How do the underground houses in the current issue compare with Rob Roy's"Underground Houses?Is one more or less likely to pass local building codes??Incidently low light levels in northern climates are one of the factors that makes me hesitant about residing in one of these structures.Thanks

-- Karl P.Bechler (kbechler@frontiernet.net), November 13, 1999

Answers

Karl,

I'm dissapointed there weren't more responses to your question. I was intrigued by the recent article and hope to learn more. Come on you experts ..... what can you tell us??

-- Kim (fleece@eritter.net), November 15, 1999.

I have that book, and it was great! It may not pass inspections, though, if your house is built the way Mike Ohler did his. But he lives in the boonies. Besides, the bureaucrats have to FIND your house first! LOL. Actually, my main concern was that I'm a girl, and I'm a little squeamish about the idea of dirt floors. Other than that, the book had some great ideas!

-- philomena (avemaris@aol.com), December 03, 1999.

We have been planning an earth shelter for a few years (as soon as the barns are done, fencing, etc. since we have a cabin for basic shelter...) and we bought Mike's book from him at a Barter Faire and did a lot of rethinking on design! I, too, am hesitant about the carpet covered dirt floors, but it would be a lot better on our feet than the stone we had been thinking of! The uphill patio is a great concept, too! My vote is out on the plastice, though, as there is reduced air exchange, and word is just coming in on just how toxic plastics are!

-- Fran ogren (trumpkinland@plix.com), February 14, 2000.

I did a lot of research before building my earth sheltered home two or three years ago. I looked at the Rob Roy book, and was not impressed, personally.

BTW, I ended up with a fantastic house, easy to heat, stays cool in summer, quiet and comfortable. And very expensive to build.

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@echoweb.net), February 15, 2000.