As part of our project of filming the how-to DVD video, Building With Awareness: The Construction of a Hybrid Home, which is about the construction of a single green home built with straw bales and other green materials, we kept track of every construction expense. Owners of the Building With Awareness video will find it useful to know the construction costs of each phase of construction as shown on the DVD. These figures are for general reference only and may not reflect your building costs. Construction costs vary widely across the country. The total price does not include the owner/builder's sweat equity (which was a considerable amount of time), other volunteer’s time, taxes, and the cost of the land. These are the real-world costs for this highly detailed straw bale and adobe home, but again, every project is different. If this home had been built 100% by a contractor without homeowner involvement, the costs would be substantially higher.
    This green and energy-efficient straw bale hybrid home was built to code. Although there are claims that straw bale homes have been built for $5.00 per square foot, this would certainly not be the norm—nor probably possible—in standard code-approved construction.

Site Preparation
Includes $150.00 for survey of land to determine property boundaries, fill dirt and compaction as required by code in this area to raise the floor height by at least 18" for flood protection, and digging of foundation trenches with a backhoe.

  $4,305   4.89%

Hired Labor and Outside Services
• Paid general construction assistance, including 2 part time assistants, straw bale assistance, earth plaster assistance: $21,054.
• Plumber for installing the natural gas line (code required that this step be done by a licensed plumber): $1,000
• Earth compaction test for foundation and pad: $214

General Materials
• Concrete, adobe bricks, screws, nails, nuts, bolts, fasteners, wire mesh, rebar, caulk, raingutters, sand, gravel, stone, sheetrock, tarps, insulation, etc. (does not include lumber)
• 500 straw bales delivered to the site: $1,350
Note that we sold over 1/3 of the bales to other people's building projects. Ordering a full truck load reduces the transportation cost per bale.

Framing
All lumber for the post-and-beam construction of the straw bale walls, stud-wall framing, roof framing and sheeting, cabinents, doors, finish trim, etc.

Plumbing
All copper pipe for the potable water, ABS sewer pipe, valves, vents, etc.

Electrical
Electrical wire, conduit, breaker box, terminals, receptacles, smoke alarms, telephone and cable, CF light bulbs, etc. As demonstrated in the DVD, this is for the general electrical wiring only (straw bale walls, frame walls, and adobe walls). The wiring for the photovoltaic system is listed under "photovoltaic system".

Earth Plaster, Gypsum Plaster,
Morter and Grout
Gypsum, sand, thinset for tiles, and morter
Earth plaster dry mix from adobe yard: $348
White earth plaster materials: $71.00
The DVD demonstrates each step of earth plastering all of the walls in this home.

Windows
Premium aluminum-clad, double pane, low-E glass for the entire house. Includes two double-paned skylights.

Mechanical and Backup Heating
Radiant floor heat tubing, headers, valves, and accessories: $839
DC circulation pump: $240
Thermostats, exhaust fans, exhaust and vent ducting, and hot water heater for the radiant floor heat.

Tools
Construction tools purchased. These were in addition to the tools that we already owned. Purchased equipment included an electric concrete mixer, chop saw, shovel, blades, grinder wheels, router bits, boots, gloves, etc.

Water Well
Drilling of the well. We installed the pump and electrical.

Utility Hookup
Natural gas connection to the home.

Finishes, Paints, and Stucco
ncludes non-VOC paints, shellac, stains, stucco, etc.

Fixtures
Fixed indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures

Photovoltaic Electrical System
Photovoltaic panels, sinewave inverter, and batteries: $10,259 Cable, metal for PV racks, and accessories: $236 Electrician for final wiring of PV system only: $1,600

Rainwater Cistern
1,500 gallon tank: $796
DC pump: $152
Pressure tank: $116
misc. parts and accessories included in the total price

Salvage
large dimentional lumber, recycled oak flooring, kitchen sink

Equipment Rental
transit, scaffholding, chemical toilet, insulation blower for cellulose insulation (see DVD), mixers, etc.

Septic System
septic tank and leech field installation

Permits and Insurance

Total Workshop Construction Cost
Adobe, lumber, concrete slab, roof, doors, windows. Labor for this structure is included in the house costs