900 Sq. ft Earth Bermed Passive Solar Home in Upstate NY

Squirl · October 14, 2009, 09:08:13 AM

It looks great. Congratulations on the window.

glenn kangiser · October 16, 2009, 12:17:42 AM

Looks like you are doing great.

October 19, 2009, 07:57:38 PM

We've finished the forms for the front half of the house. For the forms we used 3/4" plywood. Jeff screwed the plywood into the bottom boards, and then put some bracing on the top. We're just about ready to pour the cement for the bond beam - there's some rebar work left and we need to move more materials for the portland cement mix. Thursday is the big day! The weather is much nicer this week - 50s and sunny. Hopefully it'll stay that way for a few more weeks!

drainl · October 21, 2009, 09:32:04 PM

We made a decision yesterday morning to take advantage of the weather and do the cement for the bedroom bond beam. Since the bedroom has a different roof system, our thought was if we got the cement poured their first, we could work on the bedroom roof on days we didn't have good weather for mixing cement. Make any sense? Plus we should be able to do the bedroom roof ourselves, while we'll need some help for the main roof. So, we preped the area by taping the edges of the forms with duct tape, and taping in PVC pipes in case we want to run any wires down them. Then we had a big lunch and came back at 1pm to start. I was the mixer and Jeff took care of the rest.

All covered up for the night

We finished up at 5:30. So in four and a half hours we did 10 batches of concrete (2.5 bags of portland). I could barely stand by the end and Jeff was pretty wiped out too. This work is really hard on the back. We were very optomistic in thinking we could get the whole front section and bedroom done in one day, but now we have a good idea of what we can get done and how much material we need. The forms over the windows and doors took about 2 batches to fill. Jeff had the most success with layering the cement in the forms (instead of working from one side to the other). Here's how one of the forms looked tonight.

Not bad! So now we've figured we need 5 nice days for the two of us to work to complete the cement for the entire bond beam and some remaining core fills. Problem is it's nearly November, and we have limited baby-sitting time. The other alternative is to have a cement truck come in with a pumper truck. With about two days work, we'd be ready for everything to be poured, so that would mean next week we'd be done with the bond beam instead of a couple weeks out. Jeff's going to call in the morning, get some prices and then we'll decide what to do. If we continue to mix the concrete ourselves, we'll probably split the remainder of the front half of the house into two days of work. Tomorrow morning should be exciting! Does anyone know what a pumper truck costs?

glenn kangiser · October 21, 2009, 10:35:16 PM

The bond beam looks good. Lots of hard work there for sure.

October 22, 2009, 08:38:01 AM

Well, we got our answer on the pumper truck - $950 for a minumum of 5 hours of work, plus the cost of concrete. Portland cement here we come!

Dog · October 22, 2009, 11:40:39 AM

Good Luck Guys! The house looks like it's coming along nicely

poppy · October 22, 2009, 12:32:37 PM

I was about to complain about the use of the word cee-ment for concrete when you corrected yourself in the last paragraph of the post.

Nice pics. and good looking concrete work.

Glad youall discovered that layering concrete makes it easier to tamp in.

Have you considered moving your mixer up the hill behind the house and making a chute to deliver the mix to the forms? Might save some of the back breaking part.

speedfunk · October 22, 2009, 07:12:15 PM

thanks all for the good words

Helps for sure!

Today was a great day we finished the front bond beam completely!! I believe it was 23 concrete mixers full. It was a marathon day but we got it all done before dark . Deb did amazing, working hard non-stop from 10:00 til 6:00, so proud of her. Had my buddy ron who helped with footers stop by and help for a couple of hours which picked the speed up for sure. We will post some pics soon.

Poppy .. I think is was useing a stiffer mix then most . When Ron was with us he seemed to prefer a slightly wetter mix then we were using ...which also sped the process up a bit. I dont think it was to wet though , just wetter then what I thought was a good mix.

