Snow Plow?

Reply to
Digital_Cowboy
Loading thread data ...

So can you see the railroad bridge from home?

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

i've seen fibre optic clumps used to bring natural light to basements. an ahtist friend had them in her polish penthouse and they worked well.

Reply to
e

They'll be allright as long as the New Madrid fault doesn't get active again. It has been some time since our last shake. I wonder if last weekend's biggie will loosen things around the globe.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

hey bill, i finally found that damn control tower. it's in the upper yard, behind a hill from the main streets. my buddy mikey and i videotaped some switching and train compiling from the top of a hill that has a perfect view. i haven't forgotten your pic..someday soon, promise.

Reply to
e

So then if you come out and see your shadow it means six more weeks of kit-buying?

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller
Reply to
Digital_Cowboy

They're called either Sola-Tubes or Sun Tunnels, depending on the manufacturer. We installed three at the same time we replaced the roof last year. At the right time of the day, each makes a huge difference over the original ambient light; the upstairs hall in particular was always darkish, but now it's decently lit during most hours of daylight. The only downside is that our house roof line points more or less N-S, so it tends to blank off at least one of the domes from the sun at any given time a little bit or more removed from noon.

There are a few 'hobbit holes' in the Bay Area, but not many, because insurance companies don't like them. As such, they don't want to write policies on them, and this impinges the ability of people to finance such homes, since the mortgage holder wants insurance even if the occupants are willing to take their chances. The main issues seem to be radon gas, which in some way is seen as a liability exposure, and the lack of a track record on repair and replacement of such unconventional dwellings. Yeah, the second reason is one of those 'Catch 22' arguments, but enough people fear quakes enough around here that a subterranean dwelling is a bit of a hard sell, so the insurance issue has never generated any public stir. I also wonder if planning departments are less than thrilled with construction techniques to which they are not accustomed.

Mark Schynert

Reply to
Mark Schynert

a slight aside. i remember when it was common for newly weds to build a basemant and live in it while they were building a house above. it was often done a room at a time as finances allowed, so some were trogs for years. obviously, this was not in a city environment.

Reply to
e

all i have to do is find the camera.

Reply to
e

I almost did. :)

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

Just recently the Sunday paper real estate section had an article on a prefab house installed in NY state that was manufactured in Austria. I don't remember the town but I presume it's somewhere between you and John. It looked like a large concrete box with the whole southern wall composed of windows. Interesting but a bit drab on the outside.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

So what's a Polish penthouse like?

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

i've enjoyed many.

Reply to
e

I, ah, should have known.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Reply to
Mad-Modeller

Certainly Radon is a consideration. Don't they have a Radon detector that works like a CO detector?

The insurance prevarications are just resistance to anything outside of the norm. If you can insure an underground parking deck you can insure a single level underground home. I would think they'd love the idea since an underground home has nowhere to fall! Assuming you have your roof properly buttressed against collapse then the rest of the structure should be painless.Who insured the LA subway? Cheers,

The Keeper (of too much crap!)

Reply to
Keeper

Perpetual kit buying, I'll have a loading dock for the Fedex truck! Beers,

The Keeper (of too much crap!)

Reply to
Keeper

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.