Houses made of mud are ‘kachcha’, and houses made of cement are

‘pakka’. This is a concept that has been shoved down our throats by school
curricula. Yes, the human race has to move ahead and there have to be
developments, but the way a single material has taken over landscapes
across India (and the world) is terrifying. Especially in terrains like the
Himalayas or closer to the oceans, an overdose of cement and concrete can
be detrimental for the surrounding environment. 

The most important thing while building with mud is to plan in advance. It is
a relatively slower process and, hence, if one plans in advance and gathers
all the material before building, it saves on a lot of time and money. 

Costing of a mud/stone house depends a lot on how one procures the

materials. If properly planned, one can build a house only by paying for
labour costs