Earth Sheltered Home Design

[PerihelionX]

I've looked into this quiet a bit because I own some property and it's been my dream to build my own house. Although the price of the materials is low the labor is intensive and expensive unless you do it yourself. However, the most difficult part of building a home like this is often the building plans approval and inspection. This is of course dependent on your country or county regulations, however, because these types of homes are not conventional it can often be difficult to get the inspectors or beuarcrats to sign off on.

BLUF: Don't forget the red tape. Unfortunately the red tape can be the hardest part of these types of homes.

 

[LQB]

I've looked into this quiet a bit because I own some property and it's been my dream to build my own house. Although the price of the materials is low the labor is intensive and expensive unless you do it yourself. However, the most difficult part of building a home like this is often the building plans approval and inspection. This is of course dependent on your country or county regulations, however, because these types of homes are not conventional it can often be difficult to get the inspectors or beuarcrats to sign off on.

BLUF: Don't forget the red tape. Unfortunately the red tape can be the hardest part of these types of homes.

I'm sure the "red tape" depends on where you want to build. In my own case there was none. We just dug a large hole in the hillside and started pouring cement. The only inspection was for electrical - nothing else.

The county tax man was pretty accommodating too - in these parts, this kind of home is known as a "basement house" and gets the absolute lowest tax assessment.

 

[Wu Wei Wu]

I've been trying to put together a community property in the Vancouver area in BC for some time, and one member strongly favors the Earthship idea. While it seems good and low cost, does anyone know how one would fare in an extremely rainy and snowy climate? All of BC is either one or the other.

I haven't seen any examples of one in such a place, although I'm aware they tote them as being extremely durable. Also, for the collection of construction materials, has anyone here overcome that hurdle? I'm thinking I could try and work out a deal with tireshops and automotive repair people, but it would be more reassuring to hear about that idea from someone who has already done it.

 

[Luis Miguel]

I've been trying to put together a community property in the Vancouver area in BC for some time, and one member strongly favors the Earthship idea. While it seems good and low cost, does anyone know how one would fare in an extremely rainy and snowy climate? All of BC is either one or the other.

The ceiling has a slope directed to the sun, designed for a quick evaporation of snow (and water) to keep the house warmer for a longer time. And you don't have to worry about the rain or water stagnation neither because of that. Also, that slope can help to gather rain water. It's a very simple but efficient characteristic.

I haven't seen any examples of one in such a place, although I'm aware they tote them as being extremely durable. Also, for the collection of construction materials, has anyone here overcome that hurdle? I'm thinking I could try and work out a deal with tireshops and automotive repair people, but it would be more reassuring to hear about that idea from someone who has already done it.

Here in Mexico, there's no problem getting the tires and cans, there's a lot of dumps and recycling places, you just need to talk with the people in charge and maybe offer them some money, in some cases they even give them away just like that.

For the durability issue, they are designed to endure any kind of climate, even extremes in both ways.

I'm about to finish the instructional video and I'll start designing some plans and 3D views, I'll share the data and the images as soon as I finish. The global and survival models are pretty standard and can be suitable for most environments, but again, they can be modified depending on particular needs.

 

[clerck de bonk]

I'm about to finish the instructional video and I'll start designing some plans and 3D views, I'll share the data and the images as soon as I finish. The global and survival models are pretty standard and can be suitable for most environments, but again, they can be modified depending on particular needs.

Looking forward to it :)

 

[Wu Wei Wu]

I'm about to finish the instructional video and I'll start designing some plans and 3D views, I'll share the data and the images as soon as I finish. The global and survival models are pretty standard and can be suitable for most environments, but again, they can be modified depending on particular needs.

Looking forward to it :)

That makes two of us, I'm eager to see it.

 

[adlen11]

Awesome creativity. Such a appreciative design. But according to me , having all type of living facilities home is best for living. About this diagram, Due to structural limits, earth cover amount over the top is thin. Drainage ways can cause problems if u don't concentrate on the construction material. Use dry rots for your wood work, it is inevitable.

 

[clerck de bonk]

Use dry rots for your wood work, it is inevitable.

Could you explain this, Adlen?

