Glenn's Underground Cabin Update

[glenn kangiser]

I do to.  Just too bad; 'The hills have eyes and the winds have tongues...'

Where did that come from, Rick...?    Probably true too...

[rick91351]

Where did that come from, Rick...?    Probably true too...

Where did that come from?  Me this morning at about 04:00 and could not sleep........

Occurred to me the first time when we were building the shop and we got turned in for building an apartment above.  This was after the trusses were set.  Here you can clearly see there is no way you are going to put an apartment up there.



Yet we got swooped upon by the building inspector and the two tax assessors and some one we did not recognize.  They would not say of course who turned us in.  You know the 'anonymous tip'.  I did give the people that own the store a set of plans for such because they were thinking of building something like that.   We were not going to use the plans......

After that a neighbor was doing some Cat work in a cattle watering pot hole reservoir.  They got in trouble for not being permitted.  It was felt they needed a permit of inspection to clean and improve it though it was on their land or something like that.  And even though the water can not over flow into a free flowing drainage or ......     Once again no one knows who made the complaint.   

List goes on and on...... no one knows ....... So the hills must have eyes and the winds have tongues.  After all it is no one from up there.....     

 

[glenn kangiser]

Well, that was a mighty deep observation and so eloquently put I thought it was stated by some overly intelligent scholar... then again ... maybe I just don't know you well enough? 

It is amazing to me... the busybodies ... neighbors ...etc. who will turn you in to the authorities just for the fun of it. 

I am currently rebuilding a 1000 foot driveway for a customer.  The lady at the end first called my customer and told him I was putting marks (lime/chalk) on her driveway... had to mark for USA call before you dig....

Next I saw a surveyor marked the corner and flagged it.... then I saw her standing in the driveway with a phone calling someone....

I got out and confronted her directly... "Hey is there something going on here I should know about because I am in the middle of this and nobody tells me anything.... ?"

I then got the story... nothing major but the owner I was working for had not discussed it all with her and she was feeling a bit left out. 

Once I told her I would be happy to make a few free repairs on the end of her driveway and I would have my rock guy "accidentally" start on her drive a little spilling some to fix it, discussed putting in a pipe culvert she wanted anyway... things got better.  I left her my card in case she had any other concerns.  I think we are all happy now. 

[rick91351]

Well, that was a mighty deep observation and so eloquently put I thought it was stated by some overly intelligent scholar... then again ... maybe I just don't know you well enough? 

It is amazing to me... the busybodies ... neighbors ...etc. who will turn you in to the authorities just for the fun of it. 

........................................................snip...........................................................................

I really don't know how to take that one........ some overly intelligent scholar... then again ... maybe I just don't know you well enough?   

Lets just say I have my moments at 04:00 the morning and can't sleep.......   

Tis a mystery why some people have to rat others out.  I do know if things go to hell in this country there will be plenty of snitches waiting to report.       

[glenn kangiser]

Finally got the Sunday morning interview with our International students up on Youtube where I ask my guests...

"Hey guys, what do you think?"


Click the picture below to have a look at their answer....

[glenn kangiser]

We meet International students from so many different countries... It could be anywhere. 

I enjoy meeting students from the most remote countries also.  Through them I get a glimpse of their lives and things I would never get to see otherwise.  I had a bit of a discussion with my friend Tulgaa about horses and Mr Ed.  I was just looking through his pictures and found this.  I had to share it... I hope he doesn't mind 

Note that Mongolian horses are a smaller breed as are the Arabians (Mr Ed) and Tulgaa is very tall.  I love this picture. 



Tulgaa is from Mongolia.  I have been interested in it since I was reading about gold mining and testing there on another forum.... the one I met Whitlock on.  [ouch]

Mongolia is a place where horses are highly revered as the horses have provided their livelihood over the centuries.  I was very happy to receive well wishes on Mr Ed's recovery from his illness from my other friend, Zula who is now back in Mongolia.  That is way too cool.  Horses are in the Mongolian blood.

