Strawbale House

G’day and Welcome to Huff’n'Puff Constructions Ganmain!

We look forward to assisting via this web site and via the other services that we offer straw bale builders, engineers and designers. The web site is constantly being updated so return as often as you want!

We are experiencing unprecedented demand for straw bale building information via email so please call Susan or John if you require a detailed answer to your enquiries.

(02) 6927 6027 or 0412 116 157

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Join us at one of our workshops and here is what one young lady had to say about our recent course here in Ganmain:

” I drove from Hobart to Ganmain to learn from the best! This has been a fantastic course which has taught me that I can do anything. Thank you Susan and John for making this possible. I cannot wait to get started on my own build.”

Sandra from Hobart Tasmania.

NEXT WORKSHOPS FOR 2010:

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GANMAIN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Workshop #112, Ganmain NSW (Near Wagga Wagga)
EASTER WEEKEND APRIL 2nd.- 6th. 2010
Custom 5 Day Workshop ++Earthen Rendering and Earthen Flooring++
Wall raising, and theory HYBRID straw bale kitchen pavilion.

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CASTLEMAINE VICTORIA.

Workshop #113, Castlemaine Victoria
APRIL 17th. - 21st. 2010
Custom 5 Day Workshop
Wall raising, and theory HYBRID straw bale house

Below a sketch of the building that will be erected during this workshop.

(Click on the image for a larger view plans are subject to modification).

Castlemaine Workshop Plans

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We will always welcome email but for a quicker response the phone is best. We are currently planning our workshops for 2010 so if you want Huff ‘n’ Puff to conduct a custom workshop to help with your building on your land please call or email us:

In Australia call (02) 6927 6027

Email: john@glassford.com.au

ENROL for a WORKSHOP or make your ENQUIRY HERE!

Susan and John Glassford Huff 'n' Puff Constructions
22 Moore Street GANMAIN N.S.W. 2702 AUSTRALIA

We hold a contractors licence issued by the NSW Department of Fair Trading 80594C
{The licence is issued for the construction of straw bale walls and the only one issued in Australia so far.}

John Glassford is the Founder of AUSBALE* and it's Charter President.
*Ausbale - the Australasian Straw Bale Building Association

We also live in a beautiful straw bale home

We also look forward to helping those who need shelter most, in places like Kenya,

Uganda, The Ivory Coast, South Africa and Tanzania through our involvement with Rotary see:

THE Orphan Rescue Kit!

AIDS Orphans

Join us on an adventure of a lifetime to raise awareness and funds for the orphans of Africa now

12-15 million lost souls. We are going to climb the Mountains of the Moon see:

Mountains of the Moon Adventure 2011

Nalawala Documentary, Award Winning Straw Bale!

Custom Workshop Success

WORKSHOP # 105 at WAUCHOPE Completed End of day 5 of the 5 day workshop shows what was accomplished by a willing band of women and men, all who want to be able to build a straw bale home. The result was stunning and most pleasing. Well done to all who participated, we had fun!

The Start Day 1 of our 10 day custom workshop contract with our clients

10 Days Later and after conducting a 5 day workshop as part of the build contract.

If you want the same result for your straw bale home please do not hesitate to contact us for our custom workshop terms and conditions. We are currently planning 2010 for the 6 custom workshops we conduct annually. You will be surprised and pleased with what we can do in a very short time.

Global Warming Right or Wrong

The probability of warming may be greater, but cooling’s mass starvation begs us to plan for both ”

J. Everett

“Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are more than 90 per cent likely to have caused most of the global warming since the mid-20th century.” C.S.I.R.O.

C.S.I.R.O. Fact Sheet

OR:

We feel that the debate will continue for many years and even then I doubt we will all agree on this divisive subject. I am not a politician, never will be, so this is not about politics but about how you can live in a beautiful straw bale home that does not literally cost the earth.

Whatever you believe in with this debate on climate change one thing is for sure: A straw bale home will reduce your investment on your building. Long term a straw bale home will reduce your fuel bills, both heating and cooling.

Most of all you can do the build yourself, with help from your family friends and some trades like electrical, carpentry and plumbing.

Therefore I say that a straw bale building will be the best investment either way if the world heats up or cools down.

Denny and Lee

Denny and Lee’s straw bale home above is what we are talking about!

Denny and Lee came to one of our Ganmain workshops and then took some annual leave and built their own home and Denny told us that they did 90% of the work themselves and that they saved an enormous amount of money. It is a beautiful straw bale home.

Merry Christmas Balers

Just so as we do not feel left out here in our HOT summer here is a story and great photo of a straw bale home in Colorado.

