Southern IN All concrete home

[Paddy]

We've started our concrete home. Well, the basement has been dug. It took quite some effort since 5 feet of the 8 feet hole was sand stone. The foot print is 54' x 70' for the main house. The house is two stories on a basement. It will have a flat concrete roof. The walls are 8" concrete core ICFs. The fun has begun.

Patrick T.

 

[flusher]

We've started our concrete home. Well, the basement has been dug. It took quite some effort since 5 feet of the 8 feet hole was sand stone. The foot print is 54' x 70' for the main house. The house is two stories on a basement. It will have a flat concrete roof. The walls are 8" concrete core ICFs. The fun has begun.

Patrick T.

Good luck.

Check out this website for another man's effort to build an ICF house up here in the North Valley

casperwoodworks.com :: welcome

 

[Egon]

Keep us posted and do take lots of pictures.

Thanks.

 

[GaryM]

The foundation on my place is ICFs. Great method to use. The above grade walls are SIPS (Structural Insulated Panels) which are also a great method. ICFs to the roof were an option, but the cost was too high. The owner of the design/material folks had built his with ICFs to the roof and it was fine. But I couldn't swing it.

Good luck with your project and keep us posted.

 

[koop]

I am curious if you compared the price of ICF's to a poured concrete foundation? I am about to start construction on a new home using one of these construction techniques. Would love to gain a little insight from someone who has done it.

 

[Paddy]

If you only conpare cost, a simple poured wall will be a little cheeper. Most will say ICF walls, 8" concrete core, can be had for $10/sq-ft. Pour in place can cost $7.50 and a above per sq-ft. If you take into account the walls are insulated and ready "framed" for drywall and electrical, then I feel the ICF is a lower cost. So it gets down to a utility basement or a finished basement.

Another advantage of ICF is DIY. Unless you rent forms, that's expensive, you are just writing checks. The guys that pour walls have quite an investment in their forms and trucks to move them and you pay for it.

Our floors and roof, will be steel joists with a 4" slab poured on top. The estimated cost for the floor system is $9-$10/sq-ft. Since we will have stained concrete floors, this is nearly the finished price. A standard wood floor system with hardwood floors, good tile or even upper end carpet, can cost you as much or more.

The cost for ICFs/stucco above grade compared to wood frame/vinyl siding is definately higher. But again compare the end product.

 

[koop]

Thanks for the info Paddy. Local contractor I had bid the walls using ICFs came in around $12-$13 per square foot. Price seemed a little high, but I had no comparison.

 

[Paddy]

You can buy 8" core ICF from Fox blocks for $2.87 a sq-ft. At $100 a yard, the concrete will be less than $2.5 a sq-ft. So material not including steel will be less than $5.50. Keep shopping

 

[bucmeister]

ICF ??

Could ya'll please define the abbreviations for those of us that might not be familiar with the terminology you are using?

I know it can likely be found by searching the 'net, but it would greatly simplify following the thread if the info was embedded in the thread.

Thanks

 

[koop]

ICF ??

Could ya'll please define the abbreviations for those of us that might not be familiar with the terminology you are using?

I know it can likely be found by searching the 'net, but it would greatly simplify following the thread if the info was embedded in the thread.

Thanks

ICF stands for Insulated Concrete Form. Basically they are styrofoam blocks, like a cinder block but with 2" foam for walls instead of masonry.

The blocks are stacked, tied together and braced. Steel reinforcement is placed inside and they are poured solid with concrete. The advantage is a poured in place concrete wall that is already insulated inside and out and is ready for sheetrock inside and a finish outside.