Building a House Start to Finish: Backfilling Our ICF Basement

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[@cassityart7001]

A dry, clean and warm place to go back to at the end of the day was exactly what you planned in your camper. Everyone’s homesteading situation is different. My grandmother used to just call it life.

[@FarmFreshIB]

Just another one out here "playing homesteader". Been doing it for over 30 years, much of the time smack in the middle of a big city. Guess I just didn't realize how silly I have been until now. Thanks for enlightening me.

[@Drinks-and-finger-food]

No problem!!! Now go FYS

[@tomfairbank4715]

I wonder if they are going to use landscape fabric to wrap their house

[@OurCabinInThewoods]

I have watched you two from the day you moved there till now and you shocked me when you said that. Alyssa most people cant start out building a quarter of million house first. Your being payed very good through KZbin to build our house and your right will be debit free. I see it as on our homesteaders backs. I too lived in a camper for year while i built our house. But i called it building our home. I considered our living in the camper. Camping. Homesteading hasn't even started yet for you. when you start doing all the things to be SELF SUFFICIENT then your homesteading. I wish you both all the luck on your journey

[@TanyaCoffman]

I enjoy "playing homestead" including the obligations of scooping dung to put on my garden where I spend hours to reap what I've sown canning/freezing and thanks to the grace of God have a bounty to donate. This is how I play life.

[@brendengodfrey9564]

I thought homesteaders made the little money with the things they grew off their land? I didn't think they made youtube videos with an immense amount of ads so they can afford to do what they needed. They would trade and sometimes be able to buy what they needed not from a full time job, but from what they produced by themselves. I enjoy the videos, but am unsure that you have the right idea of 'homesteading'. But hey I am just a guy with a part time job. Living my dream of a healthy, efficient farm.

[@dallasblues74]

My guess is that "homesteading" goes a lot smoother when you've got a s..t load of money to spend on materials, tools, equipment, etc.

[@RaechelleJ]

So when your done building your house your going to be done homesteading?

[@DylanMSmith19]

I was thinking the same thing, my Guess is it's all about the views on KZbin and the money making on KZbin.

[@NorthtoHopeDesert_Hues]

Exactly

[@floridahomesteader2322]

Just because you are off grid doesn’t mean you are homesteading. Try having to take care of a garden, chickens, rabbits, cows and so on. Try not being able to take your boots off until well after dark and finally taking a shower. All this is after you have already put fence up or dug some holes for some reason without a excavator. Then you can say people are just playing.

[@suzyhomesteader2454]

Some people don't have the luxury of building a home from the ground up. Some of us who "play" at homesteading have disabilities, or limitations that raising our own food products helps. We have healthier food for us and our families. I have chickens, ducks, and a horse along with my cats and dog. I can't physically build stuff like a new home from the ground up. I also raise our ducks and chickens for eggs and meat. Homesteading is about being as self sufficient as you can be. You may be building a home from scratch, but you buy your food from a store. I wish you and yours all the best, but please don't knock others because they're not like you. That's not what we need. We need people to encourage others. Not to destroy them.

[@littlegreenachers9997]

Suzy Homesteader your absolutely right 👍

[@missrg1975]

Suzy Homesteader Eloquently said!

[@MaMaVinnova]

It is not a flippant choice for anyone, urban or rural, to dig up their yard for a garden. Or purchase livestock to tend. Or split wood to heat with a woodstove. Or purchase a sewing machine to learn a skill. "Playing at" was a very poor choice of words.

[@markhomick8551]

And your playing construction worker

[@edgarfriendly5081]

When I think of homesteading, I don't think of sitting in a hot tub, hauling water from off homestead, buying food at the store, and prioritizing a deck over food.

[@callicoat1]

I haven't heard she has apologized, maybe she has? However, those that are sending them money and liking their videos are empowering them. I stay clear of people that move north and can't use their real names, and people who pass judgement on people they are clueless about. I personally will never click on anything related to them because I believe strongly all they are doing is building a house, half ass at that. Peace out peeps!

[@super_slo]

OK, I'm kind of confused - as many seem to be. When we installed a french drain, we had a waterproof layer as the base, then drain tile, then rock, and it drained around our house down the hill. My understanding is that all of the effort and money to build a drainage system around the foundation is to catch the water and divert it away. What I've seen you guys do makes sense to me, the vertical tyvec makes perfect sense. Where you lose me is the horizontal top layer ... doesn't this defeat all of your effort and help the water get around the outside of the drain system and ultimately under the foundation? I know lots of people keep saying geotextile, and tyvec is a mistake, but a combination seems reasonable to me. Am I missing something? Thanks for the videos!

[@kevincollins729]

C'mon guys relax. Digging up tyvek is a very time consuming process!

[@ourlittlehomestead2962]

I wouldn't exactly call what you guys are doing homesteading.

[@alisonhunt1168]

Exactly!!!

[@yellow2000SR]

I don't understand why you're using Tyvek between the dirt and gravel and not a filter fabric. Tyvek is breathable to air and moisture... not large quantities of water. It's going to be like a pond liner between the earth and your drainage gravel and going to create your hydraulic pressure on your foundation.

[@ddavid8879]

we don't get it either

[@whitehead61]

Guys, If you'll take a close look at the Tyvek, I think you'll see it also says Home Wrap. Not rock wrap, Home Wrap. You wrap your house, basement, whatever you want to keep the water away from. You're wrapping the rock that is supposed to facilitate the water moving past your house. Landscaping fabric would work I suppose, but tyvek is just going to hold the water against your walls. If you're trying to make a moat, you're spot on. Have you run this by your oft mentioned engineer?

