I have mixed feelings about underground houses. On the one hand, I greatly admire the advantages it offers in terms of security, privacy, thermal regulation , and just general coolness. On the other hand…I like windows and secondary exits.
However, there are some arrangements and designs I see online that seem warmer and airier than the quonset-hut-built-into-a-hill model that many underground homes seem to fall into. For my needs, I think I dont want underground as much as I want bermed. The house in the article above isn’t necessarily underground. It looks like they built it and then put the earth over it to create a new hill. In other words, its not necessarily an underground home as much as it is an earth-covered home.
Regardless, its an interesting example of the type. Food for thought, as always.
My last house was a berm home. Had to keep windows open whenever the wood stove was burning, even at -20°F. Never had a problem with moisture, but it was sandy soil, plenty of windows and a southern exposure.
There are a bunch of Youtube videos of how this house was constructed. A lot went into it…it’s California, too…so double the permitting issues found in other states.
This isn’t the only earth-sheltered (not “underground”, although technically, there’s some dirt on top) home in that area.
In the horrendous firestorm (multiple yuuuuuge brushfires on all three sides of the San Pornando Valley, including the Malibu Hills) of the 1990s, one guy not far from the house in the article, on an ocean-view ridgeline had constructed a home that was not a new hill, it was contoured right into and through the existing one.
Garage and entry on the north side, panoramic triple-pane windows on the south-facing (ocean-view) side.
His neighbors were completely burned out for miles in all directions. He simply put his vehicles into the steel-doored garage, close his front door, and watched the fires on TV (and out the beach-side windows) as the flames swept over his house and down the front side, finally stopping at Pacific Coast Highway (and only stopping there because the beach sand and ocean on the opposite side of the road won’t burn).
IMHO, that should be all construction in such areas, rather than the precarious perched-on-stilts and other various forms of engineering stupidity and ugliness foisted upon that landscape.
Library quiet, can’t burn, doesn’t collapse in quakes, can’t fall down the hillsides, doesn’t bugger the views for everyone else, cheaper to heat, cool, never needs paint, can’t be shot through, difficult to burgle, etc., etc. ad infinitum.
Cottages with picket fences are for flatlands.
Hillsides should be hobbit-houses, for all the reasons above.
Drop some solar panels at ground level on south-facing sides at the appropriate angle, and besides powering the house without any necessary incoming wires, they’d be able generate surplus power to the local grid forever if so desired.
Fire-proofing your home in 1 simple step:
Step 1) move out of California.
*achievement unlocked*!
Riiiiiight.
There are no fires anywhere else in the world.
Gotcha.
Former Lahaina residents would like a word with you.
So, is that genuine Reynolds Wrap millinery, or the cheap store brand generic?
Commander:
Anyone who would build a Berm House without a secondary exit is a fool!
Even better would be a visible secondary exit and a hidden emergency exit.
These would not add much to the price but would do wonders for the peace of mind they would give.
Ceejay
Agree even the Rabbit is smart enough to have a hidden back door.
If your not worried about codes as in building a “Farm structure” that you can convert into a home, bermed and hobbit style is inexpensive. Google 50.00 and Up underground home.
I’ve lived in some of his creations. Rustic but easy to keep warm in frozen Idaho and nicely cool in Idaho’s often hot summers.
A second style that stood the time of mob trouble is the Roman-Spanish home, built around a courtyard. Some 90% of the doors and windows go into the courtyard. Often built as a 2 story hollow square with heavy duty ground floor doors and most outward facing windows on 2nd floor in the style of arrow slits.
Lots of stone and or adobe in that structure.
The typical American tract home is a firetrap to BBQ owners into fleeing into the welcoming arms of the mobs.
Be careful what you call a “hobbit hole”.
Bilbo’s Bag End was designed with six secondary exits, besides the front door.
Tolkien’s own drawing from the first editions:
https://i.imgur.com/HiUYfhA.jpg
Actually, looking at the diagram of his home there is one chimney, two doors and 4 WINDOWS.
The diagram is quite clear in full screen. The map legend shows what is a window clearly.
But I’d NOT have my secret exit on a map legend, just saying.
4 chimneys.
And windows are secondary exits.
I’m thinking Tolkien figured no one would drop a dime on Bilbo’s secret exit.
The rules of Fight Club hadn’t been invented yet, but OPSEC is always the better part of valor.
“A second style that stood the time of mob trouble is the Roman-Spanish home, built around a courtyard. Some 90% of the doors and windows go into the courtyard. Often built as a 2 story hollow square with heavy duty ground floor doors and most outward facing windows on 2nd floor in the style of arrow slits.”
The late Jeff Cooper was always a fan.
Hill sides have been known to collapse after years of no movement. And digging into the side of a hill might start it on its way.
Even mountains crumble. We rarely see or notice unless a rockslide blocks a highway but the earth is constantly seeking its lowest point, like water, and morals.
I’ve researched underground homes for a while now.
If I built one, I’d have a mostly exposed long side for outside light and doors to avoid the tunnel feeling. Not sure how to balance this with fireproofing and hard to break in – probably with masonry and shutters.
I’ve read stories from some underground home owners of still dealing with heat and cold, plus lots of humidity – my assumption is that is due to their particular layout, for example a minimal earth cover, but I’m still researching it.
An intriguing and unique idea.
Pluses and minuses for all forms of construction. Rammed earth, adobe, earth sheltered, underground. Went to Napa Valley last June and visited a winery that was built underground, Jarvis Estates. Guy was a billionaire (developed info tech hardware) who built it as a hobby for his trophy wife.
One of the reasons for underground was, at the time of construction, California waived property taxes on underground construction! LOL, the state legislature caught on and changed the laws later on. Has a great indoor climate for wine making and has sailed through earthquakes and other calamities unscathed.
https://www.jarviswines.com/
A few years ago here in Michigan the ” Earth” homes were the big thing. Until the townships found out that under Michigan law they couldn’t be taxed. Well it didn’t take long for the zoning commissions outlawed construction of them. Here any dwelling 2/3 below ground is nontaxable.
Following. Great knowledge inputs from reader anons. This is a good study for those planning a move or build up of homestead scenarios. The pros and cons are really enough to make sound decisions and choices difficult. I posit that opsec cannot be assured enough if a legal, permitted, in plain sight construction dwelling was done. (See how drones changed all tactics, countermeasures) You lost a strategic battle if outside persons, or entities, .gov, realtors, local rube rubberneckers etc. Are all spectators of your mole man dwelling. Follow the tactics of operating in a contested A.O. like those Hamas anons and Cartel chads built tunnels. Stay normie in your public facing life with atypical dwellings, then after hours have your diabolical alter ego digging and expanding your naughty lads lair well underground. Stay analog and off grid, so as to stay frosty.
Reinforced Concrete. Lots of it. Don’t play Morocco Mole without it. 1 Foot of Steel-Reinforced Concrete with 10 Feet of Earth Fill has a Radiation Protection Factor of 10,000.
It’s also proof against anything up to and including tanks and artillery. 😉
A foot of reinforced concrete under 10ft of soil isn’t a bunker but a tomb if arty wants to do landscape rearranging. Watch video of WWl arty bunker busting over 100years ago,not like we haven’t gotten a lot better. 155mm and delayed fuse at high angle penetrates deep before going off and moving a lot of dirt.