Glenn's Underground Cabin Update

Started by glenn kangiser, January 30, 2005, 10:24:03 PM

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glenn kangiser

#125
It may make it easier if you think of what you are trying to do and what is happening.  Mikes reason for a special method of notching is that the earth puts pressure against the sides of the post when you backfill.    Center post have no side thrust so can be flat on top, then notch the girder log an amount to match the top of the post.  If you have a 2/12 pitch and your post is 12 inches across, the notch will be 2" deep on the low side so when the girder is placed on top the post it will sit flat at the notch.  The difference with side posts that have thrust against them is that you notch only the outside 1/2 of the girder level with the ground and the inside 1/2 of the post to match the angle of the girder -lets say 2/12 pitch.  This makes the outside half of the post notch catch on the inside 1/2 of the girder, so that in addition to the strength of the rebar pin you also have the interference fit of the notches to resist the force of the earth pushing in.  The girders will have side force wanting to make them roll but this is resisted by the 16" long #4 rebar pins driven into the 1/2"dia.  16" deep pre-drilled holes.  They are a very tight fit and will lock the beams to the girders preventing roll.  Girders are slightly notched for beams also although I have skipped the notch once in a while for a beam if it made it fit better.



Hope this helps.  I have a lot of notches that are not the greatest, but they still work and you will get better as you progress.  Feel free to ask questions.  Are you going with buried posts or cement and pins at ground level?

How big a cabin do you plan to build?  Good luck on your project.  Please keep us updated on your progress.


Note:  My wife is giving me a bad time about publishing a picture of our pet spider, but I do have a signed release, she is over 18 and records are available here at our headquarters.  Do you think she's showing too much leg for a PG rated forum?
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

DS

Hi Glenn,

Thank you for the picture and description. I need to read it a few more times so that it will stick in my brain but I very much appreciate your help.

The cabin I have planed will use 10 foot spans between posts along the walls and 8 foot in the center. Right now I'm planning to start out with a 520 SF cabin.

Im figuring a 3/1 pitch, so I'm looking at about 7 total feet of drop in my roof. To compenstate for this I plan on dropping the floor 3.5 feet in the center.

Since I really havnt got a clue what I'm doing, I have kept my design as simple as possible. So far I am planning just the wall of windows in the uphil patio, and a basic royer foyer. Nothing fancy like hollywood wings or side patios.

Here are some simple picture of my design I created in a 3d program. The green areas represent the earth around the house, the carpet is blue, and the wall boards are white. I've removed the roof so you can see whats going on inside.

I'd be interested to hear your comments and thoughts on these plans. Any advice I can get is appreciated, because, as I've said, I'm sorta flying blind. However, if I do manage to get this thing built, It will prvoe that anyone can do it. Thanks a lot.

DS











DS

I forgot to answer your question. I am planning to bury the posts using the char moethod and then wrapping them in 5 or 6 bags.

DS

glenn kangiser

#128
I really like your drawings, DS.

I hadn't thought about doing the post spacing at 10 feet on walls -8' in the center but it could be done-- You would be using the larger girder beam on the walls - technically it only has 1/2 the load but the rule of thumb tables are set up for the same engineering throughout and if you stick with that, you can always expand without worrying about beefing up the wall you lightened up before.

A point not made clear in the videos or book as I remember is that you will need to us 2x material for side boards for an 8' span retaining wall or add a small -maybe 4" post mid span to use 1x material for retaining boards or they will bow in even with light hand tamping as Mike suggests.  Ask me what happens if you get too close to your light retaining boards with a Bobcat sometime--- OK -it bows them in rather badly so as Mike says don't machine tamp or drive too close.

Ar you using 2' spacing with 1x roof boards or 3'10 spacing with 2x boards ???  Your roof spacing looks wide in the pictures but maybe you put it that way for clarity.  Looking at it again it looks like you are on the wider spacing???

I did a couple sections at 8'x10'6"   I kept all my beams on 2' spacing to use 3/4" thick boards and smaller beam logs.