[@Sryously]

I doubt Tyvek if completely impervious to water but I understand THIS Tyvek isn't supposed to be used this way (there is a Tyvek made for drainage), but you do know there is drainage pipe at the base of that gravel? These videos are about a month behind, so if this problem is fixed we'll be finding out in the future or maybe given a reason.

[@johntripp2028]

I've avoided making any negative comments.. They have their hands full:) But!!!!! Do not ever start a backhoe or anything else that can run over you from the ground. If you are not in the seat at least have your feet in the cab. Never depend on the neutral lock safety switch to keep you alive. Nuff said. Good luck.

[@practicalguy973]

Safety is not what they do, balancing on ICFs with pipes embedded in the ground to impale you and no scaffolding , lifting huge logs with the backhoe and Alyssa's feet under them on every lift, operating a wood planer with hair dangling on it and one handed with the loose hand in front of the incoming planer... The list goes on... I wish them well but the inexperience is undeniable.

[@yippie21]

I get "safety" triggered almost every video anymore. Incredible . Well.... one of these days.. they're not going to be so fortunate.

[@AshleysLair]

I don’t know if this is a stupid question but isn’t the point of the rock fill for drainage ? Why cover it with plastic? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of using the rock?

[@tjwatts100]

I don't know whether it's right or not, but Jesse seems to be trying to deflect the water away from the rock, allowing the rock to drain what does get there, trying to keep the basement wall as dry as possible. Clearly the house will be protected. I see the counter argument that this will cause the water to hit the surrounding soil instead causing hill erosion. But that's not going to hurt the house and I suppose if it becomes a problem, they could always add a bit more rock outside to replace any eroded soil.

[@bradlarden]

That's what I don't get too. Like you, I can't see the point of isolating with plastic. To make proper drainage, you should use an open weave material designed to allow water through but stop dirt. Then it flows into the rock portion and buggers off. Also, I don't understand why they didn't use the mountain of rocks they have on their own land for the fill. I would have thought that would have been ideal to fill the bulk, then op it off with the smaller bought stuff. Oh well, *shrugs*.

[@42jnyl]

To make good drainage you don't mix dirt into the rock either but they're clearly just making stuff up as they go

[@vinnyslawncare]

Seems to me that tyvek is just gonna cause flooding/ standing water around the house.

[@jedidiah5131]

Nope....

[@fireseid1]

I don't understand why you are putting tyvek on top of stone. You have stone for drainage yet if you put tyvek on top, you are stopping the water from going through rocks and probably pool on top instead of draining.

[@FullSendPrecision]

I also do not understand.

[@Blazer02LS]

The problem is the tyvek is outside the drain and blocking the water from draining. As it is the water will go under the foundation instead of out the drain.

[@fireseid1]

Just seems like all the stone was not necessary if you were going to cover it up. French drain would have worked also. Now that they have a flat path behind the house I would start thinking of a retaining wall, made out of timbers, so many ideas, I've been a builder for 35 years so just thinking out loud.

[@Northern_Farmer]

Exactly..... since these videos are over a month behind are slapping their foreheads after they read the comments

[@TK-11538]

I have never seen anyone build a house and use more than 2 or 3 feet of drain rick. And I’ve never seen anyone wrap their drain rock with plastic (or anything for that matter)

[@tvwears]

Yeah I was wondering about that surely you would want the water to drain away as fast as possible rather than pooling next to your house? Doesn't make sense to me.

[@ziegenvinehomestead]

Just wondering if you realize how many people you turned off by saying people are "playing homesteading" by not building their own house on their own property?

[@arielgrooms1671]

I like your videos but talking down about people who aren't homesteading the way you want to doesn't make you look very good, maybe it sounded harsher than you meant it...

[@jessjulian9458]

I have to ask. Why are you covering your draining system with plastic? How's it going to drain? That might be a problem.

[@avalon1995]

Why someone would use Tyvek for what it's not intended for is beyond me.

[@ChunkyMonkaayyy]

Probably because they had a ton of it leftover. That’s exactly what my old boss would have us do and we were doing million dollar contracts. LOL

[@craigschofield64]

ATTENTION Jesse!! Please stop starting the backhoe from the ground!! Many Farmers and contractors have died starting tractors and large equipment and getting run over if that thing gets knocked into gear buy accident while it is parked or a safety switch fails you will get killed...very very unsafe.

[@paulkallevig8893]

I hadn't thought of this. I deal with small engines a ton and safety is always a concern of mine. I get this though, only takes another second to climb up to make it safer.

[@craigschofield64]

Johnny AppleStead There are tons of reasons I do not want him to get hurt the most obvious one I do not wish anything bad on anyone (Unless they deserve it for whatever reason...but that is extreamly rare). Plus it would crush Alyssa's heart and I don't wish that on her in any way shape or form. I will however say that Jessie won the lottery in the wife Department. Because Alyssa is a mighty fine catch! But as a man I can fully understand why you would want someone that looks like Alyssa back on the open market..lol But unless Jessie does something completely stupid, I think it is a safe bet that Alyssa is off the market. Any women that looks as good as Alyssa and willing jumps into the mud, dirt and works as physically hard as she does it a rare catch indeed. The one thing I can't figure out is..how on earth can she look so damn good while she is working right along side Jessie in the mud and dirt, I can only imagine how stunning she would be if she was all dolled up for a night on the town! I bet it is a impressive sight..😊

[@robertscrivner4791]

Your gravel is for drainage. The tyveck willkeep the water from draining. It's a bad idea.

