EARTH-SHELTERED HOME MOHAVE VALLEY ARIZONA Photo Gallery by Deanne at pbase.com

EARTH-SHELTERED HOME MOHAVE VALLEY ARIZONA

BUILDING STARTED APRIL 4,2006 ~ MOVED IN MAY 30,2008 ~ FINISHED ??

QUESTIONS? YOU CAN E-MAIL US AT undergroundcarpenter@gmail.com

**All the walls & roof are cast in place concrete**
**Roof & 3 sides will be covered in dirt**
**All windows on the South side**
**Over 1000 yards of CONCRETE**
**75 tons of REBAR**
**208'wide X 32'deep**
**6656 sq.ft. total**
**3584 sq.ft. Living**
**768 sq.ft. Garages**
**2304 sq.ft. Shop**

**WATCH HOW IT GOES UP**

July 2005	August 2005	2005	2005
2005	2005	2005	November 2005
THE TEAM	Dave & Mud 1/30/06	Dave & Mud	GUN GIRL
David & Ralph (aka vicious guard dog)	THE WELL	Alien Water Tank	The Dig starts 4/5/06
The Big Picture 4/12/06	Footing Mat	Footings	Footings
Footings	Footings	I Bent These	Back Wall 4/21/06
Dave & Ron	East Wall of House	NE Corner Wall	West Retaining Wall Footing
	NW Corner Wall	West Retaining Wall Verticals	West Retaining Wall
Rebar Mat 4/27/06	Bending Rebar	East Retaining Wall	East Retaining Wall
East Retaining Wall Verticals	East Retaining Wall footings	East Wall Footings	East Wall Footings & Verticals
East retaining wall footings	Finally...End of East Retaining Wall footing	First Pour 5/16/06 (1:00 AM)
	Column Steel 5/20/06		Sheer wall footing
"Top of the Line Crane"			Setting Column Steel 5/26/06
			Column Steel
Column Footing Mat		Pour #2 @ 3am 6/05/06	Pour #2
The Pour CREW :-)	David aka Mud Man	Digging For Next Pour 6/05/06	THOMAS our backhoe guy
Rebar Farm 6/23/06
		Front footing pour 7/10/06	Dave
Roberto			8/07/06

		David's buddy
Walls Rebar...almost done 8/19/06	Rebar Finished!!!!!!! 9/13/06		Wall Forms Arrive!
Column Forms go up! 9/13/06	First Wall Form!	Ready For Wall Pour..9/22/06
Concrete Pump	First Wall Pour...9/22/06		Miguel
6087 DUDLEY	DRIVEWAY	9/30/06
RALPH	RALPH	East End of Building (My Shop)	THE BUILDER
Block-outs	10/4/06
	10/04/06	Cement Pump
10/10/06
		10/28/06


Brandon	Russ	Miguel & Arnie	11/15/06
David & Lee	New Finish Guy	Brundage-Bone	DUDLEY DUNES
11/19/06		11/20/06 LAST HOUSE WALL POUR!!
11/23/06		West Retaining Wall Rebar	11/25/06
		11/29/06	12/04/06
	Ready for Pour	12/9/06	West Retaining Wall
	West Retaining Wall Finished!!	East Retaining Wall..ready to pour
FINAL WALL POUR!!!	12/29/06	FINAL WALL DONE!!!	NEIGHBOR...:-)
1/26/07	1/26/07	DAVID & DAVE from ATLAS	Shoring from ATLAS arrives 2/22
	Shoring for Roof Pour
		First SHORING TOWER 2/22/07

			SHORING TOWERS DONE 2/24/07
A VERY HAPPY DAVID	NEXT...the 4X4s go up		Up, Up and Away
		Go "SUN BLAZE"
		Jason's dangling feet	4x4s Loaded & Placed 02/25/07
Loading the plywood sheets		Front to Back	End to End
Slammin sheets..... :-)		Paul, Gustavo and Brian
	Rebar being loaded		ROD BUSTERS
DUANE		Rebar and Electrical Conduit	HAMMIN IT UP
Bill	Loading the long bars	Finishing the rebar	1 AM ROOF POUR 3/15/07

