single wide mobile home transformation!

From a beastly ugly dump ... to a charming small house.Using basic building materials and salvaged fixtures, I completed this project under budget. 

the straw bale house journey has begun …

Borrowing enough money to buy an affordable parcel of land in a small mountain town, I commence a process that, working on a shoe string budget, will enable me to build a straw bale house. My goal is to build this house for under $20.00 a square foot. Let the fun begin!

On the road to the property, a touch of Rocky Mountain High ... As I was driving along I quickly snapped this photo of the northern end of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, the meadows turning green, the trees leafing out and the cows lazily hanging around.  

As I enter Chaffee County I catch my first glimpse of the Collegiate Peaks. A classic red barn and the art deco county building are amazing examples of the fine architecture found in this small mountain community.

No trees on my lot but … fantastic view of the Sagauche range and Mt. Princeton. The ample top soil (thanks to its previous use as farmland) will be great for growing my own veggies. Oh and not to forget the flat building site easing the foundation work and a little relief on the budget.

One of the lots with trees ... too steep a price for my small budget.

Unobstructed south facing views on my lot are perfect for passive solar orientation! These mountains are the northern most end of the Sangre de Cristo range.

My nosy neighbors to the south east.