Tulgaa and I talked a little of how TV, cell phones and the ways of the West have invaded Mongolia... things will never be the same there... some good... some bad... lets hope they can hold on to some of their wonderful heritage and culture for a while. 

Time is always too short with our International Family.  That is why I always tell them... my home is your home...If there is anything I can do for you, call or contact me.....  I hope they will come back so I can spend more time getting to know them. Studies keep them very busy so chances are few but once in a while we are privileged with their return.   

[glenn kangiser]

Working at a real job besides getting the hugelkultur bed ready for plants. 

I broke the tractor scraper three times yesterday while ripping giant limbs from a driveway... abusive... me... no... each break was in a part that had problems previously or had been Mickey Mouse repaired before.... I would never abuse my equipment... [ouch]

I made three loads of soil/wood chip mix yesterday and got it onto the hugelkultur bed last night as well as answered questions for a friend who wants to give it a try under some trees he is planting.

What are we waiting for ... lets get after those gardens.....

[ben2go]

Still to cold for garden starting here.Maybe mid April if we don't get any more freezing weather.

[glenn kangiser]

That's a bummer Ben......not trying to brag or make you feel bad or anything but I have had a garden all winter....Ok   so I'm bragging. ..... [ouch]

[Abbey]

Hi Glenn,

Love your house.

I was reading through some of your older posts and saw that you had some issues with rot, I might be interpreting that wrong, but you had to dig up a couple of beams and you had pictures of the base where the beam was in a plastic bag, as Mike recommends in his book. I was wondering if you think that's a result of the PSP method where some moisture is allowed entry into the conditioned space. Having read Mike's book and looked into other methods regarding underground construction and PAHS I've been leaning towards an underground house. Although I would be more inclined to go fully underground and have only two doors for entry and exit rather than having windows etc. My thoughts have been leading me to the conclusion that using a huge pond liner laid into the hole and then building the structure on top of the liner so that upon completion the liner could be wrapped over the entire house creating a completely sealed "balloon." Do you have any thoughts about this?

[ben2go]

That's a bummer Ben......not trying to brag or make you feel bad or anything but I have had a garden all winter....Ok   so I'm bragging. ..... [ouch]

   

I been so busy with other projects a garden would be neglected.

[glenn kangiser]

Hi Glenn,

Love your house.

I was reading through some of your older posts and saw that you had some issues with rot, I might be interpreting that wrong, but you had to dig up a couple of beams and you had pictures of the base where the beam was in a plastic bag, as Mike recommends in his book. I was wondering if you think that's a result of the PSP method where some moisture is allowed entry into the conditioned space. Having read Mike's book and looked into other methods regarding underground construction and PAHS I've been leaning towards an underground house. Although I would be more inclined to go fully underground and have only two doors for entry and exit rather than having windows etc. My thoughts have been leading me to the conclusion that using a huge pond liner laid into the hole and then building the structure on top of the liner so that upon completion the liner could be wrapped over the entire house creating a completely sealed "balloon." Do you have any thoughts about this?

Hi Abbey.  Thanks for the questions. 

The post rot was not a problem with the PSP, or moisture entry into the living space through the floor.  It was a problem with the bags and the terrarium effect they created. Moisture got into the bags possibly by using wet logs.  Problem is it takes logs several years to dry.  In my soil moisture does not leave through the claystone.  However it got there, it stayed in the plastic bags and recycled until the termites and molds turned the bases of the poles into mush.  Mike also had the problem on his ridge house.  He attributes it to not being protected from the weather, however it is the same problem I found in an area that was protected from the weather.

Because of my findings I will never count on plastic to do anything but rot the wood inside of it if the conditions are right.

I think the logs would have lasted longer without the plastic but the ones with no problems were the ones that were above the soil on pins.  That is the only way I will recommend to ones I help or who consult with me.

I don't see a benefit from putting the membrane under then entire structure and likely some changes or something would cause you to want to poke holes in it anyway.  I do always recommend French Drains at least in our area where gophers will reroute drainage no matter how good a job of backfill you do.