Lee & Roger
Rob
	Brian & Jason		ROOF
			Roof Dirt
More Roof Dirt	Shoring Comes Down...
Our Ceiling......			Shoring goes back to Vegas Yeah!!
April 2007	Now we need a floor.......		Styrofoam Arrives
Thomas unloading	Styrofoam for Insulation over waterproofing	Manuel & Jorge rolling primer 4/15/07	Giant toilet paper roll..ha ha
Applying Waterproofing Membrane	Waterproofing Membrane	Styrofoam over Membrane	Styrofoam & Dirt half way up
	Dale Backfilling	John Backfilling	John & his loader
West Retaining Wall Backfilled		Placing Membrane on Roof
Styrofoam over Membrane	Boots		Boot Man
		May 1
May 1	Dirt goes on Roof....finally	TeleBelt spitting out our Roof...	Loading the Big Hopper
Charlie and JR	Our busy loaders	ROOF...	Plumbing starts..
	Go Hacking Plumbing!!!	Asses and Elbows...:-)
With curb......	Under 3 feet of Dirt	Ground Plumbing

			Trying to escape....
Gopher snake that came to visit and stayed awhile...			Water Tank Base
		Tamped floor	Sunken Shower Floor
Styrofoam & Rebar			Go SelectBuild!!!
FLOOR POUR 6/24			Lee
		Mario...love the hat	Miguel
Swirls.....(:-)	SCORPION	WALKING STICK	SELECT BUILD Art, Jesus, Roberto
Finishing Garage Floor	Drywall	Drywall into rooms	Steel Studs start...
	Rooms....at last (:-)		A/C starts
		Hallway	A/C
Master shower
Studs on Front of House	Our Front Doorway July 2007	Steel Studs on Front	Gary & Jim.. Electricity at its best
Jim	Kenny...	The front 8/23	The front 8/29
Drywall going up.......	My Honey	Ralph wash tub	Drywall & Taping....
Light Shelf	Master Shower	Cool bullnose corners	Kitchen
Dave our taper	Slowly but surely we are getting there.....	First window installed..	Yellow "Densglass"
Styrofoam
		Lath crew	Eddie
	Juan	Stucco Brown-Coat
	CURTIS	KENNY	PAINTER DAVE
	Painted Nov. 07		Hallway
		Back of Spray Booth in Shop	Our new guest...
Western Big Eared Bat	Our Border Patrol	Stucco crew JANUARY 2008
			Stucco done
A/C Units Set... January 2008			Coast Garage Doors
		Greetings Earthlings	Sunrise
Curb for Ralph's run		CHECKIN IT OUT	Coyote proof cage for Ralph
RALPH'S YARD		Ralph's enclosure	Painting the West Retaining Wall
	David pulling the tape off	THOMAS	West side
East side	Tile start 3/17/08		Patrick and Joe
PATRICK cutting tile	CABINETS in kitchen	DESK	KENNY setting cabinets
Power/water trench	Widening driveway	John moving the Connex
MotherEarth arrives..Justin & Steve	Templates for Granite	Master Shower	Master Shower Floor
RUDY from Rughut	Grouted	Guest Bath	Pantry shelves
Utility room	LARRY from SCHILLING	LEON from SCHILLING	Granite floor
		Richard and David drilling holes	Holes for Fixtures
Kitchen Granite	Guest Bath	Shop Bath	Mike
Bill	Jim and Bill plumbing Water Tank	Water Tank electrical	Living in Style ;-)
FRANK.jpg	JOE	TOM	planting trees 2
planting trees

comment |

Rick		30-Oct-2019 22:50
I found you again! I had deleted the link. I last posted in 2012. It appears the site is no longer being monitored. Too bad, my last few questions still stand.

Rick		04-Aug-2012 19:51
Incredible build. Would be interested to hear how it feels to live in an underground concrete home, energy usage, any positive or negative unforeseen issues, what would you've done different, etc.

MsTweetie		01-Mar-2010 06:43
I found your blog at www.undergroundcarpenter.com, Dave and found this gallery of photos wherein you and Deanne built your own home in the Mohave Valley from the ground up. I am not an engineer or normally interested in this type of thing but went through the photos taken on a regular basis to see your progress. To say I am impresses is an under-statement. These types of homes aren't anything I have ever heard before and find it fascinating how you were able to accomplish all of this in two years! I would really love to see pics of the totally finished product... if you plan on taking some. What a great job and I just wanted you and your wife to know. Regards...

Guest		22-Aug-2008 02:50
A lot of hard work went into that house. Hope you guys can enjoy it for many, many years! Hope it has lots of spare rooms in case your grandkids drive me nuts! YYD PS The picture of the bat was really cool!

