I’m especially partial to low-cost housing solutions that push the envelope and demonstrate that a home doesn’t have to be expensive and extravagant to provide it’s owner security and happiness.
Owen Geiger recently posted an article on the Earthbag Building Blog that lists out the materials and cost for a 15-foot diameter earthbag home with a reciprocal pole roof covered with a layer of sod. If much of the work is done by the owner-builder and reclaimed and recycled materials are used the basic structure can be built for as low as $1000. It just seems to make a lot of sense and be truly sustainable architecture to use the dirt under our feet to build homes.
Photo credit to earthbagbuilding.com.
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Earthbag homes are good for earth quakes.Is there a good small home for tornadoes?
From the research I’ve done it seems that earthbag homes are the most earthquake and storm resistant earthen building techniques. The Earthbag Building Blog has the best info IMHO: http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/