As of 2017, we have been able to document more than 60 permitted, insured strawbale homes in San Diego County, though there are probably more that we don’t know about.

These 60 examples prove that you can build a comfortable, healthy, efficient, beautiful, permitted, and insured strawbale home in San Diego. 

The San Diego County Building Department has accepted strawbale building as a viable way to build. Not only do straw bale projects have no trouble getting building permits, they are eligible for a small discount on the permitting fees. 

Strawbale building used to be permitted as an Alternative Material or Method but, in October 2013, a proposed straw bale construction appendix was accepted for inclusion in the 2015 International Residential Code which went into effect in 2016. With strawbale building now part of the building code, there are answers to every question a building department, insurer or lender might have.