Michael M.		23-Jun-2008 14:40
You've done something that I've wanted to do for a long time. I have two questions: 1)Can you give an ball-park estimate of what it cost to build this home (design, labor, materials, your time, etc.)? 2) Ideally I'd want to try it outside of Tucson. Did you have to deal with caliche where you are? I'm sorry if the answers to these are already on the website somewhere and I missed them. Thanks so much.

Guest		11-May-2008 19:36
I have really enjoyed watching the progress of your construction photos. It is looking fantastic. That stone in the master shower is beautiful. Thank you for being meticulous with the photos. Doug Drew Now in Mesa AZ.

The Espinoza's		07-Apr-2008 23:56
Dave and Deanne, You guys ROCK!!! When are you putting on?

Roland		06-Apr-2008 19:40
You did it right! My wife and I did an earth sheltered home in 1981 in N. J. While only the North wall was actually earth sheltered, the 2x6 construction, south facing sunroom and interior atrium really took advantage of the sun. Nowhere near as complex as your undertaking but you can take a peek at www.pbase.com/roland/architecture&page3 Alternative construction methods make so much sense, more so now with the environmental crisis we all face. Congratulations on an outstanding gallery and earth sheltered "nest"

Joel Welty		17-Feb-2008 22:45
Congratulations, Dave & Deanne, and thanks for posting all the pictures. You house looks much like the one Ellie and I built in Michigan, except we have not had any scorpions or bats, yet. Yours looks larger than ours. Our house measures fifty feet side to side and twenty-eight feet front to back, making 1,400 square feet of course. It is snug and just right for us, with our child living in Oregon and we being eighty years old. Our photos are on the web site , click on "affordable housing." Then scroll down to the pictures. Ours was built for us by Davis Caves Construction, from Armington, Illinois; we appreciate their expertise and are happy with the result.

Sister Sue		12-Nov-2007 20:22
Haven't checked your site in a while, and wow, it is really getting there! All the hired help look happy. The snake and scorpion were nice touches...they give the place a real nice southwestern feel. Hope you'll be in soon, and can relax and enjoy!

Tim & Ken Black		22-Apr-2007 19:39
Wow!!! This place is going to be a Palace...!!! Looks like a lot of work, but it will be amazing when it is finished. Hope you two are doing well, and we look forward to the next batch of pictures.

Karen North Wells		21-Apr-2007 21:41
Hi Deanne and Dave, I showed him some of the pictures . His initial response was "WoW" and then he said,"What an undertaking!" He is good at those puns. Happy building!

Adrian Avila		12-Jan-2007 03:42
What a project, it looks amazing. Who knew i was contributing to such and artistic structural home, i love it.

Greg Burke		29-Dec-2006 17:51
wow, what a project, would like to see the floor plan. maybe you could post it next batch... We're living in a off grid Strawbale home we built and love it. http://www.pbase.com/gb_photo/image/20420945 Hang in there it will all be worth it... This home will surely be a refuge from the summer heat like no other...

Judie and Neal		25-Dec-2006 16:56
Wow! Keep the faith! There's a light at the end of the tunnel- you're making progress. Looking forward for the next batch of pictures. Wishing you both a wonderful, happy and healthy New Year. Judie and Neal

deano		09-Dec-2006 17:06
dave, looks good have you started shoreing yet? hurt my back today. email me sometime

David Reynolds		30-Oct-2006 15:49
Dave, Things look like they are going well for you on your building phases, If you need anything please dont hesitate to call. Also when you get done I would like to come out and take some pictures for Atlas. Its been great working with you.

Guest		02-Sep-2006 04:24
All those pics and only one partial shot of Ralph?! Where is the doggy door going to be? Grown man playing in the dirt!!! Definitely will keep up with the progress. Great to see the three of you! - Dr. V

Sister Sue		01-Sep-2006 08:04
Wow! Sure is spectacular! How many guest rooms will this palace have? (hint, hint)

Guest		16-May-2006 04:07
Dave, that looks great. I think you build to a higher quality than the work going on in Las Vegas! Keep up the good work. Jesse

Guest		15-May-2006 19:03
Hey guys - very impressive! Looking forwarad to following your progress. Thinking of you - Judie and Neal

Steve and Chris		29-Apr-2006 19:59
King Dave and Queen Deanna-- You must be related to King Tut. That place looks like a shopping mall that's going to be underground. I would be satisfied with just the concrete wall R factor. You will never cool or heat that sucker, even in 'Zona. Glad your dream is finally coming true. "Born in Arizona in a condo made of stone-ah..." Steve and Chris

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