Looking for ideas- Inlaws home with survival features built in

[japartridge]

include data and CATV wiring during construction... run 2-3 times more than you think you could ever use. you can then run an intercom, camera's, computers (obviously )whole home audio, lighting control, etc... CAT5e cabling isn't that expensive, and if you know someone who knows how to terminate, test, design, tell you what to buy, etc.. it's very affordable to have a "smart" home.

PS, I'll trade my services for shooting privileges, ammo, etc...

 

[longbow]

thanks for the ideas! keep them up!

We are going to do 2 full baths, lever doors, and spray foam insulation. Checking on the concrete home. They want a conventional looking home. That does not mean conventional construction.

The propane debate is getting hot. I like the idea of propane but electric is winning. We are looking at passive ventilation to vent hot air like the homes in the 1880"s had.

The basement will have additional rebar and now it will be a walkout.

 

[Woodsman]

thanks for the ideas! keep them up!

We are going to do 2 full baths, lever doors, and spray foam insulation. Checking on the concrete home. They want a conventional looking home. That does not mean conventional construction.

The propane debate is getting hot. I like the idea of propane but electric is winning. We are looking at passive ventilation to vent hot air like the homes in the 1880"s had.

The basement will have additional rebar and now it will be a walkout.

Have a look here: Insulated Concrete Forms, ICFs, Reward Wall Systems. They have a lot of details and pictures to review.

 

[Icarry2]

I am designing my final home.

I am also considering concrete poured walls, etc.

I am considering geothermal heat and floor heating.

wood pellet, corn pellet furnace boiler

half under grade upper level, lower level completly under ground

brick, stone exterior unless poured concrete

bundled cable everywhere, CAT5, coaxial cable, fiber optics if you can afford it, also phone, speaker, intercom, etc..

fireplace centrally located in house

underground water, fuel, food storage

back up generator, solar power, solar hot water, wind turbine, options

dual wells, dual water pumps, dual septic feilds

Rain water collection

reinforced doors, interior and exterior

sticky bushes under all windows

video survalence, all sides, interior and exterior

just a few ideas I am kicking around

 

[ATOMonkey]

Good point on the Geotherm! Even when using a heat pump, it's ALWAYS a much better idea to run the refrigerant through the ground than to use forced air.

Why? When it's hot the ground is cooler, and when it's cold the ground is warmer. The heat pump will always work more efficiently.

 

[futureofwar]

Concrete house sounds cool I don't know how exactly they support it but some big I beams would make me feel better about the concrete. Plus I really like the look of the exposed I beam in the ceiling I think it looks tough

 

[45fan]

Concrete homes are super nice, but I think the initial construction tends to be a bit more expensive. The return on investment diminishes as the years inhabited drop.

In-ground homes are also pretty cool, but would not follow along their wishes of a conventional looking home.

Conventional stick framing, with additional metal connectors (there are systems developed now that tie the entire structure from the top down to the foundation) would be the least expensive. The spray foam insulation is VERY cool too. I have recently had so dealings with it, and have been very impressed by the cost/effectiveness of the product.

Double cylinder deadbolts and windows placed to make using them inconvenient as a point of entry would be considerations I would look into as well.

 

[Bill B]

3M security film on the windows.
"water furnace" geothermal
and definately go propane. What happens to the electric when there's an ice storm?
When I was stationed @ Ft. Drum we had an ice storm and there was no electric for two weeks...

 

[J man]

There are wind and solar backup generator systems out there for around $7k. I am looking to get one once I get a few other things caught up. I am surrounded by open fields and do not have a single day that it is not windy so I will be going the turbine route.

 

[rhart]

Wind, solar, backup generator systems?

There are wind and solar backup generator systems out there for around $7k. I am looking to get one once I get a few other things caught up. I am surrounded by open fields and do not have a single day that it is not windy so I will be going the turbine route.

Would you care to share a link to these sytems? Im looking at building too and that sounds very reasonable.
Thanks

 

[nate1865]

Inlaws?

Make sure you put it in Alaska.

 

[longbow]

fyi....

The project is now dead, they have decided not to move....you all had great ideas.

The made the final call, but it will not end well for them. The choice was being with family who can keep an eye on them or thinking all will be fine. Family is at least 4 hours away.

POA is not an issue since that was signed already.

 

[Woodsman]

Would you care to share a link to these sytems? Im looking at building too and that sounds very reasonable.
Thanks

Here is something that might help get you started. Solar Stik - The New Generator | Solar Stik

 

[jeremy]

Some good info here!!!

 

[J man]

Would you care to share a link to these sytems? Im looking at building too and that sounds very reasonable.
Thanks

You guys better not buy all these up so I can't get mine. They also offer the solar version.
WIND TURBINE BACKUP & PRIMARY POWER SYSTEM - 7,200 Watt | eBay

Here is another setup I have been watching, a lot more expensive. They offer a few different options that are a little more reasonable.
TALON5 GRID-TIE 5KW 240V Wind Generator Turbine System - eBay (item 310328509179 end time Jul-04-11 22:00:36 PDT)

 

[hornadylnl]

I built my new house out of icf. Have a full concrete safe room in the basement with a vault door as well. All my insulation is spray foam as well. I've got a climatemaster geothermal. I just got done getting my old military 10k diesel genset hooked up and ready to go. I've got a 280 gallon tank with transfer pump and will get about 100-150 gallon in it soon. Also thinking about getting a 5k military diesel genset just for the geo and sumP pump to save fuel on the 10k.

 

[Iroquois]

On the subject of propane over electric I would suggest Geothermal with propane backup. We didn't have $$ for back up power when we built this house but I found
99% blue flame heaters for under 150$ and bought 2.[60,000 btus total] 2 years ago we lost power for 4+ days in cold weather [+5 ] and the house never fell below 63 deg.
I would also look at brick +standard framing if I was considering insulated concrete,
just as a reference point. Putting a shelter out side might make it hard to get into
in a driving storm, pitch dark... I prefer basements for 2am tornados
Placing a storm shelter on the outside wall, in a corner [s/east] would make it accessible and probably safer. Keep the ceiling small as you can and include 2 exits.
A friend of mine poured his ceiling of concrete over heavy corregated metal.

 

[hornadylnl]

The problem with brick is that it's almost entirely decoration with the way it's used today.

On the subject of propane over electric I would suggest Geothermal with propane backup. We didn't have $$ for back up power when we built this house but I found
99% blue flame heaters for under 150$ and bought 2.[60,000 btus total] 2 years ago we lost power for 4+ days in cold weather [+5 ] and the house never fell below 63 deg.
I would also look at brick +standard framing if I was considering insulated concrete,
just as a reference point. Putting a shelter out side might make it hard to get into
in a driving storm, pitch dark... I prefer basements for 2am tornados
Placing a storm shelter on the outside wall, in a corner [s/east] would make it accessible and probably safer. Keep the ceiling small as you can and include 2 exits.
A friend of mine poured his ceiling of concrete over heavy corregated metal.