Dugout: how to implement on your own? Interesting ideas for projects of underground houses.

The underground is fashionable, literally, if translated from English. Underground houses have become incredibly popular over the past few years. The undoubted environmental friendliness and cheapness completely cover its shortcomings, but about the bad later. It would seem, what news, a house underground. For thousands of years people lived in caves and dugouts. But today, science and technology have made it possible to revise the very format of the underground house.

What does it look like

A modern underground home is not a pit with a log or thatched roof. Now the materials have made it possible to produce modules of the highest strength, on which underground housing construction is based. Having such a module, it is possible in a matter of days, and it is possible to make changes to it even when it is not underground. So to speak, run the module on the ground.

The most stable, cheapest, warmest and most accessible building material in the world is earth. It automatically provides a constant temperature, the main thing is to maintain it occasionally. Brilliant - no drafts, no waterproofing, no soundproofing. Everything is already built. It remains only to think about ventilation, plumbing and sewerage, and the underground house is ready for operation.

Depending on the geographical location, an underground house may not require heating, no anti-vandal protection, because it is simply impossible to come up with a higher level of protection against unauthorized entry. Current roof? Natural disasters? Winds and showers, hurricanes and earthquakes? What are you talking about. All this is not scary at home underground. But there are several complications.

What is good and what is bad to live underground

To ensure the stability of the structure, the same underground module is still needed, which is not cheap. The process of burying and building an underground house does not cause any engineering and technological difficulties.

And the module underground is quite high. But at the same time, environmentally oriented wealthy extravagant customers will receive a lot of advantages:

• unconditional environmental friendliness, since the level of pollution at home depends only on how much phenol and polymers the owner brings into the house;
• construction time is the shortest - time from the start of design engineering systems and project plan before the first turn of the key in the lock - up to 30 days;
• savings on labor costs compared to construction ordinary house - 90 %;
• minimal insurance risks, and as a result, premiums;
• does no harm environment and even practically does not affect the landscape.

Advantages - the sea. The main thing is to find a company that will undertake the implementation of such bold projects en masse. But the idea is worth it, and there are more and more fans of eco-friendly and unusual housing. So underground...

The underground house in its visual indicators is very reminiscent of a hole or a hill, which merges with the natural landscape. More and more people are striving to acquire such housing. This is not only a way to stand out from the crowd or merge with nature as much as possible.

Such buildings, in which the roof and walls are underground, are rationally profitable from a financial point of view, both at the time of construction and in the future. Almost everyone can afford to build a house underground. The main thing is to keep all technological norms and high quality environment inside the house will be provided.

Thanks to temperature features soil, you can save on the energy spent on heating rooms. Soil is a poor conductor of heat, but retains it well. Due to this, all temperature changes that occur on the surface of the earth and in the air pass through the thickness of the soil to the underground house for a very long time.

According to ongoing research, it has been proven that the heat of the hottest days penetrates to a depth of 2.5 meters, only after 2-3 months. Spring is considered the coldest time for ground rocks. On the territory of Ukraine, the average temperature at a depth of 2 meters in winter is from 6 to 8 degrees above zero, and in summer - +15 +18 degrees.

A place to build a "fox hole"

The top of the hill is considered the most profitable place for construction. This is the highest point of the relief, which will prevent treading ground water inside the house. Windows can also be placed on all four cardinal directions (provided that they are built on the very top of the hill), which will provide the house with enough light and visibility.

When the house is being built, the upper part of the hill is “cut off”, and after the construction is completed, it returns to its place. In such houses it is rarely installed additional lighting. Natural sunlight is enough for the house to be no different inside from the usual one (for example, made of bricks).

Types of underground houses

There are two types of houses built in a non-standard way:

Underground

bunded

Underground - involve the construction of housing completely underground and below its level. Bundled - located above ground level or only partially go down below the level line. But still, the part that is on the surface is covered with soil.

