2. Basic Components
A house made with sustainable
materials
Recycled concrete pillars to
support the structure
Straw bales infill to form the walls
3. Material List
Straw bales 36 X 18 X 14
Recycled concrete blocks 16 X 8 X
8
Reclaimed lumber 2 X 4
Pressed board “I” beams 16 X 8
Gypsem Board ½ “
Stucco mesh and coating
Plaster coating
Hardwood flooring
Granite counter top
Bath fixtures
Kitchen fixtures
Lighting fixtures
Windows and doors
Steel roofing
Poured concrete slab 33’ X 33’
5. Straw bale
Cost of building is anywhere
between $5 to $100 per square
foot
Straw bales provide R values of
about R-28, plastering the inside
walls also adds thermal mass
Almost anyone can build a straw
bale house , basic carpentry skills
and a little muscle is all that’s
needed
Two common size straw bales
Three string bales measure 23” x
16” x 42” and weigh about 80 lbs.
Two string bales measure 18” x 14”
x 36”and weigh about 55 lbs..
12. Material Costs
Straw bales
Concrete block
Concrete slab
Gypsum board
Lumber 2 X 4 X 8
Lumber 2 X 6 X 16
$12.00/bale X 645 Bales =
$7740.00
$1.38/block X 271 Blocks = $373.98
$8000 estimate from local
contractor for concrete slab
77 8’ X 4’ Sheets X $6.74 = $518.98
300 X $2.42 = $726
80 X $8.48 = $678.40
Total cost here = $18037.36
13. Project Planning
Purchase of the materials for delivery to the site
concrete slab with rebar needs pouring and one week curing time
building of the six concrete columns
Infilling with the straw bales and stuccoing the outside of the bales
Installing the roof and the outside of the building is completed during the dry summer
days
Install windows and doors while working on the stud walls inside
Installing plumbing and electrical conduits, place appliances plaster the inside of the
bale walls
14. Overall cost of construction
$60,000 is the projected cost of the project due to the fluxuations in the
material market
