Terra-Dome Earth Shelter Build

[ND Vet]

I'd like to join the conversation. We are still in the design phase but hope to get Terra Dome out to start our home in July. It took awhile to read all 60 pages but it was worth it. You have a lot of experience chiming in. I was wondering why you chose to do this much work before covering the house. Wouldn't it protect the waterproofing to have the soil in place? Do you still think the Berylex helped? Knowing the problems you've had, is there any way to get Terra Dome to do a better job with getting the doors and windows square and the domes smoother? I don't hear anyone saying they should have chosen another outfit to do the work so can I assume that all of you feel that these were within the expected level of problems? Thanks for all the time you spent posting!

 

[SamWalton]

I'd like to join the conversation. We are still in the design phase but hope to get Terra Dome out to start our home in July. It took awhile to read all 60 pages but it was worth it. You have a lot of experience chiming in. I was wondering why you chose to do this much work before covering the house. Wouldn't it protect the waterproofing to have the soil in place? Do you still think the Berylex helped? Knowing the problems you've had, is there any way to get Terra Dome to do a better job with getting the doors and windows square and the domes smoother? I don't hear anyone saying they should have chosen another outfit to do the work so can I assume that all of you feel that these were within the expected level of problems? Thanks for all the time you spent posting!

Hello ND Vet and welcome to TBN. Before I begin I would like to know where you are building your new home and your motivations to use Terra Dome. Also what are your expectations on the design and are you going to contract it out our do it yourself? I am pleased you are doing this, it is a difficult journey but worth the effort. I am choosing not to cover our home for a few reasons. One, we want to know for sure that we have no leaks before covering. We have found clearly that the epro water proofing products will never work in any areas where water pools (low spots) and with the lack of quality from the Terra Dome crew you can plan on these low spots on the roof. Our second reason for holding off is finical; we must get our home to a point where we can move in to save on the expense of renting a home. I know it doesn't make much since to many but when you are not willing to allow the corrupt bankers to control you, you make sacrifices. The Berylex product works on the roof. Terra Dome could definitely use much improvement. One flaw to their system is to reuse the footing lumber in the window and door pressure treated block outs. The lumber used around the windows and doors should actually be 2x12 ripped cut to fit the 10 inch gap in the walls. Terra Dome should also plan and execute a quality method to pitch the roof to eliminate the water from pooling and leaking. Terra Dome could definitely use new forms for the walls. In my opinion the Terra Dome system is the best value and all the difficulties can be overcome. I have no regrets. Be sure to define your expectations clearly in writing preferably in your contract.

A few more pictures of our progress

 

[sajurcaju]

Sam covered it pretty well.

We had a big surprise after TD was done. We got a call from the local steel yard (just before they would be putting a lien on the house) saying that TD hadn't paid for the last load of steel. I went over and paid for it myself--$5k.

On the good side, TD didn't give us any issues about the $5k. There were small amounts of money owed each way and the $5k was added to the list. Very bad form to just leave the bill behind.

The other issue we had was TD left their forms here for quite awhile after they were finished. We had to pressure them into picking them up sooner than they wanted. Pretty tough to work on a module full of forms.

Steve
Maine TD house

 

[ND Vet]

We are between Zap and Golden Valley, ND building on the family ranch. (tiny towns you might not find them on the map) We wanted an energy efficient house, taking advantage of passive solar and giving a great south view over our favorite hunting spots on the ranch with little footprint. The winds are bitter and winters are cold. We also want as close to zero maintenance as we get older. We don't have banker issues. Still have small town bankers that are close friends and neighbors with the best interests of the community in mind. Thanks for the heads up, Sam and Steve. I will bring these issues up with Terra Dome. I had checked out Earth Sheltered Technologies as they are much closer, Mankato, MN, but they were priced outrageously and did not want to work with me on the things I wanted in the design at all. I got the impression they wanted to build the houses they already had plans on with only minor deviations. One thing I noticed that was very different was the amount of insulation and type of waterproofing they used vs Terra Dome. EST has 3' insulation on the walls and 6" on the roof. They use bentonite clay covered by polyethylene sheeting on the roof, covered by a pool liner. They guarantee the roof against leakage. I am planning on acting as my own general contractor but will contract out all major elements as do not have that kind of expertise or time to spend. We would never get it built if we did all the work you are doing. That's really impressive!

