Sick build bro. My dream house is similar with all stone build no wood no mortar and no steel. However your foundation being made of concrete will fail long before the walls do. I would of made your foundation out of stone as well. Besides that GREAT build!!
There are Roman concrete constructions still standing 2000 years later. Just have to use the right kind of concrete (I would use fiber rebar instead of steel). If you want to spend the money on it, I suspect you could build fouindations to last 2000 years today.
@@Luckingsworth Right, but not because we couldn't make it like they did. We do things differently because it's cheaper and easier to build with modern concrete. We can still make roman style concrete. In fact, we do. It's just not typically used commercially.
@@elhoward7440 Thermal cycling of the re-bar in the concrete causes cracks which then rusts the rebar due to water ingress, in turn causing more cracking. Concrete with rebar typically wont last more than 100 years and I think that's on the optimistic side.
I'm wondereing what they are using for mortar between the stones. Yes, I would LOVE to have a house with limestone walls that thick! Sure, it's expensive, but you only have to replace it every few thousand years...
It really depends like if you use locally sourced stone the costs will be dirt cheap and realistically transportation may cost more. Personally I rather have big stone blocks in my home. Cost can be cheap. You won’t need insulation. And it beautiful.
This is interesting my Grandpa and Late Father worked in the Lime Stone quary. I know nothing about it but I've always wondered what it would be like to build a home with it
I would love this!! Question 1) it looks like you are using a concrete foundation, and all the stuff I have seen on reinforced concrete is at best it lasts 100 years but 50 years the normal. How would the next homeowner handle the foundation degrading? Question 2) I see you are checking the level of the massive stones, if they are not level, what do you do and does that cause a "gap" in the wall surface?
Can you show us the spacers they use to level the stones? Maybe where we can get them ourselves? Also I’d be interested in knowing if (after watching them do it) it’s something an experienced DIYer could do with a rental boom crane??
It’s possibly something an experienced DIYer could do themselves. You do need a crew - a crane operator, someone guiding the rocks into place, and someone putting the thin layer of mortar between the stones. The shins they used are horseshoe shims.
Your price for just sourcing the rocks and getting the rocks stacked and mortared will depend mostly on these factors, if you are coordinating this step yourself: 1. Price per block from quarry (some may have the same price or different price for different sized rocks 2. How many blocks you need 3. Shipping costs of the blocks 4. Cost of finding someone who can stack the rocks 5. Cost of having someone mortar the rocks. If you have a local quarry, you can start there and they can usually give you a quote on the rocks and shipping. We used Texas Limestone Homebuilders just to stack and mortar our rocks. They also build stone homes outright but we just used them for stacking and mortaring. txlimestonehomebuilders.com/ We also needed to hire a skid steer/operator to offload the rocks from the trucks, before they were stacked by a crane. Cost really depends on region and availability of the stone and a crane and a crew willing to stack and mortar.
@@LimestoneHome ty! I just need someone to sell me the rock but not yet. I love those large limestone bocks. My only worry is how to keep them from sinking over time.
It's hard to tell from the sped up video, but I think they are doing that. Hence the wheelbarrow and buckets. I had the same reaction watching it: where's the mortar/
Your price for just sourcing the rocks and getting the rocks stacked and mortared will depend mostly on these factors, if you are coordinating this step yourself: 1. Price per block from quarry (some may have the same price or different price for different sized rocks 2. How many blocks you need 3. Shipping costs of the blocks 4. Cost of finding someone who can stack the rocks 5. Cost of having someone mortar the rocks. If you have a local quarry, you can start there and they can usually give you a quote on the rocks and shipping. We used Texas Limestone Homebuilders just to stack and mortar our rocks. They also build stone homes outright but we just used them for stacking and mortaring. txlimestonehomebuilders.com/ We also needed to hire a skid steer/operator to offload the rocks from the trucks, before they were stacked by a crane. Cost really depends on region and availability of the stone and a crane and a crew willing to stack and mortar.