The main difference I see in the John Hait PAHS house is a lot bigger membrane over the top and quite a  ways out the sides.  That is a good Idea I think.


Hey  Ben, that garden will pay off in lower food bills which will convert to more cash in your pocket.  [ouch] 

I laugh when I go to the store and see 6 Swiss Chard leaves for $2.99.... give me a break even..... that stuff volunteers on my roof...

[Tickhill]

I think we can blame the green monster on 99% of "ratting on one's neighbor", jealousy, envy.

[rick91351]

I think we can blame the green monster on 99% of "ratting on one's neighbor", jealousy, envy.

I am sure we can add a long litany of names and subjects why people do it.  Some conceive they have power over others.  Yet there are other reasons I am sure some people want to be a detective, a 'revenuer', a narc, a do gooder.

Funny when I hired out with the railroad there was an unwritten code you never 'blew in another rail'.  They could be the worst SOB in the world but you never said anything at all to management.  We either handled it one on one or there was a group confrontation.  We never got management involved.  A couple years before I retired the railroads went on a hiring spree to replace us that were retiring.  I seen a huge swing in that philosophy.  They were running down the hall to report some one or some thing and each other.  Management that had been there there for a long time they were very uneasy with what was going on and seeing how it was working.  So goes our society....  where the government, our work structure has become our 1984 Nanny structure.  Report someone for the good of the hive.....      

[Abbey]

Hi Glenn,

Thanks for the reply and information. I saw in another owner/builder post where another guy is building the same type of home as yours using the earthship tires and Oehler design and he put the posts on cement pads, I think he even mentioned he got the idea from you, I might be mixing that up because I've been reading so many different owner/builder projects that everything is blending into one gigantic project. Where I live is very wet with high clay content and although there's a nice slope to easily create a bunch of simple diversion drains to move the water around the underground structure I'm always concerned with the potential of water getting in and causing mold/rot, which is difficult enough to remedy in a "normal" structure and I would think nearly impossible in an underground situation. I cannot afford concrete to build a dome and I've also heard they're prone to moisture problems as well, predominantly from the occupants. As much as I would love to do what you've done, I'm just thinking it might be simpler and cheaper to build a little cabin above ground, until I have more money to go Troglodyte like you.

[glenn kangiser]

In a hurry, the above ground cabin is going to be faster and cheaper I think Abbey.  I could throw something together in a week that would be shelter.  Given enough time, natural and unnatural resources, the underground cabin can be pretty cheap.

I helped a friend here build an underground cabin and with the French drains he did not have any problems with moisture getting in though he did note drainage from the French drains so he did avert a problem by learning from my mistakes.  [ouch]

A friend was going to build a concrete terrorist home as Oehler describes them... by the book ... engineered... county and the bank could never agree and estimated cost for a small home was $1.5 million by the time all of the parasites got their piece of her soul. 

[glenn kangiser]

Back to Myanmar a little....

My friend Myo just posted his collection of pictures of me in Myanmar on Facebook.  Here is a link for your perusal...if you like. 


Click  the picture below if you would like to go have a look.     

[Abbey]

Hey Glenn,

I think I found your twin...

[ben2go]

Long lost (half) brother? 

[glenn kangiser]

Crimoney... but he missed getting my Leather Hat. 

[Abbey]

If he had the leather hat it would almost be a dead ringer.

[glenn kangiser]

Poor fella... [ouch]

[new stratos]

If that is who it looks like (Australian actor, Bill Hunter), then he is a dead ringer. Pity.

[Abbey]

Yup, it's Bill Hunter all right, you've got a good eye. He's a fine actor and I thought he was great in "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" and "Kangaroo Jack." Yeah, Glenn could be his stunt double, or vice versa.

[glenn kangiser]

......  Hmmmm I was thinking Presidential security.... he could take the heat whenever I had to make an unpopular decision....



yeah...... right....