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The idea of an owner built home is gaining in popularity as people realize that
spending every dime on their cookie cutter McMansion isn't all it is cracked up
to be. Smaller homes with simple designs can still be attractive, yet they are
easier and more cost efficient to build. There are plenty of resources online
for finding discount building supplies, for example
Discountflooring.com has a large
inventory of diverse flooring types at discounted prices. Cutting out the
general contractor's markup, performing as much of the labor as you are
comfortable with, and bargain shopping for building materials are all ways to
build an inexpensive home. |
Green building technology continues to evolve giving homesteaders the
opportunity to enjoy modern conveniences while reducing their carbon footprint.
Earthbag buildings, cob cottages, and straw bale homes are more comfortable than
ever with today's efficient doors, windows, and roofing products. Frugal
homesteaders can support second chance building centers where they can recycle
used windows, cabinets, and lighting fixtures for the ultimate green household.
Please share your story with us if you have completed a green building project. |
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Efficient, Long Lasting Metal Roofing
- Relegated to covering barns and sheds for decades, metal roofing has
become a popular choice for residential roofing. See what has changed and why a
metal roof may be in your future. |
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Building a Cordwood Home
- Building with cordwood is a great way to construct a unique and energy
efficient green home from locally grown wood and scrap wood found on your
property. Cordwood homes are pleasing to the eye and require very little
maintenance. |
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Benefits of an Earth Berm or Earth Sheltered Home
- Some people assume that an earth berm home is dark, cave-like, and
buried in the ground, but it is in fact quite the opposite. Earth berm homes
(and earth sheltered homes) have many benefits to both the homeowner and the
planet. |
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How to Build a Simple Wood-Fired Cob Oven
- Build a wood fired cob oven to enjoy fresh baked bread or delicious pizza. An
outdoor oven is a great gathering spot for parties, and will help you keep the
heat out of your kitchen in the summer. Best of all, the price is affordable and
you can build it yourself. |
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Put a Living Roof on Your Modern Homestead
- A living roof reduces run off, prevents erosion, and can filter pollutants out of
rainwater. Unlike most roofing products, a living roof isn’t damaged by the
sun’s rays. The thermal mass also acts like a blanket of insulation reducing
energy costs associated with heating and cooling. |
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Benefits of Building a Straw Bale Home
- Straw is an affordable and renewable building material that is widely available.
Straw bale homes are ultra efficient due the insulation value of straw and the
thickness of the walls. Straw bale building is gaining in popularity and
building resources are widely available. |
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Saw Your Own Lumber from Trees on Your Homestead
- Saw your own lumber with a chainsaw mill or bandsaw lumber mill. You will know that
you aren’t supporting clear cutting operations and you may be able to save some
money. Purchase a mill or hire someone to custom cut lumber from your property. |
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The Inexpensive, Owner Built Cob Home
- Because cob buildings utilize local materials and sustainable building practices,
not only will your home be cheap, it will be an environmentally friendly green
home. You'll also be able to escape the cookie-cutter look of modern suburbs. |
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Building with Earthbags - The Ultimate Green Building Material -
Earthbag construction has been around for at least a century, but it is gaining
in popularity as modern and innovative designs are developed. Although it sounds
very simple, there is some science and strategy that should be considered when
planning your earthbag structure. |
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