I wanted to update our expenses to date, so that I don’t lose track of where we are. As you can see more than half our costs are permits, with most of the other half being excavation expense. We got huge value out of the excavation; it remains to be seen if we will see the value in the permit costs!!!

We are now onto the second round of tires and in a few rounds will put in the perimeter drainage system and lay in our services to be buried in the back wall berm. We are thinking ahead and putting in a few more conduits, but essentially we are allowing for: electrical wire for net metering, electrical wiring for the renewable services (solar and wind which we will probably install on our shop roof, it’s huge), water line from our existing deep well, water line for our harvested water, ethernet and telephone wire and a gas line for our propane appliances (maybe).

We expect to pay a few thousand dollars to accomplish the above, but after that it is all free tires, cardboard and dirt (with a bit of concrete for the half tire blocks).

As promised, our earthship expenses to date:

Tomorrow we figure out where to situate the building (trying to find true south!)