Nothing we know of comes remotely close to matching the wealth of knowledge found in this six-hour three-DVD set. The design course taught in DVD two is worth hundreds of times the cost of the set in the increased light, views and air. It will benefit your subterranean home, and the resale value will skyrocket.
If you are convinced you want to build below surface, but you need more information to make up your mind, or your mate's mind, you need this set. It is valuable to owner/builders, architects, contractors and self-designers alike.
Instructor, Mike Oehler, has taught at architecture departments at colleges and universities across the U.S., Canada, England, Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. Having the material down pat, he is able to anticipate your confusion and questions. And, unlike the live workshops, the videos allow you to study the material repeatedly and to share it with friends and family.
DVD 1 Construction
The Post/Shoring/Polyethylene (PSP) method of building underground with the warmth and charm of wood is explained in the first DVD. A layer of plastic which protects the wood from the damp of the earth is the secret. The original structure, built by this method as an experiment in 1971 for $50, is still in use. Instructor Mike Oehler lived in it for 30 years. He then worked on the stunning PSP earth-integrated Ridge House with its thirty-mile views.
This DVD winds up with a slide presentation showing construction and completion of a number of underground homes built by this method. Construction costs can be as low as 1/10th the cost of normal construction - sometimes even less.
Mike Oehler's underground house entry way
DVD 2: DESIGN
This is the heart of the workshop. Using chalkboard scale models he has hauled for years to universities across North America and Europe, Oehler teaches his revolutionary methods of underground design. Rejecting the four common methods (the foolish four: skylights, atriums, vertical window wells, and the incredibly poor first thought design) he teaches instead twelve methods which guarantee light, views and air from any and all directions of the compass in each and every underground room. No more airless, dark, basement-like underground buildings! Mike is fond of saying, "An underground house has no more in common with a basement than a penthouse apartment has with a hot, dark, dusty attic."
You will actually design five underground homes during the screening of this DVD, using the downloaded copyrighted design kit. These hands-on exercises drill the methods home and are actually fun! Upon completion this course you will have a better concept of underground design than the vast majority of practicing architects today.
This DVD winds up when Mike takes you on a personal tour of the four underground or earth sheltered houses on his land. You see real-life applications of Up Hill Patios, Hollywood Wings, the Royer Foyer, Basic Designs, and more.
Mike Oehler's ridgehouse
DVD 3 SHELTER
This third DVD teaches how to build a shelter for pennies on the dollar. It can take your family and friends through nuclear fallout, raging fires, hurricanes, tornadoes and even earthquakes. If surrounding above-ground structures have been destroyed, it may be lived in and used as the starting point for an underground house. In normal times the shelter may be used as a root cellar, workshop, spare bedroom, kids play house, or tool shed. The cost of a 12x12 shelter should run from $100 to $1500, depending on how many recycled materials you use and how much of the work you do yourself. Included are comprehensive shelter diagrams without additional cost.
The second part of this DVD teaches how to design and build a wonderfully effective earth-sheltered greenhouse. The prototype of this, invented and built by Mike Oehler on his 40 acres in mountainous North Idaho, just 30 miles south of the Canadian boarder, was in service for a quarter century. This greenhouse took tomatoes into the second week in December and hardies like kale and cabbage clear through the winter year after year, without any source of heat other than the sun and that which is trapped in the earth.
The greenhouse is resistant to the ravages of moles, rabbits, deer, gophers and most other plant predators. This greenhouse can even collect its own irrigation water. A 10x30 unit should cost between $200 and $3000 depending upon materials and labor.
The third part of the shelter DVD continues with a slide-show of the underground structures on Mike’s land. It includes astonishing effective earth-sheltered greenhouse.
Mike Oehler, author, builder
$35.00
Mike Oehler's Low-Cost Underground House Workshop & Survival Shelter Seminar - 3 movie +2 Books Deal
Is this the same set of videos as the original? I bought the set of VCR tapes, oh about 15 years ago. If it's a newer updated seminar, I'm really interested.
Just a quick thought....polyethylene, aren't there variations of this that are known carcinogen that can be released by the materials over time? Is there any info given in the book/ dvd as to which type of PE is used or alternative materials?
from page 76 of the book The $50 and up Underground House
"As far as polyethylene goes we recommend buying it new. Old polyethylene which has spent even a few weeks in the sun tends to get brittle. After a few months in the sun it is all but worthless. The ultraviolet rays do it in.
(This does not apply to polyethylene underground where it lasts indefinitely.) Secondhan d polyethylene, if used at all, should go only into areas of secondary importance such as behind shoring outside firewindows or
Royer Foyers, never behind the shoring in the house itself."
Now I've alwyas thought about this point too, I really haven't found alternatives reading around or watching videos. Anyone have experiences or no if Mike has answered this question, probably has
Regarding moisture barrier / and whatever Mike might have changed his mind to use:
Somewhere i saw him on a video saying that he changed to using EPDM Pond Liner.
it may be on one of his house tour videos, maybe the RIdge House video tour...
I also thought his saying this might be on the 3DVD set itself, which was filmed in the early 1990's. maybe #2 Design video, which
in and of itself is worth the cost of the DVD set.
DVD#2 shows how to design a dwelling with the 13 wonderful ways
of getting light air and views into your home and water AWAY--the Hollywood wing, the extended Gable, the vertical window
well, clerestory, Sun Scoop, side hill patio, etc.