Cold beer time

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

October 22, 2009, 08:20:54 PM

Quote from: drainl on October 22, 2009, 08:38:01 AM
Well, we got our answer on the pumper truck - $950 for a minumum of 5 hours of work, plus the cost of concrete. Portland cement here we come!

I think I would check into one of these http://www.contractorsdirect.com/Crown-Concrete-Buggy before I would try to hand mix the amount that you need. Not to buy of course but to rent. But you will probably have to round up up a few more "buddies" as this is a little slower. In that I mean that alot of concrete redimix companies only allot a certain amount of time to unload. Here it is 10 min per yard.

speedfunk · October 23, 2009, 09:09:09 AM

Neat, I didn't know such a device existed. That being said being that all rock/sand/portland had to moved anyway and that I could not keep up with that machine I"m glad we used the concrete mixer. It's a really nice mixer. It goes at a predictable pace. We also paid money for it so being that I'm pretty frugal/cheap I would probably not rent something unless absolutly nessacary.

Found a bathroom sink (of smaller size, perfect!) in really nice condition on my way back from dropping deb off at work ...FREE

It's it's a bit boring of a design but does your bathroom sink really need to make a statement ? lol.

i'm not sure what their unload time was. Did not get that far. i know that when we did the footers though we were will over 10 mins a yard and he didn't seem to mind.

Redoverfarm · October 23, 2009, 02:05:16 PM

Some do and some don't have limits. I would say if they have a lot of rural area to cover it might come into play.

The buggy would be worth it's weight in comparison to hand mixing that amount of concrete. I don't think you could keep up with the pour. The alternative would be to do so in sections and then you would have joints which I don't really care for in slab for numerous reason.

The sink. The only person that you have to please is yourself and Deb. Who cares what your friends or relatives say.

MountainDon · October 23, 2009, 02:15:03 PM

You would have to ask. Here in the city they watch the clock as a rule, but may not nit pick over a few minutes.

speedfunk · October 23, 2009, 09:56:45 PM

Don: I like the "spam hunter"

, I thought you just peeled of the lid on the can. Is there a season for spam hunting? How much does the permit cost?

Redover: We are still debating how we are going to do the floor . It's going to be either concrete or earthen we are not sure which yet. If we do concrete we most likely will get it delivered for $90/yard. The thought did cross my mind to pour the floor in stages with smaller forms that made a kind of puzzle look. I thought it would be cool. What is your thoughts on not doing this. I am on the upward part of learning curve with concrete just trying to do it right. I didn't like the idea of joints and dirt getting in cracks etc. Also I can see that if the ground settles the mini slabs could shift making the floor uneven. However if done right with different color stains etc...it could be pretty neat.

I think most friends and relatives are proud of us no matter what we do. This area does not look down on recycling. People around here are pretty resourceful as a whole. I'm more wondering what Deb will think lol. I love stuff with character ...just like us

.

October 23, 2009, 10:32:54 PM

Quote from: speedfunk on October 23, 2009, 09:56:45 PM
... Is there a season for spam hunting?

It's more a time of day than being a season.

Late late at night or early in the AM. Most that come here seem to be on the other side of the planet, Russia, India, Phillipines...

Squirl · October 27, 2009, 09:31:01 AM

I was just looking into this issue for my floors. I was looking for something with good thermal mass (1-2 in. thick) and a nice finish. I didn't like the hassle of a myriad of small tiles either. I decided to try this.

http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/handmade-pavers/37670.html

I figured I could make them 1-2 inches thick. I can make them any color (dark for passive solar). They will have a smoother finish than poured concrete. I can make them larger (1.5-2 feet square) I don't have to worry as much about cracking. I don't have to hire a truck and can do it with a home mixer. (A truck can't get to my location) And I can reuse the molds. Also if I get practice on the floor, I will be better when trying to pour a concrete counter top.

