The two biggest obstacles to home ownership are expensive building materials and overly complex construction methods that require specialized skills and equipment. The problem is so acute that more than 70 percent of Americans cannot afford contractor-built homes. With the current downturn in the economy and the loss of millions of jobs, the housing situation in America is definitely getting worse.

Everyone needs a place to live; housing is a basic need. But since the current system is bypassing the vast majority of the population, it’s time to investigate simpler and more affordable construction methods.

The answer may be right under our feet (ground). That’s how it is; Earth building is a timeless building tradition with some structures lasting many hundreds of years. More than a third of the world’s buildings are earthen structures. Earth is probably the least expensive building material (literally, very cheap) and therefore has enormous potential to solve our housing crisis. Some may assume that the earthen buildings are just mud huts. Far from there! If you don’t have a background in architecture, you may not be aware of the astonishing diversity of land-based structures. Search for “terrestrial architecture” on the Internet if you are not already informed.

There are many methods of earth construction: adobe, rammed earth, CEB, etc. This article explores the growing popularity of earth bag construction (also called sandbag construction) and how it can be used to provide affordable housing that is simple enough for DIYers to build their own home. By using very cheap building materials (dirt, sand, gravel, recycled materials, etc.) and eliminating expensive contractors and specialized equipment, the cost of construction can be reduced to a fraction of conventional housing costs.

The construction of bags of earth has its origin in the construction of military sandbags. For roughly 100 years, the military has been building durable, blast-proof, and bullet-proof structures with sandbags. Additionally, sandbags have been used for many years to contain floods. Today, builders use the same basic bag filling, stacking, and tamping process to build a wide variety of structures around the world – beautiful homes, offices, shops, schools, and more.

Besides affordability and durability, the other main advantage is the simplicity of construction. What could be simpler than filling and stacking bags of soil? The main skills can be learned in a few minutes simply by showing or watching a video. Almost everything you need to know is available for free on the Internet. And most people already have the basic tools around the house: shovels, buckets, garden hose, ladder. The few other tools needed can be made quickly and easily or purchased inexpensively.

Here are some ways to save money by building with bags of dirt:

• Recycled bags are available in most places. Polypropylene or burlap bags are ubiquitous and are used for all kinds of cereals, fertilizers, and feed, and sometimes for concrete, plaster, and other products. Talk to local farmers and food outlets.
• Poorly printed bags are often available directly from manufacturers at greatly reduced prices. Between poorly printed bags and recycled bags (in good condition), you can reduce your main expense of building bags of dirt to almost zero.
• No special mixing is required. Most soils, including those found on or near most construction sites, are suitable or can be set with sand or clay to create a suitable mix. This makes the other primary material for the construction of bags of soil basically free or close to it.
• You can order special soil mixes from sand and gravel producers, as a base for roads and reject fines, at very low prices. The main expense is delivery, but this must be weighed against your time and effort digging it up from the ground. Spending between $ 200 and $ 300 to deliver a great rock-free, big-root-free mix can save hundreds of hours of hard work. And they will dump it in piles around the construction site to speed up construction and save even more labor.
• A typical concrete base is not required. Gravel-filled bags of soil make an excellent base. This single step can save you thousands of dollars.
• Build an insulated dirt floor and save thousands more. Sealed earth floors can last for hundreds of years. Think of all wood, plywood, linoleum, etc. that can be saved.
• Use earth plaster and save thousands more. With wide roof overhangs of approximately 36 “, the ground plaster will hold up very well in most climates and require only minor maintenance.
• Use recycled materials whenever possible. Window and door shapes, for example, can be made from scrap wood from pallets, discarded barrels, or tires. Sinks, bathtubs, doors, hardware, shelving, tile, and many other components can be salvaged very inexpensively.