I had to put my posts on top the ground -I used round concrete stakes driven in with a jackhammer 2' deep the 1 foot  sticking up-drilled a 1" hole and dropped the post on it - a square piece of plastic for a vapor barrier the a couple of inches of fairly dry wet concrete under the post.  My ground is way too hard to dig a 3'deep hole in -about 4 hours per hole with a jack hammer- if you can do it.  The stake will go in in about 5 to 10 minutes or I cut it off.  This method requires temporary bracing and careful backfilling as the poles will hinge at ground level until the backfill is in around the walls.

I have talked to Mike a couple of times on the phone and I know that one of the things he would like to see is light coming in from all 4 directions.  Is there a reason you don't want that?  People say that my place has more light than a regular house.  Mikes ideas work to easily let light in nearly anywhere with very little trouble.  I have a gable on the east side, a sunscoop west center -South is mostly open -similar to his ridge house drawing - a wrap around would get you some of that.  North is my uphill patio with greenhouse overhead - lots of light.  Bathroom has a Hollywood wing over the top corner -

A heavy duty drill with 16" long self leading auger bits is a must.  I use a 1/2 inch right angle Milwaukee.  Gives you something to hang on to.  I just bought a new Stihl 140 electric chain saw-- burned up 2 Remingtons in the last 3 years.  Gears went out.  Gas saws are great for harvesting logs but the electric is nicer for making those fine cuts that PEG likes so much.  Also a 4 lb fiberglass handled sledge for driving finishing nails - OK use it for rebar spikes instead.

Your design is looking great - I think I would consider more windows.  
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

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glenn kangiser

#129
In front of your offset room I see a problem - the wall is a bit like the first thought house-- possibly you could do a wraparound from the uphill patio even if not as deep and drain the upslope water before it gets to where it will want to go down in front of your wall and across your floor.  Take it around the side and then you can have a window in the corner on the side while getting rid of the problem water.

There are several ways to get light into the other areas if you are interested.  Without the windows it can get pretty dark back in the corners.

 Just a suggestion. ;D
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

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DS

Thank you for the advice. You are right about the offset room. In my earlier models I had the uphill patio excavated from behind it, but somehow I forgot all about the need for it and filled it in with earth. I will make sure I make that change to ensure I do it correctly when I do it for real. Thanks for pointing it out.

The beams are set for 3'4''spacing using 2 inch lumber for both the roof and the walls. As I have no source for free wood and materials, I was planning to just buy 2x10's to do the roof and walls with. I'm not married to this and am open to any different ideas.

As for why there are not more windows, it all came down to my wanting to keep the design and the build as simple as possible. I can't stress enough how little building experience I have, so I wanted something very simple to build. The hollywood wings and what not seem more complicated then this simple no frills design.

Secondly, this house will be built in a warmer climate, with little to no additional air conditioning. so i wanted as much earth as possible on all sides in order to keep it cooler. since the house is going to be mostly open, I was hoping the wall of windows on the uphill patio and the Royer Foyer would provide enough light. Once again I'm not married to this and more then willing to listen ot suggestions.

Thanks for the tip about saws. I have not purchased anything yet. As soon as my house sells, I will be purchasing everything I need. I think I've decided to get a tractor and a 3 point backhoe attachment to do the digging. I know its not ideal, but I think it'll get the job done and then when I'm done I'll still have a tractor to use around the homestead. I considered buying a used backhoe, but since I am not mechnically inclined, the thought of having it break down terrifies me.

I have a budget of about 10 grand for this house, not including Land and tools, so i think I can build the place for that.

At any rate, I appreciate your advice and look forward to more. Thanks alot.

DS

glenn kangiser

#131
I don't know what state you are in, but you may a able to find a local saw mill where you can find rough sawn lumber cheaper- maybe not though.  I was surprised at how cheap some of the prices were on 2x material at the local big box store.  

If you can attempt this project, you will also be capable of doing a few extra things to get windows into other areas.  

