Will I get skilled labour for cob construction?

No.087 — Read old posts on Tinyfarmlab.com
Reading Time 5 minutes

“There’s no labour for mud houses”…
Is that really true?

One of the first questions clients ask us,
right after they fall in love with the idea of building a cob house, is:

“But where will I find masons who know how to do this?”

It’s a valid fear.
Because here’s the truth:
You won’t find cob masons listed on websites.
The contractor working next door would have never heard the word cob.

Cob is not yet part of the mainstream construction ecosystem.

It’s not even taught in architecture schools.

But that doesn't mean you can't build.

But here’s the good news:

Cob skills can be taught.
And traditional labourers are quick learners.

In project after project,
we’ve trained ordinary masons
and even first-time workers —
some who had never worked with mud,
and some who had only done concrete construction.

We start with basic soil testing.
Then we make a few samples of cob and plaster.

Once we our confident with the right ratios,
We show them how to make the cob in those ratios.

We show them how to mix the right consistency of cob.
We show them how to put the cob on the wall.
And how to put it to rest at the end of the day.

Often, they end up loving the process more than cement work.

It’s easier on their bodies.
It’s intuitive.
And it’s creative.

They go from skeptics to artisans.

Many become better at cob than we are.
Because they’re fast, observant, and physically attuned to materials.

They begin to take ownership of the building.
They improvise solutions.
They laugh more on site.

They stop treating it like “labour” and start treating it like craft.

So, what do you really need to build with cob?

You don’t need a readymade cob team.
You need:

A site-appropriate cob design.
A natural building consultant or trainer who has done it before.
A local team that is willing to learn.
A few days of on-site training and mockups.
A good sense of rhythm and patience.

That’s it.

This way of building isn’t just about the material.
It’s about changing the culture of construction.

Most clients are used to being told:
“Hire this contractor.
He’ll bring his team.
They’ll finish in 3 months.”

You sign the cheque and step back.

But with cob?
You become a participant.
You work with your hands.
You help train your team.
You feel the mud between your fingers.
You make memories.
They become family.

And that makes the home feel yours in a very different way.

At Tiny Farm Lab, we’ve trained masons from Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, and UP — across a wide range of backgrounds.

Some had never built with earth before.
Some had done “kachcha” work decades ago and were thrilled to return to it.

We’ve made training part of the process, not an extra.

Natural building is more than using natural materials.
It’s also about working with local people, their hands, and their knowledge.

The hands are already around you.
You just have to teach them. And trust them.

The skills will come.
The magic is already here.

Love,
Raghav and Ansh

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