Small Costs:  Since most, if not all, of the materials needed can be found

     on site, cost can be minimal and sometimes there may be no cost if the materials

     are donated.    

 

 

 

 

   User Friendly:  Building with cob takes no prior experience. 

      Techniques are easily taught and learned; all you really need is enthusiasm and

      an open mind.  Also, cob is a forgiving material and lends itself to

      experimentation.  

 

 

 

 

   Beauty: Cob lends itself to elegant curves and sinuous shapes which can

     be very aesthetically pleasing.  In addition, most modern homes can alienate a

     person from nature, but since cob is a natural material, it can be incorporated

     into its surroundings and not stick out like a sore thumb.  People can also have

     an attachment and love of their structures because cob is a breathing creation

     that you can build with your own hands, in practically any design you want.

 

 

 

 

    Builds Community: Making cob can bring the community

     together- whether it is friends, neighbors, or strangers with a passion or interest

     in natural building.  Working together with people with a common goal helps 

     builds friendships, or at the very least you can listen to interesting stories and

     learn new things.  

 

 

 

 

   Saves the Environment: Modern building techniques are all

     too often harmful to the environment.  Extracting the materials, processing

     them, and shipping them great distances often adversely impacts the

     environment.  Not to mention, many of the modern building techniques create

     large amounts of waste since, eventually, the buildings themselves must be

     destroyed and somehow disposed of.  However, with cob there is low embedded

     energy, as compared to conventional building materials, since the materials don't

     need to be extensively extracted and processed.  In addition, instead of buy

     materials and having them shipped to you, using local materials is often an easy

     option that eliminates long distance transportation expenses and the use of fossil

     fuel.  It has also been estimated that cob houses use 60% less lumber than stud

     frame building.  Finally, cob can be completely biodegradable, and is non-toxic.