Living arrangements for the next few months is something to I am going have to endure. Mr I want to build a Straw Bale house, and I bought a 24 foot caravan and a structured annex that had windows and a solid floor. We picked it up in 2 goes and delivered caravan home, so we could work on it and the annex went straight to the property.

Well within days the cows had trampled the new toy in the paddock. Smashing the windows and re-structuring the sides including the roof of the aluminium structure that was packed ready for erection. Well to say that we could not use the annex is an understatement. I think some of the annex bits secured by tyres.

Making the caravan liveable was a huge job. Going to garage sales for bits of paint, a friend gave us litres which was very thick and the dregs from our shed. After we put the draws back together and new knobs on everything after the cupboards were painted, I started on the ceiling and walls. I left the caravan doors open to air while I had lunch. Getting back to it I found 2 cows inside the van. Cows you may say are very inquisitive animals. Lucky they had not damaged anything or poohed inside.

Moving the caravan to the property was another adventure. First of all the tyres were flat, so a trip to the service station to get air in a can. We attempted to pull out the caravan with our 4 wheel drive – It got bogged and could not shift anything. We unhitched the van and believe or not we started digging near the tyres filling them up with crushed rock. With me standing on the at the back of the van lifting the back of the van with a huge post the van slightly moved. Edging closer to the seemly impossible the van moved and we were on our 2 km journey around the corner.

We sort of put the van in position and talked about what we would do when we move over to the caravan, shed and cabin. It only took 2months for I want to build a straw bale house to hook the caravan up to the tractor and put in the position we wanted to. Is was frustrating for me to wait another month or so for the van to be levelled. No it was not Mr I want to build a Straw bale house that put the van in place it was his friend. We were talking to the plumber like for ages meanwhile our friend and his son had secured the van.

We can now get into the caravan for it is ready to fit out. It sits next to the cabin that I bought on ebay which will be used for a lounge and has a shower and toilet. The old annex floor has now being replaced by bricks. – not sure what we are going to with the unsafe slippery floor base. – Any ideas? I told you we used tyres as foundations.

I can wait to move but I can't wait for the house to be built.

Its all about tyres

This will set up some sympathy votes- Tyres. You may wonder why I am going to talk about tyres when we should be on the way to building a house of straw. Well!! Mr I want to build a straw bale house, likes all things that cost 'nothing'. Neighbours had horses and were moving and just before they moved they offered us some tyres that they used for a horse ring. They were for nothing, free, no cash and no delivery costs either. Mr I want to build a straw bale house thought tyres!!!! - there is 101 things you can do with tyres, and they are free (more incentive). He got so excited about the neighbours tyres - he arranged a couple of extra truck loads to be delivered - yes for free!! Not just car tyres there were 'TRUCK' tyres amongst the hundreds.

A chook shed was built  by staking the tyres in a step like fashion. The huge truck tyres not only housed chooks but snakes were also comforted by the warmth and security that tyre bring. We ended up having to collect the eggs with very long tongs and during snake season, kids were not allowed near the make shift chook. I wonder why we started breading mozzies as well.

The following uses of our tyres so far:

• Chook shed
• Fence to direct the cows into the stock yards
• garden bed in front of the house set up to stop cars running into the house - (It hadn't happened before but it might happen - It was our cars though mmmmmmmmmm)
• rows of truck tyres to protect bee hives from the cows
• holding down tin (so it does not blow away)
• getting stack stuff off the ground.
• hay
• tin
• wood lengths
• garage bits
• windows 
• anything really
• fill the truck tryes with crushed rock and have them as the foundation or maybe the floor of the shed

When we were going to sell the property a clean up had to happen. Many trips of tyres were made to the new property. Lines of tyres at different fences now appear on our lovely fresh 110 acres in the country. You may ask why do you still have them? - It costs $25 to take a car tyre to the tip, not sure how much for a truck tyre. Moving the tryes is tuff work, dirty and often you get wet from the water that has been sitting in the rims. The truck tyres are extremly heavy and weigh even more with water, rocks or dirt.

