Elon Musk to use The Boring Company's dirt from digging to build low cost houses

[PocketNerd]

That's cute, Musk. But building materials are already pretty cheap already, now land values? That's a far bigger issue.

[Ithanul]

Probably a better route, use it to fill in Florida sink holes.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

1 hour ago, Ithanul said:

Probably a better route, use it to fill in Florida sink holes.

Shipping costs would be too high.

[Drak3]

11 hours ago, SC2Mitch said:

so much more durable than Wood

That's pretty far from true.

 

12 hours ago, SC2Mitch said:

can survive quite the lashing in storm season. 

So can a wood house that is built to code.

[Trik'Stari]

Inb4 Commiefornia elites object to cheap housing.

 

I know a guy out there, who's a banker, who got evicted along with the rest of his apartment complex because they wanted to demo the complex to build something for richer people.

 

Seriously, screw that state.

[ItsMitch]

39 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

That's pretty far from true.

 

:thinking: Any sources you want to bring to the table in the Wood vs Brick debate? 

[Drak3]

Just now, SC2Mitch said:

:thinking: Any sources you want to bring to the table in the Wood vs Brick debate? 

Beyond the fact that I've done demo jobs on both types of construction, not really. It's not important to me.

[SpaceGhostC2C]

4 hours ago, RotoCoreOne said:

Speaking of boring underground. I feel like we've been focused on building up... how about building neighborhoods and such underground?

Insanely more expensive. It's like building a railroad vs. building a subway.

[ARikozuM]

Musk meets Notch... 

 

Sounds like a match made in heaven! 

[MrDynamicMan]

17 hours ago, captain_to_fire said:

What made you think that most buildings in the US are built using wood? 

basically every house in america that i've been in has been built out of wood. that's probably different in more affluent/urban areas where the durability of bricks is worth the extra cost. I've never been to the west coast, so im not sure what most of the houses there are made out of.

[Kamjam21xx]

Recycled dirt.... lol

RECYLCED DIRT..

 

*Marketing*

[Jtalk4456]

On 5/8/2018 at 8:03 AM, MrDynamicMan said:

Reasons this is a dumb idea:

A) most buildings in America are built out of wood. Theres low demand.

That actually makes no sense, as the brick on houses is typically a facade on the outside of wood structured walls

Also if they market these for affordable housing, you're not really worrying about whether you like brick or not, you're focused on being able to afford a house for the first time. And a LOT of people like the look of brick, it's a massive industry

Quote

 

US demand to rise 8.8% annually through 2018
Demand for bricks, blocks, and pavers in the United States is forecast to rise 8.8 percent per annum from a low 2013 base to $8.9 billion in 2018. A recovery in construction expenditures across all market segments will be the primary driver of gains as the brick, block, and paver market continues its improvement from declines related to the 2006 collapse of residential construction and subsequent economic recession. Rebounding new housing construction will have a particularly significant impact on demand growth.

Bricks to be fastest growing product segment
Bricks, typically made of clay, will see the most rapid growth of any product, driven by the expected robust increases in new housing construction. Brick is used primarily as a siding material on residential buildings, most intensively in the single-family segment. After suffering steep declines following the 2006 collapse in housing construction, demand for brick remained low in 2013. Through 2018, demand is projected to rise at a double-digit annual rate.

Structural block to grow at strong pace
Demand for structural blocks is concentrated in nonresidential markets, where they are used both in foundations and in above-grade walls. Although residential buildings do not use structural block as intensively, foundations in such buildings represent a second important market for structural block. Spending on structural block is projected to grow at a strong annual pace, driven by rebounding building construction expenditures. Competition from other materials such as poured concrete foundations will prevent stronger advances.

