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General => Owner-Builder Projects => Topic started by: MushCreek on May 14, 2012, 06:48:16 AM

Title: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on May 14, 2012, 06:48:16 AM
After numerous fits and starts, my build is actually underway. This is to be our only, and hopefully last home, the first house I've ever built from the ground up. We are building on 7 acres of the Blue Ridge foothills of SC. Last fall I built the barn, and that's my base of operations while I build the house. The actual size is 33' 4" X 43' 4", which sounds odd, but plays into the dimensions of the ICF blocks I am using. The ICF blocks are 8" for the basement, and 6" for the main floor. That's the concrete thickness; you add 2-5/8" of foam to each side of that, so the main floor walls will be a foot thick after drywall. I decided on ICF because of it's strength, energy efficiency, and because I reasoned that it's easier for an old man to stack 7# blocks than to try to hump framed walls into place.

The roof will be trusses, 5/12 pitch, with metal roofing. The siding will be fiber cement. I chose Marvin Integrity windows after much research. The exterior will be a Craftsman bungalow, with the classic large front porch with fat, tapered columns. The inside will be generic cottage style, with mostly light or white painted surfaces and simple design. Craftsman interiors are too dark for our liking. Heat and A/C will be mini-splits, plus a woodstove to make use of the endless supply of wood I have.

I'm using an air card, so I have to watch the usage. Here's a few pics of the footing progress. I hope to start stacking block this week if the rain ever lets up. The first pic is the first concrete hitting the ground. There's another shot of the footing, showing the rebar sticking up to key the basement walls. The footer is formed with Form-A-Drain, which has slits cut into it to form a perimeter drain for the basement. It is also used on the inside to provide ventilation under the slab for radon mitigation and promote drying. The last shot is the finished footing with all of the ICF block stacked and waiting. I used a ladder as a ramp to slide the bundles of ICF down into the hole. Now, if only the rain would stop!

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/009-1.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/019-1.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/023.jpg)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Redoverfarm on May 14, 2012, 06:54:03 AM
Jay keep us posted as the progress escalates.  So much for everyone to learn as they see a structure being built from the ground up. [cool]
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Don_P on May 14, 2012, 07:37:55 AM
I do like that part of the world. My parents live down that way and offered the house for our retirement when the time comes. We declined as I feel home here but it was not an easy choice, I sure prefer winter there. Looks like a good start. They used form a drain on a side by side pair of infill houses I did that were 4' below the static water table... shut off the pumps and the basements filled to the 4' level overnight. (definite personal feelings on brain wattage involved in that decision!) They performed well while I was there. Do you remember cost per foot?
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on May 28, 2012, 07:45:32 AM
Here's some more progress pics. We've had record rainfall in the past few weeks, including one storm that dumped 4" in a couple hours. This keeps washing mud into the footing- we've dug it out 3 times since the original excavation. One corner has mud to the top of the footing! We've decided to change up the order of things due to the mud, so I glued down one course of ICF, then we are going to dig the mud from around the footing and get gravel placed. We are also going to pour the slab, since it's getting tiring slogging around in the mud. This will give us a secure surface to work on while stacking the block.

The ICF is glued down to the footer with foam. If you have a lot of foaming to do, a pro gun with replaceable canisters is the way to go. Very easy to control, and the foam is cheaper in the long run than the stuff for homeowners. Next, I started installing peel 'n stick waterproofing from the first layer of ICF down over the edge of the footing. Once the walls are stacked, I'll run more down to overlap the first install. Tip= When it gets over 90 degrees, save the peel 'n stick for another day- it gets ornery when it gets hot (as do I).

The underground plumbing is in, and has been blessed by the inspector. I am measuring and making drawings of all my underground and under-slab plumbing so it can be found should the need ever arise. Most of the stubs sticking up are for a future basement bathroom, plus pipes going up the the main floor plumbing. These are just DWV; water supply will be above the slab. There's also a stack for radon mitigation, a requirement here.

I am going all-out on my basement waterproofing, as if I were building in a swamp. Since I'm at the top of a hill, I think I'll always have a dry basement. Starting from the outside, there will be gutters to divert run water from the roof, gravel backfill to facilitate drainage, dimple board, peel 'n stick membrane, and then the foam and concrete of the ICF. Many basements are damp not due to leakage, but from condensation when the warm moist air hits the cool concrete. Over 5" of foam should eliminate that possibility.

Oh yeah- here's some pics-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/019-2.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/022.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/023-1.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/026.jpg)

Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: tigrr on June 09, 2012, 08:37:50 PM
Looking mighty fine MC!  Enjoying your pictures and commentary.  Keep up the good work.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on June 21, 2012, 07:50:24 AM
Time for another update, especially since I'm in FL right now with unlimited internet! The basement walls are up and poured! The bracing has to stay in place for several days while it cures, so I took a quick trip to FL to haul more stuff to SC.

The first pic is of the gravel bed for the slab, Due to rain, we decided to get the slab poured to better stabilize everything, and have a nice working surface rather than mud.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/102.jpg)

Here is the slab, just poured, waiting to set up to be troweled.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/114.jpg)

Next is 4 courses done, and all of the bracing in place. Remember how I talked about how easy ICF was, what with the blocks only weighing 7#? BWAHAHAHAHA! I estimate that there is about 1 ton of bracing, all of which had to be carried down a slippery, muddy slope and put in place. Oh yeah- there's 2 tons of rebar to be cut, bent, carried, and placed. I worked very hard to get all of this done single-handedly. I helper would have really sped things up. All-in-all, it took me about a week of twelve hour days to get the walls up, braced, and ready- WHEW!

