We are dedicated to helping people build efficient, beautiful straw bale buildings and/or integrating elegant and beneficial natural plasters into their homes. To this end, we offer a range of services:
Construction: We are licensed general contractors who can build from foundation to roof and serve all of San Diego County. We can build your home for you but we specialize in building your home with you.
Plastering: We are passionate about helping you integrate clay and lime plasters into your new or existing home. We can help you select the best colors and textures for your space and provide plaster samples for your approval. Every step of the process, from preparation through clean-up, will be done with care and respect for your vision and your home.
Plan Review: We can evaluate your plans and make recommendations about how to build more efficiently, meet the most current straw bale building standards, and end up with the house that you want. Although it can be helpful to review approved plans, the most useful time for input is before the plans are approved and the details are still somewhat flexible. As needed, we will meet with your architect, designer, engineer, and building department officials to help you get your needs communicated and requirements met.
The Details: Straw bale building is still a relatively new building system and many architects and designers have limited knowledge about the best practices. The two biggest areas of potential confusion are window bucks and lath/plaster systems. We can meet with your designer/architect, provide examples of details that work, and help you get plans that allow you to build well with straw bales.
Helping Your Subcontractors: Although there are a growing number of subcontractors learning about straw bale, finding experienced subs is still difficult in Southern California. There are a surprising number of points in a straw bale building project when inexperience can lead to big headaches down the line. From the foundation through the framing, plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, and even the tile, there is straw-bale-specific information that the subs need to know. We can meet with your subs to answer their straw bale questions and can review the work when it is close to completion to ensure it meets your project’s requirements.
Straw Bale & Plaster Workparties: One attractive aspect of straw bale building is the potential for collaboration and community involvement. You can chose to have a “workparty” where family, friends, and neighbors volunteer to work together to stack bales or apply natural plasters. We have an email list of over 200 people who are interested in these events. Volunteer labor can be a huge help or a huge headache, depending on how effectively the labor is trained and guided. We can provide the leadership, tools, and training you’ll need to get the most out of your valuable volunteers.
Just Plain Help: Because we work closely with a number of builders and trades, we can get you help when you need help. Don’t have time for a series of workparties to stack your bales and apply your plaster? Don’t want to do the framing, electrical, and plumbing yourself? We can get you the help you need.
Presentations on straw bale &/or natural plaster: we are available to present talks, lectures, and demonstrations to your school, church, or other group. Content can be tailored to your groups’ interest. Contact us for more information.
Renderings and Design Choices: Even with a good set of plans, there may be areas of the design that need clarification or refinement. We can help you “see” these details and possible choices through sketches, renderings, or photographic mock-ups.
Please feel free to contact us to discuss how we can help you with your project: info@simpleconstruct.net