Earth Bag Homes And Domes

[cebu rocks]

Hey all I have being tossed up between a earthbag home or a dome 

 

I,m leaning towards earth bags because of cost  just use rice sacks for bags 

 

Anyone seen one built in the Phils ? I could build a concrete house but hate the looks  

 

I,m thinking more of a bunker style  home  for security against typhoons , quakes , robberies , civil unrest ,etc

 

I don,t mind the house being a fortress because most time I want to be outside eg: build a nipa  house with open walls  with a safe place to retreat from noise , heat, bad weather .

 

Advantages to a earth home are they do not heat up like concrete . Very stable in wind or earth quakes . low cost of materials

 

Very quiet inside ,think 2 foot walls . Anyone know what new empty rice sacks cost ?

 

[Tukaram (Tim)]

I don't what the cost would be - but when you find out let us know.  I have been looking at them too.  Most of the construction material here is pretty crappy.  So a dome would be better.  And they are sturdy! 

[robert k]

Are we talking 50 kilo rice sacks?

 

I really like the thought of earth bag construction for the reasons already stated. I would be ok with a well built nipa house but the bug problem at night if you show any lights has to be solved. I was thinking a half and half house myself, concrete and nipa and at night [or in storms] we would just retire to the bugtight concrete part. built to panic room standards. :)

[Thomas]

I,m thinking more of a bunker style home for security against typhoons , quakes , robberies , civil unrest ,etc I don,t mind the house being a fortress

I suppouse you will get trouble with water coming in from SIDES specialy if you build it of sacks. If building it LOW, it will cost much to avoid that.

So I think "opposite"  :) 

=Build HIGH instead. If I will afford, I want a big dome house. Bottom floor WITHOUT living space except hobby and perhaps a guest room. Garage, store space, washing mashine, extra shower and toilet.

Living space at second floor. Terass at second floor, only reachable from inside. Carport under it.

If I can afford, then adding an adjustend tower with a 3rd floor for extra view and extra defence possibility.

 

Or build a nipa hut with a well drained bunker hidden under it  :)

Very quiet inside ,think 2 foot walls . Anyone know what new empty rice sacks cost ?

How to make sack houses tight against typhons?

Dome builders claim 2-3 inches if concrete is strong enough (for small domes).

 

A French (?) company is building many small dome houses for aid money where Yolanda hit north part of Cebu region. Perhaps worth go and look at.

Some other dome builder said small dome houses cost only 1500 USD to build  (but then they build many with same "balloon").

[i am bob]

I spent years researching domes. Nice houses. But now I have spent a lot of time looking at Dirt Bag Houses (love that name!) and I think this of the better way to go. Walls 2 feet thick... Talk about cool and soundproof! The plastic bags ensure bug proof and water proof! Build it into the side of a hill and you could even make your roof and siding out of grass! Ecological and low maintenance! Did I mention that they are easy to expand? And inexpensive! What more could you ask for?

Sent by using a very long piece of string, a couple tin cans, 2 gaseous monkeys, Tapatalk and my Nexus 4

[Thomas]

I spent years researching domes. Nice houses. But now I have spent a lot of time looking at Dirt Bag Houses (love that name!) and I think this of the better way to go. Walls 2 feet thick... Talk about cool and soundproof! The plastic bags ensure bug proof and water proof! Build it into the side of a hill and you could even make your roof and siding out of grass! Ecological and low maintenance! Did I mention that they are easy to expand? And inexpensive! What more could you ask for?

But how do you avoid water/much moist without an expensive solution for that??

[Hewy09]

As for waterproofing a dirt bag dome you could just put a layer or two of stucco on the outside.

Sent from my iPhone. buhay ay mahusay na! magsaya.

[robert k]

The stucco/ papercrete was the usual solution that I saw used to make the walls watertight/ vermin tight. :)

[cebu rocks]

Yes it has to be stuccoed for a finish 

 

Lol dirt bag homes i prefer earth ship  a new term for eco friendly homes 

 

I found new bags for 3,5p each and barb wire for 3600p for a 500m roll 

 

I have also looked at useing tires but that seems like a waste because of the amount of cement you need to finish the walls 

 

I,m also looking at making blocks that stack together like big lego but the machines are expensive but there are some hand powered ones on the market

 

I love the dome house idea but its not practical unless you have the balloon and a shotcrete gun  

 

I would like to build it as green as possible and as cheap as possible so its easy to walk away from  if the sh&t hits the fan

 

Now if I could just find some land that fits my needs and has a title thats not a gong show

[robert k]

Cebu Rocks, I think bank repo property is what you are looking for, search from bank to bank. I think there are many ways to skin this cat of a place to live.

 

I'm not totally hooked on buying land in the wifes name and building, renting may be a better proposition. My friend Westhemess on the forum here rents a modest concrete hollow block house for $66 a month, but it's just the two of them there. Possibly I could rent two houses in that range and when I have kids tell them go to your house instead of go to your room? :mocking:

 

 I have even considered nipa, and structural foam for the bug-tight portion. I'm not looking to build something to last 1,000 years. 

 

I am sure many of us have had experience of "Dirt-bag" builders who were not making earth bag homes. :)