After the construction of the house is completed, the soil is filled up so that the roof becomes part of the site, which is planted with greenery.

Finding two identical houses built underground is unrealistic. Each of them has its own characteristics. But, there are several rules that apply to all types of earth-protected houses, they relate to the location on the terrain, appearance and construction method.

Dugout

The most uncomplicated house. The building can be located on almost any part of the terrain, which has a slight slope or is adjacent to a hill. The whole house is completely underground, the roof is covered with soil. The roof is usually gable, but may be flat or vaulted.

The entrance to the dugout is done from the end, always with a canopy. Leading steps line up to the door. Windows are often built into the roof or gables. The peculiarity of the structure of the dugout is that it is only one-story. If you make the second floor, then it will already be an ordinary building with a basement. The width of the house depends on the span of the floor, but usually does not exceed 6 meters. In the house, you can make several rooms, the light in which will come through the windows.

To build a dugout house, you first need to dig a pit of a suitable size. Walls are being built inside it, which must be waterproofed. Install supporting pillars, on which the roof will then be mounted. After the walls, ceilings and waterproofing material are erected, the roof can be covered with soil.

A bunded house can be built on a flat plot, a hill or a slope. Such a construction does not imply the complete immersion of the house underground, but only partially or completely - it is built on the surface. For example, a house can be attached to a hill, which will serve as a fence and a wall for construction.

The remaining walls are collapsed, which significantly reduces the financial costs of construction. The house implies any layout with windows on at least two sides. It can also be from several floors.

The first step in the construction of a bunded house is digging a foundation pit. If the house is completely built on the surface of the earth, then it is immediately necessary to proceed to the second stage - to build walls and a roof. In addition to waterproofing, walls and roofs must withstand the load of the soil, so all calculations must be made in accordance with the standards, preferably by a specialist. The house is covered with earth, except for those areas where the entrance and windows are located.

Building a house into a slope

The arrangement of rooms and the number of floors in such a house will depend on how steep the angle of the slope of the relief is. The steeper, the greater the number of storeys. The lighting in the house is natural, the windows are usually made extended along the entire length of the slope. Building a house on a slope begins with the removal of part of the soil. The building is attached close, and then the landscape is brought back to its previous state. If the soil rocks of the slope are sufficiently stable, then the house is built directly in the thickness of the earth.

The house, which will be located on the top of the hill, can be built in the form of a tunnel. Then it will have two exits, each on the opposite edge of the slope. This layout will increase the possibility of lighting and provide good ventilation. There are two building options. In the first case: the tunnel is built in the hillside, without violating its integrity from above. At the second: removed upper layer hill, a house is built, and then the soil is refilled. The end result is that the relief remains the same.

Selection of waterproofing for an underground house

Waterproofing should be chosen based on the following factors:

1. Construction material of the roof and walls. If the house is built of stone, then the following are used as waterproofing: coating, roll and plaster. For a concrete structure, it is necessary to apply penetrating waterproofing. Thanks to it, in the nutria of the wall is formed protective layer that does not allow moisture to pass through.

2. Soil moisture. Depending on the climate zone in which the house will be built, the number of layers of waterproofing will depend. If the soil is dry for a long time of the year, then to treat the surfaces of walls and roofs, it is enough to coat them with hot bitumen 2 times. If the soil is of medium moisture and high, it is better to use rolled waterproofing materials and, the greater the soil water pressure, the more layers should be laid.

3. Mechanical influence on waterproofing. It is worth considering that underground houses, especially those built on slopes, are subject to pressure from the ground due to its creep or if the house is built in a seismic zone. Therefore, in such situations, plaster waterproofing is more suitable.

Construction rules

A house built underground is highly exposed to moisture, for this reason all building materials must be appropriate. To such building materials applies to:

Wood treated with a special water-repellent impregnation;

Ceramics;

Such material as aerated concrete is not suitable for the construction of underground housing, it strongly absorbs moisture. Before choosing a waterproofing material, all possible situations must be considered.

