Icf

[Christofori]

Does anyone know of a site I can use to estimate the cost of a rectangular 30' x 40' x 9.25' ICF basement, (including slab & roof/floor slab), I'm looking to bury the basement 5.5' - 6' in the ground and have windows above grade, I'm interested in the vertical ICF system, with a slab underneath, and a slab over the top as well, it is then going to be a butt and pass log cabin on top of the basement.

The ICF basement will be split into a 20' x 30' main room, central stairs, two guest bedrooms, a bathroom and a laundry room occupying the other 20' x 30'!

Probably planning on building in Southern Idaho or Northern Utah.

[panderson03]

Hi there. welcome!
we used ICF and found that most vendors had calculators on their sites :)

[Timberwolf]

Same here, and if not, the local supplier did and was more than willing to provide a free quote.

[Christofori]

Thanks guys!

[LogHomeFeverDan]

For those who've used ICFs, did you find it was more expensive than say concrete only or traditional concrete block? Anyone used "dry stack" method? I too would like to use ICF for a completely below grade basement. I am a novice but I like the idea of the "floor" of the basement to free float so to speak on footers. The "roof" of the basement to poured using ICF's. I'm new so I don't know if I can link the url. However, once the basement "ceiling"/slab is completed, build our log home above grade. After reading here on the forum I'm thinking we'd spend **way** more dollars on the basement than the above grade log home.

Comments???

[Mosseyme]

We are currently building our basement. We have been excuvating forever it seems We hope to pour our footers this week but it is slow going and I need to find help for the day of the pour. Hope to get a hold of the concrete people tomorrow to get someone out here to see if they can even get down here. If they can't we are in trouble. If that works out we will probably be doing ICF walls in the next few weeks. I have had a hard time getting someone out here to give me an estimate on doing the pour conventional so if we get it figured out we will just go ICF. Others have said cost wise it is just about a wash.

[dvb]

When we were trying to get bids on our foundation walls, they were coming in way high. ($12,000 I think) We decided to use ICFs and do it ourselves and it cost us about $5,000 for everything. I don't have my figures with me so don't quote me. I do know it was less than half of what a traditional pour would have cost me to get done.

[loghousenut]

When we were trying to get bids on our foundation walls, they were coming in way high. ($12,000 I think) We decided to use ICFs and do it ourselves and it cost us about $5,000 for everything. I don't have my figures with me so don't quote me. I do know it was less than half of what a traditional pour would have cost me to get done.

And the insulation was free!

[FishingAddict]

Don't mean to hijack thread but need fast question answered ----- I have access cheap to ICFs that are a 6" core. 16" x 11 1/4" x 48L. $12 a piece and they came from Menards (Fox Blocks) where normal price is $19.98. Someone gave up on the building they planned on doing.

There are enough to do basement walls on a 30x34 building 96" in height.
My question or concern is this - will a 6" core support a 30x34 1 story and loft or will I need a larger core like an 8" or 10" ???
I know logs are mighty heavy so not sure if I should grab these or not.
Aprreciate any and all opinions:)

[Tom Featherstone]

Don't mean to hijack thread but need fast question answered ----- I have access cheap to ICFs that are a 6" core. 16" x 11 1/4" x 48L. $12 a piece and they came from Menards (Fox Blocks) where normal price is $19.98. Someone gave up on the building they planned on doing.

There are enough to do basement walls on a 30x34 building 96" in height.
My question or concern is this - will a 6" core support a 30x34 1 story and loft or will I need a larger core like an 8" or 10" ???
I know logs are mighty heavy so not sure if I should grab these or not.
Aprreciate any and all opinions:)

FA, 8" core is usually required for the load and it is suggested to use 10" if using larger logs for if anything else esthetic purposes. I'm not an engineer, but I think others here would agree and I'm not giving out any LHBA secrets.

Log Home Dan, Block is not strong enough to support these structures, especially those larger logs we'd like to build with. I've seen many "kit" homes on blocks and other "large log" structures on block and to be honest most of them had foundation problems.

