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Old 06-27-2014, 10:38 AM
 
Location: Ruidoso, NM
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I thought maybe I'd use posts to hold up the roof, and then build up the walls with natural materials. Seems like that would mitigate engineering concerns, though it probably would eliminate the need for sign-off. It's nice to have the roof on from the beginning also.
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Old 06-27-2014, 11:07 AM
 
Location: New Mexico U.S.A.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rruff View Post
I thought maybe I'd use posts to hold up the roof, and then build up the walls with natural materials. Seems like that would mitigate engineering concerns, though it probably would eliminate the need for sign-off. It's nice to have the roof on from the beginning also.
I don't think so... From my not so accurate memory the issue is the foundation. New construction and repairs have to have a water-proof/resistant foundation (a major failure area). And some other issues...

Last edited by Poncho_NM; 12-14-2014 at 09:23 AM..
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Old 06-27-2014, 12:53 PM
 
Location: New Mexico U.S.A.
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Building with Adobe as a Cost-Effective Solution for Home Construction?
Posted by Austin Brentley on October 30, 2012

Building with adobe is a tradition that dates back millennia. But in Santa Fe, the material has enjoyed a resurgence thanks to growing awareness of adobe’s unparalleled cost-effectiveness in home construction.

See more at: :: Building with Adobe as a Cost-Effective Solution for Home Construction?


New Mexico Earth Adobes
Informative site with their adobe yard located in "North Valley", Albuquerque area. Web site lists cost of adobe bricks.
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Old 06-27-2014, 01:36 PM
 
Location: Londonderry, NH
41,478 posts, read 59,526,017 times
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If I was considering building a new structure in the Central Rio Grande Valley I would look at Pumice-Crete a "natural" material made of skip graded (3/4 and 3/8 aggregate and Portland cement) pumice (natural volcanic foamed glass) used to make poured in place walls by the Pumice-Crete Company in NM. contact them for more information.

Another alternative is Aerated Concrete Block that is a form of foamed concrete available in block form. It is much lighter and more insulating than Adobe or standard concrete block.

If I used "standard" adobe block I would look for a way to reinforce the walls to provide earthquake protection as well as possibly covering with a lime, not Portland cement, plaster. More then likely I would design the house with at leas 4 ft. overhangs to keep rainwater off the walls. Any building would have an appropriate foundation.
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Old 06-28-2014, 08:46 AM
 
Location: Ruidoso, NM
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I looked into aerated blocks and pumice-crete also. The R value is definitely better than uninsulated adobe, but it still isn't that good. If I built a house (at ~7000 ft), the south side will be nearly all glass, the north side will need to be very well insulated, and the east and west walls will be fairly short. So I'd want a material that is high R for exterior walls.

I like adobe a lot... especially for the interior. Anyone know if these are done in double walls with insulation? I'm not a stickler for "natural" materials... 4" of foam in the middle would make the wall very insulative. I guess the only concern might be condensation. I don't know if that would ever be a worry in NM though.

The page Poncho linked shows the prices for adobe block, and they really aren't expensive. It's the labor, foundation, and hauling that would get you. Most places you could make the blocks on site, but that would be another layer of uncertainty for the inexperienced.

The high thermal mass doesn't save much heating cost unless the daily outdoor temperature excursions (including solar heating) are above and below the ideal interior temperature. Then the thermal mass evens things out. There is also a benefit if you use a wood stove for heat and would like to keep the temperature in the house more constant.

Passive solar works best if you have high conductivity thermal mass inside the house that the sun shines on directly. I pretty much decided I'd have a "hot" zone on the south side of the house that would capture and store the sunlight... a low wall and lots of concrete and stone "furniture". Stone is better than adobe for that because of higher thermal conductivity. And then if the rest of the interior walls were adobe, that would be ideal for me.
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Old 07-03-2014, 02:55 PM
 
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Having built my own home--when I hear of someone that does not want to follow guidelines--inspections--etc.-----please don't waste your time. Do it properly---end up with something you can sell, also there is a reason they want to inspect (so it doesn't fall down on you).
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Old 07-03-2014, 10:36 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NMDesertguy View Post
Having built my own home--when I hear of someone that does not want to follow guidelines--inspections--etc.-----please don't waste your time. Do it properly---end up with something you can sell, also there is a reason they want to inspect (so it doesn't fall down on you).
Building an adobe home is very labor intensive and is not for the faint of heart. Building a stick home is much easier. Quite a few new homes I have seen advertised as adobe homes were in fact adobe in appearance but stick homes made to look like adobe on the outside. Junk, in my opinion.

The reason homes are inspected and building codes exist (since inspections are done against building codes) is to ensure that the buyer is not buying something that is a hazard. Another big reason for inspections is to protect the lender and the insurer. I live in a county that does not have a building code and there are no inspections so you will see a lot of "stuff" passed as a house. The county is great for someone who is an owner-builder since there are no hassles. If you are a buyer, good luck
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Old 07-04-2014, 04:48 AM
 
Location: Londonderry, NH
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Building codes have been around for several thousand years. They describe the minimum required for a safe dwelling.

If I were building a house in NM I would build a "territorial" design with Adobe walls and wide porches. The overhangs protect the adobe from the rain and the tin roof will last nearly forever in that climate.
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Old 07-04-2014, 08:22 AM
 
Location: Sacramento Mtns of NM
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Faux adobe (stucco over wood frame) has been the "preferred" building material in my area for years. But just in the last few years I've seen a good dozen "newer" homes being completely re-covered with stucco applied directly over the old layer after only a power wash with water. I've yet to understand the need, but have been told it's because cracks in the original stucco allow water to seep in and compromise the inner supports holding the adobe to the usually chipboard siding.

Another problem seems to involve using "real" Spanish tiles on roofs not designed to handle the heavy load. More than one large home not ten years old has been stripped of all the tiles, the outside walls re-stuccoed, and new metal roofing used.

Quote:
...and the tin roof will last nearly forever in that climate.
Tin roofing is a misnomer. Most corrugated steel roofing today is zinc coated. And today's corrugated roofing is considerably thinner than the old stuff. Some building codes forbid highly reflective metal roofing (zinc), which has led to use of enameled steel or aluminum in less reflective colors - reds and greens being most popular. Here in Ruidoso a historic adobe building that is being renovated was allowed to replace the old rusted corrugated roof in kind, but not without painting it later to look as if it's rusted, thereby lowering the reflectivity to be within code (Dowlin's Mill, ca. 1868).

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Old 07-04-2014, 09:07 AM
 
Location: Boydton, VA
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I live in a 1940's adobe that I am rebuilding...slowly. Kept dry, adobe would probably outlast an several owners...get it wet, and it's a different story. Over the years, with different occupants flood irrigating the yard, water has reached the bottom adobe brick...this wet then dry, wet then dry situation causes the adobe to slough off on the exterior. In order to counter the effect of the bottom row being slowly eroded, I build a 6" form at floor level on the inside of the exterior wall of each room, and fill the void with concrete...the exterior of the wall is covered with stucco and is stable. Like others, I build a false 2x4 wall inside each room for utilities. I am also pouring a 36" deep, 6" wide concrete, re-bar reinforced curb on the exterior wall of the house, that extends below the slab, and 10" up the wall. This curb serves 2 proposes...it stabilizes the wall, and forms a water barrier. One thing to keep in mind....adobe makes an easy hiway for termites to reach the lumber above the walls. In Yuma, where summer can sometimes reach 120 degrees, adobe makes a good building/insulating material.

Regards
Gemstone1
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