Houses built with a small recess or completely underground are covered with soil that was chosen during the construction of the pit. If the house is built at ground level, then the soil will need to be purchased additionally.

The most common way to build an underground or bunded house is to initially dig a pit 1 meter larger than the planned size of the house. This method is called open.

On all outer sides of the wall, a shallow foundation is made. Its endurance is calculated according to what load it will have. Even if the thickness of the walls of the house is not very large, the load of bulk soil should be taken into account. The roof structure can be created as truss system or boardwalk.

If the walls of the house brickwork or concrete, it is better to make the ceiling monolithic in the form of a vault. This design will become more durable under the earth.

Wall and floor waterproofing must be done in a continuous loop. If the house is located at a depth of more than one meter, then there is no need for thermal insulation. This applies to walls, but the roof must be additionally insulated. The main thing that thermal insulation material was resistant to humid environment. The arrangement of floors is no different from their construction in an ordinary house: waterproofing, insulation, screed and final coating.

The drainage system is laid near the walls of the house around the entire perimeter. All water will drain through the pipe into a separate drainage pipe, which is embedded below the level of the house and discharged into the gutter. It is imperative to drain excess water from the roof surface to reduce the load.

Engineering systems of an underground house

Electricity and water are supplied to the underground house in the same way as in the usual one. Great importance for a bunded or underground house, the ventilation system plays. Due to the fact that the walls of the house are maximally isolated from external influences, a large accumulation of moisture can form in the rooms, which causes the development of fungus and mold.

Therefore, ventilation in such a house should be forced and flow-exhaust. The pipe is brought to the roof, if the cubic capacity of the house is large, ventilation tube maybe not alone.

House under the protection of the earth

A modern underground house bears little resemblance to a bunker, cellar or dugout. It is beautiful, comfortable and environmentally friendly. The construction of such unusual housing is a bold experiment, but it is fully justified.

Underground houses look like a hill or a hole in a slope and look like an element of the natural landscape. The growing interest in dwellings whose walls and roofs are covered with earth, as a result of which they are often called "fox holes", is explained not only by the desire for originality and maximum unity with nature, but also by rational considerations - the desire to obtain economic benefits during construction and operation. Underground construction is accessible to everyone, and adherence to technology guarantees a high quality of the environment in the house. Exist big choice options for the depth of the structure in the ground: from completely underground to completely above ground, bunded with earth (bulk, fenced with berms - from German berme - an element of the slope of the embankment). The construction methods are also diverse, from simple, suitable for building a house with your own hands, to complex, based on avant-garde architectural and engineering ideas. Therefore, the houses are different - from low-budget buildings to luxurious underground villas.

Temperature underground

Soil temperature is an important factor in energy saving at home. The soil does not conduct heat well and accumulates it well (in a dry state, these qualities are approximately the same as those of a brick), therefore, temperature fluctuations occurring on the surface of the earth propagate in it slowly, reaching depths with a great delay. The measurements showed that at a depth of 2-3 m the warmest moment of the year comes 2-3 months later. The coldest soil is in spring. In the climatic conditions of Ukraine at a depth of 2 m in winter the temperature will be 6-8 °C, in summer - 15-18 °C.

Construction benefits

Living below the surface of the earth in the past was considered the lot of the poor. To dig a space in the ground for one or more rooms, no funds are required, enclosing structures can not be erected - the earth serves as them. However, the disadvantages of such a dwelling were dampness, lack of sunlight, difficulty in ventilation, so it could not be considered healthy and environmentally friendly.

The view of the house underground began to change in the late 60s of the last century. Over time, solutions have been developed to organize life in such facilities in accordance with healthy standards. But this has affected the cost of housing: when using high-quality materials that are desirable to use in underground construction, it may turn out to be no less than a similar area located on the surface.

