Learn How to Build A Cob House With My
Step-By-Step Video Course!
This Course Offers the Highest Quality Training, At a Fraction of the Price, for People of All Levels!
My 10 Part Course Includes
Everything You Need to Build Your Cob House or Natural Home. The Skills and Principles Apply Directly to: Cob, Adobe, Rammed Earth, Strawbale, Straw-Clay, Hempcrete, and Conventional Construction!
20 Hours of Video Lessons
Watch Alex’s highly applicable step-by-step cob building lessons. Available for streaming and download. 3 Hours of Core Basics, 20 Hours of Video Access in the Library.
PDF Lesson Materials
Get my full written lessons to follow along with the video course. Also, interact with the lesson notes and discussions in the online classroom.
Highest Quality Training
Receive the highest quality instruction in cob and earthen construction. Just like you were at a workshop!
Expert Consultancy
Receive direct communication with me as a student in the course. Expert advice can save thousands of dollars in building mistakes.
10 Part Curriculum Overview
Whether You’re a Newbie or Advanced Builder, My 10 Part Cob Building Academy Equips You With The Skills to Build Your Dream Home.
Introduction to Cob Building
Part 1 – Introduction to Cob, Natural Building Materials and Methods, Cob Building Codes & Permits, Advantages of Cob Building, and How to Successfully Begin Your Build.
Cob House Design Basics, Selecting Soil, Making Cob
Part 2 – Selecting a Building Site, Thermal Mass vs. Insulation, Passive Solar Design, Design Principles, Major Building Components, Selecting and Testing Soil for Cob, Cob Mix Ratios, How to Make Cob.
Construction Planning and Design, Mixing Cob with Machines
Part 3 – Electrical and Plumbing Integrations, Building 2 and 3-Story Cob Buildings, How to Mix Cob with Machinery.
Building Foundations
Part 4 – Learn How to Build Strong Foundations, Concrete Slabs, Reinforced Slabs, Footers, Stemwalls, Rubble Trench Foundations, Stone Foundations. Foundations are critical!
Building Cob Walls – Hand-Sculpted and Slipform
Part 5 – Learn How to Build Cob Walls with Traditional Hand-Sculpting and Unique Slipform Cob! Learn the Fine Details of Cob Wall Construction, Hyrbid Natural Building, and How to Insulate Cob Walls for Frigid Climates.
Installing Windows and Doors
Part 6 – Learn My Practical Methods for Installing Windows and Doors into Cob Walls, Lintel Support Engineering, and Window Sills Design.
Roofing
Part 7 – Learn How to Best Attach Roofs to Cob Walls, Roof Components and Design, Bond Beams, Roof Ventilation and Insulation, and Decorative Ceiling Options.
Natural Plasters and Finishes
Part 8 – Learn All About Natural Plasters, Paints, and Finishes for Vapor Permeable Walls. Lime Plaster, Earthen Plaster, Bonus: Tadelakt Finish Tutorials.
Appendix Lessons
Part 9 – An ever-evolving section that concentrates on student needs. Basements, Earthen Floors, Bermed Homes, Reducing Construction Costs, etc.
Straw-Clay and Rammed Earth Walls
Part 10 – (Coming Soon!) This section focuses on the hands-on construction process for high-insulation straw-clay walls and layered rammed earth walls. These are my other areas of expertise that I will be sharing soon.
Downloads Library
Access downloads for all of the course videos and materials. I do not gatekeep my content. It is all yours to download and keep on your own computers forever. I trust my students to use the materials in good faith!
Teacher-Student Interaction
You will have direct access to me through the online platform and students will have first-line service to me via email.
Full Curriculum Outline
Click the tabs below to read the entire course curriculum.
Part 1 - Introduction to Cob Building
– Course Overview
– Overview of Earth and Natural Fiber Building Methods
– Main Ingredients for All Natural Wall Systems and Finishes
– Conventional Wall System vs Natural Wall System
– Advantages of Cob Building. Why Cob Is A Great Choice!