He said this house is about 33'x55' assuming 10' tall walls, you would need about 440 "standard" limestone quarry blocks (14"x12"x48"). In central Texas you will pay on average $75 per block from the quarry. It depends on the quarry as some are 24"x24"x60" standard and can be as much as $150 per block; that would mean 352 blocks needed. This does not include shipping or sales tax, but a very rough ball park for the stone alone would be around $33,000-$52,800. Then you would have to pay for the stacking and mortaring separately.
We paid $120 per block (biggest size was 5'x2'x1.5') which includes shipping, in July 2023. We used almost 200 blocks on our nearly 1600 sq ft house. Stacking and mortaring are separate.
@@LimestoneHome So $24,000 for the blocks? Probably another $24,000 for labor... totally worth it, but only if you're think very long term and expet your family to still be living there in 1000 years.
Yo. Great build. I hadn't thought of using massive blocks to get the thing done. I was gonna start with what I had on site. I'm assuming this comes to the same cost in the end because you don't have days of labor stacking stone by stone and chiseling them to fit them?
We are using the limestone native to central Texas. Rain and water don’t have much impact on the stones - you can see these stones still standing unmoved being used outside in parking lots around here.
Could you PM me with some information regarding the price of only this step of the process? Looking into building a limestone home soon and would like to know some comparable prices. Thanks in advance.
Your price for just sourcing the rocks and getting the rocks stacked and mortared will depend mostly on these factors, if you are coordinating this step yourself: 1. Price per block from quarry (some may have the same price or different price for different sized rocks 2. How many blocks you need 3. Shipping costs of the blocks 4. Cost of finding someone who can stack the rocks 5. Cost of having someone mortar the rocks. If you have a local quarry, you can start there and they can usually give you a quote on the rocks and shipping. We used Texas Limestone Homebuilders just to stack and mortar our rocks. They also build stone homes outright but we just used them for stacking and mortaring. txlimestonehomebuilders.com/ We also needed to hire a skid steer/operator to offload the rocks from the trucks, before they were stacked by a crane. Cost really depends on region and availability of the stone and a crane and a crew willing to stack and mortar.
I took the dimensions that we designed for our house, which was about a 33 foot by 55 foot rectangle, placed the windows and doors where I wanted them, and then planned each layer of blocks (5 layers in our case) accordingly, especially paying attention to the where the window and door openings needed to be. I then calculated, layer by layer, what sizes of rocks I needed, and I told the quarry what sizes and how many of each size I needed. I left 1-2 inches of space between each rock.
Would you be able to tell me who the architect was? I would like to do something like this but apparently need an architect to draw it up and stamp it. Thank you.
Hi @user-eo3qn3xp5d - I served as the architect for this build and drew up all the plans myself. You may be able to find an architect that specializes in full masonry builds that could draw up plans. Best of luck!
@Limestone Home / This is going to be a great looking home. I've always wanted to do something like this. How did you address the ICC building code requirements for minimum R-values and insulation requirements? That's always been my hold up. I know there's thermal mass here... and that's something. But.... the density of stone and concrete doesn't make for good insulative properties. Looking forward to seeing this all come together.
Hi @LOGDOG5375 - the state of Texas is a home rule state. This means IECC standards are adopted at the local/county level. In our case, our county enforces IECC code within city limits. Since our building site is rural, IECC building codes are not required.
Don't build something like that on alluvial silt. All the brick buildings in Santa Cruz collapsed in the Loma Prieta earthquake because they were build on silt, which liquifies during an earthquake. On a good rack base, you'd probably get some cracking, but not a collapse.
Limestone is generally considered the cheapest rock to shape. Of course, with rock, the transportaton costs will kill you, unless you live next door to a quarry.
