As many of you know from previous conversations or posts from us on straw bale house construction, we are big fans of both building permits and building departments. We see them as potential allies in creating durable, safe structures.
That may sound weird since so many builders and architects have horror stories about working with building inspectors, but that has not been our experience in most cases. That doesn’t mean there hasn’t been the occasional encounter with an inspector on a power trip, but they have been few and far between.
In the end, even those less-than-ideal encounters resulted in project approval, and the long-term impact of the experience was minimal in the scope of the entire construction process.
Evolving Codes & Familiarity
In prior decades it has been relatively difficult, in some areas more than others, to get building permits for straw bale homes compared to builds using better-known conventional construction methods. The main reason for this was a lack of education within the building departments.
Many inspectors and plan checkers had simply never heard of straw bale construction, let alone inspected one. This is still true in some locations; however, the prominence of straw bale houses worldwide is starting to have a real impact on the number of jurisdictions having familiarity with bale construction techniques.
Even more exciting is the inclusion of a straw bale construction section as an Appendix in the International Residential Code (IRC) (see the 2021 IRC Appendix AS here). This approved provision positively impacts professionals’ and owner-builders’ ability to apply for and receive building permits for straw bale construction projects.
Now, even if an inspector is not familiar with straw bale construction techniques, you can reference and/or guide them toward the code sections that provide specifics and allow for it. Problems solved. (Learn about the journey Martin Hammer and many others took to gain approval for the Appendix by the International Code Council (ICC) here.)
Tips on Building Permits
As you move forward in your build process, keep the following points in mind when applying for straw bale building permits and approvals.
- Submit a quality set of construction plans with the required detail to make the approval easy for the building department and without over-detailing beyond their requirements or needs. Too much detail can get you stuck once the project gets started. For example, later on during construction, you may find a new local or green product you were unaware of and want to change your exterior window trim detail to use the new material. If, on the submitted plans, you simply identified “trim,” then you will most likely still have the freedom to make that change without resubmitting the plans for approval of the change order.
- Be professional and timely in your presentation when you deliver the plans. Ensure you have adequate time to answer questions or for discussion if needed.
- Consider having an engineer stamp your plans. This may increase costs, but it shows that structural loads have been properly addressed for your specific design at your specific build site and help to shift the burden of the liability off of the shoulders of the building department.
- Know ahead of time what the building department’s concerns are about straw bale construction, or any aspect of the project for that matter, so that you can address them directly in your presentation. Speaking to others who have used natural building techniques on prior builds in your area is a good way to research this (and a fun way to build your local community network!).
- Know the code. Be firm in your knowledge of the code in case the inspector tries to mandate something the code does not require. A great resource for this is to learn from a copy of the Code that includes Commentary. This version goes beyond the ‘what’ and explains more of the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind the best practices laid out in the Code requirements. Access a copy here courtesy of the California Straw Building Association (CASBA.)
- Be respectful of the officials you work with. No need to expect a fight. Rather, expect a professional relationship with a shared goal of building safe structures and prepare to make a stand if need be.
As years pass and an increasing number of people continue to seek sustainable, healthy home construction alternatives, more jurisdictions will become familiar with straw bale houses in the permitting process and best practice construction techniques. (See here for more on working with building departments.)
Now that straw bale techniques have passed the rigorous demands necessary to be included in the IRC, even if a local jurisdiction has not officially adopted Appendix AS, you can still use it as a weighty reference to support your project goals!
14 Responses
you are right on….Re: permits
if you have a class coming up in new mexico give me a note….
The closest I have this year is in Texas. You can learn more about the class under the workshops tab above.
New Mexico/AZ/CO are hot spots for straw bale construction, check out https://strawbale.com/workshops to see our upcoming classes (hands-on and design classroom.)
How do straw bale homes stand up to earthquakes compared to the traditional home?
Is stucco the only cover to a straw bale home, or is wood permissible?
thanks
Hi Gary. Bale homes do incredibly well in earthquakes. There has been significant testing to show that they perform even better than conventional construction. You can use other siding besides plaster; however, a plaster skim coat is always needed to provide fire resistance. This can be done underneath a finish siding of your choice.
Hi Dave. You can review the 2012 IRC code here. If you want a newer version of the IRC, I believe that you would need to purchase it on line. Further, you will need to look at local amendments and additions to the code as those vary from place to place.
What are the permits and certifications needed to build a straw bale home?
Hi James. It depends where you live and what version of the IRC is in effect. There is a code section specific to straw bale construction in the 2015 IRC that you can point to when applying for construction permits. Typically, some engineering is required when the jurisdiction is working outside of the 2015 IRC (which most locations still are). Best of success to you.
Southern Oregon for me Kent.
I’m building my home in LA and want to be up to date on the codes and regulations. I went to the website http://www.shopiccsafe.org. and saw there are many versions/books of city codes there. Which ones do you recommend I purchase?
Thanks!
There is a national straw bale code in the 2015 IRC (Appendix S) that governs straw bale structures. You would need to see if that has been adopted by your local jurisdiction. I would call them and ask directly if they would honor a home built in accordance with the guidelines of Appendix S.
To see the 2021 updates, visit codes.iccsafe.org.
Here’s the link directly to Appendix AS for strawbale construction. https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IRC2021P2/appendix-as-strawbale-construction
Is it permitted to build to code with a permit a 400 sq ft Strawbale cob house in Navajo County AZ?
Hi Rebecca, You will have to check with Navajo County to verify if you will need a permit or not. Each municipality has its own regulations and size requirements.