Pug waits for the base plaster to dry

It is with somewhat reluctant, but inevitable feelings that we have just recently moved into our new straw bale house. I say ‘reluctant’ because really, the house is not complete. However, it has always been our intention to move in for winter, before the house is finished. Generally speaking, however, I highly advise people against moving into incomplete shelter, if they can avoid it.

Why Not To Move Into an Incomplete Home

It is all too common for folks to move into their homes-in-progress, only to later stall on wrapping up work. Finish work takes longer to complete (if it ever does get finished), details get nixed, etc. Things just take a lot longer when you’ve decided to settle in, and move in a bunch of furniture and belongings, which are difficult to shuffle around to get to the work you need to do. It’s not an ideal scenario. It’s why I try to recommend against it.

Given our circumstances, with a cob house that has potentially been the cause of health problems for us (because of a cold and moist living situation), we absolutely wanted to get into our straw bale house for winter, even if it meant it wasn’t fully complete. It’s a compromise, but a good one, I think.

Also, we are able to move into our new home without moving everything over into it. We have brought what we need for winter, and are storing what we don’t need in Gobcobatron. That makes the situation more acceptable to me, as well.

But anyway, I gotta admit, it is really exciting to be inside and using the space, even though there’s only base coat plaster on the walls, the upstairs area is still very much a construction zone, etc. It’s really comfortable, and really homey. It’s already more comfortable than Gobcobatron, even in its incomplete state.

I am hopeful that once spring rolls around, we will be able to rearrange the space to be able to wrap up interior work. There are enough indoor spaces (and covered spaces, with the porch), to be able to move things around comfortably, to be able to get to the walls, etc.

It’s gonna be a good winter.