[@godsuno777]

That was exactly what I thought.............Im not really getting the point of how they used the Tyveck.

[@jedidiah5131]

Depending on the type of Tyvek....water resistant vs water proof , there are several types...and apply any weight/pressure to tyvek and let me how water proof it is....

[@k.c.livermore3535]

I am super confused by the use of the TyVek

[@alwaysbeshooting8841]

K.C. Livermore as is most everyone else! 😂

[@alwaysbeshooting8841]

Doug Mcdonell that rocky soil/earth around the foundation will drain just fine. The tyvek is pointless. If anything it might be holding more water around the foundation. In any case water is gonna fall down through the rock down to the drain tile. Alyssa talking shit about homesteading and “all the hard work?” Does she realize that people build houses and do construction for a living? This is hardly off grid/homesteading! Backhoes and excavators and brand new pickup trucks and unlimited supply of tools and equipment. How many times do they say “gotta run into town to get supplies!” That’s like everyday!

[@k.c.livermore3535]

Yes I enjoy watching them because there are building the home primarily on their own. I fear with the tyvek, they will lock moisture in between that and the foundation and it will freeze and cause damage to the foundation walls.

[@alwaysbeshooting8841]

K.C. Livermore that not gonna happen. The water will drain just fine. If there ever was flood type extended rain it more likely the water would flow around the house and possibly come in the front of the garage. But that’s highly unlikely. Your talking a huge amount of rain to do that. Besides it’s just a garage shop not a finished basement.

[@AIM54A]

I think his concern was that the fill dirt would work its way down through the gravel and plug the drain pipe at the foundation base. I dont think that is a valid concern, but thats probably what he was thinking. The TyVek as applied isn't going to act as any type of water barrier. Most of their water will come out through the hill a few feet below the top. You can see the gravel layer sitting on the clay. Water will enter the gravel below where they're placing the TyVek. Surface water will just flow around the TyVek and work its way down to the drain. It's likely extra work with no benefit but I don't see any harm in it either.

[@mahealaniw]

Wow! Sad... I guess I'll go back to "playing homesteading"

[@chiphudak]

Yes you two. Hope you are well and the pause in content is for good reason. I really wish you well. Im in a workers compensation back injury here, and you guys have gotten me through 20 months! Thank you!

[@shadysean1]

I have never seen Tyvek used in this manner before.

[@Woodman_Custom_Sawing]

Probably for a good reason.

[@1013redraven]

Have y'all noticed nobody is buying the......one video a day thingy. We love you guys, buuuuut, we ain't blind.

[@anpo6716]

I sure sounds like you enjoy doing things the hard way and judge others how don't.

[@user-eh2ul3bx3y]

By encapsulating the drain tile and the washed rock with the paper you've eliminated that system, rendering it useless. Now the same condition of water back up will still happen but it will now be on the other side of this encapsulated system you've created. I realize this is too late because these videos are so far behind in coming to us, but I have to say something.

[@OhioPrepperOne]

I have to ask, did you bother asking anyone how you should approach this task? You should be draining the water that runs down the hill, not deflecting it via the garage wall, can’t wait to see the video of you ripping out the tyvec....

[@scotishpopcorn]

Keeping It Dutch sends hugs!

[@dtsea1]

Two quick suggestions. You have a lot of plywood laying around your jobsite and rock bounces really well. When backfilling tight areas consider using some plywood sloped into the trench to bounce the rock into the trench. Instead of trying to get a 2 foot wide bucket to dump into a 1 foot wide trench you have a 4 foot target! Also, if I were you guys I would seriously invest in a pair of forks for that backhoe. For about $350 you can get a set of forks that attach to the existing hooks on your bucket. Then you could move material around your jobsite in minutes vs hours. And without breaking your back! But good job!

[@wardkarns]

Totally agree with using plywood to chute the material into the trench. I was cringing watching Alyssa so close to the bucket trying to hold the tyvek while next to the foundation. Very easy to have a major crush injury that way. You can get very caught up in trying to make progress but need to think about staying safe too. In the future they will be workin on a lot of scaffolding and rookie mistakes are dangerous. I hope they think the safety aspects through.

[@monicapttrsn]

Is it true that the posts are not hardware mounted to the foundation and flooring? I am curious as to why some think they have to have SIPS, whereas Rural men and women in the U.S. have been building timber frames without SIPS for 100s of years....they didn't exactly call up a crane operator to come install any SIPS. If true, why are the posts not anchored to the structure? I've never heard of a house post not being tied down. I don't understand here.

[@monicapttrsn]

Thanks for your help. The point I was getting to is why let a whole frame begin to rot over lack of SIPS? The Pioneers didn't have that problem. The students and Instructor from the Shelter Institute worked very, very hard to pull those bents together.

[@monicapttrsn]

I bet I could frame a 16 ft-long wall faster than they can put together a SIP panel and ship it to Jesse and Alyssa...having a little fun.

[@susanmaynes4407]

Donald Kennedy...jeez not U again...always....?

[@just-dl]

the fundamental problem is that they've hurried their project along. Rather than do a small, intermediate home, they went for the brass ring, and built the permanent home right off. But, they raised the frame before they finished the design. (I'm not taking pot-shots; this is often done, when there's a rush for whatever reason.) Even though it was "eyes wide open," they got behind, and had a timber-frame workshop scheduled before they decided on windows...which means they couldn't order the SIP panels. If the roofing is part of the SIP panel package, they'll be held up, too. They've not mentioned it recently, but, I suspect they're in thumb-twiddling mode until the panels are built/delivered. that's my $0.02....worth every penny of it, too! :-)

[@just-dl]

Kurt, it may have the same visual effect, but, it's not the same. You can't screw into foam timbers. Personally, I'd trust a timber frame structure's long-term strength more than a SIPs. They might be comparable, but, timber frames have a really long track record; SIPs are still in their infancy, comparatively. (At least, I don't know of any 900 year old SIP constructed buildings still standing....) You are right about the redundancy, but, I believe J&A are going for the insulative properties of SIPs...not the structural.

