Terra-Dome Earth Shelter Build

[SamWalton]

Finally some dry weather! Yesterday I power washed the cold joints on the roof. Today my son Travis and I brushed on 14 gallons of the ECOLINE-T waterproofing material. We applied two coats to all cold joints and all pipe penetrations and both chimneys. We will allow it to dry and cover with used carpet turned upside down. This will prevent any UV damage and allow us to find any additional leaks. We will eventually complete the waterproofing job with multiple layers of product.

 

[SamWalton]

Today we completed the installation of the pressure treated sill plate on the octagon sky window with sanding and primmer. Yesterday I cut the boards, drilled the anchor holes, glued and bolted to the concrete. We also installed our galvanized drainage pipe, coverd and graded.

We have been having problems with trespassers who will drive in if we leave the gate open while we are working on our property. They will drive up our 800 foot driveway with many no trespassing signs and turn around and leave without a word. We have a photo of this trespasser. Any suggestions on how to handle these people?

 

[tommu56]

We have the same issue with people at my cabin they drive through 2 gates pass at least 5 signs and still drive back a half mile.

I Always ask who they are looking for that will usually leave them speechless and they leave.
Some times they are looking for another cabin owner on the ridge and I direct them to the place.

We have resorted to closing the gate just propping it closed has stopped most.

It is a pain but we just gave up.
tom

 

[dave1949]

Nice to see you are making progress! It looks good.

About the trespassers, unless you live in a high crime area I would guess they are just curious - you are building something different, people probably just want to see it.

I don't post our lot, but usually in the Fall before deer season guys out looking for hunting areas will come up the driveway. They see our house and go back down to the road. I they weren't so shy, I would tell them they could hunt deer out back. It's comical really.

Dave.

 

[sajurcaju]

Today we completed the installation of the pressure treated sill plate on the octagon sky window with sanding and primmer. Yesterday I cut the boards, drilled the anchor holes, glued and bolted to the concrete. We also installed our galvanized drainage pipe, coverd and graded.

We have been having problems with trespassers who will drive in if we leave the gate open while we are working on our property. They will drive up our 800 foot driveway with many no trespassing signs and turn around and leave without a word. We have a photo of this trespasser. Any suggestions on how to handle these people?

Looks like a little better job on your concrete (than ours) Sam. We don't have any bad spots that are structural, our skylight is a bit rough and one of the retaining walls doesn't look so hot.

I thought I had a shot of the exterior stucco. We really like how it came out. I'll get one and post it later.

There are inevitably going to be a lot of passers-by curious about what's going on, especially after the first time you show up in a local news article. We're taking the opportunity to show people the advantages of this type of construction.

Steve

 

[SamWalton]

Looks like a little better job on your concrete (than ours) Sam. We don't have any bad spots that are structural, our skylight is a bit rough and one of the retaining walls doesn't look so hot.

I thought I had a shot of the exterior stucco. We really like how it came out. I'll get one and post it later.

There are inevitably going to be a lot of passers-by curious about what's going on, especially after the first time you show up in a local news article. We're taking the opportunity to show people the advantages of this type of construction.

Steve

I see a lot of progress Steve, I would have liked to sub more of our build but we simply just couldn't afford too. We have had some progress but not like employing a crew or more.

We live a half mile off a private road and our drive way is posted multiple times around and after the gate. I guess we must keep our gate closed at all times. We have avoided and news exposure because we like to keep in private on the local level.
Please post more pictures. I like the way the steel framing bends with the ceiling line!

 

[woodlandfarms]

Sam, we live up a 1 mile drive, barely a single lane, nearly impossible to find, and yet once a week we have someone driving onto the property...

We found out from gentle conversation that it is either a neighbors friend who got lost or someone who was following the map on google earth. Turns out they have our road wrong, showing it as a large loop. Once in a long, long while it is just a lookieloo. And 3 years ago it was a thief...

 

[jayste]

Once in a long, long while it is just a lookieloo. And 3 years ago it was a thief...

We have two entrances. One enters off the county road and goes to our house. The other enters of another county road and goes to the farm and farm house. We have locked gates at each drive. When we're home, the gates are closed and locked, when we're gone, the gates are closed and locked. Our neighbors and visitors that know us know to call ahead. It may sound like a pain to open and close gates so much but it keeps out all those folks driving in and asking where so-and-so lives all the while casing your house. May sound a little paranoid but I've been broken into and have had things stolen and have little tolorance for a thief.

Jay

 

[dave1949]

I thought I had a shot of the exterior stucco. We really like how it came out. I'll get one and post it later.
Steve

Steve, is that soil or stucco or something else on your roof in the first pic?
Glad to see you are making progress there. Do you have a move in target date?

Dave.

 

[sajurcaju]

Steve, is that soil or stucco or something else on your roof in the first pic?
Glad to see you are making progress there. Do you have a move in target date?

Dave.

That's what passes for dirt in Maine. You'd probably call it sand. Topsoil is known as "loom", spelled loam. You can probably tell, I'm 'from away' as they say here. We moved from Colorado six years ago.

Steve