Expert Advice on Straw Bale Building

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Perhaps the most difficult part of building with straw (or any other alternative building material) is presenting your project to the various institutions that must be involved. Lenders and insurers are conservative and averse to risks, and any construction method that is perceived as new or experimental can seem like a risk theyd rather avoid.

Sufficient evidence exists to convince lenders and insurers that your proposed straw bale house will be a safe prospect, but you will have to educate them. The U.S. Department of Energy has published positive findings about straw bale construction (go to www.eere.energy.gov and search for straw bale). The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (www. cmhc-schl.gc.ca), which helps set many of the standards used by lending institutions in Canada, is supportive of straw bale construction, and its data can help you when negotiating for a loan.

Potential lenders also must have confidence in your financial situation. You can make a compelling case for a straw bale home project by bringing the lender a good set of professionally drawn building plans and a realistic budget and timeline. Ensure your budget contains guaranteed quotes for materials and services youll require. If you are a first-time builder, you may need to hire professional consultants to prove to the bank that good help is available should problems arise. If you are hiring a general contractor to build your home, he or she will have to fill out paperwork for the bank, too. Hiring someone with a good local reputation will help.

It takes thoughtful preparation and patience to explain straw bale construction to a lender. Before they secured funding, many bale builders had to approach numerous lending institutions to find the right combination of personality and corporate culture. Dont let a rejection deter you. If you truly are a good risk, you will eventually find the money.

As the number of straw bale homes continues to increase, it becomes more likely that a financial institution in your area has already approved funds for one. Do some research into existing bale homes near you to find out if their builders received loans.

Insurance companies are concerned with facts and figures that indicate levels of risk. The existing research for straw bale homes scores positively with most insurers, especially the excellent fire ratings. Many insurance companies already have these test results on file; others will consider the ratings and results if you submit them with your application.

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