The Concrete Underground

[TurboCrazy]

I finally got this thing read through. It only took me 11/2 weeks! (I manage maintenance in a large Grey & Ductile iron foundry, & work too much) This is a captivating thread! LLWillys, your attention to detail is awesome, & I can't believe your dedication to updating this thread. Your concrete mansion makes the 60x100 shop I'm building seems small & insignificant. I wish I had found GJ & your build before I started my building late last fall. I have learned many things from your thread. Keep up the great work. What you have built is a masterpiece, & will be an awesome home for a verrry long time. Thankyou for sharing.
Brandon

 

[Modern Jess]

Just gorgeous! This project has transitioned from a flat spot on a hillside to a hulking mass of concrete and steel and now to a beautiful modern house.

Well done.

 

[hobbitss]

Finally for those who think I might really be some kind of wealthy super villain, let me share a my humble abode complete with a stack of cheap plastic lawn chairs I haven't bothered to put away.



Now that we've settled that question once and for all.....

Nicely Camouflaged secret entrance to the Underground Command Post...

 

[JordonMusser]

amazing man.. windows really make the aesthetics. cant wait till mine is at that stage

 

[NUTTSGT]

What happens at night, in the dark, when you turn on an interior light ? Can people see in ? I know you won't have much for neighbors but you just might have people dropping anchor to sit back and watch the show after dark.


Once the place is done, I'm waiting on the next phase, the water feature. A covert moat designed to look like a Frank Lloyd Wright water feature. It'll pump water from the river, around (through/under) the house to a water fall that returns it back to the river.

 

[FarmerPete]

What happens at night, in the dark, when you turn on an interior light ? Can people see in ? I know you won't have much for neighbors but you just might have people dropping anchor to sit back and watch the show after dark.


Once the place is done, I'm waiting on the next phase, the water feature. A covert moat designed to look like a Frank Lloyd Wright water feature. It'll pump water from the river, around (through/under) the house to a water fall that returns it back to the river.

He can't do that! It would make the promised water wheel generator obsolete! He's got to offset his carbon footprint somehow. Maybe solar panels on the roof.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Thedoc14]

Hey LL and everybody watching this spectacular build over the last year.
Wishing you all a Merry Merry Christmas and a safe New Year, where we get to enjoy the fruits of LL's labour and talented crew build one of the best projects on Garage Journal.

 

[slimpickins]

Thanks slimpickins. I'm humbled by your comments but am very pleased I've been able to take some of the mystery out of building with concrete. Please feel free to reach out if I can be of assistance when you are ready to tackle your project.

Thanks for the tip on the time lapse camera. If I'd had one of these and a drone, we'd really have something.

Thanks for the invitation LLWillysFan. Not sure when (or if) I'll get around to the deck idea, but I'll keep you in mind, and I'll have to review this thread again as well. I wasn't kidding about the education you have provided.

x 1000 again for your craftsmanship on this project!!!

 

[ConCretin]

Just a quick update. We're getting close to finishing up windows and doors. We've got one aluminum door and window remaining - the window came in damaged and had to be re-ordered. The front door to the house is a pivot door, which is coming from a different location.

Here are the doors that flank the chimney structure;



The back kitchen/office windows are complete as well



The terrace doors are pretty cool. The doors have these little pins located up the length of the door;



The jambs have these latches. When you pull the lever up, the pins engage and **** the door tightly shut.



The only change in the master bedroom windows is the view. The River has frozen over and we've had several days of freezing rain Brrrr.



The only other major progress is the domestic water supply. The well company was back to install the permanent pump in the well and the expansion tank and controls in the basement. I had them install a valve for the future heat pumps as well, which is the larger horizonal pipe. The vertical valve is for domestic water. You can also see the return line to the wells coming through the wall to the left of the supply.



That's it for now. Next up is electrical and plumbing rough-in but with the holidays and weather, I'm not expecting too much to get done over the next couple weeks.

 

[ConCretin]

Is the glass making any difference to the internal temperature or are there still too many openings?

The temp is coming up slowly. That little wall mounted boiler is working hard to overcome 3 million pounds of frozen concrete and steel.

To clean even more a door's look you can have magnetic mortise box which eliminates the lip strike. You can check a video here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsuw7a_the-magnetic-mortise-box-by-bartels_tech

I thought we talked about this. Just kidding, I appreciate the info

Nicely Camouflaged secret entrance to the Underground Command Post...

Damn, you're on to me. Actually your comment cracked me up

What happens at night, in the dark, when you turn on an interior light ? Can people see in ?

