Terra-Dome Earth Shelter Build

[carpolisher]

We have been busy as usual and have lived in our new home close to two months. It has been quite of a hardship due to the heat and limited facilities. We have made good progress. I do regret not having the house covered with soil before moving in. This year in Sallisaw has been very hot and dry. We haven't had a real rain since May. I would like to know the cost to water proof insulate and cover with soil others have paid because my estimates were way off. Please send a private message if you don't care to post. We have spent somewhere around 4K for EPRO materials and also had help from carpolisher with his donation of 50 gallons of EPRO materials. We choose to continue using the Stego 15 mil barrier as a secondary system on portions. We are also going to use Paraseal bentonite and EPROs ECOSHIELD-EB, 6 and 12 POLYESTER and ECOTAPE. We will clean and reapply the ECOLINE-R with the POLYESTER in trouble areas. We will also apply granular bentonite to the valleys where it is pitched incorrectly and the drainage system will be placed. We will cover this granular bentonite with the Stego then the drainage pipe. We are using more of the fill dirt than I thought. Since our home was build at grade we rely on trucked in fill dirt. We had 54 loads delivered after the highway project has a steep grade collapse within a mile of our home. We are going to purchase a bunch of the 1 extruded polystyrene insulation. We will apply in two layers. This stuff is very costly about $14 a 4'x8' sheet. Anyway we are working at getting covered to save us from cooking in the sun. We have made other progress in our kitchen with placing our base cabinets and installing the first two interior doors. Please for the safety and well being of you and your loved ones you should begin storing food and other necessities because the dollar is very close to a collapse and the earth changes will pose a very serious threat to all in it way.

Looking good! We have about $8000 in the cover up excluding labor and equipment. $4300 for 300 sheets of 1" polystyrene, $1,700 for pond liner,
$1800 for Econoline matl, $100 for 5 sacks of bentonite. $200 for drain tile and misc. The dirt was free. I under estimated the exterior siding. One guy wanted $17K to stucco. I found a great product called Stucco Max that specifically goes over the EPS foam in one coat and I will DIY it.

 

[carpolisher]

Our build is going well except for the thunderstorms every night that turn the site into a mud hole. This is a record breaking year for moisture in ND. We got two modules poured this week so thought I would let you see some pictures.

Good progress..... Our TD crew took 2 weeks for one module. Tell Lewis Bob from PA says Hi and I have some left over Berylex if he wants it.

 

[sajurcaju]

Good progress..... Our TD crew took 2 weeks for one module. Tell Lewis Bob from PA says Hi and I have some left over Berylex if he wants it.

Isn't that a laugh (well, it will be later for you). From the TD web page:
" Expeditious (1 module may be poured every 2-3 days)"

Steve
Maine

 

[sajurcaju]

We have been busy as usual and have lived in our new home close to two months. It has been quite of a hardship due to the heat and limited facilities. We have made good progress. I do regret not having the house covered with soil before moving in. This year in Sallisaw has been very hot and dry. We haven't had a real rain since May. I would like to know the cost to water proof insulate and cover with soil others have paid because my estimates were way off. Please send a private message if you don't care to post. We have spent somewhere around 4K for EPRO materials and also had help from carpolisher with his donation of 50 gallons of EPRO materials. We choose to continue using the Stego 15 mil barrier as a secondary system on portions. We are also going to use Paraseal bentonite and EPROs ECOSHIELD-EB, 6 and 12 POLYESTER and ECOTAPE. We will clean and reapply the ECOLINE-R with the POLYESTER in trouble areas. We will also apply granular bentonite to the valleys where it is pitched incorrectly and the drainage system will be placed. We will cover this granular bentonite with the Stego then the drainage pipe. We are using more of the fill dirt than I thought. Since our home was build at grade we rely on trucked in fill dirt. We had 54 loads delivered after the highway project has a steep grade collapse within a mile of our home. We are going to purchase a bunch of the 1 extruded polystyrene insulation. We will apply in two layers. This stuff is very costly about $14 a 4'x8' sheet. Anyway we are working at getting covered to save us from cooking in the sun. We have made other progress in our kitchen with placing our base cabinets and installing the first two interior doors. Please for the safety and well being of you and your loved ones you should begin storing food and other necessities because the dollar is very close to a collapse and the earth changes will pose a very serious threat to all in it way.

Sam, you are making amazing progress on a huge job. It is looking really good.

I can't offer you any info on how much burying our house cost, it wasn't split out. Many trucks full of concrete and many full of dirt is certainly familiar. I like your approach on waterproofing the roof--sounds like you're doing everything that makes sense.

It's been low to mid 90's here in Maine this past week, hot (for here) and humid. Indoors we're running 76 degrees (windows closed during the day).

The economy and all that jazz is pretty scary. All we can do is be as ready as we can; hopefully things will not have any major upset. It's going to be a long haul to dig ourselves out though.

