Hi everyone!

A slow week went by, with daily heavy rains it’s not always easy to find the motivation to work outside.

We installed a 50 square meter fleece and pond liner on top of the build, and started backfilling with dirt.

It’s a lot of work because we have to dig the overgrown pile of dirt that’s been sitting for 5 years on our lot, first getting rid of the roots in the top soil. But we have to do this manually as the back is only reachable through a narrow path in our neighbor’s garden.

My partner also installed the electrical panel with 24V circuits for RGBW LED strips, a PoE WiFi access point and connected the wall outlets to the 230V main. It was temporarily connected to test how bright the strips will be. They will later be mounted in metal railings across the whole length of the lower brick line, with a wood cladding.

We will then have to dig a 20 meter trench from the house main electric supply, lay a PVC pipe and pull a 3-phase copper line to the cellar. This will be the garden hub to provide electricity to the future outdoor kitchen.

The next few days we will work on the mortar joints, using the multitool diamond blades that arrived in the mail to finish the cleanup before grouting all the joints cleanly.

Have a great week and keep on doing it yourself!

    • morgunkornOPEnglish
      7·
      5 months ago

      Right now, we just have to fill the 30cm wide gap at the back and navigate between our neighbor’s plants, we’ll be done this week, it’s not really worth getting a small excavator just for that job.

      The plan is to completely fill the slope up to the entrance, and dress it with granite boulders. We will then need a much bigger excavator to move that around, at least 4 to 6 tons. We found a guy who can come on his free time with his own excavator, definitely getting work done with him for the bigger earthworks.

      Our main inspiration comes from a German garden designer, Peter Berg, who has beautiful projects https://gartenlandschaft.com/gartengestaltung/#hanggarten

    • morgunkornOPEnglish
      7·
      5 months ago

      Thank you so much! I’m happy that it motivates others to realize new projects :)

      It feels a bit sluggish as online content always seem to fit neatly in a 2 minute timelapse with upbeat music, the reality is less glamorous. But it’s the opportunity to hone problem solving skills and also maybe get in better physical shape, many upsides!

  • tiredofsametab@kbin.run
    6·
    5 months ago

    That looks really nice! I want to build a root cellar but it’s just not feasible for my climate (humid subtropical) and location (no mountains or hills on my land to go into and water table too high to dig down). I would have to do mechanical cooling and ventilation on whatever I build at which point it’s basically a walk-in cooler.

    • morgunkornOPEnglish
      5·
      5 months ago

      yeah it’s purpose built for our space, until last winter, we had no idea what to do with that corner, it felt like it was pretty much useless space.

      We will also have a small ventilation installed into the door frame to push in cold air at night on hot days, and evacuate excess humidity through the vent at the back.

  • rbn@sopuli.xyz
    4·
    5 months ago

    Really cool project! But you really missed the chance to integrate a tiny hidden runnel right into your house to sneak in and out.

    (Or you hid it really well ;))

    • morgunkornOP
      3·
      5 months ago

      haha yeah, no way to sneak in secretly to gurgle a bottle of wine ^^

      the house is wood frame on concrete slab, it’s gonna be difficult to connect both buildings together

    • morgunkornOPEnglish
      3·
      4 months ago

      Could get 3D printed ones that look like Minecraft torches!

      • Elise@beehaw.org
        2·
        4 months ago

        If you’re doing that any way why not add pressure plates as well around the door?

        • morgunkornOP
          2·
          4 months ago

          I was thinking of a piston door with calibrated skulk sensors… 😬

          We’re gonna install a Ubiquity RFID reader at the door for access control, integrated in HomeKit, so we can enter with our phone/watch

  • philpo@feddit.de
    1·
    4 months ago

    For the love of god, install a good CO2_O2 detector, especially for the initial phase that can be crucial.

    BTW: How hard was it to get a permit for this thing?

    • morgunkornOP
      2·
      4 months ago

      Good call, will do! A building permit wasn’t required as it its volume is below 40 cubic meters. You only need a building permit if it’s bigger, or if you install running water / heating / a toilet (basically if it’s “livable”)

      • philpo@feddit.de
        3·
        4 months ago

        Yeah, that depends heavily on local ordinances and state law. A friend has been trying to get one for years now.

        CO2 is especially important in the first years as you will put new/mixed soil on it - which has a lot of more organic material in it which is now exposed to O2 and will rot - generating CO2. I work in a wine region as a paramedic and we had more than similar cases.

        • morgunkornOPEnglish
          1·
          4 months ago

          yeah, Germany loves its rules! But there’s also a strong Christian tradition, and if it taught me anything, is that it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission ^^

          At least it’s not a big volume and with the electric ventilation in the door frame, the air should recycle quickly. We will have a couple of CPU fans (or similar), with an airflow of up to 120 m³ per hour, it shouldn’t be too hard to refresh the complete volume of the building. But I’ll get a CO2 monitor, I wanted to get one for checking the air quality when we use our fireplace in winter too.

          • philpo@feddit.de
            2·
            4 months ago

            The forgiveness part is not valid for the building authority. They absolutely force people to destroy adjuncts/garden sheds that have 0.3m² than the rule and have been build in the 70ies.