The incredible building featured in the video above is based on the homes inhabited by Hobbits in The Shire of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Remarkably, it cost just £3,000 to build.
Even accounting for the current slump in the housing market, we reckon that represents great value for money for the property you get. That’s why lots of people are now exploring the possibility of building a home of their own to support a self-sufficient or more sustainable lifestyle.
Woodburner
Like many of the new wave of eco-homes, the Hobbit House relies upon a wood-burning stove to provide heating.
The house is the work of Simon Dale. He built it in Wales in 2009, despite having no previous training in building. Dale didn’t even invest in fancy tools to carry out the work – the whole building was constructed using only a hammer, one-inch chisel and chainsaw. The building itself is made mainly of materials that Dale scavenged.
He said: “Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere – windows, burner, plumbing, wiring.”
More ecological
The motivation for starting the project was to find a cheap and more ecological way of life for his family.
And it worked. The Dale family lived in the property while they underwent a huge change of direction to become ecological woodland managers for the surrounding area – something they say wouldn’t have been possible if they had to pay rent or a mortgage.
Renewable
Dale writes on his website: “This kind of building is accessible to anyone. My main relevant skills were being able-bodied, having self-belief and perseverence, and a mate or two to give a lift now and again.”
Explaining his reasons for opting to heat his new eco-home with a wood-burning stove, Dale cites his reasons as:
- Renewable, non-fossil fuel.
- Local plentiful supply.
- More efficient than open fire.
Since the home is situated in a forest, wood can easily be collected from nearby. Dale used stones that he excavated at the start of the building project to create a hearth, chimney and thermal store.
If you’re currently building an eco-home or looking for a more ecological way to heat your property, have a look at our full range of wood-burning stoves at Gr8fires.co.uk.
An incredible effort and all credit to the workmanship but I wonder how that would work in the middle of a housing estate?