MilesR1

We only used Ondura because we are on a tight budget. You're right, Ondura panels are MUCH more fragile compared to metal roofing, and I wouldn't recommend walking on them either. But there aren't any large trees near by, so there's no risk of falling branches.This is my first time trying Ondura, and I really feel like this type of roofing is only good for small things like sheds and chicken coops, not a whole house (not even a tiny house)In retrospect, I may have been able to save money by just using exterior grade plywood covered with tar-paper as the roofing... It would least be a walkable surface... But this project was just an experiment, and it does what it's supposed to do, irrigate our crops.

We did ask the building department before this build. We showed them my 3D plans and told them that it was specifically for rainwater catchment. They didn't know what to think about it, they just told us that as long as it was under 200 square feet, we wouldn't need a permit. We are in Michigan, and there aren't any draconian water collection laws like in other places.

Good idea, I should add a first flush diverter for the first couple of gallons of water to clean off the debris from the roof before it even enters the tank. My piping design is really minimalist right now, but I'm researching some other piping designs online for ideas for an upgrade.

Smart idea to be more independent from the city water!It sounds like what you're talking about is an underground cistern. Here in Michigan, the frost line is 42" deep, but I would probably bury a cistern a little deeper just to be safe! Even if the water is totally clean going into a cistern/tank, it is still a perfect environment for bacteria to grow. According to this article http://www.well-water-report.com/2012/10/how-to-ke... people add a very small amount of chlorine bleach to the water tank to keep bacteria from growing. 4.5 liters (1 gallon) of household laundry bleach (5.25 per cent) for each 4,550 liters (1,000 gal.) of water. I haven't tried this personally because I am afraid it might be bad for our plants. Also, this youtube video has a very detailed explanation of how...

Smart idea to be more independent from the city water!It sounds like what you're talking about is an underground cistern. Here in Michigan, the frost line is 42" deep, but I would probably bury a cistern a little deeper just to be safe! Even if the water is totally clean going into a cistern/tank, it is still a perfect environment for bacteria to grow. According to this article http://www.well-water-report.com/2012/10/how-to-ke... people add a very small amount of chlorine bleach to the water tank to keep bacteria from growing. 4.5 liters (1 gallon) of household laundry bleach (5.25 per cent) for each 4,550 liters (1,000 gal.) of water. I haven't tried this personally because I am afraid it might be bad for our plants. Also, this youtube video has a very detailed explanation of how to filter and purify rainwater that includes an electric UV sterilizing light.That might be a bit overkill for us, but this guy wants to be able to drink his rainwater.

Great video, I like those little animations throughout! I can tell you guys had a lot of fun making this. SketchUp is so useful for DIY builds isn't it?