$50 underground house eco building

http://www.permies.com

Mike Oehler guides us on a video tour of the house he wrote about in "The $50 and up underground house book". At the time the video is taken, this underground house is 35 years old. The property has about six underground houses. This underground house was his home for most of the 35 years.

A good example of an off grid tiny house build a long time ago.

Mike's book is the ultimate "how to" tutorial on cheap underground housing. He said that if he could do it all over again, he would call it "earth integrated". This book is the core to many other alternative building books.

PAHS

post shore polyethylene

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• underground
• house
• home
• earth
• integrated
• eco
• building
• alternative
• green
• permaculture
• organic
• environment

[PicklesReallySuck]

it's called a shack

[paulwheaton12]

@PicklesReallySuck I dunno. I've never seen a shack hold up a roof that is three feet thick with soil.

[Tabooga65]

If the house is so great why hasn't anyone lived in it in three years?

[paulwheaton12]

because it is tucked away on a mountain side with no road and mike's knees aren't so good now.

[Tabooga65]

That would make it difficult to continue living there. I'm sure back in the day 50 or 500 bucks went way further than it does today. what would it be today to build? Also would zoning be a problem for most people?

[paulwheaton12]

There is a rich answer for that. We've hashed it over on the permies forums a few times. It might be worth a look.

[dannon18]

@paulwheaton12 last time i checked, a shack couldn't even hold up its own walls! If you don't conform to what society says and do what they tell you and spend your money for the next 30 years to buy what they say you need, then that makes you "crazy" that's why we are controlled, we are stupid and brainwashed. this man is truly the free man.

[KlunkerRider]

I have this book, keep it handy for when I finally get that retirement property. Like its said, you dont have to build it exactly as described, it could be done with pour in place and concrete block if you wanted, thats not the point to me, there are alot of very cleaver design and recycing ideas in it that can translate into many green home concepts.

[Magcomplex]

If you google this book it comes right up. Good stuff

[seocom]

Wonderful vid.. something just about anyone can do if they have the land

[nkwheaton]

This is really an awesome video, thanks Paul!

[TheAllResort]

Finally a house I can afford. I love the concept of earth sheltered homes.

[MrToastOmnomnom]

I'd love to have a house underground. One that is underground. It'd be cooler during the hot days.

[Darkyodajedi]

I am interested in buying one of these and living off grid, if you have one seriously for sale, please message me, thanks for the great videos...

[brimstone33]

As a teen in the '70's I really dug his book (NPI). Still got it on my shelf! It really influenced how I see the world. Also "The Owner Built Home" by Ken Kern and "The Little House" by Leslie Armstrong.. When the 60's counter-culturalists like Oehler sat down and put their fresh ideas on paper they truly built an American legacy. I remembered and used Oehler's "PSP" post & beam method to build a bunker in the 1st Gulf war. Thanks for the video tour- it was like coming home.

[brimstone33]

@jeffery19677 Well, I'm sure the Army version he refers to is the "Yukon" stove. It burns wood, coal, gasoline, or diesel. You can find them in surplus stores. They fold up flat and have collapsible chimneys.

[sesinep]

Hey, The sound quality sucks.