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Develop a Vision
Set a vision for what you ultimately want to achieve with your building. Only you can know what you want, but it’s a good idea to think logically and realistically when deciding what you want to build. A lot of people’s ideas become very extravagant and out of proportion with what they can realistically accomplish. So, it’s important to keep it real. And this is where the next point in the checklist comes in.
Education
You need to begin to thoroughly educate yourself on building with cob or whatever type of building you are going for. Whether you’re building it yourself or having somebody else do it for you, you need to know how everything works and plays together.
Start reading books on cob, natural building, sustainable energy systems, and whatever else interests you for putting together a home. You very well might have to learn a whole new set of skills.
Also try to take hands-on classes and workshops to gain confidence with these new skills. You can find upcoming cob workshops and other sorts of classes below in the ‘Resources' section or by searching online.
Cost Estimate
Be realistic and conservative in your cost estimates. At least, that’s what I do for my projects because it almost always turns out to consume more time and money than I originally planned for.
The ingredients for cob are cheap, but account for everything that you will need. Foundation materials, roofing materials, windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, tools, machinery, transportation, subcontractors, permits, etc. all cost a lot of money! Don’t lose sight of reality and expect to build your cob home on the cheap just because the walls are made of cob.
Design
Designing a building is an art and a science in itself. The way that you lay out the floor plan for your building will be what you have to live with once the building is built. So, put intelligent thought into your design. You may want to consult with a professional builder or interior designer before going forward with your plans. They can help pick out the faults in your design and offer valuable solutions for you.
Site Selection
The site that you choose for your building can have a large influence on how efficient it is and how it will be preserved over time. There are many aspects to consider for selecting a proper site, which this article won’t be covering, but you need to find a good site before you can put together a detailed design plan. The site can strongly influence the design and function of your building.
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