DIY Cheese Cave / Wine & Beer Cellar

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lastsecondapex

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Let me preface this by saying that I have very little experience in moving mass quantities of earth. That being said, I have a plan for a cheese/wine/beer cellar cut into my sloped backyard and wanted to pick some brains on the feasibility and cost of getting it done.

A backhoe will cost 680/week from Hertz, and I'd like to have the dirt moved relatively quickly.


This is a picture of the hill in my back yard.

20121014_163516_zps6ff6c7d6.jpg


A quick 3d SketchUp of what I want:

20121014_163133_zpsb3d8a9ea.jpg


20121014_163205_zpsc8d831d8.jpg



Anyone have any good experience and/or recommendations that could make this as easy and inexpensive as possible?


Thanks all!
 
There are a few websites of people that have built Hobbit holes in hillsides, you might get some inspiration from those builds, when I get back to a computer Ill see of I can find some links. I hope you see this through, I love the idea!
 
Found this! A bunch more square footage than what I am looking for- but the idea is great!


 
Last edited by a moderator:
There are a few websites of people that have built Hobbit holes in hillsides, you might get some inspiration from those builds, when I get back to a computer Ill see of I can find some links. I hope you see this through, I love the idea!

Check out this website - has some instructions for how they did it and links to other resources/sites - "Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations" - pretty cool

http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

I know it's not quite what you're looking for, but I think its along similar lines.
 
After doing some more in-depth calculations, I don't think it will be possible to run a backhoe in the required space behind our home. If it is to be dug there, it would have to be by hand or small tiller; that is not preferrable.

My other (and probably better option) would be to build it into the crawl space and install a trap door down from the kitchen. The difficulty here is that I am 6'5" and my crawl space at that point is 5'10". I really am weary of digging below the vapor barrier for fear of disrupting the foundation, though I am sure it could be done safely with a contractor. This wouldn't afford me as much of the ground temperature advantage, but would greatly reduce upfront costs and possibly better improve the home value.

I will update with future findings. I plan on undergoing construction (whereever that is) by February, so remain patient and feel free to interject and comment. I am also open to cool additional ideas (ie incorporating a humidor?)
 
It's not really relevant but I help a guy build his underground home several years back. It was dug out of a surprisingly gentle grade with what was dug out being used to cover the top and slope off either side and front corners. It was super neat. I'd love to live there.
 
maybe a smaller Bobcat type of tractor?

On the walls inside, the weight of the hill will try to "push" the walls out of it... so those side walls might have to extend back inside to help anchor the load pushing outward... maybe a 2 to 1 ratio, 1 length out = 2 lengths in the hill.

Anyone with brick or concrete experience that does basements might give you a better idea.

What about clearing out the hill & having some sort of 'parsons wall' built. Then you can lay some sort of floor & build the rest of the "hill" out to make it natural looking. Parsons walls are a type of retaining wall with real rock stacked and smaller rocks compacted around to an engineer's specs to hold back certain loads... which would be the loads of the hill above there.

examples of parsons walls:

res16.jpg


res1.jpg


Or just get the hill dug out and do a tall retaining wall...

retaining-wall-1.jpg


this pic above would be cool... you'd have a natural back & side walls inside, just add a garden roof or something over it!

either way the hill would need to be held in place or disaster!
 
I love the idea, but am concerned with where I would dispose of the additional dirt and how I would get equipment back there. I live in a cul-de-sac on a hill and there is only about 18 feet between our sunroom and the beginning of the hill- not much clearance between the side of our home and our fence either. It would have to be a bobcat and that is a handy undertaking for one, I'm sure.

Has anyone cleared a lot of dirt with only a bobcat? How did it do?
 
Skip the "mini backhoe" and go with a compact excavator. They have a range of sizes. Rent the largest one that will fit.

image-528923177.jpg
 
Just an update... After some serious cost analysis, I can build a 400 sq ft cellar by dredging into the crawl space (while bolstering the foundation) for about a third of the overall cost. The contractor I've spoken to seems supremely confident in the overall benefit in putting the cellar under the house. I plan to follow through late January or early February, but I will update this with pictures and progress.
 
If you retrofit a cellar underneath your home you will be a hero to us all.


My crawl space is about 9' overhead on one side of the house, but it slopes to about 5'5" under the kitchen, so it would need dredged about 2.5 feet for my comfort level. I can post some pics of the crawl space this weekend. Should be sweet:rockin:
 
jeepinjeepin said:
If you retrofit a cellar underneath your home you will be a hero to us all.

I know a fellow who, for his existing home, dug out a basement by hand with only a shovel and 5 gallon buckets. Took him 20 years to do a complete basement, and it's just dirt floors, but true dedication!
 
My crawl space is about 9' overhead on one side of the house, but it slopes to about 5'5" under the kitchen, so it would need dredged about 2.5 feet for my comfort level. I can post some pics of the crawl space this weekend. Should be sweet:rockin:

Hell, the crawlspace in my last house was 34" high at the tallest point. There were several area's where it was as low as 16".

You're crawlspace has a higher ceiling in some places than my basement (7.5 feet)!
 
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