When we bought the land, and after the success of the leaking and dangerous chook shed, Mr I want to build a straw bale house, first thought a house of tyres would be great. (so we got more). We have shifted hundreds of them more than once. For me I do not like double handling but Mr I want to build a straw bale house thinks it is character building to move things double / triple / ...... up to 3 squared (9). times - I remind myself that  its not over yet.

We made a vegie patch using 5 truck tyres stack on top of each other - There was a row of 6 sets of tyre stacks. We had to surround them with chicken wire so the chooks didn't eat the vegies. This was in front of the house so it was a great look. Mind you we sold the house before we took away the tyres but the chicken wire was removed. I guess that was the seller!!!

I just want to talk about one of Mr I want to build a straw bale house's idea for the flooring of our new shed on the property. He thought instead of a rock, dirt or concrete floor for the shed he was going to fill up truck tyres with crushed rock. The idea was to cover the space with the filled tyres and possibly top them with concrete or more crushed rock. After several heated discussions he thought better of it and now we have a smooth concrete slab.

There are so many tyre stories I could tell  but I am sure I am now losing your symphony. Workers that have delivered our containers - foundation is tyres and having the bungalow delivered with the 6 tyres not well placed the workman did not think we were serious. I had to gather up concrete blocks and bricks to sit on the tyres before they would unload the cabin. I offered to take photos for them. The quick response was "don't worry, we will never forget this day, we have not seen anything like this before in our 35 years of delivery buildings."

I must say that Mr I want to build a straw bale house is never around to hear any comments. I am the messenger and is often shot.

Free things are not necessarily good things or worth it.

Setting up has been a nightmare

After we purchased the land we decided to sell 10 acres of our existing property. We had it drawn up and put the permit into the council. After another year or so we then decided to keep the clear 10 acres and sell the house and the shed. More paper work however procrastination was the word of the last few years I am getting so use to. At the beginning of this year 2010, we decided (well my partner I want to build a straw bale house) thought some more and we started the paper work to sell the house, shed and all the land. We were to live on the 110 acres while we build so why not sell everything. mmmmmmmmmmmm.

We finally got around to invite the real estate in - On the way out he put up a for sale sign out the front. 3 weeks later we accepted an offer. 3 months settlement - It would be in the middle of winter. We negotiated a further 2 months on the settlement now due on the 28 August 2010.

This morning after a heated discussion, I want to build a straw bale house, rang the new owners and suggested that we would like to rent for a further 6 weeks. It has been the wettest winter for ages so the fact that we can not get the full length of our drive way on the 100 acres is a factor. I want to build a straw bale house thought the drive way is fine. over the weekend both our cars got bogged and he pulled his car out by the tractor.

I am greatful for the new owner of our house to say yes to us renting. It will save at least my shoes and maybe our relationship.

Always put off doing new things in Winter.


cheers Marg

Buying the land

It started with a phone call, my partner (Mr, I want to build a straw bale house) rang the real estate and made an offer over the phone. Within 2 minutes the offer was accepted. Mind you I did not find out until, he then made a lesser offer which was accepted. 2 -3 weeks down the track the bank had agreeed we could borrow money to purchase 110 acres, with pen in hand to sign the contract Mr I want to build a straw bale house, asked if the vendors would accept a lessor payment by $5,000. They said yes and we owned 110 acreas 2 kms away from our 20 acrea property. This was 4 years and 10 months ago now and we are finally moving next weekend. Scary!!!!!!

The house is still an idea at this stage. Like grand designs it all starts with a thought.

This blog is hopefully going to cathartic for me for I want to share my lows and lows with readers. It has not all been roses to date however the adventure continues.

We went to some display homes taking our muddy boots off to enter. This was to get some idea for space and layouts. An idea! well all Mr I want to build a staw bale house did was to pick up the nick nacks and see the price tag underneath and cringe. He thought the idea was of these houses seemed very sterile and quite plastic. In his mind  our house had nothing in common. He is right but it was about the space, layouts and ideas that I thought should be absorbed. I did attend a few by myself each time getting the layouts.

I cut out the rooms from the plans to plan our house. Ensuring all the wet areas are on one side and handed them to a drafts person. We had the plan set out.

We have had fun (frustration) with the council and have spent a hell of $$ on permits so far.

Display homes have there place but creating your own space is ideal.

Marg