Services

Design Services

I truly believe that more people would consider using bales for insulation if the building process is not over complicated.

The last 25 years have flown by! I have worked on well over 400 straw bale residential/commercial buildings during this time, and I have seen just about every way and method of how to build a straw bale building! I have been taking notes on the pros and cons that I have learned along the way.

We can provide our Wall Cross Section detail to help your architect/engineer with the strawbale wall section detail. This makes a great choice for its low cost, so your draft person does not have to spent time to reinvent the wheel. The strawbale details are revised and compatible with the basic home construction methods and components for construction purposes.

Whether your design is simple and basis or an intricate post and beam structure, we will help organize and define what it is that you are exactly looking for.  Whether it is a modern contemporary look with flat and square window openings or a traditional look with round window openings design.

We strongly believe that the planning stage of any project is the most vital for overall success and efficient construction in a timely manner. The more organized we can all be before we start building, the better everything will come together.

Build Services

SBC can frame the walls and have the local truss company install the roof. Or your local contractor can frame the house.

  Once the outside shell and roof is on, the bales will go in. Lite framing is done to the width of the bales adding a top plate and bottom plate, lite framing is also done around the window and door openings inside for a nailer for the lath accessories and trim work and this process is our speciality. We price this by Time & Material and is logged though Time keepers app.

• This service is for those that want to take advantage of our experience, knowledge and team, or don’t have the extra hands available. A basic starter home shell can take a week or two to get dried in. Our skilled and insured team can be a good fit for your build.
• We build both Residential and Commercial Structures.
• Once the shell is up and ready, the new owner can complete the interior on their own and at their own pace, or they can hire local sub-contractors to help with the interior framing, electrical, plumbing, sheetrock/finish coats etc. to finish the building to their needs and tastes.

Stucco Services

Stucco/Plaster is a weather resistant barrier.  A stucco wrap (rain screed) used under the stucco/plaster on the exterior walls is also breathable product and is water resistant to help protect the bales.

Building codes in certain areas of the country requires the the interior walls be sealed with a air/vapor material. A sealer or wax can be used over limestone plaster or stucco to seal the walls. There are also numerous finishing textures as well as colors to choose from.

We can work together to make sure the finishes touches make your house feel like a home.

We apply our stucco and plaster systems for consistency.  We will send out a Bid form & Subcontractor Time & Material Agreement between Owner/Contractor and us the Subcontractor (Strawbale Construction L.L.C.) upon request.

The bales and lath accessories are attach to the framing system then two base coats of stucco/plaster with embedded mesh.  The inside finish coat gypsum/paint or lime/limestone plaster. Again, a variety of materials for outside siding can be used along with a rain screed that makes the outside wall water resistant and that is vapor permeable. We price this by Time & Material and is logged though Time keepers app.

Option 2: Turn Key 3 Coat Stucco System

• Our crew can install a 3 coat stucco system on your own straw bale and/or any type of wall system for you. The price will range from $6 – $15 per sq. ft. of wall surface.  Base coats, Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL) base coats or UBC complaint stucco (pre-blended) with embedded mesh between coats.  Finish coat interior & exterior we will provide a sample on site.  Contact us for photos of the different types of finishes that you can use.
• The actual price depends on the height of the building and the time of year. Tenting and heating will be required if the temperatures are too low and this adds an extra cost, for example.
• High end products, such as Limestone, Venetian, Ecomortar, or Eastern plasters, could increase the cost as well.
• Once we have a contract, SBC LLC will provide the experience, tools, equipment, materials and labor necessary to apply 3 coats on your structure.
• With this option, we will extend a one year warranty on the workmanship in addition to any warranties provided by the manufacturer or supplier of the materials.

Please Note:

We also do stucco/plaster repairs, remodels, damaged walls repairs, and additions to existing houses. We would be happy to send you more detailed information for these services and next steps with a free consultation. CONTACT US with your information and we will get in touch with you as soon as possible.