[@Northern_Farmer]

is it just me... or did Alyssa sound kinda snobby when she was talking about homesteaders?

[@kcojco]

Northern farmer no I wasn’t just you

[@jedidiah5131]

Nope, I wasn't offended....

[@Drinks-and-finger-food]

She’s right... and who cares

[@tylerjames3313]

You have learned so much. Your 'bucket' skills have improved so much.

[@Coolcupcake013]

You made more work for yourselves using that tyvek. I think y’all over bought and we’re like, “where else can we use this stuff? Let’s bury it around the house! Yeah, that’ll work.”

[@samsam3499]

Have a look at some of the old Mike Holmes videos "Holmes on Holmes". Lots of great learning videos on how to "do it right".

[@mindwalkn3252]

Rumor is that A&J said "Oh 'ell no " to another cold winter, hitched up the RV . . . Spending the Winter in Quartzite Arizona till it's Spring. Warm Sunny Days , Great Mexican food and frozen margarita's . . .

[@StevenYoungcaptual]

I’m not any kind of builder, but having had a house with the same kind of hill behind it, our engineers placed large PVC Drain pipes with holes at the bottom of the French ditch. During heavy rain, these drain pipes expelled a great deal of water. I was just wondering what your theory was for not using drain pipes? Thank you- love your videos!

[@shadysean1]

They did, it was already in when they started this vid.......and I do believe the holes are supposed to be facing up.

[@shadysean1]

That makes sense ...Wouldnt fill up with material as easy then.

[@caninphx]

shadysean1 you also wrap it in fabric to prevent accumulation of sediment.

[@Africanfrogs]

Love how you call this homesteading you have spent at least a million dollars and have taken for ever to build your dream home rather than a homestead. Just call it what it is, "Building a home in Idaho"

[@SirShoX0r]

I don't even think Jesse and his reality distortion field could call this homesteading any more. I'm waiting for the inevitable band of contractors to come in and finish it off.

[@outonthewire]

So wait a minute. If you raise livestock, grow your food, preserve your food, but didn’t build your home, your only playing homesteading?

[@outonthewire]

Marge O'Connor yes it does. But who am I to judge, I am just “playing homesteading” lol.

[@HerbertHopkins799]

Marge O'Connor I know right. Most of these millennials are so arrogant and elitist. Not like us older people. We are clearly better. Wink wink nudge nudge

[@Sailor376also]

Tyvek I am not certain that Tyvek was a good choice With delay in editing, posting,, no change is possible,,, but for the future. A filter barrier is normal, not sure that it is ever needed, but the purpose of the sewer stone for a back fill is to drain away water, to relieve sub surface hydraulic pressure so that it never wants to penetrate the water proofing. Tyvek is water proof. It does allow moisture (vapour) to migrate,, but it does not allow water to pass. You have now placed a barrier,, keeping water out of your drainage stone.. Old school was zero filter fabrics,, just the stone giving a preferred escape path. Now I do admit,, you are unlikely to ever have a problem,,, your native soils are a river type,, almost a bank wash gravel. The only problem your Tyvek may contribute is to slow the drainage of the native, undisturbed hill above. If I have your attention,,, Plant the upper hill with a wide variety of deep rooting trees and woody shrubs. You have backed the house into a hill side at angle of repose. You have cut and hollowed out the base of that slope. Your pilaster/ sheer wall is as nothing compared to what that hill side could bring. And the better resistance to the thrust of the hill side is the diaphragm of the first floor,, but you have not connected/ availed yourself of that resistance to the thrust of the hill side. You should connect the two,,, cheap insurance and easily 100 times the resistance to thrust as your shear wall. Good luck, pretty frame.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

From my own experiences I often find that some of the most well intention plans are often negated when the rubber meets the road and you get deep into them. Kind of like deciding not to mill a hundred 2x4's when time and fuel cost is examined and doesn't add up to the cost of purchasing them. My wife is a good example, she'll burn a gallon of gas driving to a place where it's $.05 a gallon cheaper filling a 13 gallon tank, she's saved $.65 cents but used $2.50 in gas doing it.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

This concept works across the board for my wife, I've given up long ago trying to convince her whatever it is she's saved usually isn't worth the time and fuel.

[@martinlindenmayer1857]

Damn wives!

[@NoName-OG1]

Tyvek underground? Seems counter to the purpose of water permeability and drainage. When people put drain rock at a foundation, the Rock is a means to direct drainage water to someplace quickly. And drain fabric to contain it. Closing it off with something less permeable seems like a mistake. Granted rock is also a self compacting and locking fill, it is also very fast draining. If you had a French drain under it, it's now blocked. If you did not have a French drain, you should have.

[@StrawFamilyFarm]

Keeping It Dutch Sends Hugs!!

[@dejayrezme8617]

Why the water blocking foil in there? Isn't that the oposite of what the stones are supposed to do, drain the water instead of storing it? The foil will trap water in whatever sediment above it.

[@sarsoar]

Dejay Rezme thata what I was thinking, I dont understand it, they are just making an area where water will settle next to the garage, and standing water like that will find a way into any little crack. Maybe I missed the part where they added drainage to the side of the house or something

[@Pixelplanet5]

yea they have drainage all around the foundation so thats not really a problem for them. im wondering more why they spend money on washed rocks when the are putting in dirt everywhere with how they backfill it.

