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wofati and earth berm

Hobbit Home Progress.

Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Jay Angler wrote:That insulation should make a huge difference to temperature swings.

Yes it does.
I have tried to run my ac in there a couple of times and really get bummed out that its does not do much....
Then i realize that for the last 2 and 1/2 months the 200 tons of concrete in the walls, has slowly worked its way up too 74 F. with the help of the hot unisulated plank roof.
200 tons of warm concrete plus the really hot weather outside ? It gonna stay at 74 F - ac or no ac. - and that is with the dehumidifier heating the building while it is running 24 / 7.
Earth is tentitvily scheduled for Monday - then hopefully this winter the dehumidifier will keep it at 74 F all winter.

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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Jay Angler wrote:. Are you expecting significant rainfall where you are building?

Ya, we are expecting anything from 80 - 100 km hr winds.
50 - 100 mm rain.

So far it rained for about an hour, and that was it. Hate it when they make it sound as bad as humanly possible.
Sensationalize it so much it turns into a load of b.s.

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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Tail end of a hurricane.
All day and night rain.
Think i am good for drainage.
The 60 gallon sump pump barrel - with the water in it - is underneath the dehumidifier - drips.

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Jay Angler

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posted 6 months ago

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Hubby is currently in Ottawa and they had 15.8mm yesterday and it's still raining. If only it would do that here on the "summer drought" coast!

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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Gotta get er done.

Start time... 9 am.
Finish ... 6 pm.
Another 9 hours in, and the aluminum soffits are installed on both the front AND back overhangs.

Bottom cover installed ✔
Top cover installed ✔
Waterproofing membrane installed - to tie it into the roof structure ✔
Insulation cut, trimmed and installed in various layers ✔
Drainage matting installed - for drainage and too retain earth ( keep it from sliding off )

Once the 33 tons of earth are weighting the planks down, there will be a quarter round edging installed against the wall and soffit to make a nice clean finish.

Before and after pictures for ya.

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Build it because they say you can't.
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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Roof insulation is done.
6 small pieces of Styrofoam left over.... minimal scrap.

Not counting the 4 pieces of sloped 1 - 3 inch foam that was ordered for the earth sheltered - covered front porch going in next year.

Good enough.

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Build it because they say you can't.
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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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3 degrees cooler.
18 % drier.

This place is looking better and better.
This is with the dehumidifier heating the building as well.

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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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22 tons of topsoil delivered in less than 30 minutes - close to 1 ton a minute - better than a wheelbarrow 😂😂
First - protect the round window. 3/4 inch particle board works good.
Second - protect the front steel siding - liner cut off works good.

Kinda bummed out it rained half way through, as you can see by the mud dust on the old siding, but we got er done.
Rained really hard that night, washed out a couple of spots which is too be expected.
Now to get the second 22 ton load on.

Damn. I gotta go and get grass seed now 😁👍😂🤔

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Build it because they say you can't.
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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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44 tons of topsoil delivered.

Now to add the proper finished grade, and plant grass (?)

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Build it because they say you can't.
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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Looking at grass seed for the roof, and noticed they all have basicly the same blend of seeds.
Going to go with a low maintenance roof - micro clover.
No cutting.
No watering.
No fertilizer.
No weeds.
Grows to a max of 6 inches.

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Jay Angler

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posted 6 months ago

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What, no wildflowers and artistically arranged logs for salamanders to hide under?

Or is that for after it has stabilized?

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Dave Lotte

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Jay Angler wrote:What, no wildflowers and artistically arranged logs for salamanders to hide under?

Or is that for after it has stabilized?

Have a look at the underground house book by Rob Roy. He tried the wildflower thing, and for the first year it was great, subsequent years not so much, just degrades into a weedy mess in time. Clover keeps coming back year after year, and ( so i am told ) forces everything else out ( no weeding ).
Gotta keep the bylaw officer happy, so no weedy messes.

As for rotting logs on my wooden earth sheltered roof ? No, i will pass on that one as well. Keep the little bug-gers as far away as possible.