It seems to be the best fit I have found for me so far. It sounds close to what you are looking for.

BTW, do you have to worry about cracking or strength in pouring now? I have held off on my project because of the close to or below freezing temperatures at night.

speedfunk · October 27, 2009, 12:41:37 PM

That is pretty cool Squirl . Thanks for sharing. For all those reasons you mention is a very good option. I'll have to show deb. I bet she will like the clean polished type look.

Am I worried? NAH

As long as it doesn't go below freezing were ok. I think it's curing time is longer when colder. Concrete gives off a bit of heat as it's reaction takes place, so we threw some plastic on it to maybe help a bit. They also make additives to add to concrete when it's really cold.

Hopefully we will be pouring last bond beam within next week or two.

drainl · October 27, 2009, 08:24:25 PM

That is a cool floor Squirl. Would you grout between the sections?

I've been keeping an eye on the weather and it has been above freezing most nights. Maybe not much above though.

We took advantage of the good weather last week and got the rest of the front half of the bond beam done. On Thursday we powered through (over 20 batches) and got it all done in one day. Our friend Ron came over for a couple hours and was really helpful, filling my buckets with sand, gravel & water, and Jeff's buckets with concrete so he didn't have to climb up and down the ladder. On Sunday we spent a couple hours taking off all the forms, cleaning up and stacking all the blocks back up that we were using as support for the forms. Not all the forms were perfect but they are solid. There are two pieces of rebar in each form. We'll also SBC over them all at some point, which will fill in any small gaps we have.

Jeff started finishing the back wall this week. It'll be 4 blocks up from the bottom of the windows (including the bond beam). We hope to get the core fills done by Friday and then we'll need another full day to fill the bond beams. We're trying to figure out the best way to move cement to the back wall. Most likely we'll be working with the mixer from above and running a walkway from the hill to the house.

It's really exciting to see it all come together! Jeff found a pedestal sink the other day for free for the bathroom. We'll probably build a cabinet under it. We're also going to look at some door lock-sets from Craiglist. Hopefully we can get some good deals there. We picked up another wood door for free recently too. We were thinking it'd work for the bathroom closet. It's fun gathering up all these free/cheap items while we have the time.

Bishopknight · November 02, 2009, 08:08:24 PM

Jeff and Deb,

It looks fantastic! Well done! You both have a lot to be proud of so far.

Ugh, I hate to say this, I know you mentioned sbc. I tried doing some around this time of year last year and it didnt come out so well. I had to redo those areas last spring. I'm not trying to dissuade you from doing it, and I'm sure you probably already know this, I'm just weighing in with my opinion.

So whats next?

Sassy · November 02, 2009, 09:08:09 PM

Wow! Looking good

Seems like the block walls like that are a lot of work - do ya think they're a lot more work than regular stick built?

November 04, 2009, 08:31:23 AM

Thanks BK, We are most likely going to wait to finish the exterior Surface Bonding Cement til the spring. Right now getting the concrete poured and roof on is top priority. I'm thinking the inside I can parge with the woodstove running to help keep the temp above freezing. Once roof is on , Fixing the spring and getting windows in are next.

Today I'm working on doing the rear core fills it's supposed to be a bit chilly but only quickly dipping into the high 20's which as long as it isn't for to long should not be a problem.

Sassy, The walls are quite a bit of work. Mostly due to the heavy nature of everything. I'm not even sure how many tons of material we have moved but our stone and sand piles have a MAJOR dent taken out of them. Also as we go higher, things are slowing down a bit. Esp since deb has decided she will let me have any job up high lol. I had a ladder kick out on me the other day while working setting block at around 12' above ground...luckily i grabbed onto the wall and climbed up and got down.. I think this is why she doesn't want to do it.