Once the place is done, I'm waiting on the next phase, the water feature. A covert moat designed to look like a Frank Lloyd Wright water feature. It'll pump water from the river, around (through/under) the house to a water fall that returns it back to the river.

The short answer is 'yes they can'. We' re planning on installing a lot of exterior lighting to tone down the effect but if you're going to live in a glass house people will be able to see in if they want to.

The only real vantage point is the river. In the summer, there is a lot of foliage and in the winter, no one is out there so it should be fine. At this point in our lives, I'm not sure people are going to be lining up and I really don't care if they do.

A moat water feature? Really?? First BeachBoy, now you with the expensive ideas. You guys know I have to deal with all these ideas, right?

 

[granada don]

Hi Doug

Your new Pad is looking really nice

Wishing you & yours a Merry Christmas & and a happy New Year

G Don

 

[CoconutPete]

The only change in the master bedroom windows is the view. The River has frozen over and we've has several days of freezing rain Brrrr.

With that view ..... I would seriously just lay in bed all day....

 

[FarmerPete]

if you're going to live in a glass house people will be able to see in if they want to.

Just be careful you don't throw many stones while you're near the house.

On a side note, I know it's probably too late and too expensive, but you could always look at "Smart Glass". With Smart Glass, you can flip a switch and the glass ceases to be transparent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_glass#Electrically-switchable_smart_glass

 

[Deutschmann]

LLWillysfan, great thread and your house looks awesome. You have created a dream house and garage that I would like to build. Where are you located in Maine and on what waterway? I live in Germany and I must say that most of the houses built here are built like this to stand 200 years plus. The picture about of the window/door latch with the four pins is exactly like we have in Germany. Very good system. http://www.stickling-fensterbau.de/fensterbeschlaege.php. I will be looking forward to your next update. Happy New Year!

 

[NUTTSGT]

A moat water feature? Really?? First BeachBoy, now you with the expensive ideas. You guys know I have to deal with all these ideas, right?

Yep. LOL.

 

[TimRaleigh]

Hi Doug:
Just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed reading this thread, I have learned a lot and will definitely bookmark it for reference. I really appreciate your diligence to frequent posts, as I struggle to regularly update the threads I start.
As a Canadian I was wondering who the kitchen cabinet manufacturer was.

Hope you had a great Christmas and have a great new year in your new house...eventually.
Tim

 

[Kiwi Tinbender]

Wow. It`s after midnight here and I have finally finished reading this whole thread. Four nights I have into this. I have never seen an ICF house built in this way. Everything is stick built here, even if it is stucco covered. I have learnt alot about the concrete process, and, like most here, very grateful that you have chosen to document your build on this site. I have never been to Maine, but my wife and I spent our 10th wedding anniversary in Phoenix looking at all the FLW homes and taking the compulsory tour of Taliesen West. If we ever get to the East Coast and see Fallingwater and the other FLW houses there, I would like to add your house to my visit wish list. Just Phenomenal work, Doug. You should be very proud of your accomplishments.....Cheers--Happy New Year to you. Looking forward to 2014 being the finish and opening of the complete project...

 

[gowings]

What a project. Awesome to say the least
I am currently working on a ICF total build home. At the moment they are using acrylic stucco as the finish inside the triple garage.

 

[Blackhawks63]

Thank you for sharing this build. I am blown away by your vision and hard work. I've been to that part of Maine too, and the setting you picked for your new home is great. Kudos.

 

[ConCretin]

No progress to report but I wanted to share some pics following our recent ice storm. Everything is encapsulated within a layer of ice, which is beautiful - the photos don't do it justice.



Of course it's hard to enjoy the show if you lose your power and hundreds of thousands do. We got ours back after 24 hours but some will go over a week. This is more than just an inconvenience in sub freezing temps.



We were fortunate to have power restored so quickly. The batteries in the camper lasted long enough to keep the furnace running so we had heat and lights.



Hoping to get going on some rough in going this week so I can share some actual progress.


Finally let me say how much I appreciate the comments from all of you who have enjoyed reading the thread over the last year. It makes it all worthwhile when someone discovers the Concrete Underground, reads it all the way through and then posts up a comment. I also truly value those of you who have been around since the beginning. Though we've never met, I consider you guys friends. The GJ has had added immeasurably to this experience for my wife and me.

I'd also like to extend my thanks to Ryan for supporting the GJ community and the mods who keep things on track. It's a unique place that attracts a lot of quality people.....and a few characters.

Happy New Years everyone. I hope you and your families have a safe and prosperous 2014

 

[BeachBoy]

I also truly value those of you who have been around since the beginning. Though we've never met, I consider you guys friends.

