# Has anyone built an underground home? In Kansas or Oklahoma?



## TedH71 (Jan 19, 2003)

So tired of having to worry about whether tornadoes are going to ruin my home and then have to worry about underground storm shelters flooding (it apparently is a huge problem now in Oklahoma and Kansas..one person drowned to death in her underground storm shelter yesterday in Oklahoma). So has anyone have a good current book on how to build underground homes and whether they know of any houses built like this in Kansas and Oklahoma?


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

I built one many years ago. It was in the side of a hill with a French drain around the edges. Concrete on top with a building on it. It had a doorway leading out off the hill and stairs to get to the top floor. Another one I built was three level. One underground, one ground level with dirt piled up on the north side and sloping down on east and west side. Plus a third story. The south roof was all glass for heat. Not kind of house I would want in Texas but it was his money after all. That was twenty five years ago and he still lives in it. 

It can be done but water is the very first issue to solve


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## bpmahagan (Mar 19, 2021)

TedH71 said:


> So tired of having to worry about whether tornadoes are going to ruin my home and then have to worry about underground storm shelters flooding (it apparently is a huge problem now in Oklahoma and Kansas..one person drowned to death in her underground storm shelter yesterday in Oklahoma). So has anyone have a good current book on how to build underground homes and whether they know of any houses built like this in Kansas and Oklahoma?


No useful information here but I had to reply. Before I was born (1956) my Dad built what we refer to as the "basement house" in Lincoln, Nebraska. Somewhere along the way someone built a house on top of it. Only just now saw your post from 6 years ago but it brought back memories of my Dad. Thanks!


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Building a mostly underground practice gym right now.


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## 50ShadesOfDirt (Nov 11, 2018)

Usually, perhaps not always, an "underground" home (aka earth-sheltered) takes advantage of site topography (slope), and is mostly in the hill (three sides), with some or all of the roof (earth-covered) and one side facing out; these exposed parts might be subject to tornado destruction, most of which is violent wind and thrown objects. An F5 can leave you with only a foundation in a typical stick-built home, so these exposed parts may also be at risk.

If everything is completely underground (aka "bunker"), it's a totally different living experience ... I didn't live underground, but I did live in a shipping container (in tornado alley, tx) for awhile, and while I had a french-door in the door-end of the container, I hadn't cut doors/windows elsewhere; at only 20' long, the "other" end still _felt_ like it was 100' from the outdoors.

If the issue is tornados (and possibly flooding at the same time), an underground home might help out, but an all concrete house might be better ... done right, you shouldn't really be aware you are "in concrete". I can't put my hands on it, but there was an article about an engineer who built such a house on one of the coasts, as he was tired of rebuilding after every hurricane. With such a home, you need only replace external doors/windows, if they get damaged. I'm no engineer, but I think this would survive an F5; I ended up choosing Colorado to live in, partly to escape tornado/hurricane/flooding alleys ...

If the idea of underground, or all concrete, is still "too much", folks have built concrete "safe rooms" somewhere in the house, which gets around the tornado and flooding problems ... assuming you are not building in a flood plain, or are right below a nearby dam, or are right on the coast.

If you just like the idea of underground homes because of the alternative construction type's benefits (lower utility bills, year-round stable temps), and you are handy with a search engine (we recommend Startpage), the internet has tons of resources on the subject. In northern new mexico, there is an entire community of partially underground homes. Rob Roy, the author who helps many with alternative home construction methods, has many books on Amazon, one of which is:










Hope this helps ...


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## doc- (Jun 26, 2015)

I built and now live in an earthberm house in WI.....The sod roof idea has more downside to it than advantages-- the constructed roof under the sod is prone to cracking and leaking (leaks very difficult to find), and the insulation it affords is more easily and cheaply provided by conventional insulation under a conventional roof....Wet earth is VERY heavy. If your sod roof is more than ~6 in thick, the building underneath will need to be built like an Interstate over pass- VERY VERY expensive.

