The cost of concrete has me looking at other options for basement walls of my latest adventure.

One option is wood. Not sure I'd trust it here with the termites. http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/Foundations/wood-foundations

Another, A mortored foundation wall using chunks of broken up concrete slabs and walks ("urbanite"). Rock wall but using concrete chunks for rocks. May be very labor intensive however, the material can be had for free. Other than the joint materials sand and cement.

Option three is a buried pole barn type structure using large creosote poles and steel channel horizontal girts sided by R-panel. This might be the easiest to construct and the material cost minimal as I have several large poles at the ranch already. Dented and cover sheet R-panels can be had for cheap.

In any case the footing requirements are minimal as it is solid rock at the depth I'm at now in the excavation (about eight feet). Setting poles will require a jackhammer to make a hole.

This is perhaps the largest undertaking I have ever done. The plan is to "pay as I go" on this house and end up with a very energy efficient, low maintenence place to retire. I hope to post the progress for those who might be interested.
At this stage I have about 600 of the 2000 sq ft basement hole excavated to the needed depth. Its slow going digging in rock and I am one man loading it on a truck then dumping it in other areas at the ranch for fill.
I'm at a halt today because the backhoe died and will not start. Looks like maybe the injection pump may have failed. I'm off to the ranch to try and force feed it by pressurizing the tank.

Anyone have an IP for a IH D179?