the hobbit house design

The Hobbit House (how cool is this place!)

Simon & Jasmine Dale built this house for their family in Wales. -  It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cosy. I estimated 1000-1500 man hours and £3000 in materials. Not really so much in house buying terms (roughly £60/sq m excluding labour).



The house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gave us a unique opportunity to live close to nature. It housed our family whilst we worked in the woodland surrounding the house doing ecological woodland management and setting up a forest garden, things that would have been impossible had we had to pay a regular rent or mortgage. The main tools used were a chainsaw, hammer and 1 inch chisel, little else really. I was not a builder or carpenter, my experience was only having had a go at one similar house 2yrs before and a bit of mucking around inbetween. This kind of building is accessible to anyone. My main relevant skills were being able bodied, having self belief and perseverence and a mate or two to give a lift now and again.

Some key points of the design and construction:

     
  • Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
  • Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
  • Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
  • Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
  • Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
  • Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof for low impact and ease
  • Lime plaster on walls is breathable and low energy to manufacture (compared to cement)
  • Reclaimed (scrap) wood for floors and fittings
  • Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere (windows, burner, plumbing, wiring...)
  • Woodburner for heating - renewable and locally plentiful
  • Flue goes through big stone/plaster lump to retain and slowly release heat
  • Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
  • Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
  • Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
  • Water by gravity from nearby spring
  • Compost toilet
  • Roof water collects in pond for garden etc.

Click here for plans of the house

solar heating grant ireland

Changes to Insulation Grant Scheme 2014

Insulation Grants
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland HES GRANT SCHEME
What you will need when applying for the grant:
  • Name & Address
  • Your ESB MPRN Number (found on your ESB Bill)
  • Your Bank Account Number
  • Your bank branch sort code
You will also be asked for your contractors name & ID number
HES Grant categories available are as follows
Grants are available to eligible applicants for undertaking the following works, in accordance with the  requirements contractor code of practice Technical Specification.

Energy Efficient Works
Incentive


Cash Grant Value*
Insulation
Attic Insulation
€200
Wall Insulation - Cavity
€250
Wall Insulation - Internal Dry Lining

Apartment (any) OR Mid- terrace House
€900
Semi-detached or End of Terrace
€1,350
Detached House
€1,800
Wall Insulation - External

Apartment (any) OR Mid- terrace House
€1,800
Semi-detached or End of Terrace
€2,700
Detached House
€3,600



Heating System
Heating Controls with Boiler (Oil or Gas) Upgrade.
€560
Heating Controls Upgrade only
€400
Solar Heating
€800
Building Energy Rating (BER)
€50**

*Cash Grants are set value unless expenditure is below the set value, in which case the actual expenditure will be reimbursed.
**A Building Energy Rating (BER) is an integral part of all grant applications under the Better Energy Homes scheme, whereby homeowners must undertake a
BER on their home after grant aided works have been completed. A homeowner is entitled to BER funding of €50 once per home. This funding will be applied to
your grant application automatically provided you have never applied previously for BER funding. You will be informed during the online grant application process
if BER funding is available for your home or as part of your Letter of Grant Offer if you have applied through the post. It is advisable that you apply for and undertake
all planned grant aided works at the same time to minimise the costs of multiple BER assessments.

*** Note. Internal and external wall insulation grants will no longer be one single amount, but rather be based upon the house type.