Earthbag Construction in Durham and Building Codes (neighborhood, inspectors)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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I would like to DIY build an earthbag structure in my backyard in an R-5 neighborhood in Durham. It would be used as a workshop/studio for the most part. It would be nice to have it hooked to the grid, but I could do without on-grid power or water since it's so close to my house.
Am I likely to run into significant issues permitting? It would fall under the accessory structure UDO but I'm concerned about having to submit "construction plans" since it will be larger than 144 SF. I doubt that inspectors have much experience with alternative building methods.