But on suitable site you can take full advantage of the unique benefits that land protection provides:

Energy saving. Since the earth does not conduct heat well and can be thick, such dwellings are characterized by a stable internal temperature: heat is well retained in winter, and air conditioning is not required in summer. In extreme climates with long, cold, windy winters and hot summers, maintaining comfortable temperature will not be energy-consuming;

High sound insulation. The earth perfectly protects against sounds of any frequency, there will always be peace and quiet in the rooms. The penetration of sounds outside is also limited. Therefore, underground houses are comfortable in noisy areas, near highways;

Security. An underground house is safe in areas with increased seismic activity, is not afraid of hurricanes, and is protected from fires from the outside. It is difficult for thieves to enter the dwelling, since the number of places for penetration is limited. In the event of hostilities, the underground structure becomes a comfortable personal bomb shelter and provides reliable camouflage;

Landscape conservation. The natural landscape of the area will change minimally after the construction of the house, the area of ​​the green cover of the site, the ecological and aesthetic value of the place will be preserved; opportunity to build on disadvantages. Attractive but difficult to build slope, hilly area can be turned into an advantage and easy to master;

Reducing labor costs during construction. In rough terrain, you can reduce the amount of earthwork. Labor-intensive facade and roofing work will not be required. This will reduce the cost and time of building a house; minimum costs to keep the building safe. When using high-quality waterproofing, walls and roofs overgrown with grass will require maintenance only in terms of landscape design as part of the site.

A well-built underground house will have no drawbacks, except that the view of the area from the windows may be limited. However, its features and the cost of construction significantly depend on natural conditions site. Sometimes it is advantageous to bury a house in the ground, in other cases it is rational to build it above the ground and bund it. An analysis of the site will show how complex and expensive measures will be needed during construction so that the house does not suffer from water penetration, soil shifts, and lack of lighting.

House on top of the hill

A convenient place for construction - on top of a hill. The location at the highest point of the relief helps to protect the premises from water penetration as much as possible, orient them to any direction of the world, provide excellent lighting and visibility from the windows. During construction upper part the hill is torn down, and after the construction of the structures they fall asleep again.

Site Requirements

To determine the feasibility of building an underground house, it is necessary to take into account the features of the site in the complex:

RELIEF. Preferably a relief with elevation changes - sloping or hilly. On such a plot there is a place for harmonious placement of the house while saving on earthworks. In any building on a slope, a floor is formed, at least partially located underground, and its expansion and deepening will make all rooms underground. In hilly areas, the dwelling can be placed on a horizontal platform, while being partially built into one of the elevations of the relief, which will play the role of a natural dike of the walls. Therefore, most underground buildings are built on top of the terrain. Owners of a hilly site, difficult to build standard house, it is worth considering the construction of underground housing.

It is also important that the slopes quickly drain surface water and the soil stays dry. An underground house should not be located in a lowland, ravine or thalweg, where water is collected from the surrounding area.

ORIENTATION. The southern orientation of the slope is ideal, providing sunlight to the premises for most of the day. The northern slope, although it will give coolness in a hot climate, is still unacceptable for an underground house from a hygienic point of view, since the rooms need insolation. In hot climates, east is a good orientation. On a flat site, you should also orient the entrance and windows to the sunny side.

PRIMING. It is best if the site contains soils that pass water well - sand, sandy loam and loam. They dry quickly and are suitable for natural and artificial embankment (which is performed with soil taken out of the pit). Clay is an unfavorable type of soil, as it retains moisture and erodes when wet. However, it can be used as an additional waterproofing lock in layers adjacent to the load-bearing underground structures of the house. A fertile layer of soil is used as a top cover, which is removed and stored during construction.

GROUND WATER LEVEL. The best will be the site on which groundwater occurs at great depths. This will allow you to lower the house as much as possible, build it into the terrain. A dwelling cannot be located below the groundwater level, and you should also make sure that there is no underground flow at the construction site - in these cases it is difficult to exclude water from entering the house. Modern technologies allow you to reliably protect yourself from moisture seepage through structures, however, the cost of work will be unreasonably high.