– Dispelling Misconceptions About Cob Buildings
– How to Get Started Building Your Cob House
– Building Codes and Permits for Cob Homes and Alternative Building Methods
– Building Timetable and Strategy for Building
Part 2 - Cob House Design Basics, Selecting Soil, Making Cob
– Selecting a Building Site
– Indoor Temperature Regulation – Thermal Mass vs Insulation
– Building a Cob House in A Cold Climate -Insulation Options for Cob
– Passive Solar Design Basics
– Cob House Design Principles – Possibilities & Limitations
– Major Components of A Cob House
– Selecting and Testing Soil for Cob
– Cob Mixing Ratios
– How to Make Cob – The Tarp Method
Part 3 - Construction Planning and Design, Mixing Cob with Machines
– Building Your Team
– Electrical and Plumbing Systems
– Two and Three-Story Cob Buildings
– Planning Your Windows and Doors
– Mixing Cob with Machinery
– How to Mix Cob with a Mortar Mixer
– How to Mix Cob with a Tractor/Skidsteer
Part 4 - Building Foundations
– What is The Foundation?
– Foundation Design Principles (Important)
– Pouring a Concrete Slab-On-Grade Foundation
– Pouring a Reinforced Concrete Slab Foundation
– Building a Brick Stemwall Foundation
– Building a Footer-Stemwall Foundation
Part 5 - Building Cob Walls
– Hand Sculpted Cob vs Slipform Cob
– Building Cob Walls – Hand Sculpted
– Building Cob Walls – Slipform Method
– How to Build Cob Slipforms
– Monolithic Cob Building – Connecting Cob Layers
– How Wide Should Cob Walls Be?
– How High Can You Build Cob Per Day?
– How High Can You Build A Cob Wall?
– Scaffolding Options
– Protecting Cob From Rain During Construction
– Hybrid Buildings – Integrating Strawbale Walls, Straw-Clay, Rammed Earth, etc
– How to Insulate Cob Walls
Part 6 - Installing Windows and Doors
– How to Install Windows and Doors into Cob Walls
– Installing Finish Windows and Doors to Anchors
Part 7 - Roofing
– Roof Attachment and Bond Beams
– Roof Components and Design
– Roof Ventilation and Insulation
– Ceiling Options
Part 8 - Natural Plasters and Finishes
– Overview – Vapor Permeable, Natural Finishes
– Lime Plaster: Mixing and Application
– Where to purchase lime plaster?
– Earthen Plaster: Mixing and Application
– Tadelakt – Waterproof Lime Finish Technique
Part 9 - Appendix Lessons
– How much does a cob home cost?
– Flooring Options
– Basements
– Building Underground or Bermed Structures
Part 10 - Straw-Clay & Rammed Earth (Coming Soon)
This section is coming soon! In the core content, I teach you the principles of building with straw-clay and rammed earth. In this section, I will teach you the hands-on skills to actually build these types of walls for yourself!
Video Library
The video library spans 10 years of recordings.
Topics include:
– Stone Foundations
– Round Building Design
– Rubble Trench Foundations
– Tadelakt Plaster Finish
– etc.
Welcome to The Cob Academy
Every day, I receive emails from people who want to build their own cob house, but they just don’t quite know how to get there. They’re always looking for cob workshops and training opportunities.
There are a lot of cob workshops out there for people, but here is where we all seem to run into the problems.
The dilemma is this…
A lot of people are becoming very interested in learning about cob and how they can build things out of cob for themselves. However, a lot of the time we can’t take a cob workshop because its either too expensive, too far away, or we can’t take time off to go attend.
This leaves a lot of good people out on an experience that could change their lives forever! Lets face it, knowing how to build with cob is very empowering! And who doesn’t want to be empowered!?
To get a good understanding of cob building its best to take a comprehensive workshop. The problem here for most people is that these workshops usually cost over $1000! Sometimes they even cost multiple thousands of dollars when you add all of the travel expenses required to just get there!
Traveling to a workshop costs money and time
Most people are just simply not able to get enough time off from their jobs and duties to go take a cob workshop that can last one, two, three, or more weeks long!
I Totally Understand.
I’ve been there before.
I’ve missed out on workshop opportunities because of these same things. I know how it feels.
Here’s My Solution to These Problems
I recognized these problems in the natural building community some years ago and I’ve finally come up with an amazing solution that you’re going to love!
I’m offering to you right here, exclusively, a completely comprehensive cob workshop through videos and online materials.
I guarantee that this course will over-deliver on what you would learn at a regular cob workshop! One or two weeks at a traditional workshop is still just not enough time to cover all the essential topics you need to build your own cob home.
