Mud House Construction for Your Home
Must Read before choosing the mud house construction technique for your home
Mud House Construction
Looking for a 100% natural building option? Mud House construction is the answer. It is one of the most eco-friendly construction options, which is incredibly strong and durable. There are various innovative house construction techniques to build an ecological structure. Rammed Earth Wall is mix of sandy-sub soil, clay, lime and a bit of angular stones/gravel. Each material used lends its unique property to the House.
Why a Mud House?
Since a Mud house is constructed from the on-site material, it is one of the most sustainable forms of mud construction. Compared to other mud house construction techniques, making a Mud house is much easier, with an expert in mud house construction with previous building experience. There is greater flexibility in how to design a mud house, as the building material (earth) is easy to work with, making it a free-form or In-form method of mud house construction.
How long does it last?
Rammed Earth houses are commonly used for erecting homes in rural areas of India, and some of those structures still stand tall. In fact, the oldest Mud house was built 10,000 years ago during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period in the Judean lowlands southwest of Jerusalem. Get the Mud mixture right, lay a good foundation, fool-proof the roofing and apply a protective plaster, and strength of the mud house can be assured for years to come.
How to build a Mud house?
Building a Mud house is easy when compared to other construction techniques as it requires very basic construction knowledge. A bit of study about the right mixture of clay, sand and stray (depending on the temperature regulation requirements), a mud house can be erected.
Where to construct a Mud house?
To be on the safer side, mud house construction should be in moderate climate areas, as extreme climatic conditions require passive cooling or heating the interiors. That being said, it doesn't mean a Mud house cannot regulate the temperature on its own. Depending on the content of straw bale/wattle-and-daub, a Mud house can provide heat insulation or passive cooling. However, a Mud house construction is not advised for places with high flooding or natural disasters like hurricanes or tornado.
Mud House Cost
A decent cob house can be built for anything ranging around Rs.2,50,000 - Rs.25,00,000. However, the cost can vary depending on the climatic condition, location and the size of the house. The basic cost, however, may lie somewhere 5,00,000/-
The final cost may be much higher if you want swanky interiors with unique designs and sculptural walls. If you compare the building cost to modern construction methods, it is far less on any given day, as long as you are ready to get your boots dirty.
Mud house construction for your home is very much in trend these days due to its environment-friendly nature. If you have a spare piece of flat land and enthusiasm for building a sustainable home, here is your chance.
It will be a very fruitful and satisfying experience on the whole; not to mention all the attention the house will garner.