Tiny Cob & Straw Bale House – 300 Square Feet – $10,000

The Kerley Corners Cob Cottage is located in Tivoli, New York. It was designed and funded by Ross Anderson and Julian Perez and one day house will be the home to one or two stewards of a garden and fruit tree farm. Its foundation was crafted from local stones by Thea Alvin a master stone mason from Vermont. The structure was built while giving workshops on cob and straw bale construction.

This is an excellent example of how a simple yet aesthetically pleasing home can be designed and built inexpensively from natural locally sourced materials. I’m not sure how or if the local planning department was consulted before this little house went up but I can imagine with the right set of plans and carefully pitched story even a tiny natural home like this could be approved and permits issued. It would really just depend on the local planning department’s comfort with alternative building techniques. Photo credit to The Kerley Corners Cob Cottage project.