 

https://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/bricks-blocks-pavers-3236.htm

[Kamjam21xx]

1 hour ago, Jtalk4456 said:

That actually makes no sense, as the brick on houses is typically a facade on the outside of wood structured walls

Also if they market these for affordable housing, you're not really worrying about whether you like brick or not, you're focused on being able to afford a house for the first time. And a LOT of people like the look of brick, it's a massive industry

https://www.freedoniagroup.com/industry-study/bricks-blocks-pavers-3236.htm

Brick is actually kindof expensive.

[Jtalk4456]

2 minutes ago, Kamjam21xx said:

Brick is actually kindof expensive.

Quote

Elon Musk reiterated his plan to use dirt from The Boring Company’s tunnels to create bricks that can be used in the construction of low-cost houses

The low cost, which is the whole point here, would be due in large part to the fact that clay and shale are mined to make them, where as this process would be using a waste product, so the brick would be significantly cheaper than normal brick

[Kamjam21xx]

8 minutes ago, Jtalk4456 said:

The low cost, which is the whole point here, would be due in large part to the fact that clay and shale are mined to make them, where as this process would be using a waste product, so the brick would be significantly cheaper than normal brick

I know, i just mean normal brick is already expensive.

[MrDynamicMan]

19 hours ago, VegetableStu said:

how does one use dirt for it to be in a spent state?

how does one make dirt from dirt?

why did God think of dirt?

ERASABLE PENS MAKE MY HEAD HURT

from dirt unto dirt

[Carclis]

On 09/05/2018 at 10:24 AM, SC2Mitch said:

:thinking: Any sources you want to bring to the table in the Wood vs Brick debate? 

Wood should theoretically hold up better over time when considering thermal expansion and contraction since it's not as brittle as brick. Brick will simply crack whereas wood will have a very slight degree of flex. Wooden constructions are also supported with less points of weakness since the supports are made from large single pieces. This minimises the possible points of failure you could have.

Just some observations and logical thoughts but that's all I've got 

[Kamjam21xx]

6 minutes ago, Carclis said:

Wood should theoretically hold up better over time when considering thermal expansion and contraction since it's not as brittle as brick. Brick will simply crack whereas wood will have a very slight degree of flex. Wooden constructions are also supported with less points of weakness since the supports are made from large single pieces. This minimises the possible points of failure you could have.

Just some observations and logical thoughts but that's all I've got 

The most important this is who. Builds your house and what brands they go with.

 

You can have a really nice home build by pros in a company, but they can do it wrong and make your house a pos after 20-40 years. Lots of people do stuff wrong, i see it all the time.

 

The one example that comes to mind right now isnt much in the way of compromizing the structure... but your subfloor only needs a couple nails in it, and if you put a lot of nails in it they eventually pop a touch and you get squeeky floors.

 

Which isnt something some guy whos been building houses for even 10 or 20 years might figure out lol

 

Edit: or they could use a cheap flashing on foam with a barrier that peels and your windows are no longer water proof. So many things.

[MrDynamicMan]

2 hours ago, Carclis said:

Wood should theoretically hold up better over time when considering thermal expansion and contraction since it's not as brittle as brick. Brick will simply crack whereas wood will have a very slight degree of flex. Wooden constructions are also supported with less points of weakness since the supports are made from large single pieces. This minimises the possible points of failure you could have.

Just some observations and logical thoughts but that's all I've got 

wood is also more prone to rot and has less compressive strength, and the mortar between bicks alleviates most of the settling pain.

[avg123]

It only makes sense if there is a brick making factory nearby to where the dirt is being excavated. If the dirt needs to be transported hundreds of miles to the factories, it is harmful to the environment.

[Nowak]

Talk about dirt-cheap housing!

[ARikozuM]

3 minutes ago, NowakVulpix said:

Talk about dirt-cheap housing!

...

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

...

:3

[ARikozuM]

Just now, NowakVulpix said:

:3

You're not the same man/woman/chair/John Wick that I fell in love with? 

Spoiler

/s

 

[Shreyas1]

uh California has earthquakes and temperate weather

 

which is why bricks won't work here