Archived Posts » 59,672,804
Earth sheltered homes...anyone have or built one?
4/18/2012 8:02:55 AM
4/18/2012 12:14:07 PM
pretty cool!
I wonder if any have been built yet.
I wonder if any have been built yet.
4/18/2012 6:08:46 PM
Those are cool! I've alays thought underground homes were neat. Recently my brother bought a berm home and I really like it.
4/18/2012 6:24:38 PM
Virtually impossible to finance. There may be a specialty lending institution that would take one but none that I found.
4/18/2012 7:02:16 PM
Originally Posted By bgenlvtex:
Virtually impossible to finance. There may be a specialty lending institution that would take one but none that I found.
Virtually impossible to finance. There may be a specialty lending institution that would take one but none that I found.
True enough but the cost to construct one of these should be significantly less than a stick home as it would go on a cement slab, is one stor,y and is mostly pre-formed. The 20% down on an existing home and another source of conventional funding would go along way to getting one finished to the point of moving in.
4/18/2012 7:37:57 PM
Originally Posted By Bandag:
True enough but the cost to construct one of these should be significantly less than a stick home as it would go on a cement slab, is one stor,y and is mostly pre-formed. The 20% down on an existing home and another source of conventional funding would go along way to getting one finished to the point of moving in.
Originally Posted By bgenlvtex:
Virtually impossible to finance. There may be a specialty lending institution that would take one but none that I found.
Virtually impossible to finance. There may be a specialty lending institution that would take one but none that I found.
True enough but the cost to construct one of these should be significantly less than a stick home as it would go on a cement slab, is one stor,y and is mostly pre-formed. The 20% down on an existing home and another source of conventional funding would go along way to getting one finished to the point of moving in.
While I agree in principle it depends largely on what you're willing to live in, how much time you have to build it yourself, your level of ability in building yourself, and personal resources.
I had every intention of building earthsheltered and spent considerable time researching it. In the end I concluded that I didn't have the time or money to build myself. The only real (construction) savings is in exterior finish and that is eaten up (and then some) in earth sheltered structural. I'm not raining on your parade just telling you what I personally discovered.
4/18/2012 11:29:47 PM
http://www.formworksbuilding.com/
4/19/2012 12:09:28 AM
.
Looks like everybody is trying to re-invent the monolithic dome.
Looks like everybody is trying to re-invent the monolithic dome.
4/19/2012 12:28:30 AM
Originally Posted By kar98k:
Looks like everybody is trying to re-invent the monolithic dome.
Looks like everybody is trying to re-invent the monolithic dome.
^^ this
if you want earth sheltered, just build a monolithic & bury it
4/19/2012 10:14:25 AM
I wonder how they get the soil to stick to the sides of the walls like in the computer images. No costs are published for the kits but they look cost effective. I don't like the fact that no actual pictures exist of homes that have been built. That raises a red flag for me but the concept of a modular design is cool.
4/19/2012 10:53:47 AM
I was interested in the cost so I sent them an email yesterday. No response yet.
4/19/2012 11:31:16 AM
No photos? That doesn't inspire trust.
My uncle has a house built into a hill. I love it and it's dark bedrooms and safe cozy feeling. My aunt complains of the dampness and would like more windows.
My uncle has a house built into a hill. I love it and it's dark bedrooms and safe cozy feeling. My aunt complains of the dampness and would like more windows.
4/19/2012 11:45:45 AM
I'll be convinced when they have a bit more than artist renditions and someone has guinea pigged for a bit.
Looks cool though
Looks cool though
4/19/2012 3:36:26 PM
This is a pretty good thread about a couple who built their own earth berm house.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/tennessee/359683-going-off-grid-east-tennessee.html
The last few pages talk about some problems they had with water due to the flat roof.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/tennessee/359683-going-off-grid-east-tennessee.html
The last few pages talk about some problems they had with water due to the flat roof.
4/19/2012 5:10:26 PM
great, I wanted a big house to help reduce the grass I had to cut, not grow grass on the roof that I'll have to cut with a weedeater!