I am really glad I bought the dvd's and the book. Part of me didn't want to spend more than $50 on a book about building a $50 house, but I like the idea of having something I can count on looking at again and again while I'm going through the process and keeping up morale if I get discouraged or run into unexpected obstacles.
The DVD's make the process seem so manageable and he's a great teacher, not just a great architect. The visuals are especially clear. I've binge-watched dvd 1 and most of dvd 2.
Graham Chiu wrote:It would be good if one of these 1000s could post their experience here, or somewhere else. I googled without much success.
If you want a bit of reading about Glenn Kangiser’s underground house that he’s lived in for about 17 years now, go read the 210+ pages on this thread about his own house...
Took me a hail to get you it all, but have been chatting with Glenn on both that site and the evil FB, and he’s been gracious with his time, maybe cause he’s got his CDL too? or, maybe cause I’m outside the ‘norm’ these days too, as many permies I know might be considered by the dreaded ‘normalish police”... lol
Leif
PS. Just bought this combo set and have been enjoying listening to Mike as he teaches and explains his logic and how he came up with a lot of good rules. Just finished dvd 2, and end through the greenhouse book,but already have gotten my money’s worth. Already had bought the $50 and up house book in paperback, and want the greenhouse book in paperback too for my library... listening to the third book in the trilogy with One Second After currently, and so many times I can see where some knowledge of permaculture, houses like this and wofatis, rocket mass heaters, etc. would have done so much to aid the survival chances of the characters in those books. A rather sobering read/listen.
I ordered and received access - then I changed my password, and I no longer have access to the videos.
Obviously I am successfully logged on - please advise. Thanks, Eric
Eric Neer wrote:I ordered and received access - then I changed my password, and I no longer have access to the videos.
Obviously I am successfully logged on - please advise. Thanks, Eric
Yessir, that's me - what have I done? I created a whole new account? Well thanks for digging through this mess.
What's easier, delete one of these accounts or just use that one?
Once in a long while, our developer can come and do about 15 minutes of work and merge two accounts. He has talked about adding a feature for that ... I think the thing to do is to use the other account because it has the ownership - and then we shut down this account.
I live in Tornado alley so I want to start with the Shelter first. As it might be used in the future as a part of my house, I am concerned about the lack of warmth in the wintertime? If the ground is usually around 60 degrees, that will be cold on my feet. Is there a way to bring the temperature of the floor higher?
Hi. Is digital format the only way to get the book and video? I would like hard copies because this tech age isn't going to last and I might not have access to the knowledge I need if it's all digital format. I don't mind paying more for a hard copy. Thanks Tammy
Tammy Weaver wrote:Hi. Is digital format the only way to get the book and video? I would like hard copies because this tech age isn't going to last and I might not have access to the knowledge I need if it's all digital format. I don't mind paying more for a hard copy. Thanks Tammy
We have managed to get a few things set up to deal with the VAT stuff another way: here, try to buy the 8-movie set from this link and see what happens.
I have quite a lot of RMH stuff-having supported a kick starter or 2 along the way. I was really interested in the the Mike Oehler package. Or are you saying buy the RMH package and you will give me access to the MO package?
Sarah Joubert wrote:I have quite a lot of RMH stuff-having supported a kick starter or 2 along the way. I was really interested in the the Mike Oehler package. Or are you saying buy the RMH package and you will give me access to the MO package?
I am really confused. I think you are trying to figure out a way to get a deal on this package? I think the current package price is freaky low - it is already a mega deal.
Now I am confused!? I received the dailyish with a link to MO's 2 books + 3 streaming DVDs. I tried to purchase but got bounced back as didgital content is only for sale in the USA. I mentioned that I would like to help but can't. You replied to try buy RMH stuff through a different link. I don't want more RMH stuff, I have the 4 DVD set from my KS pledge, the rocket oven doc and the RMH builders guide from the 3 RMH kickstarters, along with all the candy provided in other KS so I'm really not interested in buying more RMH stuff. I would be interested in MO's stuff. I thought that as you only have the RMH stuff set up to bypass the vat/GST issue, you were usung that link for payment, but would send me MO's stuff instead of the RMH stuff
My mistake! I thought this was a whole new conversation instead of a continuing conversation.
Our conversation:
me: yeah, VAT sucks. You can look at this rmh thing and see that VAT is sorta mended
you: i already have lots of rmh stuff, so this doesn't really help me
Bottom line is that the mike oehler digital products are US only right now because of VAT stuff. I was pointing out the rmh stuff just because we found a way to deal with VAT for that.
Sarah, is it possible for you to order the DVDs in England from Amazon? Would rather not use them if alternatives are available, but sometimes they may be one of very few options. Being in one of the United states, I bought the digital downloads a year or so ago, but just bought the DVDs there so I have hard copies. As a trucker (lorry driver?) I often have trouble with slow or poor internet signal. Besides, no solar on our new 12 hectares yet, so if the grid goes down and the zombies come, can still watch from portable battery banks… ;-)
Good luck to you, hope you can find a solution! Now, if I could figure out how to 3D print models from the videos that Mike uses… I’d be one happy camper!
Leif
Post by:autobot
Don't mess with me you fool! I'm cooking with gas! Here, read this tiny ad:
![[Logo]](/templates/default/mobile/images/mobile-permies-2015.png)
or, maybe cause I’m outside the ‘norm’ these days too, as many permies I know might be considered by the dreaded ‘normalish police”... lol