Steve
Maine

 

[sajurcaju]

Our build is going well except for the thunderstorms every night that turn the site into a mud hole. This is a record breaking year for moisture in ND. We got two modules poured this week so thought I would let you see some pictures.

Looking good. Is your plan to be living there this winter? Lots to do.

Steve
Maine

 

[mjncad]

Isn't that a laugh (well, it will be later for you). From the TD web page:
" Expeditious (1 module may be poured every 2-3 days)"

Steve
Maine

Remember the original plan was for the space shuttle to launch every 2-weeks. :laughing:

Comcast took 2-months to bury my neighbor's CATV line this year.

 

[ND Vet]

I am glad you aren't in the flooded zones and that your build is going well. I noticed you are using large water supply lines for roof penetrations, We used a 6" water supply line at three locations. Are you doing any of the work or are you subcontracting it out? Keep posting you progress and photos. Who's is running the show from Terra Dome? It looks like they may have two builds going at once because the sky window forms are now wood.

Cameron Scafe is the crew foreman. He is Tracy's son. They actually have 3 builds going and have 12 scheduled yet this year. The green pipe is 12" and the white pipe is 6". We will do a few small things like drains, earth tubes, insulation umbrella, and backfilling ourselves but pretty much subbing it out. You seem to have willing labor in your sons, which we don't have available. I would say we are not physically up to the challenge. It is great that your family can and will do it!

CW

 

[arkbound]

Hello Sam, ND, carpolisher, and all TD guys,
I finally had a chance to catch up on TBN. Sam, I love those doors! Sorry everyone is having a such a hot summer. I checked up on the cost of that "crystalline" concrete additive for water proofing. I include my findings.
Seems like it would raise the cost of concrete @ $90 a cubic yard a bit (30%). I'll let you all do the math. The savings would be in the labor and freedom of mind that is it self healing for the most part. Just add the bentonite and foam and fill. That's it! I realize most of you all are past this part, but if you develop cracks or leaks and have to redo, they also have plug seal and you can treat from the inside. I just like this stuff. :laughing:

The Kryton product sells for $3.00/lb FOB MPLS or St. Louis. 11 lbs./cy of concrete is a typical dosage rate. It would work very well for your intended application. It comes packaged in 22 lb. bags.









From: Kearsten [mailto:Kearsten@grtinc.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 2:00 PM
To: 'Travis Collins'
Subject: FW: Krypton Crystalline additive







Kearsten Lee

GRT Admixtures

(800) 324-8154

kearsten@grtinc.com




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: John Luliak [mailto:biglou.iak@att.net]
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2011 12:43 PM
To: info@grtinc.com
Subject: Krypton Crystalline additive



Hello,



I have read about your product to waterproof concrete. It would seem advantageous to use in basements and especially in underground homes such as the 典erra-dome? I am interested in possibly using this product in the future in building in the Mountain Home, Arkansas area. Do you have a nearby distributor in that area? I noticed you may have a Missouri based office. I would also like to see some type of price list. I was thinking of price per 80 pound bag. How much would additive would be required for a cement truck load ? I am not a builder or contractor. I am trying to find the best product to be used in the construction of my future home. I do not know how cost effective your product is. I believe that it would be more desirable than the sticky tar products which are being used.

Thank you for any information you may provide.



John Luliak

 

[SamWalton]

Sam, I can only imagine what a black colored concrete house sitting in the summer sun all day must be feel like at 4 am (hot). Did you loose some trees? They look brown/red.

In a few years, while holding a grand child, you'll look back at this with your family and say 'I can't believe what we did'. Lots of effort there!

It has been an inspiration as we do our (very) small addition and remodel. The next one we will GC ourselves (which will likely be a new home instead).

Our air conditioners help keep it cool on the two bedroom modules. Our trees haven't seen rain since May, so many of our trees shutdown. They are use to it. I hope your right about "In a Few Years" I feel these coming earth changes may be a bit much for most to endure. I am please we provide and inspiration. I believe we all can do so much more than we could ever imagine. Everything is very simple when you break it down into steps. Thanks for sharing

 

[SamWalton]

Looking good! We have about $8000 in the cover up excluding labor and equipment. $4300 for 300 sheets of 1" polystyrene, $1,700 for pond liner,
$1800 for Econoline matl, $100 for 5 sacks of bentonite. $200 for drain tile and misc. The dirt was free. I under estimated the exterior siding. One guy wanted $17K to stucco. I found a great product called Stucco Max that specifically goes over the EPS foam in one coat and I will DIY it.

I really like how you water proofed and covered your home. We DIY and probably should have covered the Econoline R and T but we had so much trouble with the product re-emulsifying and leaking but after more applications we got most leaks to stop. We will have a thick multiple layers of this product and a secondary system. We will probably run out of soil and it cost $75 per load of shale. I would opt to dig a pond but we have so much stone. This may take a bit longer than imagined. I may try to find some free dirt or at least get it dirt cheap. Thanks for the info