[@badlandskid]

There needs to be a fabric of sorts to stop dirt from silting into the rocks and plugging up the drain tile. However I’m not sure about using a Tyvek house wrap below grade. I have never seen that product used in that manner. We use a landscaping fabric which allows water through but will stop the soil from silting in the rock. 😉

[@dejayrezme8617]

Yeah filter fabric. I think house wrap allows a little vapor to pass through to allow walls to dry out slowly if water ever gets in. But it's gonna let rainwater coming down that hill pool right next to the wall. I think it's a big mistake. Basically they are forcing the water to not drain through he rocks at all but drain through the dirt and along the wall.

[@SquishyMit]

From my homesteading experience of building foundations here in Maine, I agree that the extra expense and effort of using crushed rock along the foundation is cheap insurance in the long run. However i think that filter/landscape fabric would have been a better choice for your berrier. The water moves much more freely from the ground to your drains. Keep moving forward and doing you best to enjoy the journey!

[@SquishyMit]

Things are different out west than they are here in (wet) New England. Here we need to contend with 1. 'surface runoff', water that is on top of the ground after a rainstorm or spring snow-melt and 2. ground water that is everywhere and looking for a nice dry basement to fill. I can understand placing Typar a foot or two under the surface to line ditches to direct surface water away from the foundation; but you want to direct any subsurface water into that nice crushed rock so it will drop down into your footing drains and then drain to 'daylight' someplace downhill. I believe that using a (much) more porous material like landscape fabric would be amore effective ditch lining. But again, Maine is not Idaho! Just my 2 cents.

[@ChristopherJohnsonArtist]

The definition of homesteading is NOT building your own home.

[@Gatekeeper63]

..but okay it's now done and you can't influence for that anymore but... a little question for your engineer ... Where is drainage system for your foundations. There will come lot of water from the hill ;-)

[@johnwalsh3635]

This is house construction, not homesteading. Seems like you are destroying the environment, not working with it to produce food.

[@huntwabigdave]

Keep up the good work you two. Haters gotta hate. Still lots of us watching. Cheers

[@timhyatt9185]

the term "homesteading" as the Government defines it to qualify for the homesteading exemptions and subsidies, has certain requirements, beyond just building a house...a "commercial crop" of some sort must be produced as well. I know of one homesteader in AK who raises quail and bees on his tiny acre of homesteading property.. (he has more, but most of it is a small lake..)

[@joshfayton8211]

Should have used landscape fabric not tyvek. Tyvek will just hold water and channel it into the foundation.

[@Sryously]

They sell a Tyvek for drainage, but yes, doesn't look like this is the one.

[@aaroncgouge]

Where did they get the idea to use Tyvek? It is NOT designed for this use.

[@asherstanton4561]

Agreed. Without a permeable covering the rock “drain” is not going to work as designed.

[@aaroncgouge]

Exactly here they have used a materiel designed for above grade use that has a very unique characteristic, keep moisture/water out but allow water vapor if it seeps behind the surface covered in house wrap out. A french drain is designed to carry water away from the foundation, water will seep through but not at the desired rate resulting in saturated soils and runoff, basically they have waterproofed there french drain. The purpose of using a material is to filter the soil and keep it from plugging the gravel. I would have liked to see them use a geotextile material that is specifically engineered for use with drainage or even have used Typar, there is a major difference between Typar and Dupont (Tyvek) House wrap both made by the same company it may look the same but its not, Also the weap material on the front of the polyguard should have some type of barrier (geotetile) between it and the gravel and dirt to prevent the weap holes from plugging.

[@martinkeatings7126]

That's a very expensive drainage system that's going to fail.

[@jeremywright6373]

It's getting harder and harder to watch these videos. You seem to do a couple things wrong in each video. In the last 2 videos, it is obvious that you guys have not done much research on foundation drainage. You are also starting to get arrogant, talking about how you guys do things different than other people. Which is not bad, until you say that your way is better than the other persons way, and that they are faking it, in which you did say.

[@jeremywright6373]

Filter/geo/landscape fabric is key when it comes to drainage.

[@jeremywright6373]

Non the less, I have been watching your videos since the beginning, and I will continue to watch them as there is always something to learn, good or bad.

[@jjmarz1001]

We need to blame ourselves for creating these you tube monsters.

[@paulteirney3587]

You did well on filling the trench with the digger. Alyssa you right right about building a home from start to finish it is hard work and is a labour of love that get you to the end of the build. Then there is the finishing of the grounds before you start on the homestead part of the dream. Love your videos and have watched you move on up the ladder in the construction of your skills.

[@littlewhitedory1]

Play homesteading? How about "PLAY" let's build a house the most expensive way we can? Careful there Alyssa, do you know what happens to people whom through stones at glass houses? I'm not saying your a bad person for those homesteading comments, however, being critical of people is something you and Jesse should know a lot about. I know that you read your comments, have you not noticed all the naysayers? Does that feel good to hear, I think the pot may have called the kettle black on today's video. The folks that are referring to your channel as homesteading are doing so (as you said) because you guys self-proclaimed that you are. In the broadest sense you are, but either way, the reference to homesteading isn't derogatory it's just a best fit (again, as you said here). So why not embrace the acknowledgment and just roll with it? Good luck on your build and thanks for most of what you are presenting here on your channel.

