# Need Ideas for earth contact home re-use



## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

We purchased land in '10 and finished building a home last fall. The site has an existing earth contact home about 100-200 feet from the new house. The kitchen is shot as well as one of the two bathrooms. The other bathroom is in fine shape. It has a nice metal roof. All in all, it would make good living conditions, but I really didn't move all the way out here to have a neighbor so close. 

Thoughts that have crossed my mind:

1) Raise the roof about 3 feet off the foundation or high enough to install garage doors and make it a garage/man-cave.

2) Remodel the kitchen for the ever-tightening whims of the local food cops and make sell-able food.

3) Pop the lid entirely and put a barn overhead, making myself a barn with a nice basement.

4) Install so many skylights that it destroys the cooling effect in the summer, but increases light for winter seed starting and greenhouse effect. (we had good success with seed starting by the windows, and barely ran the heat, but it was a super mild winter).

5) Let the chickens have it.

All 5 of those ideas fit within the scope of our tiny operation. What can you think of?

Thanks,
Chris


----------



## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

Well, I know I don't have a vote, but I like option 1!

A good man-cave is hard to find.


----------



## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

I would just salvage it and keep the good wood and roofing.


----------



## dirtman (Sep 15, 2011)

Storage/root cellar.


----------



## cfabe (Feb 27, 2005)

I'd go with option 1, seems to get you the most bang for your buck. Wood and plywood/siding to build 3' of wall would not be very expensive.


----------



## mplatt4 (Mar 24, 2007)

another option would be to use one end as a garage and the other as a dairy for a family cow and or goats it would be pretty comfortable to milk in in the winter and cooler in the summer that most barns also you could put chickens on one end and a garage in the midle and dairy on the other end the possiblilities are endless


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Could you elaborate on what an 'earth contact home' is? Is it a home on a concrete slab? or a wooden home that's fell onto the ground? or an old fashioned dugout?

If it's weatherproof, I'd keep it as is.... one can never have too much storage.

Remodeling, imho isn't worth it... usually costs more, in the long run, than new construction.

Or keep it as is, it might come in handy for keeping relatives and friends from overstaying their welcome!


----------

