My Earth Shelter Home

Nicholai · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 12:59 pm Post subject: My Earth Shelter Home

My name is Nick, I'm 18 years old and I live in Edmonton Alberta. I'm currently going to University but I'm dropping out after this semester to take carpentry. I’ll be working 6 days a week and will be earning roughly 20$ an hour.

The money I save will be going to purchase a 160 acre property roughly 1 hour west of the City of Winnipeg. The land is 50% black dirt and 50% forest with a river running in between. The land will cost $100,000.

I'll leave some pictures of the type of house which I will be building below. For a 2500sqr foot house it will cost me (roughly) $30,000 for the frame, basic blue prints (signed by an engineer) and the building permits. I should have this done by the end of summer 08. I'll continue to save for another full year along with a friend of mine from the same city and I will be starting construction in spring of 09. We hope to be finished the exterior by the end of the summer and finish the interior over the winter.

Food will be grown and we’re thinking of having chickens (possibly a horse at maximum). As for heat we will use a wood stove and since Earth Shelters are 90% more efficient than normal homes, it doesn't take a great deal of energy to heat it. Electricity will be slightly more difficult as we're trying to keep the house as primitive as possible. Water is another issue but that is something we will figure out as we go along. Thoughts, questions, comments?

roccman · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 1:03 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

Bravo!!!

I vote Nick be made an expert here at PO.com!!!

farking NICE!!!!
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Opies · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:03 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

Water will not be an issue as there is a river, and several lakes nearby, and being in manitoba, it is just naturally quite wet. Drilling a well is quite easy and wil be no problem and there will be no shortage of water.
The land is located in between two sets of mountains and is basically in the middle of nowhere. The land is farmland, so the soil is very nutrient rich and is sloped slighty downhill leading to the river (counting on this to prevent flooding and pooling)

The house is extremely insulated by the earth, and requires about 5-10% of the energy of a normal house for winter heating. In the summer the earth acts in the opposite way and helps keep the house cool so no energy is required to keep a cool comfertable house in the summer. It will only have windows on one side, that side being southfacing for passive solar.

The land is also in an area just packed full of wildlife. There are plenty of deer, rabbits, and even bears nearby. The land is pretty pristine, and in a great environment. (cold winters, but the environment may change soon enough) And cold winters keep away a lot of pests like pine beetles and other things which have devistated other parts of Canada. If all goes as planned it will be up and running with the house completely finished and food and everything (cerial crops, apples, plums, possibly some chicken) by 2010. Hopefully things won't get too crazy before then :D
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timbo · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:21 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

If you haven't already I suggest you have a look at this site http://www.earthshelters.com/

I've read his book "PASSIVE ANNUAL HEAT STORAGE, IMPROVING THE DESIGN OF EARTH SHELTERS" which is quite interesting. In particular I like his line about not attempting to build an inside out swimming pool when it comes to dealing with water related issues.

I'm not suggesting you use his designs but when I started on my own above surface passive solar design I made sure I read quite a lot of material before I did anything else.

Pops · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:39 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

Yea, cool!

I like some straight walls as most furniture is not made on curves.

When you get around (sounds like you have a few things going) continue your husbandry learning with some rabbits then maybe some pigs or goats.

By the time you are 30 you’ll have beef and dairy cows all over!

Good for you folks!
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Nicholai · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

(Opies is my friend from St.Albert who will be helping me build it, just in case there's any confusion.)

Pops · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

RedStateGreen · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:27 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

This is way cool, the sort of thing I want to do when I finally find my land. Keep us posted on how it goes!
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davep · Expert Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1242 Location: Europe

Isn't there a risk of severe dampness in one of these?
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timbo · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

Yes hence the recommended reading. It contains quite a lot of details around drainage and waterproof envelopes.

JPL · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

Hi Nick,

Impressive idea. When I was 18 I couldn't think about much else except the next girl-friend & pint of beer so you're streets ahead!

A couple of points, though. When my wife & I were first married we bought up a growing family in a house that was 700 sq feet in total. We were happy (in a cramped sort of way) and saved a lot of money, heating bills etc. by living in a small space.

The second point leads on from the first. If you are going to live (even partly) off the land you need to devote maybe 2 to 3 times more area to outbuildings than you do to the house, anyhow. I'm talking about covered storage for wood, hay, areas for machinery maintainance & storage, etc. etc. Remember you will spend more time outdoors than in & there's few things more miserable in life than changing the head on a T20 with wet spanners and rain dripping down your collar...

Just a tip. Take care!

JP

Pixie · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:19 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

Nicholai · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:57 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

The reason we're making a 2500 sqr foot home is that we're assuming there will be others who will want to move in once it's finished etc (after they see we're not just a bunch of 'crazy people'). In the event that the economy takes a MASSIVE downturn, there will also be space for our families and all the rest.

I was thinking of a 2500sqr foot house with a 2 story tunnel attached, simply for storing canned food and extra supplies but I'll see how it goes. It all comes down to money.

As for exterior buildings (covers for the fire wood etc.), I think after my carpentry apprenticeship I'll be able to build most of these out of wood. The land is 80 acres of forest so there's no shortage of building material :D!

JPL · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:33 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

frankthetank · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 6:37 pm Post subject: Re: My Earth Shelter Home

I know i couldn't stand living with a group of others, but to each his own. I guess in America, thats why everyone is out of the house by 18 (not all, but a lot). Around here about the only one you can trust is yourself.

Earth homes are not very common around here. I think i could count on one hand the ones i know of. I think drainage and moisture would be your biggest concern. Getting fresh air in and out would be a must. Heat wouldn't be an issue, and neither would A/C (but then again, your in Canada).

Are those pictures yours above or what you're thinking about doing? I'm confused!
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