[@littlewhitedory1]

joe hopes ... I know it's not just me, but, the comments are all over the place with how they are going about the project. I'm not convinced that the home they are (excuse me, homestead!) building couldn't have been done more efficiently if they hired a quality home building contractor. What they are paying for in learning curve might actually exceed the additional costs associated with paying for that knowledge in the form of a good general contractor. Given the choice I would go with the experienced contractors and did my homework on knowing how the contractor would do things prior to each step. An educated consumer is a good consumer.

[@thomasschaufler1142]

I enjoy seeing you starting the backhoe at first try. After all the trouble it had, you finally got it working reliable. Good job

[@jegog.]

As far as I can tell they are doing an OK job in this video except for two things: 1) Putting Tyvek in the ditches instead of landscape cloth and 2) leaving trees next to the house. Landscape cloth allows the water through while holding the dirt back. The Tyvek will dramatically slow the water movement towards the drainage pipe so I would not be surprised if in a big rainstorm the stalled water above the Tyvek mixes with all the dirt and becomes a huge river of mud that flows down into their driveway and perhaps even into their garage. The trees are a fire hazard and their roots could mess up the drainage. The branches will rub against the house in the wind and cause more damage.

[@tammymurphy1268]

wow....i now can see why people are upset.......very interesting vid

[@estrogenacres801]

when I think of "homesteading" I think of it as being as self-sufficient as possible. You can't do that unless you have crops, animals, and know food preservation. I don't think you have to be off grid to homestead. You just have to be able to know how to live off grid.

[@kylegraham6034]

Jess and Alyssa- lots of loyal fans here that are sitting on the edge of their seats to hear how you guys are and what you’ve been up to. Respect that you guys need a break, and I would hope you can respect that our viewership helps you both maintain your current lifestyle. Giving us a heads up that you’re taking a break would be helpful, or even a quick 2 min video to validate all those who log in daily to see if you’re around would be helpful. Anyways hope you both are safe and hope to hear from you soon.

[@mdeodar]

Somethings up and starting to doubt us viewers will ever be leveled with.

[@just-dl]

Matthew, check them out on Facebook if you want more up to date info. It takes Alyssa time to crank out YT videos, and they'll always be behind the facebook updates. The only thing I think you'll find is up is that they've burned themselves up (but not out) recently, and are needing to recuperate, as well as keep the project moving along. Stay tuned!

[@garyb4350]

I presume you have perforated pipe under the washed stone and it drains to daylight. Your subsoil looks like it drains well and is not slip prone or It would have fallen in already. If so, it would have done well with a layer of silt filtration cloth over the pipe, a foot or two of gravel over that then graded stone or course backfill, then topsoil. .......... BUT Tyvek is a water barrier, not filtration cloth. You have blocked any subsurface water from reaching your drainage system, possibly creating hydrostatic pressure and drainage where you don't want it. You should have used filtration cloth or nothing. ......... I sincerely hope you did not use Tyvek over your drain pipe, for that could be a wet garage floor. I doubt you will fix the Tyvek at this point but you may have to in the future. If you are lucky your soil will not have seasonal springs or surface water to accumulate. ....... You must be extra careful to bench the hillside and create a swale at least 6 or 8 ft from the foundation in the back and sides, and backfill to slope the surface water from the foundation to the swale and away. Sorry. Good luck.

[@damarizraya4635]

So construction is what you're doing?

[@whatahowl1]

I understand what you where trying to say but the way you said is hard to swallow. But your right just because you build a house dosent make you a homesteader

[@vnthomas16]

Why tyvek homewrap around your gravel? That is made to keep water out of your house, not filter water in a gravel drainage system. Weird.

[@smitzilla]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing! I feel like water isn’t goin to able drain away and will pool up?

[@MsCherriedawn]

I think all of us agree that she could have worded that better. My husband started watching these two awhile back and now it's become like a weekend thing for us, not sure how I feel about that yet lol. I didn't like how she said that so I came on here and have read a lot of the reviews. There's a lot of people that are getting upset or offended about it. I don't think she thought about what she was saying through very well or at least that's my hope. I like you two very much for for going out here and doing this. I may not agree with everything that y'all have said or done but that's your choice. Y'all are learning a lot as you go and that's great. I hope you guys do read all comments and realise that with a few misworded comments you have made some if not a lot of your viewers aggravated or frustrated. Build your place how you want but keep in mind that your words have a far bigger impact than what you realise.

[@jedidiah5131]

Please let me know how many are upset with her comments....I counted so far 0.000001 %

[@alanmaier]

I have a gut feeling the fatigue is really setting in, and as a result the unintended comments are coming out.

[@TosaSamurai]

So they have your permission to do what they want unless they are being negative kind of a back handed compliment. I guess words have an impact if you care what other ppl think. I honestly watch this Chanel to learn about facing things I have done yet once I get started on my own house. I did contraction for a big chunk of my job but not anymore and my approach has change drastically by seeing Chanel's like this. I think a lot of ppl are more into the quote "story" here and not on the realism of building a house.

[@MsCherriedawn]

They don't need my permission for anything it is their choice on what they say. I'm just saying that some of the comments I read may have taken offence to what could have been misworded. If they are trying to show people how they can get started doing some "homesteading" as well I think care should be taken cause some people can't go all out or do as much as others but to say they are playing at it is not right either. People that are trying to do something to the best of their ability either cause of know how or because of a money situation isn't playing.

[@MsCherriedawn]

Jedidiah omg your kinda like my husband going with a percentage lol I on the other hand am going by what I read and adding in the possibility of those that didn't comment. I'm horrible at figuring out percentages though. But if that's an actual account of it cool.