Sick build bro. My dream house is similar with all stone build no wood no mortar and no steel. However your foundation being made of concrete will fail long before the walls do. I would of made your foundation out of stone as well. Besides that GREAT build!!
There are Roman concrete constructions still standing 2000 years later. Just have to use the right kind of concrete (I would use fiber rebar instead of steel). If you want to spend the money on it, I suspect you could build fouindations to last 2000 years today.
@@elhoward7440Roman concrete is nothing like concrete today. Not comparable sadly.
@@Luckingsworth Right, but not because we couldn't make it like they did. We do things differently because it's cheaper and easier to build with modern concrete. We can still make roman style concrete. In fact, we do. It's just not typically used commercially.
@@elhoward7440 Thermal cycling of the re-bar in the concrete causes cracks which then rusts the rebar due to water ingress, in turn causing more cracking. Concrete with rebar typically wont last more than 100 years and I think that's on the optimistic side.
I really want to do the same. Drystone, but I would still like to use wood for some of it, like window and door frames, and the roof.
Ugh so jealous. My dream is to have a stone home.
Ultimate preper house. My dream. CURIOUS OF THE DETAILS!
I'm wondereing what they are using for mortar between the stones. Yes, I would LOVE to have a house with limestone walls that thick! Sure, it's expensive, but you only have to replace it every few thousand years...
We have lots of details covered in our other videos!
Awesome job! Very inspiring and informative.
Concrete foundation will wither away before the stone does
Really cool. Can't imagine how much all that stone cost
i think he goes over it in a video
Each of those blocks are about $40-$60
If that’s the case I counted 40 stones on one wall so 40x$50x4=$8000
@@Danilodtm No way, must be more than that. delivery of all the stone itself was probably 2k.
It really depends like if you use locally sourced stone the costs will be dirt cheap and realistically transportation may cost more. Personally I rather have big stone blocks in my home. Cost can be cheap. You won’t need insulation. And it beautiful.
Yes. make stone homes cool again
Thermal mass is awesome!
That is so freaking cool. Well done !!
Thanks!
This is interesting my Grandpa and Late Father worked in the Lime Stone quary. I know nothing about it but I've always wondered what it would be like to build a home with it
I would love this!!
Question 1) it looks like you are using a concrete foundation, and all the stuff I have seen on reinforced concrete is at best it lasts 100 years but 50 years the normal. How would the next homeowner handle the foundation degrading?
Question 2) I see you are checking the level of the massive stones, if they are not level, what do you do and does that cause a "gap" in the wall surface?
We had our slab engineered specifically for the weight of these stone walls.
We used horseshoe spacers to level the stones.
@@LimestoneHome Did you epoxy the rebar that is closest to the outside? the internal rebar should be fine from any future rusting due it being covered
Or between them is it cement or clay? Thanks 😊
Brilliant!
Incredible
Thanks!
This house will outlive our current civilization 😂😂
The weak point is the cement foundation?
Can you show us the spacers they use to level the stones? Maybe where we can get them ourselves?
Also I’d be interested in knowing if (after watching them do it) it’s something an experienced DIYer could do with a rental boom crane??
It’s possibly something an experienced DIYer could do themselves. You do need a crew - a crane operator, someone guiding the rocks into place, and someone putting the thin layer of mortar between the stones.
The shins they used are horseshoe shims.
@@LimestoneHome How do you keep everything level? That would seem to require some experience. The errors add up...
Stunning ❤❤
LOVE❤ what your doing!. How much are those stones? Would love to do the same.
Your price for just sourcing the rocks and getting the rocks stacked and mortared will depend mostly on these factors, if you are coordinating this step yourself:
1. Price per block from quarry (some may have the same price or different price for different sized rocks
2. How many blocks you need
3. Shipping costs of the blocks
4. Cost of finding someone who can stack the rocks
5. Cost of having someone mortar the rocks.
If you have a local quarry, you can start there and they can usually give you a quote on the rocks and shipping.
