The county rejected my application for a building permit and requested a geotechnical report assessing the safety of the ravine that constitutes about a third of the property. I was able to find a geotechnical engineer who is also an attorney and who has assessed a property on the ravine before. He is optimistic, so as that is being processed the contractor and I are trying to agree on a workable construction budget.
The contractor’s initial estimate was more than twice what I said I could spend. His solution was to replace the build materials I chose with more conventional building materials. But healthy materials are the defining characteristic of my house, so I am more inclined to divide the project into affordable phases and stretch the construction out over several years. We will probably do a combination of both things.
I am willing to reconsider some material choices. For example, many chemically sensitive people prefer magnesium oxide board to drywall. However, when magnesium oxide board first came on the market some people had reactions to it and it tested positive for formaldehyde. At that time it was manufactured in China, but there is now one company in the US that manufactures magnesium oxide board. I ordered a sample and was upset when it also tested positive for formaldehyde. (See photo.) To qualify for CARB 2 (California Air Resources Board) certification, as advertised, it should emit no more than .05 ppm. This undermines my confidence in the company. It eventually offgassed but it is expensive and shipping it from the East Coast to the Pacific Northwest is also expensive, so I am willing to reconsider that material choice. I believe the problem with drywall is the paper backing, which is a breeding ground for mold. But paperless drywall is available. And, if my house is built correctly there should be no opportunity for mold to grow. Some form of drywall would probably be acceptable.