[@joemaracic8636]

That Tyvek is meant for verticals building applications, not for burial. It will disintegrate in a year.

[@RobbieSongwriter]

REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR DRAINAGE issues: First home I built in Eureka, CA on similar sloping lot & similar clay soil (45 inches of rain per year). Never heard of Tyvek being used like you are - great product but ?? for this use. We did all the other steps you have done and first big rainstorm had our basement wall leaking. Solved it by digging a SECOND French drain about 6 feet further up the slope approx 7 ft. deep. NO FABRIC barrier over, just the proprer gravel fill ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP, over a drain perfed 4" pipe. No more leaks. I'm a bit concerned that the Tyvek might actually hold back too much water, thereby creating hydrostatic pressure - I would definately consult DuPont customer service. I applaud your cautious use of the crawler. I almost lost it with a backhoe on a slope. Called in a pro with an Extenda-Hoe. As Clint said, "A man's got to know his limitations." :-)

[@yippie21]

Nobody... really... .no one ... uses Tyvek for this. Serious.

[@NorthernHomestead]

Yes right on, playing homesteading that’s us! We make no secret of it. I wrote a response on the blog, not because I’m angry at you, not at all. I want to encourage people to start (playing) homesteading. Hope you find some time to read it.

[@hazelschofield9161]

I've been playing at it for years trying to perfect my canning and my animal knowledge. its FAR better to practice as much as you can before you start- especially to keep your moral up through hard times!

[@jamodrummer]

From family experience: we have a house with exactly the same hill issues. Solved the long-term water problem with wider flat spaces around back & sides, with a short 2.5’ stone retaining wall against the hill, and most important: a GOOD french drain around the back & sides of the house where the hill meets the flats. Takes rushing water pressure off your foundation.

[@KraftyKathi]

James Flynn the drains were installed many months ago.

[@jamodrummer]

Kathi Pauling I don’t mean the drains up against the house - I mean that we had to install a second drain out away from the house at the edge of the new flat space that was just created. The water rushes down the hill and drops onto/into the flat space, drains down through the round drain rock and into the french drain 15’ from the house. Anything that passes that drain and makes it to the house then gets drained by the rock system in the video.

[@jennyadams3117]

I haven't watched any of your videos before, but came because I wanted to see the "playing homestead" video receiving the backlash lately. Although I am not a homesteader, so I wouldn't be offended anyway, I could see where you were coming from. If I interpreted things correctly, I hear you saying that homesteading is something that's really trendy right now. So often people crave that simpler lifestyle, and so they romanticize homesteading and decide to dabble. They take on chickens, or do some canning, and then realize, "Wait...I wanted the fun stuff, but not the hard work, or the boring work of actually maintaining this venture!" I had a friend who did this with chickens. Loved the cute baby chicks, talked about building a coop and having their own eggs and meat... and then soon realized that chickens are actually work! The chickens didn't make it much past the fuzzy chick stage and they went to someone on a farm, lol. I don't think you were intending to bash anyone who is actually homesteading... who is pushing through and maintaining a homestead (other homesteading youtubers). You were simply saying some people play at some of the aspects of homesteading and then revert back to the modern ways when they realize that homesteading isn't always this peaceful, romantic fantasy. It's often hard, labor-intensive, and chalk full of boring day to day working. For you guys that's building your house right now because you haven't done any of those other things yet. Or maybe I'm wrong, but that was my take. Keep up the good work...I couldn't do it!

[@inguzjc]

"Pioneers become the cobbles for settlers to bring in their wagons and set up camp." The retrospective someday will be invaluable and hopefully filled with fond memories. Home(stead) is where the heart is.

[@noahsark1962]

You really ticked a bunch of people off with your "Playing homesteading" remarks.

[@riadozee]

If your easily "ticked off" then it's a good idea to perhaps lighten up a bit .

[@thatkajunguy8029]

JohnW.. homesteading takes on many forms, you don't have to move into the woods to do it. It can be as simple as raising meat and egg birds as well as gardening and growing the majority of your vegetables.

[@noahsark1962]

I don't see them doing any of that,do you? I don't see any playing with things that take hard work and sacrifice.

[@noahsark1962]

I didn't say it was me.:)

[@mikedickey4952]

noahsark1962 how tf do you kno that.

[@rj-yj8dp]

FYI: This is from a article that I Read. ( You need superb perforated foundation drain tile pipe down at the footer covered by lots of washed larger gravel that has no sand in it. This gravel should extend up five or more feet and then be covered by a foot of straw or felt paper so the gravel is not clogged by silt from the fluffed backfill soil that covers the gravel. The drain tile pipe needs to extend away from the house and it should eventually pop out of the ground because of the sloping ground. In wet weather, water that would normally flow through the soil will drop down the gravel around your home, enter into the drain pipe and then exit the end of the pipe much like a natural spring. This is how you create a bone-dry basement.)

[@TheCrookHook]

That tree on the side of the house seems to have been a pita ever since the start lol

[@zifnab6824]

yeah, it's normally a good idea to remove anything within about 20' of a new building your putting in, simply for access if nothing else. Then there are considerations of roots near sewer or any penetrations of the walls.

[@TheUserid82]

A scrap of plywood as a target with a 2x4 on it to act as a handle to let the holder stay away from the fall zone. Nothing wrong with burning wood with nails in it. The hardest part is cutting but you can just use a cheap blade in the chop saw that only gets used for cutting wood with nails in it. Once the ashes have cooled run a magnet over them to pull the metal out or setup a fine mesh metal screen and sift the ashes as they can still be hot.