 

[Yas]

WOW! What a great thread!
I also want to build my own house for some years already... I was concentrating on Earthbag building since I found it to be quite resistant and adaptable to what I wanted to build, but now that I see what logos5x5 shared about the Earthships I think that those are a very good option indeed. I'll dig into that to learn some more... Thanks for the info by the way!

I'm about to finish the instructional video and I'll start designing some plans and 3D views, I'll share the data and the images as soon as I finish. The global and survival models are pretty standard and can be suitable for most environments, but again, they can be modified depending on particular needs.

Looking forward to it :)

That makes two of us, I'm eager to see it.

Three of us here! :D

And.... very nice videos freesurfer!!

 

[United Gnosis]

Before you go about building any living structure, there is one book I cannot recommend too highly; that is, Christopher Alexander's the Timeless Way of Building. This book truly describes the Tao of Design, and will inspire you for anything you build.

 

[Buddy]

Before you go about building any living structure, there is one book I cannot recommend too highly; that is, Christopher Alexander's the Timeless Way of Building. This book truly describes the Tao of Design, and will inspire you for anything you build.

And you do mean 'anything you build' because it's a wonderful work on design patterns. Even the better software engineers have a copy in their possession and swear by it.

 

[Yas]

Before you go about building any living structure, there is one book I cannot recommend too highly; that is, Christopher Alexander's the Timeless Way of Building. This book truly describes the Tao of Design, and will inspire you for anything you build.

And you do mean 'anything you build' because it's a wonderful work on design patterns. Even the better software engineers have a copy in their possession and swear by it.

It looks very interesting!
I'll put it on my "read list". ;D

Thanks

 

[United Gnosis]

Before you go about building any living structure, there is one book I cannot recommend too highly; that is, Christopher Alexander's the Timeless Way of Building. This book truly describes the Tao of Design, and will inspire you for anything you build.

And you do mean 'anything you build' because it's a wonderful work on design patterns. Even the better software engineers have a copy in their possession and swear by it.

I believe the more popular book among engineers is the second tome of the series, a Pattern Language. The Timeless Way describes the core understanding, whereas A Pattern Language derives a functional library of patterns out of it. (But I can see how the best engineers would swear on Timeless Way rather than Pattern Language )

 

[freesurfer]

par: Acid Yazz
« le: août 26, 2013, 02:03:16 am » Citer ce message
Citation de: Buddy le août 24, 2013, 02:29:17 am
Citation de: United Gnosis le août 24, 2013, 02:13:05 am
Before you go about building any living structure, there is one book I cannot recommend too highly; that is, Christopher Alexander's the Timeless Way of Building. This book truly describes the Tao of Design, and will inspire you for anything you build.

And you do mean 'anything you build' because it's a wonderful work on design patterns. Even the better software engineers have a copy in their possession and swear by it.

It looks very interesting!
I'll put it on my "read list".

Thanks

yeah, me too
thank's united gnosis , very interesting and useful, indeed!

I found this in french http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Pattern_Language , but not the book in my 3 latins languages, if someone find the books or something in spanish-italian or french, will be nice.

WOW! What a great thread!
I also want to build my own house for some years already... I was concentrating on Earthbag building since I found it to be quite resistant and adaptable to what I wanted to build, but now that I see what logos5x5 shared about the Earthships I think that those are a very good option indeed. I'll dig into that to learn some more... Thanks for the info by the way!

Citation de: logos5x5 le mai 23, 2013, 07:28:11 am
I'm about to finish the instructional video and I'll start designing some plans and 3D views, I'll share the data and the images as soon as I finish. The global and survival models are pretty standard and can be suitable for most environments, but again, they can be modified depending on particular needs.
Looking forward to it

That makes two of us, I'm eager to see it.

Three of us here!

And.... very nice videos freesurfer!!

Yes, is a great thread, and so I don't need open an other thread about my jobs for show it .. this is The thread.

So, here you can find the 2d video of my last project, just finish last week http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7EHMy66wEE
Thank's Logos 5x5 for share about earthship...
and thank's Acid Yazz for the compliments , if you have some question about earthbags, I'm here..


Saludos

 

[LQB]

So, here you can find the 2d video of my last project, just finish last week http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7EHMy66wEE

Very nice freesurfer, and outstanding work! Thanks much for the video. :)