Hello everyone,
We are still at the very beginning of planning our future house.
The bank is currently reviewing the possible loan amount, and once that’s settled, we will take a closer look at the zoning plan / building permit and start considering the general design of the house. After that, we will begin searching for a home construction company.
The first important decision will be about the material for the shell of the building:
- Solid construction (e.g., masonry or concrete)
- Timber frame with appropriate insulation
- Timber frame insulated with straw (straw bale house)
We are quite fascinated by the idea of a straw bale house because there are hardly any other building methods with such a good ecological footprint during the construction phase. The insulation provided by the 40 cm (16 inches) thick straw bales alone is very effective and should meet KfW40 standards (yes, we want KfW40, so please no discussion about that here).
According to our current research, the costs are not much lower than other options, but it does offer the opportunity for a lot of DIY work, which we are excited about!
The house will have one full story and an attic with a rather low knee wall (50 cm (20 inches), maybe a bit more). The zoning plan/building permit doesn’t allow for more.
Does anyone here have experience with a straw bale house or something similar?
Best regards,
Specki
We are still at the very beginning of planning our future house.
The bank is currently reviewing the possible loan amount, and once that’s settled, we will take a closer look at the zoning plan / building permit and start considering the general design of the house. After that, we will begin searching for a home construction company.
The first important decision will be about the material for the shell of the building:
- Solid construction (e.g., masonry or concrete)
- Timber frame with appropriate insulation
- Timber frame insulated with straw (straw bale house)
We are quite fascinated by the idea of a straw bale house because there are hardly any other building methods with such a good ecological footprint during the construction phase. The insulation provided by the 40 cm (16 inches) thick straw bales alone is very effective and should meet KfW40 standards (yes, we want KfW40, so please no discussion about that here).
According to our current research, the costs are not much lower than other options, but it does offer the opportunity for a lot of DIY work, which we are excited about!
The house will have one full story and an attic with a rather low knee wall (50 cm (20 inches), maybe a bit more). The zoning plan/building permit doesn’t allow for more.
Does anyone here have experience with a straw bale house or something similar?
Best regards,
Specki
11ant schrieb:
It definitely has its fans – so I see its marketability as less dramatic,The luxury villa in the countryside also finds its buyers. For such exotic properties, the pool of potential buyers is more limited, that’s just how it is. I would never want to buy a house like that. A straw bale house – am I Heidi or the Alpine Grandpa? Only stone counts!
It’s an exaggeration, but it gets to the point.
As a banker, I would therefore also consider an additional discount.
nordanney schrieb:
As a banker, I would also consider an additional deduction. Banks have different preferences and perspectives, so – thanks for the hint – instead of
11ant schrieb:
whether the bank is equally open to this type of construction. I should have written: "whether your bank is equally open to this type of construction."
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Straw is for the livestock
I would have some concerns. Is it possible to check whether the entire bale is properly compressed and dried? The balers sometimes malfunction. Occasionally, the straw isn’t fully dry. Who doesn’t know the situation where the bale looks fine on the outside but inside there is mold or some other type of rot?
I really have my doubts about this.
I would look for an experienced company and talk to other builders.
I would have some concerns. Is it possible to check whether the entire bale is properly compressed and dried? The balers sometimes malfunction. Occasionally, the straw isn’t fully dry. Who doesn’t know the situation where the bale looks fine on the outside but inside there is mold or some other type of rot?
I really have my doubts about this.
I would look for an experienced company and talk to other builders.
I’m not worried about the bank right now. I probably have an appointment on Monday, so I’ll know more about my "creditworthiness" then.
I’ve already done quite a bit of research and haven’t come across anything about mold or moisture so far.
There is only one case where the wooden walls were prefabricated in the factory, filled with straw, and then transported to the construction site. Unfortunately, it rained during transport. On-site, the straw had to be removed and replaced with fresh straw. That was an unfortunate situation.
I personally know someone who lives in such a house. They are very enthusiastic about it. Besides that, I haven’t seen any negative reports about straw bale houses anywhere so far.
Of course, the construction has some disadvantages, but these are well known from the start and can be managed. However, I have never read about any problems occurring either during or after construction.
It would be great if statements like "straw is for the animals" were avoided and more solid arguments were presented instead, so we can maintain a factual discussion.
Best regards,
Specki
I’ve already done quite a bit of research and haven’t come across anything about mold or moisture so far.
There is only one case where the wooden walls were prefabricated in the factory, filled with straw, and then transported to the construction site. Unfortunately, it rained during transport. On-site, the straw had to be removed and replaced with fresh straw. That was an unfortunate situation.
I personally know someone who lives in such a house. They are very enthusiastic about it. Besides that, I haven’t seen any negative reports about straw bale houses anywhere so far.
Of course, the construction has some disadvantages, but these are well known from the start and can be managed. However, I have never read about any problems occurring either during or after construction.
It would be great if statements like "straw is for the animals" were avoided and more solid arguments were presented instead, so we can maintain a factual discussion.
Best regards,
Specki
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