For example, the vast majority of cob workshops, for time’s sake, don’t even cover how to build a foundation! This is absolutely essential knowledge to have, and we will be covering this topic in depth from the beginning of the online course.
Benefits of Joining the Workshop Classroom:
- Save hundreds of dollars compared to traditional cob workshops (this course is only a fraction of the cost)
- Save days of time
- No travel required
- No need to use your precious vacation days to attend a workshop
- No need to cut time out of your busy schedule
- All you need is a computer with internet access!
Step-By-Step Instruction
This video course will guide you step-by-step through how to build a cob house.
When you purchase the course, you will receive the entire set of video lessons and materials for direct download. You will also gain access to our online classroom platform where you can interact with other students and myself.
When you finish this course, you will have the knowledge and confidence to build your own cob house.
Student Endorsements
If you want a thorough background in cob building, I definitely recommend this course. It covers everything from the foundation to the roof, from the outside to the inside. After taking the course, I feel that I know what I would need to get started building with cob.
Jim Stowbridge Texas, USA
Thanks for this message of hope! I followed your instructions to the “T”. Now I have half an acre, a cob roundhouse, a lovely roundhouse goatshed, and a semi-circular combined greenhouse and bathroom. Started when I was 63 and I’m nearly 68. Have done it all with the help of this great guy and his learning materials and my own hard work. In total its all cost me less than 5k. Listen to this guy…..he’ll save you a fortune. Thanks Cobman!
Maggie Taylor Portugal
The online tutorials give excellent detail about cob building. The videos and descriptions are well-organized and easy to follow. My husband and I love this course! I recommend it to anyone who is considering building with cob.
Elisabeth and Brion Vallin
At first, I asked myself how I could understand or learn anything from an online course on cob building. But I can say today, that Alex’s theoretical and practical teaching surprised me! The content of his online course was so well thought out and presented, that it changed my whole thinking of building!
I can say that Alex has changed my thinking of building, and today I am living in a clean healthy environment. Alex has given us online students so much literature that I am still reading and practicing the skills today.
I have now become the voice in my country and some other islands introducing Alex’s work to give my people the understanding to go natural and especially to use cob.
Alex, I say thanks to you! The world needs people like you to sensitize and educate them to live in a clean environment in a Cob House.
Angela Sealy Barbados
I really enjoy the cob classroom, lessons, articles, videos, and “hands on” projects inspired. I love the pictures and videos, and the constant learning connection.
I appreciate the classroom focus on the historical past and promising direction of the future, showing beautiful pictures of older buildings and cities, those recently completed, and those in progress.
The videos always inspire many ideas and motivate me towards an action plan on my projects. These “How To” videos are amazing, and I’m always open to quick tidbits on brainstorming possibilities.
I have recently completed Roscoe’s dog house, made of cob, for my folks in GA. Through the classes, I felt educated and confident in every step of the building process. It was nice to review the information as needed. I also hope to be finishing off another project very soon. Thank you all for the support.
A big “Thank You” to Alex for his dedication to his students and to the classroom.
Joy Davis
Alex is a very knowledgeable teacher and has so much experience to share with others. Do yourself a favor and buy the teaching materials, participate in a workshop and create your own project. It will transform you on many different levels. Thanks Alex for so generously sharing your expertise!
I highly recommend this workshop to anyone interested in learning about cob construction. I think Alex is knowledgeable from his experience, living and building in different parts of the country, practicing in different parts of the world, and his eagerness to experiment and make a solid building process even better.
During our 5-day cob workshop in August of 2014 I got the amazing opportunity to work side by side with Alex. All of my questions, concerns, and ideas were answered during our, what seemed too short, 5 days together. If you are planning on building a cob home or other project, but feel like you have too many questions about building or don’t have the confidence in your skills then I highly recommend taking a workshop like Alex hosts before you do! I guarantee you will walk away with the confidence and know-how to be able to build anything your heart desires!! Thanks again for the opportunity!
Alex’s class was straightforward, informative and useful. His engineering mind is tempered with clear, elegant thoughts. His easygoing personality makes him great to learn from and work with. I’d love to take another class with him. Many thanks!
