20X30 Cottage in North Carolina

Started by Osprey, March 11, 2009, 07:02:57 PM

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Sassy

Thanks - I haven't updated the blog in a couple years, at least  :-[

They have cob houses in England that are hundreds of years old, also in Carmel, CA.  The Cob Cottage workshops are in Oregon - all fairly wet climates.  You just gotta keep them dry.  If you plan on making a clay/cob oven, put a roof over it, otherwise it will deteriorate over time.  Glenn made a really neat oven in the shape of a bear w/copper pipe tubing wound around inside - we used to build fires in it to heat the water for the hot tub.   The bear is out in the open & over the years, it has lost its hands & part of its arms  :(  Don't know if you saw a picture of that.  You can look at the thread under "Owner/Builder" or here @ http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

That is interesting about the ginseng!
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free

Osprey

More progress!!

The more  progress made the more I realize this is going to be one big little house.

Got the roof trusses on and the 8x8 posts for the deck on the piers.





Deck framing and scaffold coming along.





Deck framing and scaffold done, if it ever stops raining I hope to get the decking and subfloor on. Supposed to be good weather all week so should get some walls up too!







glenn kangiser

Looking good. :)

A simple roof over the top with wide coverage will prevent any damage to the cob or clay oven.  With the proper mix of 70% sand and 30 % clay as well as quite a bit of straw it will take weather from the side just fine.

Kiko Denzer wrote a book on making clay ovens.
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

John Raabe

What a great site!

Challenging, as they say, however! :-*
None of us are as smart as all of us.

Osprey

Thanks Glen. I should have some metal left over from the roof. Should be perfect for the oven.

Yes John challenging is the word. Not only is it high on the mountain but it is a very steep (45 degree). We cut a tree that fell wrong and it took off down the mountain like a rocket gaining speed as it stripped off branches. It impaled itself almost 400 feet down the mountain.

Just now starting to get a good idea of what sort of view I can get with some strategic tree cutting. My first round of tree cutting netted almost $1,000 for the logs which paid for cutting, removal and fixing the road (again). Now you can't give it away (mostly Poplar). It is mostly smaller trees less than 18" in diameter so I may just cut them into pieces and leave them on the ground to rot. Just cutting them will be hard enough without worrying about getting them out.

Got the subfloor on and working on the deck.

More pictures soon.


MountainDon

Quote from: Osprey on October 20, 2009, 12:12:25 PM
... very steep (45 degree).

Wow!. And I thought our 20 - 30 degree slope was steep enough.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

toddtar

Peel the Poplar around May-Aug and sell it or use it after it's been dried. 

Osprey

Quote from: toddtar on October 21, 2009, 12:48:08 PM
Peel the Poplar around May-Aug and sell it or use it after it's been dried. 

I wish I could. I don't have the equipment to drag it 200 feet up the mountain and the loggers can't use the small stuff so the wood doesn't pay for the cost to cut and haul it. It is hard enough just to get down to it and cut it and get it on the ground.]\

It's yours if you want it.  ;D

Osprey

Making some good progress. The weather is cooperating for the moment with mild temperatures and clear skies.

A big change from the over 4+ inches of rain we had in 24 hours when the remnants of Ida passed through. This was my first time being on the mountain in a major rain event. No problems with drainage and the road held up very well.

Framing is coming along we are getting ready to sheath and start the roof.















Redoverfarm

Your house reminds me of the houses at Snowshoe Ski resort.  All are built on a rather steep slope.  Walk in front door and down to the lower level.  Good progress although I hadn't checked in for a while. We also got the spin-off of IDA with a 2 day delay in outside work.  But the forecast is good this week.

devildog

Osprey, Did the building dept. require you to have engineered footings?  It didnt look like yourfoundation was setback from slope, and it looks really steep. Just curious to know if this was an issue for you,I just dealt with it.
Darrell
Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem.
Ronald Reagan, President of the United States; 1985

Osprey

No. No problem at all. Many houses in this area are on steep slopes.  The only plan I have given them was the one sent to me by country plans. The basement and deck plan was just a sketch.

The building inspector has been a big help to me and has answered numerous questions. I have nothing but good things to say about him. He has been the inspector in this county for 20 years or so so he has seen it all and knows what will work on these steep slopes and what won't. I have yet to hear of any houses sliding off the hills around here. I did hear about a cement truck rolling sideways down a hill when he tried to turn around though but the houses seem to stay put.

Osprey

Finally had a good run of clear weather.