The Hollywood wing is very simple.  Imagine the lower corner of your shed roof -- just lift the roof boards up like the corner of a piece of paper-- put a prop under it to hold it up.  Add a couple of framing members at an angle back down to the regular framing beams  for the roof boards.  Put boards around the sides and windows can be made to fit - even the crystal clear vinyl will work for an odd shaped window.  The water will flow around the lifted corner and downhill on solid ground.  A gable causes water to flow around the window or door below also.  Generally the framing can be done just like you have drawn it then add the desired features.

For this information I am giving you, I am assuming  you are in a no permit area or have an owner builder exemption-- most building departments don't wish to understand the concepts involved and it would require a lot of work to get them to allow it, probably with a lot of changes and expense incurred by you.  

The codes are not designed for safe affordable shelter using common local materials- they are designed for uniform safe shelter using high tech, corporate manufactured, high cost, high embodied energy materials and maximum tax generation. (This point was recently proven when the Supreme Court ruled that it is OK for local  government and developers to take your house and land if their project will generate more tax revenue than your house did).
"Always work from the general to the specific." J. Raabe

Glenn's Underground Cabin  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=151.0

Please put your area in your sig line so we can assist with location specific answers.

jonseyhay

I got one of those electric chain saws as well. I was surprised how good they are, even on tough timber. They really shine when you are climbing round on a roof, nice and light. They would be just the bee's knees for that job.
jonesy. :)

Daddymem

#133
I surprised my friend with my old electric craftsman chainsaw when we took down some trees a while ago (he laughed at me).  It worked great, it has a nice long cord to hang it on a branch, freeing up your hands to climb.  When you let go of the on button, it is off.  Just make sure you use a properly rated extension cord for them.  There is an article about electric chainsaws in the current Mother Earth News, how timely of them... :P


glenn-k

The hardware store owner mentioned the same thing about cords - for the Stihl, not over 50' with a #14 cord, heavier for more distance.  Power shortage will burn out the motor.

One thing the Mother Earth News article didn't mention about the Remington is that they won't hold up under heavy use.  It hurt to break out 4 times the money for the Stihl or probably similar for the Husquavarna, but I am sure both will last much longer.

DS

Thanks again for the wonderful advice.

I will be moving to an area with no building codes. I completly agree with everything you have said about them.

I'd like to get your opinion on another idea. Do you think having a hollywood wing on both sides of the house would bring in enough light? Much like my Royer Foyer in the pictures above, but adding a second one to the right corner of the house as well? Once again I am trying to figure out a way to bring in the most light while at the same time getting the benifits of having the cool earth all around me.

How cool does your home stay in the summer?

Also, do you have any sort of root seller or cold storage areas? I would really like to see them if so and hear about how you designed them. I have seen the pictures of the "Peace and Carrots" house that was designed using Mike's methods. They have a root cellar area but theres not alot of information about it.

Once again thank you for your help. Your house has really been an inspiration to me and I greatly value your opinion.

DS

Harold Epps

This is in Reply to Demain's question about a part of California where one would be least likely to encounter problems because of building codes etc.

I found a publication  that I received in 1993 which stated that  Tehama County California voters had passed the "Landowners Bill of Rights" which struck down all zoning laws and legal controls on  buildings on private property.  I hope the publication was correct and that it is still in effect.
Good Luck,
Harold

  

glenn-k

#137
DS, I used the Hollywood wing over the bathroom.  It is more for smaller windows.  Light can come in on two sides of it though.  I have a 3'x2'  (3020) in mine plus a small hand made one.  My Hollywood wing is a corner  about 6'x6' lifted about 4 feet.  Sometimes I build the frame from boards in front of the logs if there are interference problems.  If you wanted more light you could use the wrap-around or a sunscoop, or a sunscoop to the side with a Hollywood wing on the top end to move the water around it smoothly, or a gable on the bottom-- lots of ways to do it.

I started a root cellar in the deepest portion of the cabin under the uphill patio.  You need the coolest area and ventilation -I haven't had time to complete it yet.  Expanding rather than finishing things now.


