# Forum More Stuff Owner Builders Forum  Planning to Build a House

## longterm

Hi All 
I'm just starting to plan our new house which I hope to build mostly myself in a couple of years time (I figure it will take that long to work out the design). 
The block...just over 2000sqm (20m x 100m) with the long side running North/South set in the Hills of Perth.  There are several existing buildings already on it (the current very old main house - to be demolished and 2 x sheds), but I plan to keep those. 
Essentially, the block is on a fairly good slope down to the South - around 3-5m fall over the 100m 
I'm a bit of a hippy and would like to construct with strawbale and perhaps some rammed earth walls to capture and release heat in winter.  I'm very interested in passive solar design and would be grateful of any links to sites that provide aspect planning for given latitudes. 
The first thing I want to do is survey the site.  A question for those who have been there before or have some experience...Is this something I can do myself relatively cheaply or am I better off using a surveyor? 
Regards 
Longterm  Copied from the "G'DAY Forum"

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## Jim Carroll

Start with the surveyor and get a soil test done this will please the council more when you go and try to get approval. 
Something else to look into is whether you can build a strawbail or mud brick house in that area, some councils have strict guidlines on what can and what cant be built.

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## Black Cat

Yep. I would be talking to Council already (but then, I would have been doing that before I bought the place). Find out about things like water storage, options for sewage disposal, power generation etc as well if you are seriously a hippy. Remember, Peak Oil is already upon us! Establish your bona fides with Council early on and you may find they will cut you some slack further down the track.

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## longterm

Thanks for your comments Jim & Blackcat 
We checked a fair bit out with the council before we bought.  There were several umm...err...extensions that weren't marked on the plans (and still aren't - as the latest extensions were done in the 60's and this is the earliest record council have), but they didn't mind as long as the structures didn't fall within a metre of the boundaries. 
There are several straw and rammed earth homes in the shire and I recently installed 3 tanks with just over 51,000L in storage.  Council weren't interested unless it was over 60,000L  :Smilie:   We already have solar HW and solar power generation and the council is also pretty open-minded about sewage.  Wind turbine (the small 500W ones) are popping up around the place, but approval is required (and given unless objected to by neighbours). 
With regard to the soil testing, is this with a view to the construction of footings etc or for toxicity for growing veges etc?  Please forgive my ignorance.  What sort of Lab would do this and what is the general cost?

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## BLWNHR

> With regard to the soil testing, is this with a view to the construction of footings etc or for toxicity for growing veges etc?  Please forgive my ignorance.  What sort of Lab would do this and what is the general cost?

  It tells you how far down you need to go to find goof founding material. It may also tell you if you have some big rocks under there. As for who can do it, talk to a geotechnical engineer?

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## Jim Carroll

The local surveyor should be able to tell you who does the soil tests where you are.
It is best to get a local as they know a lot about the lay of the land and will be quicker than someone from out of the area.

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