MICROCLIMATE. The drier the area, the better for building an underground house. A humid microclimate is contraindicated for him: to combat dampness, it will be necessary to increase ventilation, constantly monitor the condition of structures, which will cause costs and discomfort.

House types

There are two main types of houses protected by land - underground and bunded. An underground building is a building that is wholly or mostly located below ground level. A bunded house can be located above ground level or partially below it, while the upper part of its walls and roofs are covered with soil. The earthen roof goes directly into the surface of the site (which distinguishes an underground dwelling from a ground dwelling with a green roof).

Each house protected by land is individual, but several common solutions can be distinguished depending on the appearance, location on the terrain, construction method.

1. HOUSE-Dugout. The traditional and simplest version of the underground house. The most suitable terrain for construction is with a slight slope or flat, and the building can also adjoin a hill. Above the surface of the earth, only a roof covered with soil is visible. With a rectangular plan, it is usually gable, but can be flat or vaulted. The entrance is arranged in the end wall, in front of which they make a pit with a canopy and steps leading down. Windows are built into the gables on the end walls, sometimes (for example, if the back end is adjacent to a hill) windows built into the roof in the form of skylights or lucarnes are used. The house can only be one-story (with a higher number of storeys, you get an ordinary building with a basement), its width usually does not exceed 6 m (this is determined by the possibilities of overlapping the span), the length is arbitrary. The room can be divided into rooms, providing them with windows.

During the construction of a dugout, a foundation pit is torn off, walls are installed along its perimeter, protecting from damp earth, as well as supporting structures for the roof, then the room is blocked and the roof is covered with earth.

2. BONED HOUSE. An option suitable for any type of terrain - flat, slope, hilly terrain. The house can be slightly buried, including completely ground or combining underground and bunded parts. For example, the ground one can be “attached” to a hill, which will serve as a natural fence for part of the walls, and the rest of the walls can be rolled over (this is economical, since the amount of earthwork is reduced). It is possible to make a house of any shape in plan, multi-room, two-story, with windows oriented to several cardinal directions.

During the construction of a bunded house, walls and a roof are first erected in a pit of the required depth or on the surface of the earth. Enclosing structures must not only separate the premises from the ground, but also withstand the pressure of the ground. Then the building is covered with earth, leaving open vertical sections of the walls with windows and an entrance.

3. A HOUSE BUILT INTO A SLOPE. The parameters of such a dwelling depend on the steepness of the relief and the orientation of the slope. The steeper the slope, the greater the number of storeys can be. Illuminate living quarters usually from the side of the slope, while the light front of the house is desirable to make it as long as possible. During construction, as a rule, part of the slope is removed, the building structures are erected and the landscape is returned to its previous state. If the stability of the soil allows, it is possible to carry out construction works directly in the ground.

When the site is located near the top of the hill, the house can be a through tunnel with exits to opposite sides of the slope, which will expand the possibilities of lighting and ventilation of the premises. It can be built by penetrating directly into the ground, or by removing and refilling the top of the relief.

Architecture and interior

The architectural appearance of underground and bunded houses differs significantly from ground ones. In addition to green walls and roofs, many of them are characterized by plastic, streamlined forms of volumes. The structures that form them are often made of reinforced concrete, as it is able to withstand the high pressure created by the mass of soil and effectively protect against water.

There are also differences in layout. Houses built into a slope often have an extended plan with a shallow depth of rooms - up to 6 m. Deeper underground, you can place rooms that do not require daylight (bathrooms, pantries), but their area will be small. Underground construction is characterized by the use of skylights, as well as light guides equipped with mirrors that launch the sun's rays deep into the earth. External walls are sometimes fully glazed. Big windows, oriented to the south, help not only to better illuminate the house, but also to accumulate heat. In order to improve lighting in the interior, translucent partitions are sometimes used to separate rooms, and surfaces are painted in light colors.