 

[SamWalton]

We are between Zap and Golden Valley, ND building on the family ranch. (tiny towns you might not find them on the map) We wanted an energy efficient house, taking advantage of passive solar and giving a great south view over our favorite hunting spots on the ranch with little footprint. The winds are bitter and winters are cold. We also want as close to zero maintenance as we get older. We don't have banker issues. Still have small town bankers that are close friends and neighbors with the best interests of the community in mind. Thanks for the heads up, Sam and Steve. I will bring these issues up with Terra Dome. I had checked out Earth Sheltered Technologies as they are much closer, Mankato, MN, but they were priced outrageously and did not want to work with me on the things I wanted in the design at all. I got the impression they wanted to build the houses they already had plans on with only minor deviations. One thing I noticed that was very different was the amount of insulation and type of waterproofing they used vs Terra Dome. EST has 3' insulation on the walls and 6" on the roof. They use bentonite clay covered by polyethylene sheeting on the roof, covered by a pool liner. They guarantee the roof against leakage. I am planning on acting as my own general contractor but will contract out all major elements as do not have that kind of expertise or time to spend. We would never get it built if we did all the work you are doing. That's really impressive!

Why not Minot, freezein's the reason. I worked their de-installing a B52 flight simulator for updating their computer systems. You may want to use 6" of insulation on your Terra Dome you are in one cold place.

 

[SamWalton]

It has been so cold it has been difficult to get much done. Our home is too big for our wood stove especially without the electric blower to transfer the heat. I am still working on the wall.

 

[mjncad]

Now that's attention to detail to caulk the wood as shown in pictures 2 & 3.

I'll bet it's a raw cold working inside as that concrete still has lots of moisture to expel.

 

[patrick_g]

Why not Minot, freezein's the reason. I worked their de-installing a B52 flight simulator for updating their computer systems. You may want to use 6" of insulation on your Terra Dome you are in one cold place.

Sam... Small world, I did three winters in Minot courtesy of Uncle Sugar. I was in SAC in the training devices squadron at Minot, an instructor/operator/maintainer of a Link C-11-c instrument trainer based on T-33/F-80 aircraft. Why not Minot? Shucks, lets go to the short list, WHY MINOT? My personal low that I was out in is -47F at Minot (thermometer, not wind chill.)

When I was there SAC had its B-52 simulators and KC-135 tanker sims on railroad cars and ran then around base to base. I got to operate some when they were at our base.

If you do the numbers you will probably find a payback for even more insulation than 6 inches if the percent fenestratioin isn't too very over done.

Pat

 

[SamWalton]

Now that's attention to detail to caulk the wood as shown in pictures 2 & 3.

I'll bet it's a raw cold working inside as that concrete still has lots of moisture to expel.

I use a liquid nails type product to glue and seal for extra strength and to seal out water in case our cold joint leaks. The steel electrical boxes won't hold up to moisture so this prevents rust.

 

[SamWalton]

Sam... Small world, I did three winters in Minot courtesy of Uncle Sugar. I was in SAC in the training devices squadron at Minot, an instructor/operator/maintainer of a Link C-11-c instrument trainer based on T-33/F-80 aircraft. Why not Minot? Shucks, lets go to the short list, WHY MINOT? My personal low that I was out in is -47F at Minot (thermometer, not wind chill.)

When I was there SAC had its B-52 simulators and KC-135 tanker sims on railroad cars and ran then around base to base. I got to operate some when they were at our base.

If you do the numbers you will probably find a payback for even more insulation than 6 inches if the percent fenestratioin isn't too very over done.

Pat

Back in 1990 through 1994, I was a Production Engineer for Quintron Corporation in Chantilly Virginia. All we did was design and build flight simulators for DOD. We did P3s, T37, T38, T1A and T400.