We used Texas Limestone Homebuilders just to stack and mortar our rocks. They also build stone homes outright but we just used them for stacking and mortaring. txlimestonehomebuilders.com/
We also needed to hire a skid steer/operator to offload the rocks from the trucks, before they were stacked by a crane.
Cost really depends on region and availability of the stone and a crane and a crew willing to stack and mortar.
@@LimestoneHome ty! I just need someone to sell me the rock but not yet. I love those large limestone bocks.
My only worry is how to keep them from sinking over time.
We got our foundation engineered to account for the weight of the stones. Highly recommend doing that.
@@LimestoneHome Will do! What part of Texas are you in?
Central Texas.
where do you even find stone that size?
It looks great
Not a builder, but why not put mortar or whichever sealant down and laid the stones on top? Serious question
I was just going to ask the same question
In his answer to another, he said a thin layer of mortar went down. Too fast to see it?
A thin layer of mortar was put down between all the stones as they were stacked.
Yup I saw them applying the mortar before each set
It's hard to tell from the sped up video, but I think they are doing that. Hence the wheelbarrow and buckets. I had the same reaction watching it: where's the mortar/
What did you use to level the individual stones? (My empty head would guess "little rocks" but those would, of course, crumble...)
Horseshoe spacers were used to level the stones.
If possible, and you dont mind me asking how much did the stone cost for the house?
Your price for just sourcing the rocks and getting the rocks stacked and mortared will depend mostly on these factors, if you are coordinating this step yourself:
1. Price per block from quarry (some may have the same price or different price for different sized rocks
2. How many blocks you need
3. Shipping costs of the blocks
4. Cost of finding someone who can stack the rocks
5. Cost of having someone mortar the rocks.
If you have a local quarry, you can start there and they can usually give you a quote on the rocks and shipping.
We used Texas Limestone Homebuilders just to stack and mortar our rocks. They also build stone homes outright but we just used them for stacking and mortaring. txlimestonehomebuilders.com/
We also needed to hire a skid steer/operator to offload the rocks from the trucks, before they were stacked by a crane.
Cost really depends on region and availability of the stone and a crane and a crew willing to stack and mortar.
He said this house is about 33'x55' assuming 10' tall walls, you would need about 440 "standard" limestone quarry blocks (14"x12"x48"). In central Texas you will pay on average $75 per block from the quarry. It depends on the quarry as some are 24"x24"x60" standard and can be as much as $150 per block; that would mean 352 blocks needed. This does not include shipping or sales tax, but a very rough ball park for the stone alone would be around $33,000-$52,800. Then you would have to pay for the stacking and mortaring separately.
We paid $120 per block (biggest size was 5'x2'x1.5') which includes shipping, in July 2023. We used almost 200 blocks on our nearly 1600 sq ft house. Stacking and mortaring are separate.
How efficient the structure stands against an earthquake - to be specific, a magnitude 7.0 lasting for 1 min?
@@LimestoneHome So $24,000 for the blocks? Probably another $24,000 for labor... totally worth it, but only if you're think very long term and expet your family to still be living there in 1000 years.
Are the stones anchored somehow or just held by gravity?
There have mortar between them
What is the name of that equipment that is being used for lifting the blocks?
It’s a spider crane. Any small crane or spider crane would work, as long as you have the grapple attachment.
Where did the limestone blocks come from? I’m in Arizona, we have lots of it, but I’m unaware of it being quarried into building material.
They came from a quarry near Austin, TX.
It isn't colder than other methods?
Yo. Great build. I hadn't thought of using massive blocks to get the thing done. I was gonna start with what I had on site. I'm assuming this comes to the same cost in the end because you don't have days of labor stacking stone by stone and chiseling them to fit them?
When I see "stone" on Zillow, how would I know what kind of stone?
What limestone are you using? And what impact does water or moisture have on limestone over time?