Bundled houses can have quite a traditional plan. But there is another possibility - the rooms can be made not adjacent to each other, but connected by corridors ("underground passages"), which will increase the resemblance of the house to the "fox hole". This is important if you need to isolate the premises as much as possible. In addition, interior details (tables, benches, etc.) can be formed from the soil, finishing their surface with tiles, wood or other material, depending on the style of the interior.

Construction rules

When constructing underground and bunded houses, moisture-resistant materials should be preferred. You can use ceramics, impregnated wood, suitable material is monolithic reinforced concrete. Aerated concrete, which absorbs moisture abundantly, should not be used. It is important to use high-quality waterproofing (the material depends on the specific conditions and construction technology). The embankment of the building is carried out with soil selected from the pit. To cover an elevated house, you will need to bring to the site a large number of soil.

The simplest and most common technology involves the construction of a house (both underground and bunded) open way. They tear off a foundation pit of the required depth and shape, 0.5-1 m in size more than the dimensions of the building. Along the perimeter of the walls that make up the shell of the house, a shallow foundation is made (its capacity depends on the size of the building, the design and material of the walls, and the planned thickness of the soil layer). The walls are made of bricks, wooden logs, concrete blocks, monolithic concrete. They can be thinner than those of a ground-based house, but when bunded, they must withstand the pressure of the earth (half a brick or up to 10 cm of concrete). load-bearing structure roofs can be mounted in the form of a truss system with a frequent arrangement of rafters (for increased strength) and a plank run. With brick or concrete walls it is worth doing a monolithic reinforced concrete floor and to give the ceiling, which will become the roof of the house, the vaulted form most effective in supporting the mass of the earth.

The outer part of the shell of the house and the floor are waterproofed with a continuous contour. Thermal insulation is not required if the thickness of the soil layer protecting the building is more than 1 m. additional insulation(preferably extruded polystyrene foam resistant to wet ground). The floors are laid on the ground, as in an ordinary house, successively laying waterproofing, insulation, screed and topcoat.

To divert water from the walls, it is necessary to organize drainage. Drainage ditches are located along the perimeter of the building (on the slope Special attention giving to the area above the house) and taken to the area below the house. A drainage layer is also required in the thickness of the soil covering the house. It helps reduce water pressure on underground structures.

More sophisticated technology- construction in a closed way- used for the construction of underground houses on a steep slope. It involves the creation of a cavity in the thickness of the earth and the work is carried out completely underground and requires the participation of specialists with experience in underground construction, the use of special equipment, and the creation of a structure that strengthens the soil.

Engineering

The energy and water supply systems of the bunded and underground houses are the same as in the ground. There are differences in the ventilation device. The vapor impermeability of the walls and the risk of dampness should be taken into account (especially if there were errors in the waterproofing - for example, the material turned out to be fragile and cracks formed). Therefore, in both bunded and underground houses (especially those oriented only to one side of the world and devoid of through ventilation), it is necessary to provide for forced pressure supply and exhaust ventilation. holes exhaust pipe placed under the ceiling, raising the pipe above the roof (if the house is large, there may be several). The flow is made through special holes left in the entrance area at a height of half a meter from the floor. The volume of air exchange and the section of the holes must be calculated by a specialist, and the first indicator is increased if appliances with an open flame, such as a stove, are used in the house. Fans are installed not only for exhaust, but also on supply openings, providing forced air flow. The exhaust and inflow must be equipped with dampers to regulate air exchange. It is also desirable that the windows can be opened. They will provide additional air flow, and when placed in the upper part of the house, for example on the roof, they will also provide an exhaust hood.

In an underground house, it is better to use electrical systems heating and water heating, it is profitable to equip the house solar collectors. Solid fuel stoves and boilers are also possible (however, they increase the load on ventilation system). The use of gas is dangerous.

