The site is a worn rock ledge. Most of the land is gently sloping. We chose the largest flat area that had lots of deciduous shade on the southern side.
The slab is an oblong 20' by 50'. Some excavating was required on the west end and some buildup was required on the east end.
Pex tubing was laid on top of thick rigid insulation. Eventually, the tubing will flow with hot antifreeze to warm the slab and provide radiant heat to the entire home. For the moment, I have an ancient wood burning stove and the pex is not filled or connected to anything. I've been researching boiler systems, solar hot water systems, and even radiators hanging on the sides of wood burning stoves. Eventually I will figure out a cost effective way to manage a radiant heat setup.
There are four loops of tubing on these entry and exit manifolds for eventual circulation. The loops are laid so that the new hot fluid runs around the edge of the slab first and then spirals inwards before coming back to the exit manifold.
The tubing was pressurized with air before the concrete was poured around it. The tubes are fastened to a mesh that lifted them up allowing concrete to fully enclose the tubing and sit on top of the insulation.
On the north side of the slab are materials I scavenged. As soon as I began this project, I started haunting craigslist, habitat restores and classifieds - always searching for any cheap materials that I could repurpose. I got a lot of scrap lumber and pallet boards from nearby construction sites. Many friends also donated materials and kept their eyes out for anything I could use.
I would estimate that at least 90% of the wood in my home is repurposed. Most appliances and fixtures are repurposed.
Stay tuned - my next post will include putting the grain bins together.
Thanks for your interest!