Cost and Prices

Underground homes have actually been around for thousands of years even if you do not include our caveman ancestors. However, while living in caves was deemed unsuitable because of their cold and dampness. Modern technology and materials have actually made underground living a desirable option in today's market.

Underground Home Construction

You can find underground housing around the world and they are quickly becoming an option for those who want to live in more environmentally friendly manner. But what exactly qualifies as an underground home and what are the advantages that they bring including the cost?

What is an Underground Home?

Essentially, an underground home is defined as one where the walls and at least part, if not all of the roof are situated either below the ground surface or inside a hill or other natural feature. On the inside, such homes are actually difficult to distinguish from their above-ground counterparts save for the lack of windows letting in the outside light.

A proper underground home does provide many benefits and in today's energy economy they are become more popular as a result. In fact, there are companies in most US states that have the capabilities of constructing a house underground.

The Advantages of Living Underground

Energy Efficiency: Because the sides of the home are covered in layers of dirt it makes the home very energy efficient in terms of heating and cooling. In fact, properly constructed underground homes maintain their temperatures very well in all types of environmental conditions. This is arguably the biggest reason why more people are choosing to go below. Homeowners can save 50 - 90 percent on their utility bills by living underground.

Maintenance: A home that is underground requires fewer maintenance measures that an above-ground structure. There are no outer walls to paint, windows to maintain or in most cases any re-roofing measures if the soil itself is acting as the roof itself. This also can save you thousands of dollars over the long run.

Dome Home Ready to Be Sprayed and Buried

Protection: Underground housing offers far more protection for their residents from tornados, high winds and other environmental hazards as well. The walls of an underground home are very thick and waterproofed which resists moisture damage, so an investment in such a home can pay real dividends when a natural disaster strikes.

The Cost of Construction

This is the aspect of the underground home that is the least appealing. A typical underground home costs roughly 15 - 25% more than a regular home of the same size. This is because to construct an underground home a considerable amount of digging is required. Also working with concrete is labor intensive which can drive the price up.

However, it must be noted that the energy savings which may be upwards of 85% to 90% means that the extra expense will be more than compensated in a short period of time.

While the current resale value of an underground house is not as high as their above ground counterparts, it is still good enough to attract those who are also conscious about conserving energy costs and green living. An underground home can provide you and your family a comfortable living for many years to come without the high prices of electricity, heating and air conditioning bills which makes the additional cost of building this type of home well worth it.

Las Vegas Underground Home

Prices in Buying an Underground Home

The prices for buying underground homes vary widely. In some parts of the country a structure dug into the side of a hill may cost under $50,000. And on the upside, an abandoned missile silo home with some acreage may cost over $1 million.

In March of 2014 an underground dwelling in Las Vegas (pictured above) closed at $1.15 million. In Taos, New Mexico a 950 square foot earthship home was put on the market for $139,000.In Medford, Oregon there is a subsurface home selling for $229,000 and in Paris, Missouri there's an earth sheltered home selling for $295,000.

So, you can see when it comes to cost and prices of underground housing there are no hard and fast rules, only guidelines. Whether you decide to build or buy, there is one certainty, however. You will save on energy bills. And this is enough of an incentive for many people to move forward in the decision-making process.