It does get to 80 here in the summer as I am open outside the west side wall yet and we have about 12 weeks of weather over 100 with nights not dropping below 80.  As I get the center section closed off, next year should get better I think.  Air currently flows up the mountain through the open section and out the uphill patio - think convection oven.

DS, note that my cabin is sideways near the peak of the ridge so my uphill patio is similar to a sidehill patio and I have regraded so that I have water flowing away and downhill on both ends -south is quite open above area dug into mountain.  Mike likes all exposed areas to be glass although that is a bit much on my south side.  The pix with the goat in it is on the south side facing looking west -.  My cabin is more like Mikes ridge house design.

My wife got me a throw pillow that says "Everyone is entitled to my opinion."  I don't know why. :D

Great bit of info, Harold.  Thanks.


glenn-k

Trying to get the lower entrance done before the winter rains come.



The stucco paper covered section to the right has a semi-circular bathroom area, and will be covered with stabilized earth plaster.  From the front wall of the  bathroom to  the edge of the uphill patio is now 61 feet back into the mountain.  The right (east) side will be landscaped with boulders to make it once again look like it is part of the mountain.  The west side under the windows has heavy boards to be retaining walls so the earth can be brought back up around it.  The posts are up on rocks to provide a vapor barrier and keep them dry as water drains off below- .  The bases of the posts are drilled with a roto-hammer and anchored to the rock with 6 inch spikes.


glenn-k

#139
I'm sure I've mentioned it at least a few times -- I have my own saw mill and can make all my own un-stamped, ungraded lumber if I want to.  I can cut 30" diameter logs up to 20 feet long.   You say the unstamped  ungraded lumber is not as strong as the crooked, wet, stamped, graded lumber you can buy from the big box store.  Would you think the same if struck over the head with a 2x4 made of it???   ;D  Well. maybe on the bottom story of a wood 5 story apartment complex it could be questionable but for my own place I don't have a problem with any of it.  Same as the big box lumber without the price-- just throw the crappy boards out.

My granddad had 3 sawmills in Oregon starting in about 1910 when he was 20.  They pulled the trees from the woods using horses.  Actually the donkey engine many times pulled itself through the woods on skids, by its own cables hooked to trees. The mill was taken to the timber.  It ran on steam, burning scrap wood.  My dad stoked the boiler up with bark to get up a good head of steam when it was short.   Some day I may post a picture of the horses in front of the mill.

Here is a video of one of the ways timber was cut in those days from a little farther north.  1935 Canada

http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/exhibits/movies/large/LOG1_240.mpg

Thanks to British Columbia archives for saving this bit of history.
http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/exhibits/movies/movimage.htm

whitewolf

Hi Glenn,

I have been reading Mike's book and have a few questions for you.

1)  Can a slope be too steep for this type of building, and what is too steep if the answer is yes?

2) Doesn't this method require a LOT of digging/excavation?  I assume you dig out the uphill patio and the house area and then add the roof to the house at the same slope as the hill? (sorry, still a little confused with the first part of the book and have not gotten to the building part yet)

3)  You and Mike added on to the original building, did you add on to the sides of the house or did you dig down/back into the back side of the house?

4)I realy like the Clerestories floor plan shown in the bood, but on P.44 it shows flat foofs sloped slightly towards the house.  Is this correct and if so, isn't that a possible water issue?

5)Is the Ridge House cut into the hilltop or is it backfilled?

6) Being in Minnesota and needing all the insulation that the earth can give, would either of the flat land designs work for this area?  Seems that there may be too many windows and no protection to the north side. Your opinion?

I am realy enjoying the $50 & up book, but I am finding that I do not know what some of the ideas Mike is suggesting using are. There are things like the different types of windows for example, that have only written explainations for and no drawings on how they should look or how to build.  I would have liked the book to not only explain the building process but to show me more.  As a woman wanting to build a house myself, it will obviously take a while to examine all the things that are missing from this book.  I like this building technique a lot and would like to take advantage of it, but I find more technical info on other alternative styles and they seem easier to understand with having that info.  Any suggestions? (have to save up for Mikes video)

Thank you for you time and your help,
Sharon  

glenn-k

#141
QuoteHi Glenn,

I have been reading Mike's book and have a few questions for you.

