June 8, 2009: Hobbit House

xoxoxoBruce · 06-08-2009, 12:13 AM

Or should I say, another hobbit house... they seem to pop up every once in awhile.
Some are pretty crude but this one is very nice. Don't know how it will stand up to Wale's weather over time.

Quote:

While Dale claims not to be an expert in literature, he also claims to be no expert in building or architecture – which is surprising given that he's built two family homes, and is planning more. But then, Dale's story is surprising. A photographer and graphic designer by trade, he knew from his teens that he wanted to build a home in the countryside. "Photography and graphic design were ways of getting a livelihood that were portable, and helpful for the move to the country," he says.

Quote:

It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cosy. I estimate 1000-1500 man hours and £3000 put in to this point. Not really so much in house buying terms (roughly £60/sq m excluding labour).

It looks cool and it was cheap, but I have serious reservations about durability.

link

link

SPUCK · 06-08-2009, 03:46 AM

Try that around here and the building inspectors would go catatonic - right after their apoplexy attacks.

Beestie · 06-08-2009, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPUCK

Try that around here and the building inspectors would go catatonic - right after their apoplexy attacks.

Its probably built a whole lot better than most of the crap they sign off on.

ZenGum · 06-08-2009, 04:23 AM

Want! want!

I would guess it will last quite as well as much modern crap thrown up by contractors who aren't going to live in it and just want to get it done as quickly and cheaply as they can get away with.

Although, as a "Hobbit" house ... I don't think Bilbo would approve. It should be neat and orderly, with perfectly round windows and doors. And I'm not sure about the portable stereo on the windowsill :p
ETA: and there are stairs! Harrumph. No stairs in Bag End, thank you very much.

capnhowdy · 06-08-2009, 07:26 AM

Obviously hobbits don't bother to clean their stoves. I like it.

spudcon · 06-08-2009, 07:42 AM

I keep looking for the monkeys sitting on all the tree branches,

TheMercenary · 06-08-2009, 08:04 AM

I love it. I want one.

chrisinhouston · 06-08-2009, 08:12 AM

The Orkin man would love this! Wood with tree bark usually harbors incects. In the old Pueblo style architecture of the desert southwest they use a lot of tree trunks (vigas) and cross them with branches (latias) to construct the roof but they remove all of the tree bark before using it. I once worked on a project that utilized this method. The tree trunks were all stacked in a pasture adjoining the structure and an old man and his wife and 3 children came and began removing the bark with a type of home made spokeshave plane. It was prety incredible.

Antimatter · 06-08-2009, 08:18 AM

Looks nice - I'd love to spend a weekend there. After that I'd probably hate it so much I'd never return (yeah, I'm a city person)

sweasel · 06-08-2009, 11:48 AM

My house looks a bit like that. And since it's going on 400 years old now, I'm guessing he's got a shot at it lasting a while.

Tudor construction methods were like that: build a brick chimneystack, tie beams to it and plaster in between. The plaster has to be renewed periodically, but it's pretty sturdy stuff.

Sundae · 06-08-2009, 12:13 PM

Oh it's gorgeous!
I can just see it inhabited by lovely swarthy little Celts too.

(btw Bruce, correct Wale's then delete this line

)

dmg1969 · 06-08-2009, 12:28 PM

I love the way the inside looks. I've always had a thing for log homes, but this is quite different. And I love the earthen roof. I can just hear myself saying to my wife "Honey, I'll be out mowing the roof."

Clodfobble · 06-08-2009, 12:45 PM

I'm with chrisinhouston--leaving that bark on was a bad idea. Even if they managed to kill all the bugs somehow, it's still going to peel off and disintegrate in very short order.

sweetwater · 06-08-2009, 01:30 PM

We had a dome home built and really liked the shape of the spaces. Even if I could not actually hear the termites chewing and the spiders dancing in this house, I would be listening for them all the time. So perhaps a turf-covered dome, small scale, would be a good way to go. But I still like this little place. It could be a guest house.

dar512 · 06-08-2009, 01:49 PM

Looking at the floor plans, there seems to only be one bedroom. That doesn't seem practical.

06-08-2009, 04:23 AM	#4
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	Want! want! I would guess it will last quite as well as much modern crap thrown up by contractors who aren't going to live in it and just want to get it done as quickly and cheaply as they can get away with. Although, as a "Hobbit" house ... I don't think Bilbo would approve. It should be neat and orderly, with perfectly round windows and doors. And I'm not sure about the portable stereo on the windowsill :p ETA: and there are stairs! Harrumph. No stairs in Bag End, thank you very much. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

06-08-2009, 07:26 AM	#5
capnhowdy Blatantly Homosapien Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,200	Obviously hobbits don't bother to clean their stoves. I like it. __________________ Please type slowly. I can't read very fast............... and no holy water, please.

06-08-2009, 07:42 AM	#6
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 2,078	I keep looking for the monkeys sitting on all the tree branches, __________________ "I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."

06-08-2009, 08:04 AM	#7
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	I love it. I want one. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

06-08-2009, 12:28 PM	#12
dmg1969 I got nothing Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Central PA Posts: 486	I love the way the inside looks. I've always had a thing for log homes, but this is quite different. And I love the earthen roof. I can just hear myself saying to my wife "Honey, I'll be out mowing the roof." __________________ Void where prohibited. Your results may vary. Not intended for resale. Do not remove tag. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

06-08-2009, 03:46 AM	#2
SPUCK Professor Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,911	Try that around here and the building inspectors would go catatonic - right after their apoplexy attacks.

06-08-2009, 08:12 AM	#8
chrisinhouston Professor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston TX Posts: 1,857	The Orkin man would love this! Wood with tree bark usually harbors incects. In the old Pueblo style architecture of the desert southwest they use a lot of tree trunks (vigas) and cross them with branches (latias) to construct the roof but they remove all of the tree bark before using it. I once worked on a project that utilized this method. The tree trunks were all stacked in a pasture adjoining the structure and an old man and his wife and 3 children came and began removing the bark with a type of home made spokeshave plane. It was prety incredible.

06-08-2009, 08:18 AM	#9
Antimatter Belt Conveyor Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 68	Looks nice - I'd love to spend a weekend there. After that I'd probably hate it so much I'd never return (yeah, I'm a city person)

06-08-2009, 11:48 AM	#10
sweasel Everyone loves a weasel! Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Sussex, England Posts: 9	My house looks a bit like that. And since it's going on 400 years old now, I'm guessing he's got a shot at it lasting a while. Tudor construction methods were like that: build a brick chimneystack, tie beams to it and plaster in between. The plaster has to be renewed periodically, but it's pretty sturdy stuff.

06-08-2009, 12:13 PM	#11
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Oh it's gorgeous! I can just see it inhabited by lovely swarthy little Celts too. (btw Bruce, correct Wale's then delete this line )

06-08-2009, 12:45 PM	#13
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	I'm with chrisinhouston--leaving that bark on was a bad idea. Even if they managed to kill all the bugs somehow, it's still going to peel off and disintegrate in very short order. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

06-08-2009, 01:30 PM	#14
sweetwater lives inside a Mobius strip Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,120	We had a dome home built and really liked the shape of the spaces. Even if I could not actually hear the termites chewing and the spiders dancing in this house, I would be listening for them all the time. So perhaps a turf-covered dome, small scale, would be a good way to go. But I still like this little place. It could be a guest house. __________________ I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque! - Bugs Bunny

06-08-2009, 01:49 PM	#15
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Looking at the floor plans, there seems to only be one bedroom. That doesn't seem practical. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

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