Day Brown wrote in a message to Kyle Hearn:
DB> My son has some brochures from the dome outfit.  I find it
DB> very  telling that they don't list the price.  I worry about
DB> outgassing  in foam insulation.  Do varmints and ants like
DB> the foam?  Have  you lived in the area you want to move to
DB> during all seasons?   
DB> I would get a cheap house/camping/RV trailer to live in
DB> while I  prepared the ground for the house and garden.  What
DB> is the sub-  soil? easy simple septic drainfield?
DB> impermeable clay?  what is  the water table like?  You got a
DB> well? how far does the water  level drop when the weather
DB> gets dry? Does the spring quit?  What is the cost and
DB> quality of local materials, adobe, rock,  and lumber? 
DB>  
DB> How much cash?  or how much onsite engineering/construction?
DB>  How much 'convenience' do you wanna forgo to reduce your
DB> total  cash/manhour investment?  60 watt 9" DC TV or 23" 180
DB> watt AC?  900-1300$ for an LP gas fridge? 
DB>
The price is widely variable depending on what shape, how many windows, doors 
walls, etc. They were pretty blunt in telling me that they aren't less 
expensive to built...the savings comes in less maintenance, and energy 
savings. Half of the cost of the thing is labor and that varies depending on 
where you are and how much you wish to do yourself. They're less expensive to 
build by a longshot if you are building something huge, but not that much 
less if building something fairly small. You wind up getting more space for 
the money since there is usually no attic.
If built above ground, it typically has a normal foundation and drainage, 
etc. so this isn't that big of a problem. The outside is typically white 
stucco that is outside of the concrete.
As far as conveniences go, it isn't that big of an issue. I currently don't 
have a phone at home (only at the office) and haven't had a television since 
I moved into the apt a year and a half ago. There's a cd player at home with 
Beethoven and Bach discs scattered about but that's about it :-) My favorite 
author was Thoreau...simplicity, simplicity, simplicity :-)
Well water already exists on the land I'm looking at (for showering, etc.) 
and bottled water to drink is the norm in this particular area, which is 
fine. I usually drink mostly fruit juice anyways.
 
DB> UPS is also an *inverter*.  There are, from time to time,
DB> some  harmonic effects between it and the switch mode power
DB> supplies  used in computers and peripherals.  PFC types are
DB> even worse,  and like feedback in the high school gym PA
DB> system, totally  unpredictable, and in this case,
DB> devastating. One of the benefits  of a computer like mine
DB> designed to run off 12vdc.
What kind of PC? I have been strongly consider a laptop of some sort for a 
while since my computing needs are relatively modest.
DB> Homepower probly still has ads about 100w of panel for 200$
DB> that  cover 4'X4'.  If not, lemmee know, maybe I can look it
DB> up.  But,  the cost of *total* PV is not efficient; the
DB> batteries for 20  days of cloudy weather cost more than a
DB> backup gas generator and  5 days worth of battery.  I'd
DB> prefer solar/wind combo.
Wind is very weak in Dallas/Fort Worth most of the time. I've seen 3 wind 
generators here in the past few years. I'd be happy to give this a try, but I 
think I heard an average 7mph wind is needed for it to be worth your while. 
Is this correct?
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