Thedo Remmelink

Thedo Remmelink’s straw bale house situated on the upper Yampa River Valley just west of the Continental Divide, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, full story below:

Colorado Straw Bale Home

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN STRAW.

Thank you for all your support during 2009. It was an excellent year for straw bale building!

Workshop # 105 Kindee Day 5

Today was the last day of workshop # 105 at Kindee near Wauchope. Without a doubt our most significant and successful workshop to date. The following photos show day 5 and the results that we all achieved in 5 days. The system we used was our own hybrid method and the building is very strong and ready for roofing with one coat of lime render all round. We start the second coat tomorrow.

Scaffold straw bales and a mobile one

: West wall with the second coat of lime on

: Lunch time day 5 trusses started

: Cameron on a hay stack

: The South wall

: Scaffold straw bales and a mobile one

: End of Day 5

Workshop # 105 Kindee Day 4

Today was day 4 of workshop #105. Today we had a Condor pump with a team of two men applying the lime and sand render or plaster. We completed half of the 270 square metres during the day. Stress free day all went very well and we accomplished more than we expected to do so. Tomorrow we do the other half and also start the second coat with mesh.

End of day 4 Isaac with trowel and hawk

: Cameron putting in the window bales

: Jacob and the door is level and plumb

: Graham and pump with lime plaster

: West wall first coat applied

: Internal walls get plastered

: End of day 4 Isaac with trowel and hawk

Workshop # 105 Kindee Day 3

Storm Clouds Gathering End of Day 3

Very busy day with so much going on. We are close to being ready for the first coat of render tomorrow lunch time. The render will be plaster lime and sand sprayed on with a pump.

: Storm Clouds Gathering End of Day 3

: Internal wall bracing works well

: Corner bracing doing it's job

Workshop # 105 Kindee Day 2

This was a very productive day with nearly half the walls built and with top plates attached with all thread rods ready for compression. We also had our slide show night in the Kindee Hall. Watch out for tomorrow !

Busy bees

: Start of Day 2 note corner bracing

: Excellent work all round

: West wall done

: Busy bees

: Near the end of Day 2

: What a wonderful bridge we cross each day to work

Workshop # 105 Kindee Day 1

Today was our first day of the workshop with some 12 students plus Mandy, Max and Daniel and of course Huff ‘n’ Puff. We unloaded the straw bales this morning and after smoko we started building and raising the bales. It was a very busy day.

Ready to build

: The bales arrive from Cowra new season wheat bales

: Stacking bales lesson 1

: Half bale making lessons by Susan

: Ready to build

: First bale laying

: End of day 1 of the workshop

Workshop # 105 day 3 Preparation

The Straw Wolf with Max and Mandy

Another very hot day here but there is a cool change on the way. Today we completed the window and door frames and all is left to do is to brace them and square them up. We also need to put the all thread rods into place prior to bale raising.

Tomorrow the workshop students arrive and so do the bales in the morning.

: The Straw Wolf with Max and Mandy

: Window and door frames ready for bracing

: The floor is ready for the bales to be stacked tomorrow

Workshop # 105 Day 2 Preparation

Today was a hot day with some humidity. We managed to get all the top plates made and started making the window and door frames. Also essential supplies were delivered including the sand for the rendering. Most important was to provide safety for the students and workers with a high barrier installed wherever the floor was over a metre from the ground. All in all a good day.

Jessie cooling off near the site

: All set to go for window and door frames

: Bathroom window frames being made

: Jessie cooling off near the site

: Sand, sand and pea gravel

: Straight and square well done Daniel

: Great place to work is Kindee!

Workshop # 105 Day 1 Preparation

The floor showing bottom plates and top plates under way.

Today we arrived at the property of Mandy and Max at Jindee near Wauchope on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales. It is a beautiful part of Australia and Mandy and Max are well in advance with their house. We start the workshop on Saturday morning. Today we met Daniel a carpenter/joiner, from Port Macquarie who has been helping Max get the house ready for the bales this weekend. Today we made bottom plates and top plates ready for Saturday.

: The floor showing bottom plates and top plates under way.

: The foundations showing the steel work underneath.

: The roof trusses have arrived!

Carrs Park Ready for Opening

Great Result All Round

Dave Rockey our mate from Living Design Constructions sent us these photos of the finished work at the Carrs Park Community Garden meeting Rooms. Dave and the crew have done a wonderful job of Tracey Graham’s design. The Kogarah Council should also be congratulated on using sustainable building materials in this building.

Not only were straw bales used; but the foundations locked up many many rubber tyres; the windows and doors were recycled as was much of the timber used in the building. Huff ‘n’ Puff Constructions are very proud to have been part of this build.