Mike Oehler welcome thread

Thanks for taking the time to be available.

So,  the first thing I'm curious about is how many different climates and geological zones have you built in or designed for and how have you adapted your designs for those different areas?    Thanks  Gary

Hi, Mike!  I already have the $50 and Up Underground House Book -- and I think that Paul is right, it is one of the, if not the, most practical alternative type of building.  PSP, combined with a rocket stove, will be what I use if I manage to make it back to Alaska.  If possible, I will add some foam board insulation on the exterior, just because the temperatures in the Interior of Alaska are so extreme, but even without the insulation, if there's enough DRY dirt on and around the structure, it should be pretty easy to keep it warm. 

I need to build a small structure here for supplemental housing (in case my mother and step-father end up coming to live with us as this economy gets worse), and am debating whether to use PSP or not.  We only have one acre, and would have to buy all the wood, so it would be impossible to do it for $50.  Don't know if we could even do it for $500 -- I need to do some costing out of materials.  It would be a 200 s.f. structure, since that's what we can build without getting a building permit.  And then I'd have to buy the dirt to cover it (we only have one acre here; it's fairly level with a slight slope to the north.  My back just isn't up to digging enough heavy clay to cover even such a small structure!).  It still may be less expensive than any other building method here, though. 

I wonder if I could find enough pallets in good condition.....

Kathleen

Oh, wait, I have to make a GOOD post. Since I don't have any really hard questions for Mike, I'll have to come up with something interesting.

This guy NEVER wears shoes! Even in Winter you'll see him trucking around the country barefoot.

I've been wondering how long to expect juniper posts to last in a PSP structure, with the bottoms charred but not inside a plastic bag?  Any idea?

And Mike, what kind of wood did you build your $50 and $500 house(s) out of?  I believe that question came up a while back, either here or on another forum.

Kathleen

Gary, I've concentrated on building in the Pacific Northwest, though PSP houses have gone down in many other plaaces and lands. I don't know of most of the various adaptations. Sorry.

Kathleen, I suggest digging with a backhoe or other machine. Yes, in Alaska a lot of insulation might make sence. I used whatever wood was available on my houses. Good luck on youjr projects.