LeafhouseStudio
Search Subscribe Open Studio

Leafhouse Studio · early preview

Start the project. Build the life around it.

Natural-built homes, homesteads, greenhouses, shared land and off-grid systems. Leafhouse walks you from the first daydream to the finished thing: land, rules, money, the build, water, power and food, all in one project you can work through.

I want to build

How it works

  1. Name your projectA cob home in Vermont, an off-grid greenhouse, a land trust. Each type carries a feasibility label, so you know how hard the paperwork will be.
  2. Answer seven questionsLand, utilities, self-reliance goals, size, who builds it, budget and timing.
  3. Get your planTen phases of tasks for your method and goals, a permit checklist, a budget and a site-data checklist.
  4. Work through itTick off tasks, record what you find about your land, and track every cost.

Every part of the life

13 parts, and growing

An alternative life is more than walls. Studio is being built to cover all of it. Here is what the preview does today and what comes next.

The dreamIn the preview
What life do I want, and is it realistic? Guided setup and an honest look at your method, time and money.
LandIn the preview
Is this parcel any good? A site checklist of public flood, soil, climate and fire data. Automatic parcel reports next.
RulesIn the preview
Can I build this here? A permit checklist and the code path for your method. A zoning navigator is coming.
The designNext
What will it look like? Concept plans with real dimensions, renderings, and files for your designer.
MoneyIn the preview
Can I afford it? A budget tracker now. Material takeoffs and a lender summary next.
Building itIn the preview
How do I get it built? Ten phases of tasks for your method. A weather-aware schedule next.
EnergyNext
How do I power and heat it? Solar, battery and wood-heat sizing.
Water and wasteNext
Where does water come from and go? Well, cistern, greywater and septic planning.
Food and land carePlanned
What can I grow and keep? Garden plans by growing zone and ecoregion.
ResilienceNext
What if there is a fire, flood or outage? Hazard checks and backup plans for heat, water and power.
LivelihoodPlanned
How will I earn a living out there? Internet availability and home-business rules.
CommunityPlanned
Who will I live near and build with? Ecovillages and land trusts in the Atlas, and shared plans.
Living therePlanned
How do I keep it working for years? A maintenance calendar for your method and a project logbook.

What you can start

About the labels →

Homes

Code path exists Cob Hand-built walls of clay subsoil, sand and straw. Case by case Super adobe (earthbag) Long fabric tubes filled with moist earth, coiled into walls or domes. Code path exists Straw bale Load-bearing or infill walls of baled straw, plastered both sides. Case by case Rammed earth Damp earth compacted in layers inside formwork. Case by case Earth-sheltered Built into a hillside or under earth so the ground moderates temperature. Case by case Cordwood Short log ends laid in mortar, insulated in the middle. Experimental Earthship Tire-and-earth walls, passive solar, rainwater and greywater. Established Small timber cabin A conventional wood-framed or log cabin, often off-grid.

Small and mobile

Case by case Tiny house Under about 400 sq ft, on a foundation or on wheels. Case by case Van or skoolie A converted van or school bus as a full-time or part-time home.

Land and food

Established Homestead Land set up for a home, food, water and energy: the whole system. Established Off-grid greenhouse A passive solar or earth-sheltered greenhouse that grows food year-round. Established Communal garden or food forest Shared growing space on owned, leased or public land.

Community

Case by case Ecovillage or intentional community Several households sharing land, buildings and decisions. Established Community land trust A nonprofit holds the land so homes on it stay affordable for good. Established Co-op or social housing Shared or nonprofit ownership that keeps housing affordable.

Systems

Established Off-grid power and water Add solar, batteries, rainwater or a well to a home you already have.

Coming with accounts

An assistant that does the research

It will pull a report on your parcel, read your county's zoning, draft concept plans and permit letters, and build a schedule around your weather. Every answer cites its source and tells you when to call an engineer or the county.

  • Cites everythingPublic data, code sections and Library records, with dates.
  • Labels feasibilityThe same five labels as the Library.
  • Never signs offIt drafts. Licensed people and officials approve.
  • You decideNothing changes in your plan until you accept it.

Show your plan, on your terms

Later, you will be able to turn your project into a lender summary, a packet for your county, or a build story for friends. Your project stays private until you choose who sees it, and your exact location is never public.

Newsletter

Field dispatch

Every other Sunday: the new Library entries, one longer read, and any corrections we made.

No ads, no tracking pixels. Unsubscribe from any issue.
Studio is an early preview. Plans save in this browser only. Guidance is a starting point for talking to your building department, engineer and county, not legal or engineering advice.