1)  Can a slope be too steep for this type of building, and what is too steep if the answer is yes?  I think if you can possibly stand up on it you can do this.  You can modify a bit running the water to the side then turn it to go down the hill by re-grading.  Different levels also help stop extreme changes in elevation.  My wife mentioned that the video's may help you also if you are seriously considering this.  Mike likes the parts that are above ground to be mostly glass.  Look at his ridge house as a bit more of an example of this type of building.

2) Doesn't this method require a LOT of digging/excavation?  I assume you dig out the uphill patio and the house area and then add the roof to the house at the same slope as the hill? (sorry, still a little confused with the first part of the book and have not gotten to the building part yet)
The larger it is -the more digging - Mikes first place was quite small.  For larger, a backhoe or Bobcat or both helps.

3)  You and Mike added on to the original building, did you add on to the sides of the house or did you dig down/back into the back side of the house?
I expanded mostly to the sides and downhill but all directions are possible if you want to bad enough.

4)I realy like the Clerestories floor plan shown in the bood, but on P.44 it shows flat foofs sloped slightly towards the house.  Is this correct and if so, isn't that a possible water issue?
That is an illustration problem I think- actually they slope down to the side - Mike always runs his water down hill and off on solid ground someway.

5)Is the Ridge House cut into the hilltop or is it backfilled?
I don't recall exactly, but Mike always had some backfilled around the parts that took runoff to the ground level - this provides earthquake and normal bracing

6) Being in Minnesota and needing all the insulation that the earth can give, would either of the flat land designs work for this area?  Seems that there may be too many windows and no protection to the north side. Your opinion?
Building methods must be varied to fit the location -maybe most to the north underground with only a sunscoop -Hollywood wing etc. sticking out for light.  A write up for a magazine I think it was mentioned that you could add insulation - I have used rigid foam board in some areas- to cut down on the amount of earth.  With the extreme cold there in the winter, I think you would want to consider this.  Mike is also recommending something like an EPDM -pond liner etc- over the structure rather than the plastic as a better roof material-expensive though.

I am realy enjoying the $50 & up book, but I am finding that I do not know what some of the ideas Mike is suggesting using are. There are things like the different types of windows for example, that have only written explainations for and no drawings on how they should look or how to build.  I would have liked the book to not only explain the building process but to show me more.  As a woman wanting to build a house myself, it will obviously take a while to examine all the things that are missing from this book.  I like this building technique a lot and would like to take advantage of it, but I find more technical info on other alternative styles and they seem easier to understand with having that info.  Any suggestions? (have to save up for Mikes video)
Things in the book are not always clear -or addressed sometimes - I learned a lot the hard way - 1 1/2" boards for 8' wall spans -etc.  As Mike mentioned -his book mainly adresses how to get a safe structure underground - finish details are left up to the actual builder.  Keep in mind that gravity pulls the water down and it spreads sideways as it goes down.  Water cannot be routed over windows or doors and exposed windows need something above them to make the water go around and down -such as Hollywood wing etc.  Nearer conventional building on things like that.  Feel free to keep asking questions, Sharon.  You are helping everybody.

Thank you for you time and your help,
Sharon  

whitewolf

Hi Glenn,

No problem, I promise to ask a lot of questions.. ;D

I have been examining your floor plan and your pics but still can't get the "overall" pic in my head.  Any way you can update your floor plan with there the windows are and where the ups/downs to levels are?  maybe some #'s to match your pics ("you are here" sort of thing)? Will you be taking pics of the full front, sides, and back so we get a better idea of your home?  

