Creating a Home DIY Project: Ideas & Inspiration

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SUMMARY

This discussion centers on ambitious home DIY projects, with participants sharing their dream designs and unique features. Key ideas include building a dome-shaped house with a wood-fired oven, creating a year-round greenhouse, and exploring sustainable strawbale homes. Participants emphasize the importance of personal design and functionality, while also considering structural integrity against natural disasters. The conversation highlights innovative concepts such as off-grid living and custom enclosures for pets.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of sustainable building techniques, specifically strawbale construction.
  • Knowledge of off-grid living solutions, including solar and wind energy systems.
  • Familiarity with architectural design principles for residential buildings.
  • Basic concepts of disaster-resistant construction methods, particularly for earthquakes and tsunamis.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the benefits and construction methods of strawbale homes.
  • Explore designs for dome-shaped houses and their structural advantages.
  • Investigate off-grid energy solutions, focusing on solar and wind systems.
  • Learn about building custom enclosures for pets, including habitat requirements for reptiles.
USEFUL FOR

Homeowners, DIY enthusiasts, architects, and anyone interested in innovative and sustainable home design concepts.

wolram
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If you had the time and money what would you want to build for home project?
 
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Everything.
 
Yeah I agree. I would design and build an entire hosue from the ground up, including the landscaping.
 
mattmns said:
Yeah I agree. I would design and build an entire hosue from the ground up, including the landscaping.

What would be," special", about your house?
 
An outdoor, woodfired oven for breads, pizza, roasts. etc. It actually wouldn't be too unrealistic of a project and I plan on doing it someday, I just need to get one of those house things first.
 
I would rent a rather spacious apartment, but not too big for a single person to live in.
 
basement: undergound shelter from nuclear, chemical, biological, asteroid, tsunami, alien, etc attacks with big compartments for a submarine-boat vessel, separate pressurized rooms for various purposes (lab, entertainment room, garage, living room, bathroom, etc)

ground level/first floor: the usual - easy access garage with automated doors and locks, living room, kitchen, bathroom, etc

second floor: bedroom, observatory

the house should be in a form of a dome but with concrete-steel barriers on perimiter to withstand incoming tsunami debri and structurally sound enough to withstand a big earthquake (depending on location, soil conditions, plate tectonics, etc)

roof/outside: PVC, solar, wind, satellite receiver, high gain antenna, etc. ability to stay off the grid in any locale is a plus

Nice plan but inefficient:
C3_50DomeHouse.jpg



Nice outline but only one floor
styrofoam_dome_house.jpg
 
Cronxeh, that's a big one on the wow scale, has anyone costed the basic house?
 
DocToxyn said:
An outdoor, woodfired oven for breads, pizza, roasts. etc. It actually wouldn't be too unrealistic of a project and I plan on doing it someday, I just need to get one of those house things first.

MMMM, fresh crusty bread, you just can't buy it now, i wish i could make it.
 
  • #10
I would like to build a year round greenhouse, fresh veggies all year!
 
  • #11
wolram said:
What would be," special", about your house?
Good question. Right now, the only thing that would be special is that I would have designed it myself. I just think it would be fun to do, I have not actually started working on it or anything.
 
  • #12
cronxeh
I would definitely stay away from any plans showing a bicycle powered battery charger. :rolleyes:

Dome homes had huge problems with leaks but by now I would think this is resolved.

Another interesting concept is the strawbale home. First brought to my attention by the renewable resources and sustainable living crowd, at first I thought this was some kind of joke, but it turns out that here in Oregon, we have some of strawbale homes over 100 years old. In many ways, esp wrt sound and thermal insulation, and even fire resistance, they are superior to standard buildings. I have even read accounts from the early settlers here in Oregon who built and lived in strawbale homes who didn't like the new stick homes that came along later. Anyway, they seem to be a viable alternative to standard construction techniques.

http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/strawbaleQandA.htm

and they can be very attractive, adobe styles houses.

1890132772.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
 
  • #13
mattmns said:
Good question. Right now, the only thing that would be special is that I would have designed it myself. I just think it would be fun to do, I have not actually started working on it or anything.

I know what you mean, i would like to design my own house and have every
thing just so. but it is a pipe dream for me.
 
  • #14
Ivan Seeking, have you heard about the 3 little pigs? :smile:
 
  • #15
wolram said:
If you had the time and money what would you want to build for home project?

With the time i'd design my house and with the money, pay someone else to build it!
 
  • #16
zanazzi78 said:
With the time i'd design my house and with the money, pay someone else to build it!
:biggrin: :biggrin:
 
  • #17
dduardo said:
Ivan Seeking, have you heard about the 3 little pigs? :smile:

:biggrin: Don't be so quick to judge. I guess they are now getting regular home owners insurance for these, which is a big step towards the mainstream.

...and note that the second pig lived in a stick home; ie 2x4s. :biggrin:

The truth is though, we considered doing this but felt it was simply too risky. They look good on paper, but we're talking about our home! But if I had the money to risk...it would be fun.
 
Last edited:
  • #18
This is actually a bit simple, but I'd like to build a custom large enclosure for my Savannah Monitor. Right now, anyway. With plenty of hiding places, a swimming area, and something more to climb on.

I like my pet too much.
 
  • #19
Ivan Seeking said:
:biggrin: Don't be so quick to judge. I guess they are now getting regular home owners insurance for these, which is a big step towards the mainstream.

...and note that the second pig lived in a stick home; ie 2x4s. :biggrin:

The truth is though, we considered doing this but felt it was simply too risky. They look good on paper, but we're talking about our home! But if I had the money to risk...it would be fun.

Good for you Ivan, straw wins hands down to sticks :biggrin:
 
  • #20
Diencephalon said:
This is actually a bit simple, but I'd like to build a custom large enclosure for my Savannah Monitor. Right now, anyway. With plenty of hiding places, a swimming area, and something more to climb on.

I like my pet too much.

Aww, you are nice. if i could award an honor it would go to you.
 
  • #21
hehehe I thought you meant home project as in project to do at home... not project to build a home!

Ah well my dream home... large U shaped bungalow, swimming pool (obviously enclosed by a conservatory so it is useable all year round), patio, pond, leafy garden, paddocks, stable courtyard, indoor and outdoor menage and preferably near the coast even though I am scared to death of the sea.
 
  • #22
*Kia* said:
hehehe I thought you meant home project as in project to do at home... not project to build a home!

Ah well my dream home... large U shaped bungalow, swimming pool (obviously enclosed by a conservatory so it is useable all year round), patio, pond, leafy garden, paddocks, stable courtyard, indoor and outdoor menage and preferably near the coast even though I am scared to death of the sea.

Hmm, it sort of was a project to do at home, but it grew.
 

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