We began before being “green” was in vogue, before straw bale homes were on TV and when the three little pig jokes were rife!

We wanted to build our dream home and ‘do our bit’ for the environment … we wanted to build a sustainable home in rural NSW. Most importantly, we wanted our straw bale home to look like it was from a magazine, we didn’t want it to look like a ‘greenie’ house, it had to be mainstream, just in case we had to sell it. So we started building one of the first straw bale homes in Australia.

After 7 years of blood sweat and tears, sometimes working 3 weeks straight, driving from Sydney out into the country for 4 hours, working all weekend and then driving back and going to work on Monday. We’d used reclaimed building materials for our small cottage and did everything ourselves, from the slab to tiling to the roof, the straw bale walls and rendering. With a lot of help from family and friends. It was one of the most stressful things we’d even done in our lives. Physically, mentally, financially and emotionally. It was a true success, we achieved our dreams.

So we wanted others to be able to be able to live in our beautiful homes. Sam had built million dollar houses in the eastern suburbs, but his body couldn’t handle the toxic building materials anymore. So he started building earth homes full time. That was back in 2004. He’d worked on his own houses, and experimented with his own homes to ensure the finishes were robust and looked great.

Getting a consistent, professional finish to his earth homes was the most important part, as was getting a house design which worked in summer and winter.. and looked great!

The result: Viva Living Homes was born.

We designed homes from skills we’d learnt over the past decade. Our house designs meant the house was cool in summer and warm in winter, contemporary, Australian …. and made from natural materials of poured earth, rammed earth, mudbrick, strawbale and timber.

They had to be sustainable, healthy and good for your health & planet. Affordable, professionally built and had to take 16 weeks to build, not 7 years to build! We’d look after the stresses of building a home as licenced builders, so we’d look after project management of trades, timing and costs to ensure it all got done to schedule & budget.

We wanted building a home to be an easier experience than what we went through with a better home than we built.

We wanted our homes to be down to earth… made of natural materials, smart, robust, look stunning, and be made from the earth to make a difference to the world but .....

Be for everyone, and unique for everyone as well.

Importantly, they had to be affordable.

Viva Living Homes is over a decade of thoughts, ideas and experience, put into our home plans and the homes we build. Our expertise and experience is in every part of the homes we build…

Our designs and homes include years of learning age old techniques, finding out the best practises worldwide to use. Our homes had to work in every way. We have found the best crafts people and trades people to fulfil our dream and vision.

We didn’t want anyone to have an excuse to do their bit to help the world. So we made sure the quality and longevity of our homes are at the top end of any other project home in Australia. We asked ourselves, why build a conventional home when you can make a difference, live in a peaceful, natural home which is healthy for you, your family and the world. So we made it happen.

This is our story. If this is what you want from your home, this is exactly why we turned our passion and ideas into a reality. We can't wait to help you build your dream home.