Alex’s cob workshop was my first experience working with cob and it was very rewarding! He is very knowledgeable and offered alternative solutions during any “cobtastrophes”. I am confident and well prepared to begin working on my cob home sooner rather than later. Alex’s workshop was much more than I expected and worth every penny!
Alex is an awesome wealth of inspiration! I just can’t say enough positive things. You have inspired me and my children, and blessed us with all you are and do. The feeling that one gets when working with cob, that peacefulness, fellowship, and all those good things and feelings are what is passed on from you and the information you give!
What Should I Expect?
Below are two snippets from the video lessons in the course.
Just a small peak into the value-packed lessons you’ll receive!
Lessons take place on-site at building projects to show you first-hand how things are done. Then we get into finer details in the classroom and design videos.
Bonus: Cob Design Course
Learn to Design a Modern, High-Standard, More Code-Friendly Cob House. A Unique Opportunity.
My Design Masterclass Includes
Everything to Design a Cob House That Will Endure Weather, Time, and Unexpected Disasters
Video Lessons
Watch instructional videos leading you through each design component.
Construction Diagrams
Get over 100 pages of carefully detailed construction diagrams!
Design Notes
Learn the specifications for a strong and code-friendly cob building.
Tiny Cob House Plans
Get the most detailed cob house plans available anywhere! Over 30 extra pages of design diagrams.
Cob Design Course Overview
Learn how to build a strong foundation with proper drainage that can meet building codes.
Learn how to integrate electrical and plumbing lines through a cob building.
Learn how to securely install windows and doors into cob walls.
Learn how to form a bond beam to connect your roof and tie your walls together.
Learn how to integrate a second story floor system into a cob building.
Learn how a roof is structured and attached to a cob building.
Learn how to build a tiny cob house!
Tiny Cob House Plans
Get the detailed building plans for this 12′ x 24′ cob house.
Whether you want to build this structure or not, the plans are a wealth of information for building any cob building.
The plans include 30 extra pages of building diagrams.
You will also receive the SketchUp file so you can explore and edit the model.
(The building plans include everything you need to construct this building.)
If you have an interest in building a cob house (or any kind of house) then this design course for you!
While this course is based on using cob, these design lessons apply to many other Natural Building methods: rammed earth, adobe, earthbag, straw bale, light straw-clay, hempcrete, etc…
You won’t learn these important design lessons at any other workshop.
I’ve compiled some of the best design lessons all in one compact course from years of research and experience.
These lessons can save you thousands of dollars in building mistakes, and could even save your house from a structural disaster!
An architect or Natural Building design consultant can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars for a single visit and consultation. Not to say that this is bad and that they are overcharging. Not all all, actually. One visit by a professional designer might cost you $500 but it could save you $50,000 in mistakes.
This course has the potential to save you thousands of dollars.
Whether you are working with a professional designer or not, you personally need to understand the fundamentals of designing a cob building.
Affordability
The best thing about the Workshop Classroom course is that its much more affordable than taking a traditional workshop! You will only be paying a FRACTION of what it would cost to go attend a comprehensive cob workshop.
This price is so low, it’s a definite bargain!
Think about this…
For just $200 you are getting a full, comprehensive cob workshop course. You will never find a price this low for a traditional workshop. Remember, most of these courses will cost you thousands of dollars, weeks of your time, and long travel. But here you can pay a small fraction of those regular costs and get even more!
This course is priced so low, its really a no brainer!
Your Purchase is 100% Risk Free
If you are not 100% excited, if you are even the slightest bit under-whelmed, if for any reason you decide you aren’t completely satisfied, just email me within the first 30 days and I’ll refund your entire purchase. No questions asked!
I also want you to know, because I value you as students and customers, that there is no risk in signing up and purchasing this course. You are protected by my 30-day 100% money back guarantee. If you are not satisfied and, within 30 days of signing up for the program, want a full refund you will be refunded. I just want you to know that there are no hidden or binding subscription contracts. I made this program for you! I’m committed to over delivering learning content and I want you to be comfortable and satisfied with taking the course.
To purchase the cob building video course just, just click the link below. You’ll then be directed to our secure checkout page where you can make your payment. Once your payment is made, you will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes of processing your order. The email will include your download link for the course and your classroom login information.
