This action-packed, hands-on/feet-on workshop is for adults and youth ages 12 and up accompanied by parents who intend to build their own cob home! Test your grit during 10 days at Cob Hill Natural Building School, as Cat Taylor teaches the techniques and skills you will need to get from the foundation to the roofing system. We will learn about various building styles: cob; bale cob; palletable cob. We will also cover many other natural building concepts like: site placement and preparation; dig a rubble trench; stack a stone stem wall; tamp subfloors; set windows; build up our walls and of course cob, cob, cob!
Hands on experience covering
soil testing
foundations
dig a rubble trench
pier and beam
stack a stone stem wall (dry stacking)
cob building
bale cob
palletable cob
timber framing
windows and doors
roof designs
living roofs
roof sheathing
tree felling
log peeling
log milling (saw mill)
Shou Sugi Ban(Japanese art of waterproofing wood)
class time
site selection
home design
passive solar
earthen plasters
straw bale
LSC - light straw clay insulation
basic electric
basic plumbing
facts and myths in natural building
common mistakes in natural building
choosing build style
project planning
budgeting
acquiring materials
purchasing property and permits
correct placement of building
water catchment
composting toilets
Primitive tent camping sites are available near the build including access to hot showers, plus 3 plant-based meals a day are included in your tuition! You will need to bring your own camping gear. (See FAQ section of naturalbuildingorg.com) Prospective attendees, please be advised that we are unable to accommodate guests, unregistered children under 12 or pets on site for the duration of the workshop; however, there are nearby lodging options available for them including Daingerfield State Park, as well as two boarding options within 30 minutes of Cob Hill.
$1165 tuition includes a $200 non-refundable deposit to secure your spot. Only if NaturalBuildingOrg has to cancel the workshop for some unforeseen reason will this deposit be refundable. Save $100 automatically if your registration includes two or more people. Active duty military personnel and honorably discharged veterans with valid ID or DD214 may select the appropriate tuition tier to receive 20% off, and eligible Cob Hill Lifetime of Learning (L.o.L.) Members can register as such by selecting that tuition tier. If you do not pay in full, the balance will automatically be charged to your card 45 days prior to start date unless you cancel prior to that. You can prepurchase Cob Hill Natural Book on registration for $30. Please see also our Payment and Refund Policy at NaturalBuildingOrg.com.