My girlfriend would love us to do a little road trip to see your place in person next summer. We both love modern architecture and would gladly bring you some Canadian beer in exchange for a home tour

We would like to visit Elephant Mountain ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_Elephant_Mountain_B-52_crash) and the trains at Eagle Lake ( http://seriestrek.com/nmw.html)

You progress thread is what brings me back to GJ everyday. Keep it up!

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Vernmotor]

Happy New Year to you also !

 

[BoostAddiction]

Like most everyone on the list, I've been following this build, and am fascinated by it.

When I see a build like this with such obvious attention to detail, I wonder if there has been deep thought as to energy efficiency? I know the OP has discussed certain aspects of the build as good for reduced energy consumption, but has there been an attempt to meet more formal efficiency specs like LEED, or Passivhaus?

If not, are there plans to do a blower-door test? I'm guessing some of us would like to know just how good this kind of construction can be. For example, unlike stick-built houses, there aren't the typical edge or seam leaks in a poured concrete house. OTOH, there clearly are thermal bridging issues in this kind of construction that don't appear in conventional builds.

Were the windows selected for the appropriate U-value and sizing based on solar gain and solar orientation? It seems to me that Maine is exactly the kind of climate that Passivhaus is designed around.

 

[OHSCrifle]

I think the photos and descriptions show some deliberate thermal breaks at slab edges. The Maine climate will surely test any building, but I suspect the insulated roof slab, ICF and "sandwich " walls will do the job very well.

All this thermal mass, IF truly isolated, should do well to offset the enormous losses through all that glass.

I bet it would prove extremely tight on a blower door test.

 

[rmmiller]

Your power outage could have been a very bad deal in that trailer. Just imagine though, once you are moved in and all that concrete is warmed up it will hold the heat during the next one.

 

[BeachBoy]

Some glass performs better than walls. Today with glass technology you can gain more energy during the day than you loose at night... Making the window better than walls.

Also, Passivhaus is not the holy grail of construction, there are many, many flaws in the passivhaus design, but I think this should go to another discussion.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[BoostAddiction]

Also, Passivhaus is not the holy grail of construction, there are many, many flaws in the passivhaus design, but I think this should go to another discussion.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Oh, I agree about Passivhaus. I just meant it as an example of a standard. For all its flaws though, it is probably optimized for the Maine environment, as opposed, for example, to Miami.

A better solution might be the "Pretty Good House" approach, which is less prescriptive, and more cost-sensitive.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Finally let me say how much I appreciate the comments from all of you who have enjoyed reading the thread over the last year. It makes it all worthwhile when someone discovers the Concrete Underground, reads it all the way through and then posts up a comment. I also truly value those of you who have been around since the beginning. Though we've never met, I consider you guys friends. The GJ has had added immeasurably to this experience for my wife and me.

I'd also like to extend my thanks to Ryan for supporting the GJ community and the mods who keep things on track. It's a unique place that attracts a lot of quality people.....and a few characters.

Happy New Years everyone. I hope you and your families have a safe and prosperous 2014

It's a great build Doug and many of us have enjoyed it immensely and ardently wait on the updates. Enjoy the scenery, weather, the power outage and remember . . . . . body heat keeps you warm.

 

[ewog70]

I too have been following along enthusiastically, awaiting updates, chuckling at some of the comments and generally just enjoying the whole thing.
The scope of the entire project is amazing, from the site, the plans, the execution and attention to detail, to the nearly finished product which is already drop-dead gorgeous.
Another thank you, from me to you LL, for such an enjoyable, well written and informative thread.
Congrats on such a beautiful place, and Happy New Year to you too

 

[gooned]

Finally let me say how much I appreciate the comments from all of you who have enjoyed reading the thread over the last year. It makes it all worthwhile when someone discovers the Concrete Underground, reads it all the way through and then posts up a comment. I also truly value those of you who have been around since the beginning. Though we've never met, I consider you guys friends. The GJ has had added immeasurably to this experience for my wife and me.

I'd also like to extend my thanks to Ryan for supporting the GJ community and the mods who keep things on track. It's a unique place that attracts a lot of quality people.....and a few characters.

Happy New Years everyone. I hope you and your families have a safe and prosperous 2014

Don't post often but always following along, thanks for taking us all on the journey Doug

Best of life to you and yours in the coming year!

 

[Red05GT]

Did you use a generator to keep the boiler circulating pumps going in the house during
the power outage?

 

[Oggy]

I don't think there's too many of us who have checked this thread out, and not immediately subscribed.

