Concrete house

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Systems run about $2-5 per sq. ft. depending on how many systems are installed in the area and water supply. Check with your local code officials, sometimes they have to be installed by a sprinkler contractor. However, if not once the plans are drawn up they can be installed by you or a plumber. If the pipe is not exposed plastic pipe can be used. PM if you need more detailed information.

These products use PEX and connect the sprinkler heads to your water supply for the rest of the house. I have never scene one up close, but an interesting idea and will save $$$???

Frequently Asked Questions

 

[dfkrug]

I have considered a sprikler system and I think there are great idea. I don't think I will have too much trouble keeping the plumbing hidden in the ceilings. The foam form floor systems have large hollow chanels left for utilities.

I won't have wall to wall carpet so that will take a large load of toxic material out.

How much does it cost for a sprinkler head? Can they be bought by my plumber?

Here in CA, many new houses are reqd by the bldg authority to have
an interior fire sprinkler system. I was reqd to when I built my house in
the Santa Cruz Mtns 4 y ago. I was also reqd to have a Class A fire-
resistant roof and my own 5000 gal water supply w/ 4" main and wharf
hydrant.

I installed my own system after having it designed by a licensed fire
sprinkler designer for $1000, with the proviso that I could install it myself
to his specs. The normal construction method here includes the use
of CPVC plastic pipes and hidden sprinkler heads. A 250 psi pressure
test was also required. :-( A sprinkler contractor here would do a 2000
sf house for about $3-4K labor and matls, and require about 2-3 days.
That is based on several jobs I know of about 4-5 y ago. Probably more
now. I did my own install because I preferred copper pipes. My sprinkler
heads are hidden and are hardly noticable. Some of my pipes are 1.25"
copper and my manifold is cast copper. With Cu at 3.20/lb, I am sure
they would cost a lot more today.

As for the whole fire-resistant house idea, the purpose of concrete walls
and Class A roof is to protect from external fires, not internal ones. This
is just one risk, but a very real one.

 

[patrick_g]

Paddy, Thanks for the gentle remionder that you have read my house building saga. I have slept since then and can't recall what items I may have skipped or didn't get included.

Anyway, you will probably want to have a monitored combo burgular and fire alarm system. Here is the little item to make that much more rreliable...

For $5/month I get cell phone backup coverage on my security/fire alarm system. If the bad guys cut the phone or the regualr phone is kaput for any reason the security and fire system still reports to the monitoring station via cell phone backup. The cell phone in question is not one like you carry it is a small piece of equipment designed to interface to the alarm sys.

I think it is a bargain and gives some peace of mind. It works just fine. In fact if a bad guy cuts the phone lines it changes the rules of engagement and if after the phone is lost and then a zone is violated the monitor folk do not waste time trying to call the house they just call the appropriate emergency service.(FR PD or ??? depending on your arrangement.) Oh, and my system will page me so I can know an event happened.

Pat

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

If you do install a sprinkler system consider connecting it to your central station alarm system for water flow. If your sprinkler system is designed with a tank, the water supply is only designed to last for 10 minutes. So u want the FD on the way ASAP. Also should a head go off, about 1-10 million chance, you want to know to limit water damage in particular if the system is connect to the city water supply with an unlimited supply.

About 99% of fires in homes are controlled or extinguished by ONE sprinkler head. Also home sprinklers are quick response type meaning you will live if the fire occurs in the same room u are in. Can not say the same thing for a smoke detector!

The back up cell phone on the alarm is great idea, very similar to alarms found in commercial buildings.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Just a thought about running string for future wiring pulls.
Most strings will degrade over time. Just what you don't want, get a pull started and the pulling string breaks, just far enough in that you can't get ahold of it.
As expensive as it is, probably the best thing for long term is stainless steel safey wire. Not cheap, but you can pull a lot of weight with it and that matters, 40 or 50 years later when you decide to upgrade a circuit. It does come in rolls large enough to handle a long run, so give it some thought when you start pulling wires.
David from jax

I would have to disagree with you on this one. here are some downsides. First, there is some nice nylon string that is lightweight that will pull with the vacuum no problem, and last forever. Stainless has 4 bad ideas. It breaks much easier than string at the twist junctions, it does not go around corners very well, it holds spool pattern, and it will cut the **** out of your hands. Stick with nylon string/cord.

 

[patrick_g]

woodlandfarms, I had to take the wife to lunch and you hit some of my points for me. A small diameter stainless will slice into plastic where it goes around a corner under tension and in motion such as when pulling in a new wire. The plastic that gets cut might be the conduit OR MAYBE the insulation on a hot wire. You can short out a hot wire and probably not like the results. If you should abrade the jacket or insulatioin with a nylon cord (much less likely but possible, especially if you use a larger diameter braid , not 3 strand) the cord doesn't cause a short) Yes, people often do not shut down every possible hot wire in a large chase to pull in a new wire and don't need to if they pull with a cord that is an insulator.

Of course you don't use cheap natural fiber biodegradable cord (this is not a time to be too green.) A good HD nylon braid with a decent tensile rating will last for centuries inside a dark dry space. You do need to control the access to the chase as if rodentia find the slightest entry point all bets are off on the longivity of the cord and the insulation on the wires too.

Patrick_g

 

[mike69440]

Insulated concrete form (ICF) systems. FYI


Insulated Concrete Forms

Concrete Homes | Insulating Concrete Forms | Portland Cement Association

PolySteel: Do-It-Yourselfers Owner/Builder Program

Quad-Lock Insulated Concrete Forms = Better Buildings

ICFA - Insulating Concrete Form Association

ECO-Block ICFs - Product Specifications

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Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) - Reward Wall Systems

TF System - The Vertical ICF - Insulated Concrete Forms > Home

EnergyWise House: Building with Insulated Concrete Forms

 

[Paddy]

Patrick G,

In my neck of the woods we don't even lock our doors unless we go on vacation! The lake project will be different though. Even though we are the end of a one mile private gated road, we are just a few feet from the water. Many folks consider the shore public property (and it is for some short distance) but continue to wander to house's yards. At this time we have a 30' camper out there. Quite often, I can see where firewood/fishing stuff has disapeared. It's only 3 ac so I plan to fence it. Not that it will keep out determined types but most people will turn back once they see a 5' fence....and two barking dogs! With the concrete house, I'm not sure my dogs will hear any noise outside (they are inside dogs at night)

Patrick M

 

[Paddy]

Mike thanks for taking to time to post so many ICF sites. I have looked into IFC and have viewed most of the sites you posted. I don't want to use ICFs. For two points, foam surfaces needing siding and drywall and thermal studies show Concrete/Foam/Concrete to have much beter thermal benifits. ICF have there strong points, 1) much better than the standard built stick frame (though studies have shown stick built when built with attension to air tightness, perform well) 2) good for DIY because you don't need forms.

I'm not wanting start a anti-ICF war. I fully understand the ICF folks fought for years to get any aceptance. I hope us CIC folks will get good treatment from the ICF folks when they remember what they endured

 

[Paddy]

I have two photos I want to post, One of them is the lake view from land site I will build and a nice concrete building in Mexico. My view will be from a bit higher up, say 20 ft elevation. The trees will not impeed my view once I trim.

How do you cut and paste direct into the body of this reply?