When an underground recessed house is located on a flat terrain, difficulties may arise with the sewerage device. If the formation of effluents occurs at a depth, it is not always possible to organize their gravity flow to the place of accumulation and the use of a pump will be required. It is desirable to avoid such a situation, since it makes residents seriously dependent on the supply of electricity. Therefore, the issue of sewerage should be taken into account when determining the level of penetration of the house. It should be deepened only to a level that allows the sewerage to be arranged by gravity.

The choice of waterproofing

The choice of waterproofing device depends on a number of factors:

Wall and roof material. When using stone materials, coating, roll, plaster waterproofing is used. For concrete, penetrating (injection) waterproofing is the most effective, creating an impenetrable barrier for water inside the wall.

Soil moisture. With dry soils, it is enough to paint with two layers of hot bitumen, for wet soils it is better to apply roll materials in several layers (their number should be the greater, the higher the water pressure on the surface).

Mechanical effects on waterproofing. In the presence of shear forces (for example, on inclined surfaces), bituminous and synthetic waterproofing materials, which are characterized by creep, should not be used. For walls experiencing shear, tensile or high compressive stresses, as well as seismic loads, plaster waterproofing is the most reliable.

Ground coating device

The comfort and durability of an underground house largely depends on a properly executed multi-layer system of soil, which is actually its final building envelope.

The bearing horizontal part of the house (floor slab, roof) must have a slope to avoid water stagnation in the soil and its further wetting. For guard inner space dwellings and structures from hypothermia arrange thermal insulation, and then - waterproofing, which has long term service life (20-50 years) and high durability. A drainage layer is placed on top (of expanded clay, fine gravel, coarse sand) and protected from erosion by filter material (geotextile). With large slopes, it is convenient to use special synthetic mats or profiled membranes for drainage.

The soil above the house is poured with a layer of at least 30 cm, which is enough for a lawn and a flower garden. On inclined surfaces, overgrown roots will securely hold the soil, but in order to immediately prevent it from slipping, they usually use rolled lawn, and with slopes of more than 45 °, the surface is reinforced with a special mesh. The more massive the soil layer, the larger plants can be planted, but you should always choose specimens with a superficial rather than tap root system. It is also important to consider the irrigation system.

A modern dugout resembles a cozy underground house that organically fits into the landscape. Interest in building a dwelling similar to " fox hole”is justified not only by the desire to be original, but also by the economic benefits of building and operating a house. The options for deepening a dugout into the soil, as well as construction methods, are diverse, so the construction budget fluctuates in a wide price range.

What are the benefits of building a dugout?

The disadvantages of the dugout of the usual design are obvious: due to the lack of walls and natural lighting, the climate inside is humid. Use for building dugouts quality materials began in the late 60s of the last century, which brought the cost of such an environmentally friendly structure on a par with similar buildings located on top of the ground. If you need an inexpensive underground home, there is a possibility of problems with good ventilation of the room and humidity control.

If you have found the right place to build, then take advantage of the following natural advantages:

1. energy saving due to poor thermal conductivity of the earth, so the dugout inside is provided with a stable temperature, which makes the underground house - comfortable place in harsh climates.

Interesting. Dry earth has the same properties as brick, so temperature fluctuations on the surface of the earth reach the depth with a delay. For example, with a soil layer depth of 3 m, the temperature of the warmest moment of the year arrives with a delay of 3 months. So, in a temperate continental climate, the soil temperature at a depth of 2 m is: in winter - 6-8 0С, in summer - 15-18 0С.

