# building new house, questions on Earth bermed roof



## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

Well i have been gone a long time from HT sorry guys,  It has been the worst year for my family, and yet I still have great hope for this year. 

We are planning on building a walk out basement home 3/4 earth bermed my husband wants to bury the roof as well concrete with I-beam or suspended roof thingees lol, If anyone has any engineering knowledge i could use some help the house is 35X52 all concrete I need to know how many I-beam to use to support the roof which will have approx 12" of soil on it. 

TIA

Kim


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

Thanks for posting this question. It is something I have also been interested in and have looked into it from different perspectives. 

I see you are in ID. My property is in CO. Are you also located in the mtns? If so,does your property slope south on a granite mtn, like mine?

For some time now, I have been thinking what it would require to dig a hole into the mtn for the foundation of a steel structure with a dirt covered roof. 

In your posting, you said "earth bermed". Does that mean dirt will be piled against the structure after it is built?

Google PAHS for information about an underground concrete dome in Missoula that stays at 68 degrees F yearround with no heating system except a fan.

I also met a man from Denver who built an earth bermed steel house in the VA mtns.

I decided to not dig into my granite mtn. The extra cost, labor, permits, and time changed my focus.

I am now planning to build a platform using steel framing (not steel 2x4's). It will be raised above ground with a garage in the basement. I will need an engineer to specify the structural support system. That goes from the cement, steel posts, I-beams, girders, corrugated flooring, plus roofing. The engineers stamp will simplify and insure the permit process.

A wood structure would be easier for a DIY'er, but a lot slower. With a metal structure, I will pay extra for delivery due to weight. I will need to hire a crane and a welding crew. While these may seem like an extra expense, the structure will be completed very quickly. The plumbing, electrical, interior (everything) and exterior finish work will be my time and labor.

Good luck and I look forward to responses to your thread.
Gary


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

I forgot to answer more directly your question regarding how many thingees.

My structure will be 40x40. That will take 6 vertical posts to support both ends of 3 I-beams. The 3 I-beams will be parallel and support hanging thingees (girders I think, but my word may be wrong) spaced at 2ft. The hanging thingees are shaped like VVVVV with flats on top and bottom.

That would then be covered with corrugated flooring (about the same as flat roofing).
The size of the posts, I-beams, and hanging thingees, determines the length and sizes required to support your 2 ft of dirt and snow. 

I suggest you work hard on the planning stages, then seek the assistance of an engineer. Another possibility is the supplier. These components are NOT available at the big box, and sometimes a local company has the engineering background to provide the appropriate assistance.

good luck again
gary


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## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

Thanks go-bug for the answers. We are running B-decking to support the concrete and girders i think are right (CRS gets in my way at times) Hubby was also thinking 3 I-Beams or girders as well for the centers as the outside walls will support the rest. we are putting 10" of concrete on the roof. 

Earth bermed- we are digging down actually in between of 2 small hills so the upper hill will be pulled onto the top of the house when finished it will look like it has been put into the side of the hill. Instead of the vertical post to support the beams we are running them concurrent with wall placement in the house and conviently enough my dining in the house has plans for an archway with columns, but instead of columns we will put in sono tubes and just have concrete pillars in that corner of the house. When we get it figured out (and were close) i can scan a pic of the plan we have. 

this house will be built in Ky not Idaho. 

we have a big pond at the base of the second hill the house will look over. 

the roof will be entirelly covered as will the entire right side. front and back entrances and porches will not be covered and the left side will be backfilled to just under the kitchen window. So hopefully ventalation will not be a problem. we are also doing a bit of passive solar, we are installing several skylight tubes and 1 big skylight in the main part of the house. Northern tools has some nice individual solar porch and barn lights i will be putting in around the outside as well I thinking they were 60.00 with shipping. 

dh decided that we should run the skylights and such up 5' to prevent people from falling thru them and damage from mowers, 4-wheelers exc. since we do worry about tshtf he will be installing metal grates to prevent unwanted visitors. 

we have a welder and since the company my hubby works for is in bankruptcy we might buy some of the concrete forms for a more do it yourself job. so that will save us quite a bit on not having to hire that done. 

I am taking all of my wood stoves with me have 2 wood stoves and 1 pellet tove but i am selling the pellet stove, the 1 big wood stove will be put in his shop when its built. but the other is going int he living room in the center of the house which is mostly open to provide heating for all the rooms. 

We dont need building plans where we are moving too, i just dont want the roof to fall on my head lol.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

but do to the fact there are many sizes of I beams, and different ways of supporting them, center posts or walls, (and do not for get walls), one needs to first figure the load of the roof, live and dead, at one time dirt was considered 100 pounds a square foot, (I do not know how much water it will hold, (gallon of water approx 8 pounds),
and any equipment what may be driven over it, and is any unusual loading would take place, (like a truck load of dirt in one area before being spread),

but my guess is you would need to figure for a 200 possibly 300 pounds per square foot, to be on the safe side, (I would be figuring on the 300+ pounds side with the 10" of concrete you stated, at least,) 

(off subject but why 10" of concrete on the roof deck?)

but you will some type of cross members, between beams/walls, and all of that would have to be taken in to consideration, the cost of it and the type of materials, 

depending on what or how, it may be one beam, of a proper size with out any center or in between supports, and some good sized cross members.

or a series of smaller beams with smaller cross beams,

with out some cost estimates on prices and some type of plan to work from, there is little one can tell you, 

and for liability you will probably need an engineers stamp on the drawing, 

you may want to consider some "double tee precast concrete beams".

also one may want to look into concrete beams (with rebar), so there are a number of options


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## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

Wow Farming thats quite a bit of info and I dont have the knowledge to answer a lot of the ?'s hubby not home But I can say this the roof will have B-decking welded to the I-Beam With Rebar throughout the concrete to carry the load of the dirt i would imagine is why he wanted to put it 10" thick. Hes been pouring concrete for 13 years so im assuming he knows what hes doing (But I wondered the same thing) when he told me 8" but 10" is better he said. we have a friend thats an engineer maybe we call and get some ideas from him. We dont need anything stamped there is no code i just dont want the roof in my lap on my head or anywhere else it doesnt belong LOL Thanks for the idea on the concrete beams as well i will do some checking in on prices .


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