Is your greenhouse a "building"?  I think I read in the $50 book that you can put a "roof" over the uphill patio to create a greenhouse. which is better in a winter like MN?  I'm thinking building at the top of the patio since I will need all the winter sunlight I can get.  If your's is a building, doesn't it block a lot of light for the uphill patio?  The one thing I realy want in my house is a year round greenhouse (from the Earthship idea) that I can use to recycle gray water, so I am thinking I may end up with a house that is a "first thought" design with the uphill patio and the roof sloped to the sides like Mike suggests.  Unless you can think of another way to recycle the gray water "up' to the uphill greenhouse?

Like I mentioned in my first post, I like the earthship idea but NOT the tire pounding!! :P  When I realy apply reality instead of desire, I just think that in MN even the vertical glass (which is what I figure I will need to get the winter sun inside) will loose more heat than it will gain.  Since I would still have to heat the ES, it makes Mike's ideas more realistic to MN.  

Also, I see that you have a curved wall of glass for your conversation pit, nice.  But, can you curve the walls of the house itself if you don't want the "box" house?  Can the front wall (uphill patio side) be of cob or would there be problems?  Maybe strawbale with cob inside/outside ?

Well, are you tired of my questions yet.....LOL  ::)

Thank you again,
Sharon

PS...thanks for the quick response, but doesn't that mean your not getting your work done....LOL  (i'm not either....my day off from work)

glenn-k

I do have to take a work break will get back tonight with more details -what little I know.  Not tired yet. ;D

glenn-k

My wife says - who could get a full picture in their head - people get lost here even after we've taken them through the place.

My greenhouse does stick above ground 15 feet to get optimum angle for winter sun -about 46 degrees- I used straw bale infill to build the back wall --about R50 insulation - no - it's not finished - what is???  Behind the wall is my shop to work on stuff in the winter - opening of the uphill patio under the greenhouse is about 8' x 30'  -greenhouse glass all combined about 15'x32' -all tempered used door panels for safety.  All free.


Sassy

The last time Glenn's mom was here (she's visited many times), while looking up at the uphill patio greenhouse... she asked... "don't you get snow in here?"  That was after we had just walked down the stairs & were standing on the bridge... and she's a "bright" lady!   As Glenn said in his last post, there's glass (15'x32') covering the greenhouse/uphill patio, but when you are down below, it looks like it is open sky as you can't see the glass, just the light... makes you feel like you are outside.  I like it!  

there, I've done it,  finally ventured onto the forum! ::)

whitewolf

Welcome to the forum!  I am a newbie and I know how hard that first post can be....(giggle)   :D

Is the roof also glass?  

So, if I understand you and Glenn correctly, the uphill patio is connected to the back of the greenhouse with glass on the sides?  What is used to support the front side of the greenhouse? (patio side)

Hope to see more of you here!

Sharon

Sassy

#147
Hi Sharon, thanks for the welcome.  I've enjoyed reading the forum ever since Glenn found John's site.  I'm hooked on it just about as much as he is!  The glass on the topside of the greenhouse is attached to the strawbale framing; at the base - to wood framing that sets on the roof which is our garden! ???  Glenn is going to try & attach some pic's with explanations.  Kathy

glenn-k

#148
There is a small roof at the top due to the angle of the glass - the glass is at a 45 degree angle over the opening -the bottom of the glass is at roof level which is ground level at the top of the cabin and uphill patio  -we have exits at 3 lower levels also.



This pic is on the roof - the front angled wall/part of roof is glass- The strawbale wall is behind the glass.  the stairs down are between the glass wall and the strawbale wall.  The strawbale wall is vertical and about 12 feet behind the glass at the base of it getting closer as the glass angles toward it at the top.  It is 29' vertically from the top of the glass to the bottom of the cabin through the uphill patio.  there is about a 4 1/2 foot high wall at the bottom level to the floor of the uphill patio.  In general - not exactly. :-/

whitewolf

WOW!  Now I understand that part of the plan. Thank you SO much.

I like that idea a lot.  

I have a bunch more questions, but will wait until this evening when you have time to answer my previous set (2nd) of questions first.  Don't want to put the cart before the horse....wow, doesn' that line date me...lOL   :o

Sharon