1. Excellent sound insulation from external sounds, which is important for homes in noisy areas, such as near freeways or airports. Neighbors won't hear too much either.
2. Security from thieves, the effects of hurricanes or earthquakes, Fire safety, especially during martial law, the dugout will serve as a bomb shelter, and the landscape as a disguise.
3. Preservation of the original landscape which is important for unique places. Maximum landscaping of the site is the key to its ecological cleanliness.
4. Development unattractive areas for development or crops (slopes, hills), which will significantly reduce the cost of buying land (unsightly areas cost several times less).
5. Cost reduction to keep the underground house safe, since the dugout will be reliably waterproofed, and the roof or walls covered with a layer of soil with grass do not need special care.
6. Reducing the time of building a house because part of labor-intensive facade and roofing works is not required, respectively, and materials for them do not need to be purchased.

Features of the dugout:

• limited view, depending on the specific area;
• water penetration due to incorrect calculation of the level of groundwater, their rise or soil shift;
• small glass area for natural lighting.

Which area is more suitable for an underground house?

To determine how expedient the construction of a dugout will be, one should take into account all the features of the site, namely:

1. terrain, the preferred option is a slope or hill, so that the building will look more successful, and you will save on earthworks. On an inclined platform, it becomes possible to make the house completely underground, and on a hilly place, the walls of the dugout should be partially covered with earth. Therefore, if you have looked after a beautiful, but difficult hilly allotment, then turn the disadvantages of this land into advantages.

Important. The greater the angle of inclination of the site, the faster surface water drains, leaving the soil dry. Therefore, places in a ravine, lowland or thalweg are not the best place to build.

In this article, we will consider an example of building a house in the ground. We will talk about the main pros and cons of such a structure and see how it differs from the ground one. An interesting point in such a house is that the landscape outside the window will match the landscape of the ground house thanks to a system of mirrors. Thanks to this, there is a complete feeling of life on earth.

Let's start with the pros:

1). You don't need a facade.

2). In winter, an underground house retains the greatest amount of heat than a ground one. This reduces the cost of gas and electricity.

3). Summer this house will be cooler than the ground and we can not install the air conditioning system.

4). The very structure of the house is a protection against thieves, because the only way to get into the house is through the entrance.

5). Having windows (with mirrors) in the design, you will be able to observe the outside world, but they will no longer be able to look into your windows. Thanks to this, you will feel comfortable.

6). Your house is underground and almost the entire site is free for landscape design ideas. For example, you can lay out a beautiful garden.

7). Such a house is not afraid of the news of an approaching tornado or heavy rain.

Cons of this house:

1). The most difficult thing in this house is to organize a sewerage system. This requires the installation of a pumping system to wastewater fell into wells.

2). In such a house, it is required to install electric generators in case of a power outage. For example, the same sewage pumps will turn off.

3). Russians like to show their wealth beautiful facades houses. With an underground house, it turns out that there is no house, as it were, and home you climb into a dugout.

Consider the main points of the construction of such a house.

The first step will naturally be digging a foundation pit. The pit for this project will be deep and special safety precautions must be observed. The most dangerous is the collapse of the walls of the pit. In order to avoid such a problem, you need to dig a pit at an angle from four sides.

After the pit begins monolithic construction. The next steps will be the installation of the slab, the installation of formwork under the walls and later under the monolithic ceiling.

In such construction, we save money. For such a house, only concrete and reinforcement are needed and you do not need to think about the beauty of the facade and the expensive roof. Having made the building, we remove the formwork, coating it with bituminous mastic. After that, we fall asleep to it, not forgetting about the entrance group. You also need to remember to make an outflow of water before entering the building.

The only thing you can do in this beautifully for others is entry group. It can be overlaid with buta, or other material.

Consider a window system. When pouring the walls, we leave an opening for the window in the place where we should have it according to the project. From the inside of the wall, under the window, we cast a platform to the width of the window, and the length must be determined in advance depending on the height of the window and the slope of 45 degrees. The edge of the mirror when tilted should match the top edge of the window.

A pipe made of red brick is laid out from the site. We mount the pipe for the height from which you want to observe the site. A mirror is attached at the top of the pipe in the opposite direction.

Upon completion of the installation of the pipe, you can begin to ennoble above-ground part stone to blend with the landscape.