[Greenbuilding] Earth-berming an existing home

[JOHN SALMEN]

Technically it is doable but I guess my first question is why? If it is
landscape aesthetics and you are only talking about 3-4' of fill then I
would propose creating a gravel path along the wall then tapering up to and
then down from a fill area. If you really want to go against the building
then you have to strip it back to the sheathing, waterproof, ensure that
drainage, etc. Is in place and then deal with structure to retain the earth.

 Simple structure could be rock set against the fill with drainage between
the rock and waterproofed building - ideally this would be designed but if
you have access to large rock (and moving equipt.) it is relatively simple
but you would have to go down to the footing level to not create additional
loading on a block wall that is not designed for it - and you would have to
ensure that the drainage medium was not a heavy load against the building. 

A little more complex would be a poured retaining wall (similar to a
basement wall). A little more adventurous would be a geofoam base against
the wall (similar in function to rock retaining but lot lighter).

Anything you do against the building becomes complex in building terms which
is why I suggested a pathway or even a recessed landscape and then tier up.


-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Nick
Pyner
Sent: August-10-11 10:07 PM
To: Green Building
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Earth-berming an existing home

Seems that what you are looking at is the sudden conversion of a brick wall
that was never intended to be a retaining wall - into a retaining wall. This
cannot be a good idea, quite apart from the waterproofing considerations. I
guess a solution is to build a flashed retaining wall hard up against the
existing brick. Once done you may find there is no need to bother with the
earthworks, the new wall does the job by itself.


Nick Pyner

Dee Why   NSW

-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org]On Behalf Of
Leslie Moyer
Sent: Thursday, 11 August 2011 2:37 PM
To: Green Building
Subject: [Greenbuilding] Earth-berming an existing home


Can anyone point me to some information on what would be involved in berming
an existing above-grade home?  We have a typical 70's era brick ranch home.
About half of the home has high windows and I'm wondering if it would be
possible to haul dirt in and berm up around the sides.  But of course, it
wasn't originally built for that.  So I'm wondering what might be involved
and what considerations should we take into account?  It's built on a
masonry block stem wall with a crawl space that is ventilated right now.

Leslie Moyer
unschooler at lrec.org
www.ShadyGroveNaturalFarm.com




_______________________________________________
Greenbuilding mailing list
to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org

to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioener
gylists.org
-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1392 / Virus Database: 1520/3826 - Release Date: 08/10/11
-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1392 / Virus Database: 1520/3826 - Release Date: 08/10/11
-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1392 / Virus Database: 1520/3826 - Release Date: 08/10/11


_______________________________________________
Greenbuilding mailing list
to Send a Message to the list, use the email address
Greenbuilding at bioenergylists.org

to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page
http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/greenbuilding_lists.bioener
gylists.org