I love the house, and can't wait to see how it comes out. (Well, I can wait, I just don't want to)

 

[matthew_turner]

Some glass performs better than walls. Today with glass technology you can gain more energy during the day than you loose at night... Making the window better than walls.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Not to get off topic…but do tell. I am studying this is school and this has not been my experience. We just touched it this past semester and dive in more this coming one. However, I think even triple glazed window with inert gas you are only looking at around an U = 0.25 (about R4-5).

I believe for the windows to perform the way you are describing it is not the glazing but a system of the way the building is designed and orientation. It will not work sides of the building.

Doug – I have followed along since the start and I have enjoyed it very much. thanks for posting.

Matthew

 

[luke7734]

OK, good week of reading after being turned onto your thread from Nutt (who I've had the priviledge of meeting, and hope to someday meet you as well Doug, and I'm finally current!!

If there is one thing I love it's the use of new or "out there" building techniques, and you sir.. have taken the cake..

I've been throwing everything different into my build that I can afford (talk about continually killing your budget) and I just got moved into my new buiding / HARN.

These pics below had me doing some head scratching though
you did all this concrete work on your house, garage, stairs, boat dock, and then You put up a STUPID METAL FLAG POLE!!!!
If there is one thing I can say that I've outdone you on good sir.. It's my flag pole (I work for a local water / sewer treatment facility. and our plant has a sort of catch-all for the cities junk.. Where I found my baby laying in a bunch of weeds) It's an old light pole from our urban renewal of uptown. It's about 12" at the base and octagonally narrows to the top to about 5" It's pebbled concrete with rebar reinforcement thoughout and has an also norrowing hollow center which houses the wiring for the light. I just cut down the light holder and bent some coil stock to trim it up nicely and added a pulley at the top and a cleat at the bottom.. oh and let's not forget the giant brass 28" eagle on the top! It's 32' to the top of the eagle's wings and I'm guessing weights about 3,000 lbs maybe?? (I build a 5' deep foundation out of 18" concrete culvert pipe.. filled in with crete and a huge metal anchor system...) but it's absolutely beautiful!! It was the first thing I did when we bought our land.

I installed the flag pole on the dock stairs today.

I really wanted to have a flag flying for Memorial Day.

It was an emotional moment when we lifted the flag over our future home. It will fly proudly for as long as I'm there.

Here's a few shots of her in all her glory

Love the build and can't wait to follow out till the end!!!

Ps.. I too lived in my 5th wheel during early construction (mainly to ward off thieves.. )

 

[luke7734]

I sure hope your ready for the blistering chill headed your way. It's supposed to hit -18F tonight here in Ohio. I can't imagine how bad it's going to be in Maine. Good test for the radiant this week I've got plenty of wood stacked right by my outdoor boiler.

ps.. never heard, did you get your backup LP generator set installed?? I sure hope so with a storm like this coming through.. good luck! hope for an update soon.

 

[mike_81]

I sure hope your ready for the blistering chill headed your way. It's supposed to hit -18F tonight here in Ohio. I can't imagine how bad it's going to be in Maine. Good test for the radiant this week I've got plenty of wood stacked right by my outdoor boiler.

ps.. never heard, did you get your backup LP generator set installed?? I sure hope so with a storm like this coming through.. good luck! hope for an update soon.

-30 to -40 in the Toronto area Tonight. And to think we were around 0c Sunday!

 

[ironman70]

I believe it hit -40 with the wind chillin NW Ohio on Monday night...crazy. I love winter but that just nuts.

Love the thread...can't wait for more updates. Personally, I prefer a more county/farm house-look but I love the work and thought that you've taken to make this a reality...kudos and thank you for letting us follow along.

 

[Buzz Lightyear]

LLWillysFan - I hope the cold weather you guys are having over there hasn't hit you too bad. We keep seeing it on the news over here in Limeyland and it looks pretty grim to say the least.

Our west coast is getting battered by storms which are pretty nasty but I live about 30 miles form the coast and we've been very lucky so far. The 9th Jan and no snow yet which is a first in the 10 years I've lived in this house.

 

[Bluteam]

Very very nice and thank you for sharing. My dad spent his lifetime and retired as a carpenter/concrete guru. Drove me nuts how he could see the finished product from the inside out. This thread brought back many of those memories.

I have one question and one critique.

Question: did I miss the picture of what your visitors will see as the main entrance? You remarked how it would really stand out when they pulled up. ?

Critique: your garage isn't big enough. LOL

Well done sir. I could not live where there are no mountains, but your view is certainly awe inspiring.

 

[Ch3No2]

100 pages strong and I have read every one...
Congratulations on the build...Very Impressive!
Almost time to enjoy it now