I built a 7 foot retaining wall below the deck where the stair landing will be. We used 6x6 pressure treated. It took 2 days of solid labor to build. The timbers were pinned with 1/2 inch rebar and then backfilled with old creek rock. seems solid and looks good to me.









Rock for backfill






Started the retaining wall on the other side. gonna take a break for a few days to let my hands and arms recover. I ache all over.


Osprey

I took some photos from up the mountain and from the bottom of the mountain looking up.









MountainDon

Are those timber ends that protrude the ends of the tie backs? Just wondering how you anchored the wall.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

Redoverfarm

Maybe you mentioned about the front deck.  Is it going to be covered?

In the summer I would say that you are almost camoflauged with the leaves from the bottom looking up.

I had to end up putting retaining walls at the cabin.  I ended up laying block and then covered them.  It was hard to figure it in until I got the final grade done and it was too much to slope not to mention the run off of the water to that area.  If you don't have drainage from the retaining wall basin then you might consider some.  But if it is on the hillside as your house then probably just slope would be fine. 

Good job. 

Osprey

Quote from: MountainDon on November 24, 2009, 12:38:22 PM
Are those timber ends that protrude the ends of the tie backs? Just wondering how you anchored the wall.

Don, The completed wall rests against the house on one end, has 4 foot tie backs in the center and  alternates on the ends with with the "buttress" 90 degree timbers protruding past the wall at the other end. The 90 degree end wall acts as a buttress as well and is 8 feet long at the bottom



If anything I think the wall is over built as the bank has remained stable for over a year and was backfilled with creek rock which will not "pack" like dirt would.

The unfinished wall on the other side also has alternating tie backs and has one end  against the house wall as well. My plan on the rock end is to make a "curb" on the rock by drilling the rock for rebar, making a form and pouring it with concrete in front of the wall on that end. The bank on that side has been stable for over a year now as well.

Time will tell.

Osprey

Quote from: Redoverfarm on November 24, 2009, 02:20:56 PM
Maybe you mentioned about the front deck.  Is it going to be covered?

In the summer I would say that you are almost camoflauged with the leaves from the bottom looking up.

I had to end up putting retaining walls at the cabin.  I ended up laying block and then covered them.  It was hard to figure it in until I got the final grade done and it was too much to slope not to mention the run off of the water to that area.  If you don't have drainage from the retaining wall basin then you might consider some.  But if it is on the hillside as your house then probably just slope would be fine. 

Good job. 

Redoverfarm, Yes there will be a 10 foot covered porch/screen room on the front and side. Between the 600 sq foot basement and 600 sq foot porch I should be able to spread out some so the small size of the cabin will not feel so small.

I have a french drain surrounding the house which was covered with gravel and then carried downhill by drain pipe where it discharges. The gravel fill on the back of the house is 3 foot thick with a silt cover and then filled with creek rock to within a foot or two below grade.





I have no standing water and the drains gush after a short time after the rain begins.

I am still studying how the water drains from the property and imagine it will continue to evolve until I am at final grade and the road and driveway are in a finished state.



Osprey

The weather has not been cooperating so it has been slow going. We have the sheathing on the house and the roof is felted.We are now struggling to get the roof on over the deck. If it isn't snowing it has been raining. Temperature gauge shows 15 degrees with a couple inches of snow on the ground so today will be a bust as well. Supposed to warm up into the 50's next week so we should be able to finish the deck and maybe even get started on the metal roof.

Here is a couple interior shots



.



Sheathing on. Starting on the deck roof.

.


.


Construction slowing to a crawl.

.



Staying in this little 27' camper in these conditions is no fun at all :-\



Sassy

Brrrrr!  You have a difficult terrain as well, but making really good progress - beautiful views & love the porch!   8)
http://glennkathystroglodytecabin.blogspot.com/

You will know the truth & the truth will set you free


speedfunk

 ;D

Very cool little structure you all are working on.  I find it very neat how you have used the terrain to your advantage. 

Our hill is also steep , it keeps down people population :)

Redoverfarm

Osprey it will melt and eventually you will thaw out. ;D.  Working in the winter time is just hit & miss for the most part if you are working outside.  It should be a different story once you move into the inside.  Even a salamander heater will keep Old Man Winter from ruining your day. Doing a nice job considering.  Keep up the good work and the spirits.

Osprey

Thanks for the encouragement. Just getting bored.

I've got it easier than many, it will be warming up here soon.

It is definitely private up here. I can't get down and no one can get up. d*

Osprey

Whadaya think?

Got the roof on between blizzards. ;D


Redoverfarm