[@paulcondie9932]

Yor average stone will compact a quarter inch per inch so if you don't compact in lifts it will sink over time! So an uncompacted 12 inches will sink an average of 3 inches over time.

[@TheSmoothGrind]

Who came up with using Tyvek wrap to help drainage??? Would of been better off building the house out of old milk jugs melted together with cigarette lighters.

[@scottlau1522]

Only thing dumber than using the Tyvek is saying they are going to publish videos daily and not publishing the very next video for days!!!

[@minecraftster50]

I’m curious what’s so bad about Tyvek?

[@minecraftster50]

martin wicker that’s what I figured because I know everybody I talked to when I had to dig out my foundation when it collapsed (I live in a very clay rich area) nobody ever mentioned that just only to put some sort of protection like tar on the foundation itself

[@86irisheyes]

I’ve been in construction for a long while and never have scene any one use a wind barrier to try and keep water off the foundation drainage rock . Jessie is correct about the rock being used as a hydrostatic pressure but if u use typed on top what’s the point of the drain . I also agree with the comments about let’s yapping more working

[@ralphtaylor3796]

guys you should look at adding a second drainage line above the foundation line, running down the outer line of the house. that runs in the hill across the road. no major costs just some loose piping too the lower level of your property.

[@ralphtaylor3796]

more like half a day, total, but well worth in the end, at=s it pulls the water away from the base drainage, but allows 60 % of the run off to soak into the top drain, bypassing the house drainage. if you are going too use the runoff too storage in black water it would flush out most in the leach field. but you wouldn't want it in drinking water. but could be used as gray for garden storage. if you have too dig up the septic lines anyway, you could cut that in too.or run a second gray line out too a smaller tank, that could be filtered too clean house usage, but not drinking water. total coat about fifteen bucks every ten feet. I had run mine through a six inch pipe, then run a second line too gray tank, to gutter run off. that does get filtered off too house use. toilet, shower, sink, and boiler. about fifteen hundred a year water levels, off my twenty by twelve house, with the over flow running off too a leach field. but it does water five acres well/

[@joeschmoe4030]

I totally don't get using the Tyvek "HOME WRAP" for backfilling.

[@sliceofkraffts9984]

I think Tyvek must be a sponser of theirs.

[@GeorgeBurkhard]

You mean Dupont? Tyvek isn't a company...

[@clarkcarroll5790]

Keeping it Dutch sends hugs!

[@alphasails2]

Dont forget about your defensible fire space. I personally dislike felling trees, but the clear area around the house is peri mount... Keep up the great journey....

[@Mike-md9ty]

Dean O's reply to Christopher Malphus, below, NEEDS to be read by everyone.....Yes, You too J & A!

[@monicapttrsn]

I've seen a guy build a basic ranch home for $35,000 with four bedrooms on five acres. I do not know the land cost. The home cost did include the fee for the building permit. The home had no garage, four bedrooms, low-pitched roof. He mentioned the most expensive item in the home was the oven/range for the kitchen. He used basic stick framing. The house looked beautiful. The secret is that he kept the home design simple and not difficult for one or two people to put together. BE ENCOURAGED EVERYONE. This can still be done.

[@27Zangle]

I have designed my own home several times and completely went through the process of totaling up all the prices from local hardware stores. It can easily be done for the price you have stated as-long-as there are no inspections, fees, permits, etc. Providing you do majority of the labor and keep it very simple. Simple is elegant :-)

[@monicapttrsn]

The guy who built that house had access to all of the utilities, so no solar power cost was involved. He didn't include the cost of a refrigerator. It was bare minimum. If I were doing that home, I'd probably spend $50,000 to include some unnecessary amenities, but the $35,000 will get a family shelter in a tight situation...nice carpet and flooring later when it can be afforded.....folks, plan on $50K, but for $35K, you could have shelter. p.s. He told me he spent $18,000 for construction and $12,000 for the building permit fees here in California. I hope he was being honest.

[@HendersonDesign]

18k for a complete materials list for a four bedroom house? I call BS on that.

[@monicapttrsn]

Perhaps the guy was being dishonest. He built two homes on the acreage around 2001. The other was a three bedroom of which he quoted at $17,000. He poured the concrete for the crawlspace foundations himself. He did everything himself down to the bare minimum bone. I've thought about this story since my post. I believe he built the homes for that price. Why? Because once he pulled it off for his own home, he went off throughout the area building other homes for a living and selling them for around $70,000. But after thinking about this matter further, I do not want to discourage anyone. I would say as a Carpenter, I could pull this off for $50,000, not including building permit fees. He must have had access to low prices on the materials. p.s. I knew of a lady who BOUGHT a home here in Sacramento, CA in 1960 for $5,000 (three bedroom). Not long ago, a sheet of plywood was $7.00.

[@CreatingASimplerLifeOffGrid]

Hi! Here because of all the videos I recently came across that talked about the comment ‘playing homestead.’ First, now that I’ve found this channel I really like it and all the videos shared! Aside from that I just want to say that I believe homesteading is what we want it to be and everyone has the right to choose their own personal definition with respect to what that means. I may not agree with the ‘definition’ shared in the video but I respect it and will be subscribing to stay up to date with the progress! Keep up the good work 😊

[@embercole9952]

Keeping it Dutch sends hugs :D

[@L.LCamping]

Just curious if you guys know about glow plugs on your diesel equipment. They make a huge difference on cold days when starting. The manual should have directions on how to use them if the equipment has them built in. Just a quick thought from a heavy duty mechanic :)

[@stephenhunter70]

I'm wondering, did you damage the power and wireless broadband conduits? you seem to have inadvertently relocated them!