Finally building the house

docone · Oct 3, 2016

Hello to all,
It's been a while since I've visited here, as the summer has been busy. I've finally started on the house construction, and it has been a one man build, so it takes a while. In mid July, I put the footing forms in and poured the concrete. Then came the frost walls for the walkout basement, another few weeks in. The build is completely ICF 8" block from footing to roof, and to date I am at the top of the basement walls. My building supplier brought the entire house of block in one shot, three truckloads of Nudura block. I have only taken two week off from work to do this, so its been mostly weekend and evenings so far. With the winter season coming, I can only hope I have enough time left to get things closed in. I will post some pics a little later showing the progression.
Thanks for reading!

prichard · Oct 3, 2016

Looking forward to watching your progress and seeing pics. I hope to break ground in spring. I'm doing a one man build as well but stick built.

docone · Oct 3, 2016

Here's a few pics to start this off right! Enjoy!

Woody65 · Oct 5, 2016

Looks really good. I will be following closely. I too, am doing a one man with a little help from my friends build. I have been looking into the same foundation method and plan on doing it myself as you are. Good luck and keep us updated as you progress...

kevinwak · Oct 5, 2016

I was looking through your pictures and was thinking that it looked very Alberta like. Then looked up your location and understood why!

EddieWalker · Oct 6, 2016

Never done anything like that, and I'm looking forward to following your progress.

Knight9 · Oct 8, 2016

I'm guessing the snow last night may have put a damper on your construction plans for the weekend?

LittleBill21 · Oct 8, 2016

what is the white block?

docone · Nov 18, 2016

Sorry for the delay all, been super busy, but back on the job again. Finally poured the basement walls on Wednesday afternoon, 2 degrees Celsius, 3 plus hours to pour 37.5 yds concrete.
Lessons learned; If you think your braced it enough, brace some more. My vibrator man found the two weak spots around the bucks, and blew out two wall connections. there will be a little fixing to do, but not a deal breaker. Prior to this, I set the beams last week with the help of a telehandler (rented for $800/ day). Took me 4 hours solo on and off the machine to get them set in place and braced up. Lots of running back and forth, but my helper didn't show. this weekend will consist of taking down the wall braces, and cleaning the residue from the pour. If time allows, I may set some floor joists. I got held up for 2 weeks waiting for the joist hangers to show up, but worth the wait, no ledger to install, just insert through the ICF block and pour the concrete. They were a bit pricy though, $1k for enough hangers to do main floor, loft, and wrap around deck on 3 sides. As for pricing, so far I'm in for about 45K including, permits, plans, septic tank, and elec panel, concrete so far is included in that figure. I'm guessing I have saved almost that much in labour cost.

prichard · Nov 18, 2016

Thanks for the update. Looking forward to pics.

I was wondering about the supports since there were none in the pics. Did you make yourself with lumber or rent?

We plan to get foundation done by a contractor and then it's all on me. Hope to start Jan/Feb.

EddieWalker · Nov 19, 2016

Hate to hear about the blowout. I've had that happen on small projects that where easily fixed. I can't imagine what it would be like on something bigger.

docone · Nov 21, 2016

I'll post some pics, but it was caught early and shouldn't be too bad of a fix. My concrete guy says he can cut out the foam block, and the grind out some concrete and replace the foam. I rented the form supports from my bldg. supply, they aren't visible in the pics, cause I hadn't installed them at that point.

1stDeuce · Nov 23, 2016

Nice work!! My Dad built my sisters house using ICF blocks. They had a few blowouts too, but it was amazingly quiet inside when it was done... I think you're right about bracing, bracing, and bracing some more... Concrete is heavy stuff!!

My wife and I will be starting construction on a place in the spring. The house will be engineered log, but I had considered ICF for the walk out basement.

I find myself wondering if it's worth the work, considering pouring footers, then stacking blocks, then bracing, then pour, then treating the ICF so we can backfill, or to protect it from exposure... I'm not sure we'll be much ahead of just contracting out a poured wall basement, and then furring it out and insulating if we decide at some point to finish it... ??

We're still very early in the planning stages, and I prefer to "do it myself" as much as possible, so I'd like to hear your thoughts if you have a bit of time.
Thanks, and keep up the good work!!

1stDeuce · Nov 23, 2016

Ok, I looked at your pictures more, and I have questions...

Why concrete footings on ground level, but then dig out and use ICF well below grade for some of it? I believe I see a stand for a chimney, also ICF... ?? Why not just use footings for that section?
Perhaps I don't get what I'm looking at?? Is the level that's completed in the first pictures the basement, or is the "basement" currently full of sand?

Also, I was under the impression that you were not supposed to fill directly against the ICF blocks, but it appears you have done just that... ??

docone · Nov 30, 2016

1stDeuce, in answer to your questions, what you see is a frost wall that is below grade because the basement has a walkout on two sides. Back fill against the frost wall is below the basement floor, therefore does not require waterproofing. The chimney chase could have been just a footer, but it is on the walkout side so I raised it the same as the frost wall. Hope this clears things up a bit.
Currently I am putting the subfloor down after spending last weekend setting the joists. I will post more pics soon.

docone · Apr 23, 2019

Well folks, I've gone and done it. Back with the house progress after 2 plus years. So sorry for those of you following this, but life goes awry sometimes.
I have been making steady ,albeit slow progress. Currently trying to hang wallboard, get deck pilings, and retaining wall in place during my spring energy burst. Electrical is 90% complete, as well as 50% on the plumbing end. We had a few issues since I last posted here, but all in all, it's coming together.
I decided to hire out the roof, which turned out, was a fiasco. The contractor sent out a guy to frame up the roof, and unbeknownsed to me, he was not even a licenced carpenter. When we got to the steel roofing panels, things were not at all SQUARE. The contractor did however make it right. The entire roof took 15 months to complete. Needless to say I was not a happy camper. It was a good thing we had agreed on a completed price before he took the job on. I made sure he stuck to it.
Any way, I will try to post some progress pics tonite from home.

Thanks for your patience.

Dave