JonB1

Hi folks, we just joined the forum, so first of all, hi everyone!

My wife and myself want to self-build a straw bale house in Portugal. We have not decided on the area yet, but most likely north of Lisbon, or perhaps Coimbra.

I understand that building plans have to be submitted by a registered builder, so we are wondering how to go about getting our own plan approved. Also, how easy is it to get planning permission for unusual designs? The house will be environmentally friendly, extremely energy efficient, and built from locally sourced materials.

Any info on building regulations, attitude of local councils to eco-houses and possible pitfalls would be much appreciated.

MrBife

Having recently spent four years getting approval (Faro Camara) on a house made of boring old bricks and concrete, I am dying to know what happens when you ask the question !

EMR

We have a new villa near us, built to the highest eco specs, came on a truck from Germany in kit form.
Its on the market for 1.2 million euros.
It took the builder years to get the necessary approvals.
Timber frame houses are rare and regarded as exotic, so straw bales, good luck but do not be suprised at the reaction you get from your local camara.

liveaboard

I think people have forgotten why we started using bricks and mortar in the first place.

Rats mainly.
Out in my shed they're eating my wiring, plastic tubing, nothing is safe,they're everywhere.
My living area is protected from rats by concrete.

Ok, just wanted to point that out. It's one of the reasons that building codes in most countries require a dwelling to be built of durable material. Rats and bugs.

JonB1

Thanks for the replies!


The straw bales will be completely sealed with hydraulic lime plaster. It's a very durable structure.


I know straw bale houses have been built in Portugal. Not very encouraging to read that planning permission can take so long though. I had heard it was easier to get planning permission for eco-houses.

MrBife

I don't believe the economics of a straw house stack up. In Portugal you would need a concrete base (with drains, water distribution and electrical distribution inside the slab). You then have to construct a timber frame to support the hay bales and the roof. Locally produced wood is poorly seasoned, poor quality and expensive , imported wood is much better but incredibly expensive.

To be insect and rodent proof it all needs to be rendered with a lime mortar or some kind of external and internal finish. The roof detail is the hardest to get right as it has to be perhaps done with metal sheeting with consequent thermal problems in PT conditions.

At the end of the project you maybe have something to live in but it has zero resale value over and above that for the land as you limit the market by being so material specific.

Concrete blocks are very very low cost, already good insulation (the Portuguese version with the air cavity is designed for local conditions). Construction can be to a nice design, not just a box and roof design can be more classic.

If you owned a forest (free wood) and had land enough to produce your own hay it would still only be a fun experimental project.

There are some excellent 'compressed hay' infill panels that would be worth looking at if you were building a timber frame construction but even then the cost is comparable with concrete blocks and the insulation factor about the same.

JonB1

We are not looking at timber frame construction; the straw bales will be structural. Floor/foundations will be a slab with drains, electrical conduits etc incorporated. All walls will be fully rendered, using a method of soap/lime plastering used extensively in Morocco for buildings that need to be completely weatherproof. There are hammams (steam rooms) in Morocco hundreds of years old with interiors plastered this way. Roof will either be tiled or sod. The use of bales does not restrict you to square shapes; one wall at least will be curved.

This is not some mad idea, we have researched it thoroughly. Bales are available in Portugal, and cost for the wall structure will be very low. Straw bales provide three times the insulation level required by the UK for new builds, and far more insulation than any concrete/brick structure. Life expectancy of straw bale buildings is 200 years plus. Have a look at the link for info on energy efficiency.

Straw Bale Energy Efficiency | Straw Works

Our concern is planning permission, not the practicalities of the construction.

mfesharne

Planning delays & building legalities often seem to vary from area to area here so it's probably best to go to the planning offices of the various areas you're considering & ask them what you can/cannot do & how long it'll take to get permission.

macliam

My house is part built of Taipa, the traditional rammed-earth construction used here in the Alentejo. It was built in 1950 and the Taipa walls are solid and 60-80cm thick, later additions were built of brick/block. The entire structure was recently re-foofed with a good level of insulation and the only achilles heel was the foundation and floor.

The original areas are cool in summer and warm in winter - in contrast to the "new" additions where we have just added an insulated dry-lining to improve matters. We improved the flooring issues by having drainage installed around three sides of the building to prevent groundwater ingress and with a better level of heating, damp issues have reduced dramatically. It's a comfortable house that fits in to its surroundings.

If I were building new and wanted a "green" and efficient building I would use these old traditional methods, rather than importing an idea from elsewhere. I'd also have less problems getting planning pernmission! Horses for courses.....

EMR

This is Portugal, as others have said, you need to find a Camara that will permit your buiding method first before you do anything else.
The Algarve is an earthquake area and new builds have regs related to that.
The north has a very different climate to Morocco.
Ignore anything any agent tells you.
Please let us know how you get on.

Ukkram

Try contacting Chris Ripley. He builds and holds workshops on this in Portugal.

Straw Bale House at Quinta dos Melros
[email protected]

JonB1

Thanks for your replies.

We will look into the Camara thing and see how we get on. There have been a number of straw bale houses built in Portugal, so evidently it is possible to get planning permission.

EMR

How do you know they are legal, have you asked to see their Avisos, Cadernetas, have any tried to resell their homes?
If they have them you will know that it is an area you can build once you find land with the right classification.

Red Eric

I wish you the very best of luck and it would be interesting to know if you decide to take it any further and whether the permissions etc appear to you any more difficult to obtain than with conventional constructions. There seems to be a reasonable amount of interest here in eco housing etc as well as a problem with desertion of the countryside. It would be interesting to know if the authorities look kindly on enquiries in this area - they seem to me to be quite forward-looking in many ways but as others have said, it may vary from area to area.

People on forums tend to dismiss the non-standard as being very difficult to get licensed but there's a company in the middle of my nearest town openly advertising services for full projects involving construction of wooden houses, including for rural tourism accommodation. I assume they must be doing everything legally and above board, given their visibility.

mfesharne

To give you an idea of how requirements vary from area to area (5 years ago) we looked at two different houses in two different areas that were both bordered by good quality trout rivers.

Whilst both areas told us we'd need to install a proper sealed septic tank as opposed to a fosse one told us we couldn't use any cement (and several other things) whatsoever in the rebuild & almost gave us the impression they didn't want us to buy, the other told us we could do pretty much whatever we liked & were ultra helpful even to the point of promising to move a footpath if we could be persuaded to buy the property.