Have a few ideas for raised flower gardens around the perimeter wall - where it can support the loading - but that is much later....

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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Start 630 am
Stop 1130 am
5 hours in, and the topsoil has been leveled, and graded ready for seeding. Main house level blocks removed and holes filled in.
Only problem is, 44 tons delivered, and it is not enough.
If you look closely, the 8x8 level blocks on the back porch are still exposed.
Darn - still gonna seed the main roof though - can fill in the back porch when i back fill the walls next month.

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Build it because they say you can't.
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Jay Angler

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posted 6 months ago

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It's amazing how much dirt something like this takes! And it's going to settle as well!

I would plan on doing light "topdressings" multiple times a year for the first while to keep gradually building the thickness up without killing your clover. Don't know exactly what type, but the stuff I have in places can be covered over and just pokes up and keeps growing.

Yes, those pretty roofs we see in fancy books take constant care and weeding! I was mostly teasing! However, if not wood, a few thin flat rocks might be a possibility, so long as they're put in areas that can handle the load.

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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Jay Angler wrote:It's amazing how much dirt something like this takes! And it's going to settle as well!

It has already started to settle, and harden, this is why i pushed and got it done. Now i know why they areate lawns !

Again, to quote the underground house book, " a good honest 6 inches of earth is all the is required for an earth sheltered home."
Hopefully, after all this settles, my 8 inches will level out at a good 6 inches depth. I kinda want to avoid loading the roof more than i need too, and the clover roots hopefully dont go down that far... hopefully...

88,000 pounds over 1,500 sqf... about 60 pounds per sqf.
Add rain....
Add snow...
Add the sidewalk tourists that want a picture...

Just need to fill in the low spots though.

Time will tell if i will have to re-dress.

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Matthew Nistico

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posted 6 months ago

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I hadn't realized until your recent pics of the roof covered in soil, but it doesn't look like you are berming up against any of the side walls. Or is that simply yet to come?

Are you just building a home with a green roof, or an underground home?

Blazing trails in disabled homesteading

Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Matthew Nistico wrote:I hadn't realized until your recent pics of the roof covered in soil, but it doesn't look like you are berming up against any of the side walls. Are you just building a home with a green roof, or an underground home?

Building a full earth sheltered home, only exposed wall is the front wall.

Cannot - and not allowed - to backfill walls untill the dirt is on the roof. The weight of the dirt will collapse the 40 foot wall.
Now, the weight of the roof will keep the walls from moving, so i can backfill.

Build it because they say you can't.
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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Had someone ask me... what do you mean by " graded your roof ? ".

For those interested, the sloped insulation sets the slope of the roof for rain run off.
If i tried to fill that in with soil it would add too much weight to the roof.
This way, the dirt is sloped (graded ) just enough, so in a heavy rain, the water will slowly drain towards the edges of the roof. Not too fast, and not too slow.

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Jay Angler

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posted 6 months ago

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Dave Lotte wrote: This way, the dirt is sloped (graded ) just enough, so in a heavy rain, the water will slowly drain towards the edges of the roof. Not too fast, and not too slow.

This is key - too fast and it will wash the soil away, too slow and you're adding a huge amount of weight - water is heavy stuff!

Many green roofs have an area of gravel and rocks at the edge. Are you planning a smooth transition from the "roof" to the top of the wall berms? I think the wofatis at WL are done with a smooth connection - like a giant umbrella.

Cannot - and not allowed - to backfill walls untill the dirt is on the roof. The weight of the dirt will collapse the 40 foot wall.

I've heard of people leaving in-ground pools empty for too long and discovering this principle of physics!

Just because "dirt" is just sitting there, doesn't mean that there aren't forces involved!

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Dave Lotte

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posted 6 months ago

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Jay Angler wrote: Many green roofs have an area of gravel and rocks at the edge. Are you planning a smooth transition from the "roof" to the top of the wall berms? I think the wofatis at WL are done with a smooth connection - like a giant umbrella.

