Build your own house on the cheap.

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by ozarkgoatman, Apr 7, 2008.


  1. ozarkgoatman

    ozarkgoatman Resident goat herder

    We have one of his books and it looks very doable. Even if you had to bug out to a very remote place in long term SHTF situation this could be a good way to build a long term shellter.


    http://www.undergroundhousing.com/index.html

    OGM
     
  2. Tracy

    Tracy Insatiably Curious Moderator Founding Member

    Re: Build you own house on the cheap.

    Thanks for sharing!
     
  3. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Re: Build you own house on the cheap.

    Very interesting, may have to get me a copy!
     
  4. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Re: Build you own house on the cheap.

    Cool. Have you looked at log construction also? John McPhearson has a good book on doing it cheap and well at www.prairiewolf.net Ive been in the 'house' (it's used as his wifes workshop) and its nice, their house and outbuildings are also log and he built them all as well.
     
  5. ozarkgoatman

    ozarkgoatman Resident goat herder

    Re: Build you own house on the cheap.

    MM

    Thats a cool site. :)

    There are things that I like about the underground house better though.

    1) Less worry about tornatoes.

    2) It would be better insulated, which means less firewood to cut. So if you didn't have a chainsaw or more likely gas for a chainsaw that would be a hugh labor saver. [beer]

    OGM
     
  6. monkeyman

    monkeyman Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Re: Build you own house on the cheap.

    Yup, there are definatly some advantages to earth contact. If studying up for the idea of being able to build after a BO though would be good (especialy if you didnt know of multiple sites you would choose from in advance) that multiple meathods would be a good idea. Basicly earth contactwouldntwork real well in an area with very little dirt over bedrock and log building would be worthless if in an area with few trees, like say some areas of North Dakota where the only trees are the ones planted around houses.
     
  7. pgrass101

    pgrass101 Monkey+++

    Re: Build you own house on the cheap.

    Thanks for both sites
     
  8. wildernessgal

    wildernessgal Backwoods is a callin'

    Hubbie and I have also talked a lot about "sod houses"... Many of those have lasted a long looooooooooooong time (over 100 years old), & are very practical/cheap to build.

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    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    A sod house pictured above from the United States prairie frontier, circa 1901.


    http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/ndfahtml/hult_sod.html

    http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/natbltn/600-699/nb620.htm

    http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00000739.shtml



    On one site it said : "Sod is literally dirt cheap...." lol


    ~W~
     
  9. Tracy

    Tracy Insatiably Curious Moderator Founding Member

    :) The bottom photo reminds me of hay bale forts we used to build to play in (except for the roof ;) ). [winkthumb]
     
  10. ozarkgoatman

    ozarkgoatman Resident goat herder

  11. 410

    410 Guest

    Thanks! Definitely going to read up on this.
     
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