<h1><span class="orangetext">Shelter ::</span> The Hobbit House</h1> <p><img src="images/candle.jpg" class="rhspic">This is a house I built for our family in Wales. It was built by myself and my father in law with help from passers by and visiting friends. 4 months after starting we were moved in and cosy. I estimated 1000-1500 man hours and &#xa3;3000 in materials. Not really so much in house buying terms (roughly &#xa3;60/sq m excluding labour).</p> <p class="clear"><img src="images/front.jpg" class="lhspic">The house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gave us a unique opportunity to live close to nature. It housed our family whilst we worked in the woodland surrounding the house doing ecological woodland management and setting up a forest garden, things that would have been impossible had we had to pay a regular rent or mortgage. The main tools used were a chainsaw, hammer and 1 inch chisel, little else really. I was not a builder or carpenter, my experience was only having had a go at one similar house 2yrs before and a bit of mucking around inbetween. This kind of building is accessible to anyone. My main relevant skills were being able bodied, having self belief and perseverence and a mate or two to give a lift now and again. </p>