The oldest known cob structure is over 10,000 years old. It is still standing but is likely to have endured because it has been looked after by generations of people. Like all structures, cob buildings need care and attention from time to time.
How long do cob houses last?
How long does cob last? The oldest cob house still standing is 10,000 years old. Cob is strong, durable and cob houses should stand forever as long as their roof is maintained and the property is looked after properly.
When were cob houses built?
Cob-work goes back as early as the 11th and 12th Centuries. Structures made from cob are found in all climates across the globe. In the U.K., cob is associated with Cornwall and Devon counties in the “West Country”. There are homes in Brittney constructed of cob that have survived over 500 years.
Where did cob houses originate?
Many old cob buildings can be found in Africa, the Middle East, and many parts of the southwestern United States. A number of cob cottages survive from mid-19th-century New Zealand. Traditionally, English cob was made by mixing the clay-based subsoil with sand, straw and water using oxen to trample it.
What does it cost to build a cob house?
Cob house cost. A decent cob house can be built for anything ranging around $4,000 – $10,000. However the cost can vary depending on the climatic condition, location and the size of the house. The basic cost, however, may lie somewhere around $2000 – $5000.
Can you get a mortgage on a cob house?
Mortgage lenders may occasionally be asked to provide mortgage finance secured on a cob building. For the surveyor, identification of cob is not always easy but the walls will generally be very thick – typically 450mm or more – with a distinctly wavy and uneven rendered surface.
Is a cob house waterproof?
Cob is very resistant to weathering. Because of its porous nature, it withstands long periods of rain without weakening.
Do you need planning permission for a cob house?
Cob houses can be built in any style you want. Garden studios usually don’t need any planning permission, unless you live in a conservation area.
Are cob houses warm?
Put bluntly, cob is a pathetic insulator. This goes for any earthen building material. But what earthen materials lack in insulation properties they make up for with thermal retention. Cob is also a very poor conductor of heat and has very low thermal conductivity.
How strong is a cob house?
Cob house is extremely durable as the base material for its structure is natural re-bar which gives strength to the building. The eco-friendly home is also earthquake resistant as the whole structure acts as one monolithic piece which doesn’t develop cracks when the earth shakes.
Can I build a cob house in Texas?
Anyone can build a cob house, even if you are in a wheelchair or paralyzed.
Is the cob house on Grand Designs finished?
The last episode of the 2018 series of Grand Designs’ saw Kevin McCloud return to Devon to meet Kevin McCabe, the man who wanted to build one of the biggest houses Grand Designs has ever seen. … Finally, seven years after it began, the herculean task of building this giant cob castle is complete.
What are cob walls?
Cob, also known as cobb, is a building material that comprises subsoil, straw (or another fibrous organic material), water, and occasionally lime. … Cob walls are laid in courses, each one being left to completely dry before the next one is laid.
Why are cob houses so cheap?
The raw materials for cob are cheap: soil, aggregate, straw, and water. But you also need to factor in the huge amount of labor to process these materials into cob or whatever earthen material you’re using. And the cob walls are only one portion of the whole building.
Are cob houses cheap?
A: Cob building can be extremely inexpensive if you do it yourself. The materials for the walls are very cheap. However, keep in mind that walls are only a small cost of any building: foundations, roofs, windows, doors, floors, finishes, cabinetry and so on are typically a much higher portion of the cost.
How big can you build a cob house?
A: There is no inherent size limitation on cob or any other building system that I know of. If you look in the literature you will find cob mansions in England and cob towers in South Yemen nine stories high! That being said, cob walls can take a lot of work to build, as do most other natural building techniques.