As mentioned above, it's easiest to build three sides into a hill with the fourth side exposed on the down hill side-- essentially a walk-out basement...If you live where flooding is likely or a high water table exists (no hill to use), build it close to grade and berm the sides up with fill.

I used ICF (Insulated Concrete Forms) which cut construction time (they go up easily and don't need to be stripped after the pour) and no additional cost for insulation.

Tornadoes do their damage by sucking the air out of a building, not by blowing it away...So, unless you're going to build a cave entered via a man hole, that fourth side exposed to the outside will still be enough to suck out the insides if a funnel passes near by-- ie- no advantage to a sod roof.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

doc- said:


> I built and now live in an earthberm house in WI.....The sod roof idea has more downside to it than advantages-- the constructed roof under the sod is prone to cracking and leaking (leaks very difficult to find), and the insulation it affords is more easily and cheaply provided by conventional insulation under a conventional roof....Wet earth is VERY heavy. If your sod roof is more than ~6 in thick, the building underneath will need to be built like an Interstate over pass- VERY VERY expensive.
> 
> As mentioned above, it's easiest to build three sides into a hill with the fourth side exposed on the down hill side-- essentially a walk-out basement...If you live where flooding is likely or a high water table exists (no hill to use), build it close to grade and berm the sides up with fill.
> 
> ...


That is the truth about a tornado sucking things out. I have a large steel shop. I saw a tornado come through and luckily the big door was up. 14 X 16 ft. I saw all the dust and some little things come flying out. If the door had not been open the roof might have been sucked off. If you build an underground concrete structure be sure to add waterproofing to the concrete. Insulate it on the outside.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

This is an old blast from the past thread. I am building an underground NCAA college practice gym right now.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

dupe


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

Just an idea, don't build on the lowest place you can find. At the bottom of a draw. That is why root cellars were built into hill sides, near the top of the hill.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

muleskinner2 said:


> Just an idea, don't build on the lowest place you can find. At the bottom of a draw. That is why root cellars were built into hill sides, near the top of the hill.


I wish you were my engineer on my current project. We are underground, next to a creek and about 3' above the normal water line.

But that's ok. We have 3 cistern type wells with 3 phase pumps dug down 20 feet below the creek water line to pump all that water out once it gets too high. A large French drain around the perimeter leading into these below ground cisterns. 

I mean, what could possibly go wrong right? Its only a 100 thousand dollar Maple floor with another 50k worth of artwork on it.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

mreynolds said:


> I wish you were my engineer on my current project. We are underground, next to a creek and about 3' above the normal water line.
> 
> But that's ok. We have 3 cistern type wells with 3 phase pumps dug down 20 feet below the creek water line to pump all that water out once it gets too high. A large French drain around the perimeter leading into these below ground cisterns.
> 
> I mean, what could possibly go wrong right? Its only a 100 thousand dollar Maple floor with another 50k worth of artwork on it.



So, when the power goes out in a big storm, and the rain causes the creek to flood. They won't be able to run the pumps, the entire place will flood, and they will sue the contractor, and collect from the insurance agency.


When you are finished with them, could you send then to me. I have some antique wooden nickels I would like to sell, cheap.


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## 101pigs (Sep 18, 2018)

TedH71 said:


> So tired of having to worry about whether tornadoes are going to ruin my home and then have to worry about underground storm shelters flooding (it apparently is a huge problem now in Oklahoma and Kansas..one person drowned to death in her underground storm shelter yesterday in Oklahoma). So has anyone have a good current book on how to build underground homes and whether they know of any houses built like this in Kansas and Oklahoma?


Visit builders that build a ot of underground basements etc. in your area. They will be your best sorce of info. for your area.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

muleskinner2 said:


> So, when the power goes out in a big storm, and the rain causes the creek to flood. They won't be able to run the pumps, the entire place will flood, and they will sue the contractor, and collect from the insurance agency.
> 
> 
> When you are finished with them, could you send then to me. I have some antique wooden nickels I would like to sell, cheap.


Yep, we could have raised it up 5 foot taller and it would have not been underground.


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