#self construction

I may seem really enthusiastic about building an ecological house, but it's not that easy.

Truth is, most of the time, it's hard. Hardcore hard. Especially when you don't have money. We built our house almost on our own with a little help from our friends.

In our case, the creator of the concept is not an architect nor a specialist in construction. Which added to the hardcore hard (I don't want to develop here, if you have questions I have an ask box)

Don't forget that most of the pictures of beautiful ecological houses you see are mostly made by professionals for rich people.

For common people, it's really expensive (either save a lot of money or give all of your time instead of *working*, and cry because of financial problems that come within) and it's not as dreamy as it seems.

Of course, you'll have the satisfaction of doing something worthwhile, but you'll have to deal with frustration, fear and anger.

If you want to build this kind of housing, be prepared. Have the best equipment you can afford. Accept to live in precarious conditions for an unknown time. Accept that people you thought were your friends are not. Be ready to live disappointment, delays and delusion.

You can't be perfect : if you're poor, you'll have to compromise about the materials. Don't feel guilty about it, you're doing more than most of people do.

In the same vein, some people will try to bring you down. Don't listen to them. You do this thing for you, it's going to be your home. As long as you're happy with it, outsiders don't have a word to say (except when this is a constructive thing about ecology and it can improve what you're doing…).

Save yourself, be gentle, listen to your body and your mind, take breathers or else you could end being hurt and/or bitter.

Just remember that it's going to be long. Very long. Very very long. Don't be in a hurry.

Now, the most excruciating thing to do : work yourself to the bone and forget everything else.

Building a house can be exhilarating at first, because the whole structure goes fast to be built. But when you come to electricity, water and inside stuff, it seems really long and disappointing. That's normal. Keep track of your progress, you'll be surprised.

Truth is, when you'll get to the point where you can add comfort, you'll feel so good that you'll know it was all worth it.

I've got two adversaries

both look like me, shelter under me,

and run my topsoil dry with

their relentless pas-de-deux