Building A House/Doing It Yourself/ICFs

[dmccarty]

Do you think you would have trouble with the bank building out of ICFs? I would be suprised if that is a problem. I have seen a couple houses built with the Polysteel brand a few years ago, some owner built, so I would think the banks are aware of the product.

I guess I'll have to add a call to the bank as part of my check list.

One of the advangtages with ICF homes is the energy savings. I have seen numbers for 3,000 to 4,000 square foot home in Florida with electric bills around $50 per month. My little 1250 sf home costs me $100 per month. $50 on a mortgage buys quite a bit of house.

I have seen these same sort of numbers over the last ten years or so I have been watching the ICF field.

Later....
Dan

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

<font color=blue>Am I sane? Am I sane for even thinking of attempting this?</font color=blue>

Nope, but this is a temporary condition that can be cured by an abundance of nail driving and long hours on a ladder.

I built (and am still finishing) my own house, 20 years ago. Three floors, 3000 sq ft, and ten years. The only thing I contracted was the foundation and sheet rock. I know nothing about inslulated concrete forms.

The foundation work is a small part (important) of the work to build a house. It's also one of the less expensive. My foundation, 8 feet below grade, was dug in a day by a fellow with a 450 and worn tracks. The concrete was done in two more. (I rented a 550 and took two days to backfill)

If you plan on being your own general contractor and have some connections in your area that can help with picking good sub's, that will make your life a lot easier. The rub here is you don't know if you have a bad one until you see the results.

As far as doing all or most yourself, I don't recommend it. Too hard to finance and to hard on the family. Banks are not interested in financing amateur builders.

Good luck /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[dmccarty]

Richard,

Why did you question the structural integrity of ICFs?

I'm REAL big on designs. I have written many a design, crtiqued quite a few, and in my current job I destroy them... I was going to be an Architect once long a go before the computer bug bit me. The design classes I took have gone along way in how I do things in the computer world. In fact I don't think most computer people to good design work if any at all....

Having said that, regardless of house material we use, there will be a good design before we start and it won't change. Paper and ink is cheap. Changing after a building or software project has started is very expensive.

The time aspect is why I don't wont to do this myself with the possible expection being the ICF walls and maybe foundation. The other problem with the DIY job is getting contractors. You are on the bottom of their list. If GC Joe calls up Bob the sub. Bob will go work for Joe since he will give him return business and I won't.

There is a guy in our subdivision who is building a garage extention to his house. He has been working on it for a good 4-5 years. It looks like it will get finished this year. Took him forever but I bet he does not owe a dime on it!

Thanks...
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

Kelvin,

If we go with ICF's the walls, the block will be use all the way to the roof line. I have some big trees around the house and if they fall only an ICF or maybe a steel frame house will stop the tree from crushing the home.

I have been looking at Polysteel since the early 90's. There used to be only one person locally using the product now there are at least half a dozen.

I have only heard a couple of problems with ICFs. One is that you must, Must, MUST have the forms braced correctly especially at the corners. Generally two pours, no pour over 3-4 feet is best. Now a days they have corner forms which takes out some of the hard part.

The other concern is one of the building codes no longer allows some ICFs below grade because of bug problems in some parts of the South. Not that the bugs eat the ICFs but they use the ICFs to tunnel into the attic of the house. I don't have the whole story on this but it seems to be the only ouch problem. Supposedly treated forms can be used.

Thanks...
Dan

 

[Von]

Dan,
I built my own home about 10 years ago. (2600 sqft.) I was the GC and subed out about half the work and did the rest myself. I saved about $100k and have no one to blame for any mistakes but myself. ( you will make some!) Nothing major, just things that I would do differently on the next one! I used 12" block for my basement, but had a friend who used the foam block that you then pour the concrete into. They had it all set to pour and a windstorm took half of it down. Had to rebuild before pouring or should I say pumping in the concrete. The inside is flat with studs for drywalling already in the foam blocks. As long as it works anything that holds the house up is as good as another. I only wish I went with 13 courses of block instead of 12. Also if you are on a flat lot, put in a bilco door for the basment, I would not build a home without one! Building your own home can be rewarding and frustrating at the same time. Just plan on taking twice as long and watch any subs like a hawk!

Von

 

[dmccarty]

Hi DFB,

What went wrong with modular? It is the route we started and I kinda want to finish with. Our problem is that the cost per foot for us went into the low $70 and our friend is getting a stick built for that rate. Kinda makes it hard to build modular when stick is the same or less.

The modulars I have looked at locally have seemed pretty good. The owners were happy. What happened?

Thanks.
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

Mr Twinkle_TOES,

Mostly what I would consider doing is maybe the foundation work and the ICF walls. Everything else I really want someone else to do for a variety of reasons. A GC, who sold ICFs, I talked to years ago would work with the home owner. The home owner would put in the ICFs and he would finish things. That is more the route I want to take if at all.

IF we go this route the wifey and I have to come up with the cash to build as we go. No loans until the walls are up and someone can come in and finish.

At the end of October, Tractor Arival Day, I started keeping track of my work days on the property. I put in 24 days from then until the end of the year. Over the year I spent more than a few weekends working the property. Especially during the spring and summer.

You have a foundation EIGHT feet below grade? Where do you live? With Santa Claus?

Later....
Dan McCarty

 

[RobS]

Dan, just another watch out for... apparently banks don't like to loan part way through a project. They want in from the beginning including a detailed review of your plans, timeline and contractors. I don't know this from experience yet, but several books I've read mention it. I like this thread, keep it alive!

Rob

 

[DFB]

dmccarty, The models I viewed looked good too. Dealer been in the area 20 years. What I was delivered IS SOMETHING ELSE. Quality of the work both on site and from the factory, its delivered condition(damage) and the way it was set are the problems,and they're refusal to acknowledge them. Windows and doors are hung crooked. Joisting and subfloor not nailed down correctly. Detailed specs were cheated such as stud wall spacing being called out for 16" oc and in reality are 24" oc. I'm not painting all modular companies with same brush. This is just my experience with one company and one dealer. If want know more you can contact me privately.

 

[dmccarty]

That is a UGLY picture. 8-(

I guess anyone can get burned. Sigh....

I looked at the models. But what I really paid attention to whas the new homes I saw the companies were building. I even checked how level the home was. The two companies I checked and spent alot of time with seemed to have quality homes.

The two new homes I was crawling around and under all used joist hangers. The rafters were BOLTED into the wall studs.

I first ran into modular homes in the early 90's and the people who built the house really liked it and had no complaints.

Food for thought. I may email you privately in the future depending on what we do.

Thank YOU very much on the info.
Dan