The idea for the walls, is too extend the roof dirt 8 - 12 inches past the edge, then start the slope downward. No gravel, the entire building is wrapped in drainage matting.

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Dave Lotte

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posted 5 months ago

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After seeing some native grasses staring to sprout on the roof, it is time to get er done !

Now to keep it watered...

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Build it because they say you can't.
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Dave Lotte

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posted 5 months ago

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5 days after planting, and i have teenie, tiny sprouts all over my roof.

So far so good !

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Andy Ze

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posted 5 months ago

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Safe to say, you've been the talk of the neighborhood for some time. Loving it.

Dave Lotte

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Andy Ze wrote:Safe to say, you've been the talk of the neighborhood for some time. Loving it.

Ya, just talking with one lady who says her husband does not like me very much....

I have raised the bar on home improvement. Working a full time job and building my own house - now he has to get off the couch and cut the grass. 😁😁😁

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Dave Lotte

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12 day sprouts.
Waiting on the plumber.
Ready to work on windows.

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Dave Lotte

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Sewer line is in.

1 window installed.

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Dave Lotte

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3 weeks after planting, and my roof is decidedly green.

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Dave Lotte

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posted 5 months ago

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Waiting for the different bits and pieces to come together for the wall backfilling, and this came on the news.

I guess from the air, my roof would look like a good landing spot 😁.

Geogrid has been aquired.

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Dave Lotte

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On the advice of both my building inspector and my engineer, 22 ton of "A" gravel delivered for backfilling on Friday.
After an 11 hour weekend, and 45 wheelbarrow loads later, it has all been moved out of the way, so i can get another full truckload delivered.

So gar so good.

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Jay Angler

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Rational??? So water won't hang around? Or because gravel doesn't "expand" when wet the way some dirt can? Or other reasons?

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Dave Lotte

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Jay Angler wrote:Rational?

Started thinking that straight topsoil would do the job ...
Turns into mud and packs hard.
Changed to 3/4 gravel and topsoil - figured it would not pack as hard, allowing drainage.
Same problem - topsoil washes away as mud, leaving gravel.
So, asked the 2 guys who would approve it what they would use....
"A" gravel has a variety of material sizes in it, allowing it too pack and too drain - there are some fines in there that can plug the perimeter drains if it makes it down there, but for me - good enough.

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Dave Lotte

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posted 4 months ago

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Second 22 ton truckload delivered.

Once i fill in the initial base layers, it should pile up fast.

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Dave Lotte

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posted 4 months ago

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Latest pictures.

Clover is growing in, but i am going to have to weed my roof.

Bring on the long weekend !

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Hans Quistorff

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Remember you can eat the lamb's quarters.

Hans Albert Quistorff, LMT projects on permies Hans Massage Qberry Farm magnet therapy gmail hquistorff

Dave Lotte

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40 - 14 inch screws on order.

Second truckload moved - third 22 ton truckload on order.

8 hour day with 51 wheelbarrow loads moved.

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Truck #3 delivered.

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Anyone who does alot of moving around their homestead or farm - look into these tracked wheelbarrows.
They are a real back saver !
Tippy over uneven ground, so you have to go slow, but with an established pathway, they can go a good speed.

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3/4 inch frame installed ✔
Fully waterproofed ✔
Aluminium trim installed. ✔
Cut and reinstalled 8 inch Styrofoam ✔

Reinstall drainage matting and this one is ready for a window well.

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Dave Lotte

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Jay Angler wrote:That insulation should make a huge difference to temperature swings.

Will keep you updated on this one....

50 degrees all night here, old house dropped 6 degrees overnight - had to turn the heat on for the Siamese cats.

Hobbit Home ? No change - dehumidifier heat. Plywood front and backdoor - 1 unsealed window.

8 p.m. to 9 a.m.

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Dave Lotte

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Latest clover pictures.

Back half is growing in nice and thick, middle .... not so much.

The clover is there, just taking its time getting established.

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