It feels like we are moving slow, but despite being right next to the site we are busy schedule wise and can't devote as much time as we woiuld like. I do see some people popping a cabin up in a month.. It looks like it's done but there is still a lot of finish work left. An advantage to the concrete block and SBC is that the walls are basically done when you parge the interior. Instead of all the time consuming finish work that stick frame in tails. We will have SOLID walls so if little tuck decides to ride his bike into the wall , no worries. So it's tough to compare Sassy, I guess it all depends. It's phiscial work for sure though, but you can do it alone if need be.

Deb and I talked about it last night. I usually put in 2 to 3 days on average and deb usually 1 - 1.5 . Right now my band commitments are less. All though this is the 2nd weekend free in the whole summer and fall I think. So usually weekends are shot . Almost there..I'm looking forward to getting done with concete for a while though, it's nasty to inhale and burns the skin a bit. I like the workablity just would prefer something more "natural" that was more pleasent to work with.

off 2 the land...

speedfunk · November 04, 2009, 03:12:33 PM

Poppy, we took your idea of using the cement mixer above the landing . We have all stone,sand in piles above the house and 2x10's to the window openings on the house. Today I ran material trips for rebar and more portland to get ready for last stretch. I got everything ready to go for saterday and sunday so HOPEFULLY (have to give ourselfs an out) finish core fills sat and sunday maybe bond beam. we will see It's an ambitious plan. A bit chillier today , but pleasent...

jdhen · November 04, 2009, 08:02:28 PM

And I thought I was working hard! I'm only throwing wood around and you're lifting earth. Big weight difference. I thought I was sore at the end of the day but you probably a bit more aware of you're muscles than I am!
I can't wait to see how those tree poles look when you're done. That's going to be a fantastic feature!

speedfunk · November 05, 2009, 03:30:46 PM

Thanks jdhen,

Lol. I'm not sure...wood still weighs too!! This skinny vegetarian needs the muscles

I hope the tree's will look cool . I think they will, we will see.

drainl · November 08, 2009, 10:39:22 PM

We are wiped out, but we made great progress this weekend. The weather was sunny and in the 60s during the day, above freezing at night. Perfect for finishing up the bond beam. Grandma Wendy took Tucker to visit family, so we were kid-less as well! Tuck is good on the work site, but we keep him away when we're mixing cement or working up high.

We got started around 9:30 Saturday morning. The core fills on the back wall and short wall by the kitchen needed to be done. Each hole took 1.5 batches of concrete. I think I mixed close to 20 batches. Jeff put together a nice plank system for getting around the house. Much quicker for him then going up and down ladders. We finished with the concrete right around sunset. Unfortunately we went through most of our sand and gravel that Jeff had moved, so we grabbed a couple beers and a flashlight and spent an hour or so moving more materials for Sunday. After that we cleaned up and treated ourselves to dinner out.

Today (Sunday) we got an earlier start - around 8:30. With the time change it gets dark a little after five which really cuts into our working time. Once we have the roof on we can set up a bunch of lights and work at night - with the woodstove going. Anyway, our first task for today was to get all the forms in for the windows. We were able to reuse all the plywood from the front windows. There wasn't much cutting to be done, but it still took forever to get it all set up! About four hours for the forms and laying rebar, plus other miscelaneous stuff. We ran home for a quick lunch and got started mixing concrete at 1. Four hours before dark was making us a little nervous, but luckily we again wrapped up right around sunset. This time we did 12 batches. Jeff really enjoyed working from above instead of below on a ladder. I got less downtime since he was moving quicker. Our average batches/hour went from 2 to 3 since we first started these big mixing days. We're both barely able to move, but are really excited we finished what we had hoped to this weekend.

Jeff decided he'd like to finish up the concrete work before we move on to the roof. We need to pour under the windows to bring the sills up to the right height for each window. Setting up the forms will probably take longer than the actual concrete. If all goes well, we'll wrap that up on Friday. I'm pretty tired of messing with portland cement (the skin burns and the dust!) and look forward to moving on to the next stage. It's going to be awesome to see the roof on!