A Montana couple spent $20,000 building a 2-bedroom house, and now they're debt-free. There's just one catch: The house is made of clay, sand, and straw.

Mon, 07/17/2023 - 22:47

A house made from earth and dirt rises from the ground in the distance, behind a lush, green vegetable garden. — The exterior of the completed cob house and the garden.
Daniel Ray/Spiritwood Natural Building

A Montana couple spent over 2 years building their 700-square-foot cob house by hand.
Daniel Ray, the owner, estimates that they spent less than $20,000 on the entire construction.
Now, the couple runs a business hosting workshops to teach others how to build their own sustainable houses.

Building an earthen home from scratch might sound daunting to some, but for Daniel and Katherine Ray, it's their way of life.

The Montana couple, who started dating in high school, first came across cob houses when they were in college. Cob is a natural building material made out of clay, sand, and straw.