Earth shelter, green roof technology Home Owner Testimonials
"I wanted a house that violated common expectations for underground structures - they're closed in, dark, cool and damp...this is the exact opposite. It's light, airy and comfortable, fire resistant, conductive to health, warm in the winter and cool in the summer, virtually maintenance-free, energy efficient, built to last and runs itself without complex control equipment. My heating bill for the entire winter has never exceeded $200. Indoor temperature ranged from mid to upper 60's in the winter and low to mid 70's in the summer."
-Jim of Colorado
"Viewed from the front, my house looks no different from any other house. From the sides and rear, all that the eye's can see is a large hill of landscaped earth."
Washington Times profiled the home in 2005.
-Bill of Maryland
"For safety and value, it will not get any better than this. Anyone who can swing a hammer or use a drill can do this."
-Travis of Florida
"My home sustains a remarkable year round temperature of 72 degrees, plus or minus 6 degrees, making it one of the most successful, passive solar houses in existence."
Premiered in the 2007 California homes of the future.
-Claire of California
"My neighbors would be kicking themselves if they saw my utility bills...everyone loves our place."
-Jean of Arizona
"Your designs, practices and service reputation are the best we could find."
-Bill and Sandra of British Columbia, Canada
"We're getting older. We didn't want to have to worry about (exterior home) maintenance as we age. We'll be living on a fixed income so we also needed to save on our power bills."
-Jim of Florida
"It is incredibly low-maintenance. Once sealed and backfilled, there shouldn't be any need to look at it again. No asphalt tiles to replace on the roof, no siding to replace after a hailstorm, no gutters to clean out, no snow to shovel off the roof...the owner can focus on enjoying the home, rather than working on it. It is an incredible value. Construction costs are comparable and competitive with standard building techniques. In the long run- and you will want to stay for many years- the advantages become so clear that it's difficult to imagine building with anything else."
-Craig of Illinois
"It's cool and pleasant in summer. In the summer there's a natural cooling effect from the earth. The house is airtight, no cold drafts, thus it's warm and cozy all winter. We have a wood-burning stove for added heat, but we hardly use it."
Featured in Canadian Homes and Cottages Magazine.
-Scott of Ontario, Canada
"My home went through the wildfires on October of 1995. There were 50 foot high flames 10 feet from my home, and the fire department didn't need to put a drop of water on my property. In fact, they were busy dousing the homes on either side of me to keep them from going up. My fire insurance policy came in at $780. a year, compared to $3,800 a year for my neighbor. I was also granted a waiver by the building department that did not require my home to have a fire protection sprinkler system put in. This saved me thousands. By the way, I will never live in a conventional above ground home again."
-Eddie of California
"We love our home, it has been everything we wanted it to be."
-Dale and Dena of New Mexico
“Our 6000sq.ft. Formworks home is totally off-grid, self-sustaining, providing the utmost beauty, safety, and comfort.”
— Chester K. of California
“My wife and I entertain frequently and we wanted our new house to be beautiful and distinctive; something our friends and associates would appreciate and remember, with our Formworks home we certainly have accomplished that goal.”
— Bob T. of Oklahoma
“When we first looked into a [Formworks] home we were worried about natural lighting and moisture problems now we have the brightest and most inviting home we have ever owned and we don't feel humid in the summer and dry during the winter like we did with out conventional home.”
— Claire C. of California
“My husband and I were concerned about financing our Formworks home, but we got an FHA loan with no problem.”
“When our conventional home was destroyed by a tornado my wife decided it was time to look for something else in a home or move to a different state. We found what we were looking for in a Formworks home and we are not concerned about tornadoes any more.”
— John P. of Oklahoma
“I was really interested in the [Formworks] design but my husband kept saying that he didn't want to live in a bunker or a basement. When I got him into a Formworks home, he couldn't believe its open, airy look or the feeling of spaciousness.”
— Susan G. of Arizona
“We built the Formworks home because of the Oil crises in the late 70's and with the money we have saved on utilities alone we could buy another house!”
— Roy & Ella P. of Arizona
“It's our modern castle and a heck of an investment...”
— Tony & Wendy S. of Wisconsin
“When the hurricane blew through the neighborhood other homes were destroyed, large trees uprooted or snapped but our [Formworks] home was undamaged.”
—Howard M. of South Carolina
“When I built the house I didn't know it was earthquake-proof but I have good reason to know it now!”
— Dr. H. of Idaho
“...On top of all of the heating and security benefits, our [Formworks] house doesn't require nearly the maintenance of our previous home. And for retired people that is a big plus.”
— Robert K. of Michigan
“The control we have over airflow into the home has made all the difference in our son's allergies. With a filter installed in our heat-exchanger almost no pollen or pollutants can get into the house.”
— Dale P. of Colorado
“The noise from the freeway behind the house used to wake us up in the middle of the night, in our Formworks we can't even hear the loudest trucks going by.”
— Glen C. of Kansas
“Trying to get an earth-sheltered home with half the features I wanted seemed impossible until I found out about Formworks.”
— Dennis C. of Ohio
“Earthquakes, wild-fires, hot and cold temperatures are no longer a reason for concern in our [Formworks] home.”
— Dr. T. of California
“The patented bolt-together structural forming system coupled with a complete, easy to follow construction manual, and guidance from the knowledgeable folks at Formworks, allowed us to complete the building with no unpleasant surprises and at a cost half that of a comparable structure.”
— Ben B. of Contractor, Idaho
“The simplicity of the building system made it possible for my wife and I to do the majority of the work ourselves. We saved thousands, finished our dream home and own much more than we could normally afford.”
— Doug & Susan H. of Arizona
“The pro's at Formworks listened to our wishes and created a beautiful custom design for our specific needs. Everything we were looking for was included. What a bargain!”
—Paul & Susan F. of Hawaii
“Despite outdoor temperature extremes, our home remains comfortable with no heating or cooling. I would never live in a different type of home.”
— Keith B. of Arizona
