Confused about natural building codes?

I watched this and was like, o yeah!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKH0qoaXR88

Then I read this, and it seemed to say that its better to build in counties with little or no code.
http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2010/01/24/counties-with-few-or-no-building-codes/

Although the first link is about straw bale, adobe, and cob

The second link is about earth bag

Is this really true of straw bale and cob?

Wow how to reply. I guess it's best to say it depends. I'm fairly certain that I could build a straw bail house in the town where I live as long as it meets the building code. The same for sip or some of the new insulated foam & concrete systems. However, there are municipalities that want to control, to the Nth degree,  all aspects of your building. Texas has some very stringent areas as well as some that are lax. There are still areas that have no building codes that are not far from civilization. I have some acreage in East Texas just a hop-skip-n-jump from a little town (1500 population). I could drag an old car out there and turn it into a home. There have been others that pulled out little travel trailers and live in them.

So in order to build your dream home you're going to have to do some homework to determine whether your building system is accepted by the local authorities.

timby wrote:
Wow how to reply. I guess it's best to say it depends. I'm fairly certain that I could build a straw bail house in the town where I live as long as it meets the building code. The same for sip or some of the new insulated foam & concrete systems. However, there are municipalities that want to control, to the Nth degree,  all aspects of your building. Texas has some very stringent areas as well as some that are lax. There are still areas that have no building codes that are not far from civilization. I have some acreage in East Texas just a hop-skip-n-jump from a little town (1500 population). I could drag an old car out there and turn it into a home. There have been others that pulled out little travel trailers and live in them.

So in order to build your dream home you're going to have to do some homework to determine whether your building system is accepted by the local authorities.

Thank you.

oracle wrote:
Thank you.

My pleasure......

My suggestion before buying property is to carefully investigate the laws and regulations as well as exactly what you're buying so there are no limits (e.g., mineral or water rights).

I very carefully checked out towns when I was looking for land. I made a map and noted every town that had zoning, etc. Our state has no building code requirement for personal building - that's part of why I picked Vermont. Our town has no zoning - that is part of why I picked it. I don't cotton to strangers telling me how to do things any more than necessary. I don't want to have to constantly explain myself or get permission.

Go with open eyes.

Many rural areas have no building codes now, but much of that may change.  Federal standards are emerging on things such as septic.  Counties who fail to implement those federal standards risk losing federal funds.  That will cause stricter building codes in most regions...nobody wants to turn their backs on Uncle Sugar.

John Polk wrote:
Many rural areas have no building codes now, but much of that may change.  Federal standards are emerging on things such as septic.  Counties who fail to implement those federal standards risk losing federal funds.  That will cause stricter building codes in most regions...nobody wants to turn their backs on Uncle Sugar.

pubwvj wrote:
My suggestion before buying property is to carefully investigate the laws and regulations as well as exactly what you're buying so there are no limits (e.g., mineral or water rights).

I very carefully checked out towns when I was looking for land. I made a map and noted every town that had zoning, etc. Our state has no building code requirement for personal building - that's part of why I picked Vermont. Our town has no zoning - that is part of why I picked it. I don't cotton to strangers telling me how to do things any more than necessary. I don't want to have to constantly explain myself or get permission.

Go with open eyes.

Very true and thank you both

I was just reading old posts, such as this one, and I felt compelled to chime in.

I would say that its generally true that rural counties will have more open building codes/enforcement then in a city, however, straw bale construction is becoming pretty widespread. Another thing is to change the way you speak/think about straw bale houses. Since most houses that we call straw bale are actually post and beam with straw bale infill, phrase your project as a "post and beam timber house with cellulose insulation" sounds better to an insurance agent or building department, since that is exactly what it is. I think when you use the term "straw bale house" it brings all sorts of preconceived notions to the mind.