Straw built homes have been enjoyed for well over 150 years, in numerous
climatic conditions around the world. In New Zealand there are now hundreds
of straw built homes, while internationally there are hundreds of thousands.
This page provides answers to frequently asked questions about straw built
homes. To know more, please contact us.
Q: What does a
straw built home or other living space cost?
A: Just like any building, it depends totally on
the design, other materials, fittings and finish. Straw-infill is comparable
to other quality construction techniques in cost per square metre. So
for the same money you might spend on a similarly specified, good quality
conventionally constructed home, you can have a Straw Bale Home with all
its many advantages.
Q: What will it cost to get my home designed?
A: As mentioned in our Project Outline
document, we utilize a phased approach when tackling a project. This allows
us to break the project down into ‘manageable’ chunks, and
to also cost these appropriately.
Before beginning with the explanation of the cost, it’s important
to put into perspective the average costs for getting a house designed
here in New Zealand. From our 20 years experience we have in the industry,
we have found that it’s safe to assume that you’ll spend at
least 10% of your overall budget before building commences (i.e. getting
your project designed, documented, specified, engineered, consented with
council etc.)
With this in mind, our fees for a project are calculated as 6-8% of
the project’s estimated built value, generally set as a fixed
fee. This is broken down into 2 main phases:
1. Concept Design Phase - A fixed rate of $3700 including GST
for projects valued up to $600,000 anywhere in the North Island. This
includes a single visit to your site/ section to meet with you in person
and to gather necessary ‘local-on-the-ground’ information.
These site visits normally occur in the first week of each month.
Projects exceeding $600,000 and all Commerical and South Island projects
are calculated on an individual basis.
Please Note: When your project proceeds to the next phase, the cost of
the concept is included as part of the overall fees.(i.e. you get a $3700
credit towards the next phase) If however you choose not to proceed with
the next phase (there are no obligations to continue, you still ‘own’
the concept, and can use it as you will. In this case you have only committed
to the Concept fee.
2. Design and Documentation Phase – 6 to 8% of project’s
estimated built value (This includes the cost of the concept).
This value is always set as a fixed fee, and is calculated using: the
project’s individual scope and requirements (as defined in the Concept)
, as well as taking account of any additional services/ work that you
might request. In all instances this is negotiated fully with your input.
Please Note: Any ‘out-costs’ i.e. engineering, surveying,
consent fees etc. are additional costs, which will be passed directly
on to you (i.e. we don’t mark these costs up) We will however, always
get estimates for these costs, as well as your prior approval before commissioning
them.
The third and perhaps the most exciting phase of the project is the Implementation
Phase, where your new home gets built. This is a distinctly separate phase
from the 2 previous phases.
3. Implementation Phase - Negotiated on request.
With there being so many variables in the range of these services (Building
Consent, Bid & Negotiation, Construction Supervision, Mentoring etc),
we negotiate our fees based on our level of involvement, with your input
and the project’s budget in mind.
Please feel free to contact us, should you
need clarification on any of this, or for any additional information you
may require.
Q: Is the straw
treated with chemicals?
A: No. It is standard high-grade straw grown for its grain.
Q: What type of straw bales do you use?
A: We use standard straw bales (i.e. not hay - but rather inert
husks of grain products that have no ‘nutritional’ value)
Generally we use standard baled straw that are 'light, tight and bright
', i.e. they are baled when dry, well tied, and made from good quality
material. Care needs to be taken when storing the bales, so that they
don’t get wet, ideally stored, once baled, in a well-ventilated
space up on pallets to keep them off the ground. Critical moisture content
needs to be kept below 18%.
Q: How is the straw
supported?
A. There are several design and engineering options for a straw
built home. Sustainable Structures can use a skeletal frame, which is
then 'infilled' with straw to create the walls. This frame is always engineer
designed, to ensure it meets the necessary structural and bracing requirements.
There is an alternative, which utilises a load-bearing technique, and
a BRANZ tested system, with which we have received consents for buildings
(like our Show Home)
Q: How durable
is a straw built home?
A. Finished in the right way, very durable. The problems with
straw built homes, just like any other, arise when walls are not properly
finished. All Sustainable Structures’ homes are designed with a
thick plaster render.
We utilise a proprietary plaster (which has the added benefit of being
BRANZ certified) The walls are also designed for the straw to ‘breathe’.
This assures a durable and healthy home. It’s worth noting that
when proper attention is paid to design and construction, straw will out-perform
many ‘mainstream’ materials.
Q:
Please tell me more about the plaster you use.
A. As mentioned above, the product we use is a proprietary plaster
(BRANZ certified) that has a number of additives that make it water repelling,
yet at the same time 'breathable' – much like a ‘Gortex’
rain jacket. Clever stuff :-)
We have used almost 900 tonnes of it on straw projects to date, and with
no call-backs or issues. The oldest application being on a project we
built overlooking Ohiwa Harbour in a pretty exposed coastal location –
here in the Eastern bay, which shows no signs of cracking!
We apply the plaster using a plaster pump (almost in the same manner as
squeezing toothpaste from a tube) and in this method it is possible to
plaster the outside of 3 bedroom home in a day!
Q: Do you have
any hassles with Building Inspectors and getting Consent?
A. Building inspectors and regularity authorities with a clear
understanding of Straw Bale Construction, say that it complies with the
New Zealand building code, when assessed as an 'Alternative Solution'.
