Design Thoughts

So what am I building?

I've thought about lots of designs for my cob house. From visions of a grand retirement cottage to a small weekend retreat.

In the interests of learning and not biting off more than I can finish given other commitments - work, family, kid's sports seasons, etc., I've decided to start on the smaller side with a small weekend retreat.

I'd like it to at least be big enough to be livable by my wife and I, and our 3 kids, for a week or so at a time. I'm thinking of an open plan first floor containing a large family room, small kitchen & eating area, along with a small bathroom nook and upstairs sleeping loft.

It will be south-facing to capture the winter sun, with no windows on the north side of the house, and only a single window on east and west faces. The south wall will have a series of large windows for solar gain in the winter, and roof overhang should prevent unwanted solar gain during the hot summer months (in Texas, we only have winter for a couple of months, the rest is summer ).

My building site is on 50 acres of deep woods on the edge of the Red River floodplain. It is slightly rolling, mixed woodland. It is far, far off-grid, with no services available. So, it will use a roof catchment system, cistern, pump and filter system to provide potable water. Solar panels and batteries will provide meager electrical power. For grey and black water (sewage) disposal, I am still undecided. The options range from a grey-water dispersal system and composting toilet up to a full blown septic system.