Steve James is a 52 year old software engineer, that has a passion for eco-homes. In fact he even built one near the Scottish town, Dumfries. Steve is very proud of the cottage he has built not only because it’s strong, warm and watertight but mainly because the total cost of building it was £4,000. Yes, only £4,000 and that’s because of the secret weapon : straw bales.

Built last year in November, the kitchen is built from a cedar that blew over in Glasgow park, the sink was made from a skip, it has a log burning stove, a compost loo and a rainwater filtration system, while Steve sleeps in a galleried bedroom. For power he’s using a car battery that his partner charges when needed but says “I’m building a water wheel next”.

Steve decided to help others if they plan to build their own green home like he did, and he put up a website where you can get help from people that did it before, see pictures of the cottage in different building stages and read his story.

His biggest reward when someone visits his cottage is people’s faces when they see that his home is built from straws and has a turf roof covered in flowers.

“There’s an intense stare and total mystification, as if they can’t quite believe what they are seeing.”

“Straw is perfect for a beginner. It’s easy to work with and you can make your house any shape you want. You can use straw to make any kind of buildings – from a four-storey office block to a house I know, which is a spiral. Go mad, have fun, start living!”

So, if you want to “start living” these seven steps come in handy.

1. Foundations

He’s not using concrete, but a solid 2-ft high solid foundation made of rocks. It takes time to fit the rocks and don’t worry if there are gaps because it helps ventilation and keeps the straws dry. When you’re done it should look like that.

2. Wooden floors

Why do you need wooden frame? Because this is where you will build your walls on and it’s where you add the wooden floor. Build it and then put it on the stones. For Steve and his cottage it looks like this.

3. Build your roof

You have to build it the right way because it should stay in place on a windy day. You also don’t want it in your head when it rains hard. Build it aside from the construction and when you have the walls ready, put it on.

4. Walls and windows

Obviously, if you don’t want the roof in your head, you also don’t want your walls to move. Steve made his cottage with 200 oat-straw bales (£1 each) and started with a complete layer of bales around the edge of the base. Next step is simple as you stack them like bricks.

Make sure you use twine on the base layer to keep them together.

Windows are just as important. Steve used skips and polythene membrane in between to protect them from damping. You can cut the straws just the way you like them to fit the shape you have in mind.

5. Get the roof on

Now that you have done the hard part it’s time to put the roof on the straws walls. Steve used the roof to add a layer of turf and lot of flower seeds on it. Don’t expect tulips to grow on it. Use your imagination

6. Exterior

This is definitely up to you. You can see the first picture on how Steve did it.

7. Interior

The same. Use your imagination and make it a comfortable place to live.

If you build it the right way, don’t expect the big bad wolf to come and blow it away. This is truly a great achievement by Steve James and we would like to congratulate the guy. But there is a small question. Is there a way we can have Wireless there, because I’m considering living a month in such a cottage if it would.

What do you guys think?