[FishingAddict]

FA, 8" core is usually required for the load and it is suggested to use 10" if using larger logs for if anything else esthetic purposes. I'm not an engineer, but I think others here would agree and I'm not giving out any LHBA secrets.

Log Home Dan, Block is not strong enough to support these structures, especially those larger logs we'd like to build with. I've seen many "kit" homes on blocks and other "large log" structures on block and to be honest most of them had foundation problems.

Thank you Tom - I almost bit as price was good. He was doing a stick frame build but I suspected the weight of these buggers would mean serious concrete below.
Oh well ......

[LogHomeFeverDan]

Thanks Tom. I believe after I attend the class many of these questions will not be so, pardon the pun, questionable! I was wondering too about basement wall width. Not firm presently on the plans but we would like to have basement completely below grade. I've spent hours searching icf's. Some very impressive designs.

Is it even possible to DIY the concrete if you are using ICF's?? I mean of course without having half the population of a small city and a mixer large enough to sleep in?

[StressMan79]

I'd shy away from mixing crete. I've done 5 YDS. Never again.

[Timberwolf]

Oh hell no. I think i calculated a (relatively) small pour for someone's footing and it came out to something like 1000 80# bags of conrete. You'd be mixing forever and it probably wouldn't be cost or time effective. We poured my basement in 4 hours. It took 4 1/2 trucks, which is around 32 yards.

[WNYcabinplannin]

Same 32 yards, with a pumper truck
987


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[LogHomeFeverDan]

Is there a limit on how far they can pump crete??? I mean as for distance. I'm not sure how close we could get a truck to our potential building site.

[WNYcabinplannin]

Some companies have bigger trucks than others. Call and ask. My guy could go about 45' laterally. He actually had a telescoping concrete 'conveyor belt' that fed a hooper with a big sausage tube on it. Crete guy stood on the hill with a remote control unit moving the arm and the concrete flow. We just gave him hand signals. It was beautiful.

[sdart]

There was 280 feet of hose including at least 70' in height when they pumped ours up to the ridge from the clearing below. Beautiful, as you say. Get someone who knows what they're doing though. If the hose blows it can be quite a mess!

[LogHomeFeverDan]

Thanks for the input. I think I should be able to build a road close enough to get a truck in there.

[spin05]

lots of info on the www.arxx.com site......

[Log Al]

Eco Block is what I used on my House. They have been some of the first to ICF construction, worked well for me . Make sure and talk to pump truck operator, an experienced one has a wealth of knowledge to help you with your pour. He will know the correct concrete slump to use to make a successful pour. Do your pour in 3 layers to allow cement time to harden as you make next pour levels 20 to 30 minutes later will keep a lot of pressure off of icf forms. Use vibrator on every course and your good to go. couple people on the ground to watch for leaks or , God forbid blowouts and one to hold hose in forms and one behind him to run vibrator and wala your stiffed .

[LogHomeFeverDan]

Next questions. Did those of you who used icf's. 1.) Build entire basement below grade. 2.) If yes did you use footers then float the floor? 3.) Has anyone used icf's for the basement ceiling/home floor? Quad lock has a flooring/roof system of icf's. Looks quite interesting. We'd like to build a completely below grade basement with a concrete ceiling. We'd have a tie in (stairs) to our log home above but want to have a potential storm (or other disaster) shelter below the house that we can potentially close off. Yes we would have a secondary exit. That's another topic. <g> Just trying to brain storm whether to pour a slab and then go icf walls or pour footings, float the floor on the footings with walls. Don't know if I'm using the correct terminology. Don't know if there are benefits of one way or the other. Just asking for feedback. We really like the icf floor/roof. Quad lock is the only icf supplier I've been able to find who are doing the floor/ceiling tie in.

[project]

I just got a quote of $20k for basement walls and floor so it looks like its icf for me.