New Property Developments – Bale Houses
Hey everyone,
I honestly don’t know what to make of this article by BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7855847.stm. It is either very original or very crazy.
You see the council are planning to build social houses out of Straw bales. Now whilst on the one hand I have got a clear image of the 3 little pigs in my head, the reliability and popularity of these type of properties is meant to be really high.
And part of me can see what they mean. Easy to build and replenish, great for insulation… hey it is even a great asset for farmers, offering them a new source of revenue. And that point there makes them particularly good for the economy.
But then there is their price. At £120,000, that is pretty steep for a straw property that can easily burn down. To me, all this just feels like repetition. The government are doing exactly what they did before and are not learning from their mistakes. And instead of creating an easily accessible affordable asset – which it is to some extent – these properties are still out of some people’s budgets.
Think about it. You can now get terraced properties – in some locations of the UK – for under £100,000. And these are buildings made of brick and stone. More wearable and lasting. Whilst these straw buildings will look like traditional properties, underneath they are not. They are not as durable and could end costing more to maintain.
Anyways I was wondering what you all thought about it.
For example, will this become another avenue for property investment, or is this something that is not liable to last? It is a growing craze after all.
Anyways, speak soon.
Give me your thoughts on what you think of it.
Wendy xx