We are using the limestone native to central Texas. Rain and water don’t have much impact on the stones - you can see these stones still standing unmoved being used outside in parking lots around here.
How efficient it goes against the earthquake; Medium to severe cat?
Could you PM me with some information regarding the price of only this step of the process? Looking into building a limestone home soon and would like to know some comparable prices. Thanks in advance.
Your price for just sourcing the rocks and getting the rocks stacked and mortared will depend mostly on these factors, if you are coordinating this step yourself:
1. Price per block from quarry (some may have the same price or different price for different sized rocks
2. How many blocks you need
3. Shipping costs of the blocks
4. Cost of finding someone who can stack the rocks
5. Cost of having someone mortar the rocks.
If you have a local quarry, you can start there and they can usually give you a quote on the rocks and shipping.
We used Texas Limestone Homebuilders just to stack and mortar our rocks. They also build stone homes outright but we just used them for stacking and mortaring. txlimestonehomebuilders.com/
We also needed to hire a skid steer/operator to offload the rocks from the trucks, before they were stacked by a crane.
Cost really depends on region and availability of the stone and a crane and a crew willing to stack and mortar.
That looks like a very expensive way to build a wall... but it's a wall that will last forever.
House? This is a friggin temple!
How much did all the stone cost? And where did you get the stone?
I'm curious. What type and how thick did you make the foundation?
Cement slab - it’s over two feet thick in the thickest corner of the slab.
@@LimestoneHome thanks
Where did u buy the stone from?
A local (about 2 hours away) quarry in central Texas.
so difficult and no rebar, no cement at the bottom og stone just mortaring at the side like grid
They have to make the foundation with same stones to get rid of HARMFUL cement concrete on the foundation
How did you do the calculation for how many blocks you’d need?
I took the dimensions that we designed for our house, which was about a 33 foot by 55 foot rectangle, placed the windows and doors where I wanted them, and then planned each layer of blocks (5 layers in our case) accordingly, especially paying attention to the where the window and door openings needed to be. I then calculated, layer by layer, what sizes of rocks I needed, and I told the quarry what sizes and how many of each size I needed. I left 1-2 inches of space between each rock.
I just watched it a second time. Im still confused at the end product...
Wow did you mortar all that your self
We had our sub do it.
well you know that in 500 years the walls will still be there
For sure!
Cost of the stones?
Would you be able to tell me who the architect was? I would like to do something like this but apparently need an architect to draw it up and stamp it. Thank you.
Hi @user-eo3qn3xp5d - I served as the architect for this build and drew up all the plans myself. You may be able to find an architect that specializes in full masonry builds that could draw up plans. Best of luck!
@Limestone Home / This is going to be a great looking home. I've always wanted to do something like this. How did you address the ICC building code requirements for minimum R-values and insulation requirements? That's always been my hold up. I know there's thermal mass here... and that's something. But.... the density of stone and concrete doesn't make for good insulative properties.
Looking forward to seeing this all come together.
Hi @LOGDOG5375 - the state of Texas is a home rule state. This means IECC standards are adopted at the local/county level. In our case, our county enforces IECC code within city limits. Since our building site is rural, IECC building codes are not required.
I would think tight gaps like the ancients would be something to aspire to. Obviously not here...😂
Right!
sorry, the foundation must be stone also...
👀 weuuu
the Anunnaki are holing their heads XD
If only i didnt live in an earthquake zone
Don't build something like that on alluvial silt. All the brick buildings in Santa Cruz collapsed in the Loma Prieta earthquake because they were build on silt, which liquifies during an earthquake. On a good rack base, you'd probably get some cracking, but not a collapse.
Childlike
So is limestones better or just more avaliable? 🤔🤔
Wish you guys all the best 😊🤍
Limestone is generally considered the cheapest rock to shape. Of course, with rock, the transportaton costs will kill you, unless you live next door to a quarry.
Pointing a bit rushed/messy, lets it down!!🤔🤔😪