Apartment

Garage w/ 2nd Floor Apartment

Garage w/ 2nd Floor Apartment Upper Floor

Specifications: 525 sq. ft. interior apartment, 715 sq. ft. interior garage, Footprint: 30′ x 34′

Description: This garage apartment is practical and affordable. It’s ideal for use as a rental unit or grandparents apartment. A two car garage, shop, storage area and optional laundry are on the first floor.

Garage w/ 2nd Floor Apartment East Elevation

Strawbale Shelter Plan

Strawbale Shelter Plan

Specifications: Phase 1=158 sq. ft., Phase 2=158 sq. ft, Phase 3=58 sq. ft, Phase 4=110 sq. ft. (all interior measurements). After Phase 4: 2 bedroom, 1 bath, Footprint: 24.5′ x 38′

Description: This plan has evolved from the original one-room strawbale emergency shelters.

I use the one-room design to teach strawbale building basics at workshops, and they’ve proven to be a remarkably effective training experience. You can learn a lot in 1 or 2 hours. It’s been so effective that I thought I would expand on the concept and show how these strawbale shelters can be enlarged as time and resources allow. Each room can be built in 1-2 days (not including plaster work), depending on skill level and number of helpers. This simple yet effective system makes home ownership available to many millions in need of housing.

Barn-style Strawbale House

Barn-style Strawbale House Main Floor

Barn-style Strawbale House Upper Floor

Specifications: 1,260 sq. ft. interior plus 246 sq. ft. upper floor, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, Footprint: 33′ x 46′

Description: Based on the popular barn-style, this design is easy to extend lengthwise in the future. Partial section view below (details omitted) helps show the construction system. The south-facing shed wing can be finished to client preferences. A larger dining area, grow space, rec room, even an extra bedroom are all possibilities.

Barn-style Strawbale House East Partial Section

Welcome!

Hello and thanks for visiting my site.

A lot has happened in the past month, as you can see. There are now about two dozen house plans for your viewing pleasure, and more being planned.

This is a companion site to my Earthbag House Plans site and, as you’ll see, both websites have much in common. That’s because 18″ thick walls allow for both materials to be used, either separately or together. Earthbags are excellent for foundations, earth-bermed walls and for certain climates. Straw bales excel at ease of construction and energy efficiency. Both building systems are light years above conventional stick frame construction. So, if you want to see more strawbale house plans, please visit my Earthbag House Plans site. With only a few exceptions (domes and subterranean structures) those same plans can be built with bales.

I added a new page on Building Details to better explain my plans and ideas. (See the tab above.) Hope this helps. And be sure to also read the Introduction to learn how you can build these plans for around $10/sq. ft. (materials only) if you do the work yourself. All home plans use natural building materials such as straw bales, earthbags, earth plaster, earth floors, recycled materials and rice hulls to keep costs to a minimum.

Details like porches, decks, etc. have been deleted so drawings better fit the limited space on this blog.

Also note, the plans are in no particular order. Some of the best plans are buried on the last (first) pages. You may find it easiest to browse by Categories — Polygonal, Round houses, etc. — by using the menu in the right column.

This site is set up to gather your feedback. I look forward to hearing your comments!

Native Spirit

Native Spirit Strawbale House

Specifications: 565 sq. ft. interior, plus 291 sq. ft. tower (4 levels), 1 bedroom (fold-out bed), 1 bath, Footprint: 35′ x 45′

Description: This is my favorite design so far. I think it’s especially nice in elevation. (See below.)

The Native Spirit house plan blends a hexagonal dwelling with a soaring tower built of earthbags. The first floor of the tower serves as a cool pantry that keeps food cool without electricity. Other levels can be used as office space, a second bedroom or storage. The top level is an observation deck — a truly stunning feature in such an affordable home. The hollow, central column in the main structure can be built with stone or CEBs. The stove pipe runs up through the column and the thermal mass helps stabilize indoor temperatures. Large south-facing windows create an attractive plant shelf and provide excellent solar gain. Other features include a large built-in bench, fold-out bed and home office. An airlock entry has a washer and dryer, coat closet and bench. Use earthbags on lower courses if earth-bermed.

Native Spirit East Elevation

Strawbale Cottage

Strawbale Cottage

Specifications: 838 sq.ft. interior, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, Footprint: 28′ x 41′

Description: Ideal for urban or rural areas, this cozy cottage is the right size for new families, or for retiring couples who want to downsize. Features include a laundry room with mop sink and closet, kitchen island with breakfast bar, built-in bookcases/entertainment center, wood stove, on-demand water heater and a pleasant dining nook. The finishing details can be modified to match a wide range of architectural styles.

Strawbale Cottage South Elevation

Summer Breeze Strawbale House

Summer Breeze Strawbale House

Specifications: 1,335 sq. ft. interior, 4 bedroom, 1 bath, Footprint: 33′ x 48′

Description: This luxurious strawbale home is ideal for hot climates. The center section has extra windows on each end to allow breezes to flow through the house. Features include a large master bedroom with private bath access, laundry, breakfast bar, wood stove and built-in cabinets.

Double Wide

Double Wide

Specifications: 693 sq. ft. interior, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, Footprint: 24′ x 36′

Description: Originally designed to go on 12′ x 36′ trailer chassis, this design could also be built on the ground. The main design goal is a compact shape that provides all the basic amenities one would find in a trailer house (which are very popular despite their poor quality and offgassing of noxious fumes). A trailer design is one way to legally circumvent certain building codes. If you’re building this on the ground, one 2×4 center wall can be deleted to save money and free up a little extra space. A deck or porch on the south creates extra living space at low cost. This design is one of my most efficient, having almost no wasted space.

Strawbale Country Guesthouse

Strawbale Country Guesthouse

Specifications: 286 sq. ft. interior, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, Footprint: 16′ x 25′ plus porch

Description: Classic country detailing and styling characterizes this guesthouse. This is one of my favorites and we’ve considered building it for ourselves. It is well lit, spacious and comfortable for use as a cabin, rental or guesthouse. The Dutch hip roof with cathedral ceiling is framed with timbers (as shown), but factory trusses could be used.

Strawbale Country Guesthouse East Elevation

Beachcomber

Beachcomber Strawbale House (click to enlarge)

Specifications: 1,352 sq. ft. interior, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, Footprint: 41′ x 47′

Description: Perfect for most large families, this house has everything you need — spacious bedrooms with computer desks, large modern kitchen and wood stove. The master bedroom features a walk-in closet and private bath, and is opposite from other bedrooms for privacy. The mechanical room has space for radiant floor heat, photovoltaic controls and a 2nd water heater for solar water heating.