Pricing
- ALL Video Lessons + Immediate Download Access
- Full Access to the Online Classroom + Direct Video Downloads
- Your Questions Get First-Priority to Alex’s Personal Inbox
- Bonus: Cob Building Design Course ($300 value)
- Bonus: Tiny Cob House Plans
- Bonus: “Build A Cob House” eBook
Have More Questions?
Q. Is the class a one-time fee or billed monthly?
A. You will only be charged one time for $200 for all of the course materials.
Q. Is there any long-term commitment?
A. No. There are no recurring fees or charges.
Q. Is my billing & credit card information safe?
A. Yes, your checkout and billing information is completely safe. We do not store any of your billing data either.
Q. Will I have any personal access to consult with Alex?
A. Alex will answer emails from students. He will try his best to reply to students as soon as possible. You will also be able to discuss and ask questions within the online classroom.
Q. What specifically will I learn from this online course?
A. You will learn how to build a cob house from the ground up. All major steps in the building process will be taught so that you will have the skills to construct your own cob buildings. We will begin by learning design principles, site selection, and how to build a strong foundation. Then we will progress into how to make cob and construct cob walls. Later on, we will cover topics such as roofing, natural finishes, and others.
Q. How will this course teach me to build a cob house?
A. You will be guided step-by-step in a linear progression on how to construct buildings out of cob. You will be handed the knowledge and advice to carry out construction of your own cob house. You will receive teaching through video lessons, informational articles, and other supplementary materials online.
Q. I’ve already taken a traditional cob workshop. Will I still benefit from this course?
A. Yes, I guarantee it! Most cob workshops don’t cover nearly this much material. You can’t learn everything there is to know about cob or natural building in a few days or weeks at a workshop. If anything, let this course be a supplement to your regular workshop experiences. You are certain to pick up even more valuable information and skills here.
Q. How can this course benefit a do-it-yourself builder like me?
A. This course will break things down into easy-to-understand concepts and assist you in the application of all the necessary components to building a cob home. The material is presented in a practical format without confusing technical or architectural terminology. This program also offers the do-it-yourself builder the benefits of affordability without the need for expensive workshop trainings.
Q. I don’t have any building skills. Will I still benefit from this course?
A. Absolutely! This course is designed for everybody to be able to learn from. Whether you are a professional builder or if you have no experience building at all, you will be led step-by-step through the processes.
Q. How long will it take to apply the teachings and see results?
A. You will begin to apply the teachings within the first lessons. Building a cob house is a process and takes time, no matter what. You will be in a constant process of learning and application during the course without getting ahead of yourself and making mistakes.
Q. How is this course delivered?
A. You will have immediate access to download all of the course videos and materials to your computer.
You will also receive login details to join our online classroom. This way you can view the materials in your browser or download them. Whatever you prefer!
Q. Who is the author of this course and why is he qualified?
A. My name is Alex Sumerall and I’m the author of this course. I have taught thousands of people through workshops, lectures, my books, and through my website www.thiscobhouse.com on how to build with cob, and I have helped to empower them with the information they need make their cob building dreams come to fruition.
Q. Why should I buy this course today instead of waiting?
A. This course is a learning progression. You won’t be able to cram all the information in one short amount of time. If you are interested in building a cob home any time in the near future then I recommend purchasing the course today and getting started. If you are perhaps planning to start building with cob in a few months to a year from now, this would be an ideal time to buy the course and start learning.
Q. Will there be tests and requirements to pass the course?
A. No, there are no tests, grades, or requirements that go along with this course. You will not ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ this course. It is simply a self-study program for you to learn and benefit from. No stress!
Q. What if I don’t like this product?
A. If for any reason you decide you aren’t completely satisfied with the course, just email me within the first 30 days and I’ll refund you 100%.
Q. How long will I have access to the course videos and materials?
A. You can download all of the course materials and vidoes. You can store these for as long as you like! If you ever lose your download directory file, I am always happy to email it to you at any time in the future.
- ALL Video Lessons + Immediate Download Access
- Full Access to the Online Classroom + Direct Video Downloads
- Your Questions Get First-Priority to Alex’s Personal Inbox
- Bonus: Cob Building Design Course ($300 value)
- Bonus: Tiny Cob House Plans
- Bonus: “Build A Cob House” eBook
Alex Sumerall
Owner & Founder
This Cob House