Brad and Julia built their buried dome home by carving directly into a steep mountainside— a 23% grade so extreme the land was considered nearly unusable— but this challenging terrain was exactly what they wanted: a hillside deep enough to tuck their house underground for insulation, energy efficiency, and wildfire protection.
Drawing inspiration from the blast-protection shelters he once worked in—structures that stayed cool in summer and warm in winter—Brad engineered his own bunker-style dome. He and Julia then built about 90% of the home themselves, keeping their total cost to roughly $80,000 on their land in Grass Valley, California.
They hired professionals only for the essentials: dynamiting the rocky slope, moving earth, and spraying the shotcrete. For the rest—even the tedious tasks like tying 65,000 pieces of rebar—they relied on determination, creativity, and “dome-raising” parties with friends.
The result is an underground home so airtight and well-insulated that their solar panels supply the power they need. Even on cloudy days, they barely dip into their backup resources. In two decades, they have used only a fraction of their firewood and have never needed to refill their propane tank.
Above the dome, Brad transformed the rooftop into a thriving garden. Today, the living roof supports an orchard o
f 16 fig trees, vegetables, and other plantings that help regulate temperature, absorb rainfall, and turn the home into part of the landscape.
On *faircompanies: https://faircompanies.com/videos/buri... 
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