Underground Cabin - Techniques - Thoughts - Methods - Design

fardarrigger · July 26, 2010, 12:19:42 AM

Hmm, great sketch...but where's the turret? $:-\$

glenn kangiser · July 26, 2010, 12:40:42 AM

Still to be negotiated - they were a bit indefinite about the need for it - just a thought or desire, but we will need to see if it fits in with the project and the location as well as the privacy concerns. Still a possibility though and I picture it near the front 8 foot x 8 foot area.

July 26, 2010, 12:59:51 AM

Just for discussion sake lets say I see it as something like this

OK that was the first thought - now I see it would have to go directly over the 8x8 square area to have footings to solid ground below - to the left will be backfill and not cost effective to take the extra posts to the ground without adding a room under it.... so think of it as being over the other room - possibly modifying it to the turret shape- an easy fix.

fardarrigger · July 27, 2010, 11:37:29 PM

Hi Glenn,

Might be easier to just extend the 8X8 area up higher than the rest of the roof and add windows, and a floor. It would be more in keeping with the design (as it is right now) and definitely more stealthy. Just an idea. Not exactly a turret but an underground dwelling ain't exactly a castle either. A lookout room, perhaps.

Lauren
Man, that's some pile of lumber...drool

glenn kangiser · July 27, 2010, 11:48:52 PM

Hey Lauren, wish it was straighter stacked but it is what it is.

I did work up a different layout on the Turret but it looks like they want to cut down the size and cut costs ... oh well .. I did present the idea to them anyway. Seems the well went way over budget. Just a rough computer sketch in Paint - didn't have time to do a good job and learn it in Sketchup or something else.

Now it looks like 1/2 of the back section to the left will be eliminated. No problem though - this thing is organic.

July 31, 2010, 11:21:24 PM

Back on track with this project.

It bugged me that the pump company was charging the owner so much that they had to reduce the size of the cabin so I made a counter offer. I still carry my drillers license so I offered to do the solar pump in trade for reducing the cabin size to what they wanted and installing the pump for the difference, keeping my contract the same as for the full cabin. Since that was at about half of the cost they were quoted on the pump they went for it. I still got what I would normally charge for the system at a fair rate.

The owners concerns were simply that the well and pump were taking way too much of the project money. I simply offered more value for a fair price. The economy is way too tight to try to get rich now. I'm just happy with work.

I should mention that Whitlock and I discussed this problem and I made the offer based on our discussion. Better to keep the work amongst ourselves than let it go to someone else.

Besides - I had recommended the guy for drilling the well - I didn't need him cutting down my part of the project so he could keep himself in new toys...

Better I earn enough to keep my crappy used toys running.

Here is the reduced size offset cabin we settled upon. Still a cool design as the single shed roof is easy to get light in from the high straight left wall. Drainage is simplified. The offset allows windows in an area that would otherwise be covered by the front section of the cabin.

Pardon the kind of crappy computer sketch - just modifying it as plans change.

ben2go · August 01, 2010, 11:05:14 PM

Does the timber thickness need to increase with wall height? For example an 8x8 timber for an 8 foot wall and a 12x12 for a 12 foot wall.My idear was to use shed roofs about 20 inches above ground level with slide windows to let in light and allow air circulation.

glenn kangiser · August 02, 2010, 12:06:47 PM

It would have to from an engineering standpoint.

Mike kept it simple in design and had his engineer design the posts for a 10 foot average wall. It would be a bit overkill for shorter post lengths and reduce the safety factor for taller lengths so increasing size or reducing load as Mike recommended would be a good idea.

Remember that Mikes modular design is all based on full load of the 8x8 or 8x10'6" modules so the sides of the building are actually at half load, however he does not take that into consideration. Therefor adding on is simplified. The framing is already big enough to handle it.

Mike already recommends increasing the post size simply for looks. The more massive logs look better standing there.

The shed roofs as well as sidehill patios, uphill patios, gables and many more methods in Mikes book can be used for light and circulation. Always design a back exit through an uphill patio, Royer Foyer or other means. There is no need to not have plenty of light or a safe exit from the revenuers with Mike's methods.

glenn kangiser · December 15, 2010, 10:43:30 PM

Back on this one part time now. Whitlock and I put the pump in a while back then I worked for a while. Went up day before yesterday and laid out the digging lines to see how it will fit, and am doing the pipe and conduit from the pump while there.

Spider leg in front of the camera lens? Oh well...

So today I load up the Bobcat - service it - semi-dry day here... take off - get halfway up the hill there - about 10 miles away, and everything is wet. It rained. Spun out the truck going up the hill - stopped - unloaded the Bobcat on the slope.... steel tracks on a steel trailer with no grippers on the steel.... slid off the trailer sideways - no big deal except the hole in my underwear where I gripped them too hard....

Got the Bobcat out of the way - put the trailer bed back - tried to drive - got the truck and trailer stuck in the ditch - pushed the trailer sideways with the Bobcat -- backed down successfully.... for a few feet then jackknifed it again (front wheels were light and locking up braking so no steering) and had the truck 4 feet up against the bank - knocked off a clearance light 4 feet up and filled everything on the right with mud-- the ditch was full of soft mud.

Tied a rope to the front winch control lever and hooked the winch to a big tree - pulled the truck and trailer out with the winch as I was driving - unhooked the winch - successfully got the truck and trailer to the customers driveway then walked the Bobcat the 3/4 mile or so up to the job then walked back out. Didn't do any real work but, hey, I'm there.

Soooo, how was your day?

July 09, 2019, 10:05:54 PM

So Glenn, I squirreled on page 69 I think of the thread on your cabin, and have been avidly reading on this thread, and it stopped with you unloading a bobcat in some fun sounding mud and never picked back up. I feel gypped! LOL, I want the price of admission back!

What happened? Did you ever finish it? Are there other cabins you've helped with or know of? Am a bit busy studying for my CDL, but after getting some debts paid off, I want to start looking for some land and been reading as much as I can on building underground... I haven't bought Mike's DVDs yet, but after paying off some bills, they are on my must buy list for sure.