To date, we have been very successful with gaining full building consents for the projects we are involved with. These include:
- John & Holly's Residence - 3bedroom
home - Kuatunu - Consented by Coromandel District Council
- Kevin & Anne's Residence - 3 Bedroom home + Storage shed
- Te Puke - Consented by Western Bay of Plenty District Council
- Cherie's Residence - 3 Bedroom home - Gisborne - Consented
by Gisborne District Council
- Ross & Sarah's Residence - 3 Bedroom home - Poukawa - Consented
by Hastings District Council
- John & Barb's Residence - 5 bedroom home - Rotokauri/ Hamilton
- Consented by Waikato District Council
- Brian & Janine's Residence - 3 bedroom home - Rotorua -
Consented by Rotorua District Council
- Pam & Roy's Residence - 2 bedroom cottage - Te Awamutu
- Consented by Waipa District Council
- Ruatuna - 3 bedroom Show home / Office - Ohiwa Harbour - Consented
by Opotiki District Council
- Joanna's Residence - Addition/ renovation to existing structure
- Reporoa - Consented by Rotorua District Council
- Waiotahe Valley School - New Classroom & Library - Waiotahe
- Consented by Opotiki District Council
Q:
Is it feasible to build straw bale homes in moist climates like New Zealand?
A. Perfectly feasible. Straw Bale buildings have been built in
50 countries around the world, and in 30 states in the USA. Probably one
of the wettest being Vermont.... Where we know of a number that are still
performing really well.
We also were involved in a project in the Mountains in North Carolina,
a REALLY humid and wet climate of extremes. The house is now 5 years old,
and doing really well. We always take into account the local conditions,
and feel that with sensible design, there is no problem.
Recently, we tested the moisture content of the bales of a local straw
bale home here in the Eastern Bay within 10 days of the huge flooding
event we had in 2004, to ensure they were performing. This home has no
eaves to speak of (we didn’t design it :-), and the moisture readings
we got on all the bales were well below the accepted 18% safety limit.
Even in the most exposed location, in the bottom bale of the south facing
double storey gable end!
As a result of the testing, the local council issued the necessary Code
of Compliance Certificate.
Q: How flexible
can my home design be?
A. Your home or other building can match your dreams and budget.
At Sustainable Structures we want to design the home you want: we won’t
force you into ‘one size’ solutions. After all, it’s
the design which maximizes the lifestyle and energy-efficiency benefits
of the building.
Q: Do you offer
pre-designed plans?
A. We don’t have standard plans - as we believe that every
section, client and their requirements are unique. We therefore custom
design each project that we get involved with.
This said, we are busy building a show home at the moment - Ruatuna -
which is a simple 3 bedroom home - with the idea that it will give our
clients a good starting point from which to work. We are considering developing
this into a 'pre-designed' range of homes, with an eye to providing these
as more affordable what-you-see-is-what-you-get homes!
Q: What if I don’t
know what I want?
A. For a fixed rate of $3700 including GST (for projects valued
up to $600,000 anywhere in the North Island), we can develop a concept
plan to start your thinking.
This involves you commissioning us to design a concept for your new home,
based on information you give us in the project brief and from a site
visit where we meet and interview you personally. This is our expertise,
we are very good at this :-)
Give us a call and we’ll help get you started.
Note: Projects exceeding $600,000 and all South Island projects are calculated
individually..
Q: How can I take
part in straw built construction?
A. Sustainable Structures offers mentoring for clients and contractors.
This spans everything you need to know to ‘fill’ the building
frame with straw effectively. No existing qualifications are required,
just enthusiasm, care and commitment.
Q: How long does
a straw built home take to complete?
A. Just like any home, it varies depending on the complexity
and size. It is however comparable to other building methods.
Q:
Does Sustainable Structures take part in building projects themselves?
A: Not generally. We have in the past, which means we understand
the needs of builders and clients. But as a rule we focus on concepts
and designs. We are happy to consult with the building manager or you
as a client, to help ensure your ideal is achieved. We are also happy
to consult with any sub contractors.
This said, we do have a ‘sister’ company - Straw Built
Homes Ltd - that is a specialist straw bale construction company
that often gets involved in the straw bale projects that we design. Their
website is www.strawbuilt-homes.com
Q: Who can I get to build my Straw
Bale Home?
A: A lot of our current projects work in such a way that we use
'traditional builders' to build the standard parts of the building (i.e.
slab, roof, framing to support roof etc).
We currently have 4 projects under construction, where we are working
with local builders in this manner. We can then assist in the specific
straw and plaster component of the project - either through subcontracting
our sister company – Straw
Built Homes, or by utilizing other suitably qualified plaster applicators.
A lot of our clients also get involved in placing the straw themselves
- after 2 or 3 day hands-on help/ mentoring from us.
Q: What about interior and landscape
design?
A: At Sustainable Structures we love looking at homes in a wholistic
manner. If you want landscape or interior design advice please talk to
us.
Q: Can Sustainable Structures design
home additions and alterations?
A: Yes in most cases.
Q: What about new homes, not built in
straw?
A: We would be happy to consider designing any home that answers
our philosophy of ‘sustainability’, energy-efficiency’
and complementing the environment. We do however specialise in designing
straw bale homes, which is our core business. Check out our
work.
Q: Does Sustainable Structures still
work internationally?
A: Yes. We assess each project (local or international) individually
on their merits. We still enjoy working internationally!
Q: How do we initiate a building project
that is not a home?
A: Just the same. Please check out our get
started section, and if you have any questions talk to us directly.
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