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/124.jpg)

There is re-bar horizontally every course, and vertically every 16". Had to cut, haul and place 106 vertical bars.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/125.jpg)

This is a window buck. The part that stays embedded is PT lumber with galvanized lag bolts sticking out on the concrete side to keep it anchored forever. The bracing keeps the buck in shape under the weight of the concrete being poured.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/133.jpg)

Here is a ledger bolt set-up. There is a 5" hole in the foam, which the plywood patch covers, and it in turn holds the anchor bolt in place during the pour. The plywood is screwed to the embedded plastic nailers in the ICF. After curing, the plywood is removed, and there will be a concrete surface for a PT ledger board to bolt to. I had to place 102 ledger bolts, both inside for the floor framing, and outside for a future deck. Always plan ahead with concrete!

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/134.jpg)

Here is an over-all view showing everything pre-pour. The diagonal braces are simply glued to the slab with foam, and are adjustable to true up the walls before and after the pour.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/136.jpg)

Finally- pouring the walls! The concrete is poured in about 3 lifts, as filling all at once would blow out the walls. The total pour took a couple hours, using 32 yards of concrete. Everything came out very square, plumb, and level. There is masking tape covering the top of the foam to keep it clean for the next floor to be stacked. Re-bar dowels were wet-set to couple the next floor, and the pour is intenionally very uneven to provide a better bite for the next floor.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/146.jpg)

The pumper operator uses a remote joystick to control the boom, while the contractor does the pouring. These guys work together a LOT.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/147.jpg)

Another shot of the nearly filled walls.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/149.jpg)

Should be a couple weeks to get the floor deck built, and the next level stacked.

Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: rdzone on June 21, 2012, 09:06:59 AM
Great pictures and Update!   [cool]  You are making me remember why I chose to have someone else do the concrete work!  I had intially thought about doing ICFs myself and even went to a class to learn how, but chickened out after I figured how much time it would take and how many trips up and down the hill it would take.   d*
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: pmichelsen on June 21, 2012, 11:00:45 AM
Thanks for all of the pictures, I'm still tossing around the idea of doing my foundation with ICF, this helps me visualize it. It's looking really good!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on July 21, 2012, 01:52:46 PM
Time for another installment. I had a lot of weather delays, what with a week of triple digit numbers, followed by a week of solid rain. Even after that, it has rained nearly every afternoon. I'm learning to time the weather and get everything buttoned up before the afternoon thunderstorm.

First pic is the foundation with all of the bracing stripped off.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/060.jpg)

Here's a close-up of the ledger bolt detail. The concrete is 5" in diameter. The L-shaped bolt is 8" long, embedded into the main part of the concrete. The exposed concrete is to give solid surface to bolt the ledger boards to.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/061.jpg)

How hot was it? Officially, 107 degrees, which agrees with my thermometer. It was a new all-time high for upstate SC. Ever.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/065.jpg)

Here's the floor deck, half covered, and half framed. I finished one side first to give me a surface to stand on, and a place to put all of the materials for the second half. Working by yourself, there's no one to hand you a floor joist or sheet of sheathing. Since it's a walk-out basement, the back side of the house is essentially the same as working on a second floor.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/008.jpg)

My stairs came out perfect, calculated for the finish flooring and all. Never built stairs before- drawing them out in the computer was a big help.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/004.jpg)

Inside the basement. Yes, it has rained every day lately, so it's pretty wet down there. At least with a walk-out, it can run out the back door!

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/016-1.jpg)

The finished deck! I'm amazed at how accurate the ICF came out. The last set of sheathing had to be trimmed to 46", and the size was exactly the same all the way across. Everything is within 1/8" or so of square, parallel, level, and of the nominal size it should be. Sure makes the decking go easier!

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/015-1.jpg)

The 'best' for last- after 5 years of planning, and a couple of months of very hard work, I get to do the Deck Dance! Next, I need to finish the water proofing so the contractor can back-fill. Then, I start stacking the main floor walls!

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/014-1.jpg)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Steve_B on July 21, 2012, 02:12:01 PM

Looking very nice sir...

That will be one solid house when she is done!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: ColchesterCabin on July 21, 2012, 04:28:18 PM
great looking build so far, can't wait for the rest
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: rick91351 on July 21, 2012, 07:56:46 PM
Yahhh! Yes the deck dance........  WAY TO GO!!   [cool] [cool]
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on October 14, 2012, 07:24:44 AM
Time for another update. Building a house single-handed sure is a slow process! d*

The good news is that I am finally done with my contractor! Although he has been great, my job is very small, so I wind up doing a lot of waiting for him to squeeze me in. I'll bring him back for final grading, but that's a long ways off.

The pictures are pretty self-explanatory. The main floor walls are up and poured. The garage and porch slabs are poured. I stick-built the small garage. Sure looks flimsy next to the ICF! I put the garage trusses up single-handed, but the main trusses were too big and flimsy to put up by hand. I had two friends from church help, plus a crane and operator. In 6 hours, the trusses were up and braced. The porch roof will be a shed roof from about the middle of the main roof out. You can see the large overhangs on the garage roof, which will be the same on the main house.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/057-1.jpg)


(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/076.jpg)


(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/042.jpg)


(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/043.jpg)


(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/002.jpg)


(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/011-1.jpg)


(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/043-1.jpg)


(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/046.jpg)


(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/004-2.jpg)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Steve_B on October 14, 2012, 07:30:49 AM

Very nice progress Jay...

That will be some feeling when you finish and walk through that front door of the house you built with your wife next to you

Keep going, finish her up!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Sassy on October 16, 2012, 01:10:19 PM
That should be a really cozy home - can't wait to see updates on the build!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on March 10, 2013, 07:50:34 AM
I'm still crawling along. This winter was very wet, so getting a roof was a slow process. I just now finally got the tin on most of the roof. The garage is just tar papered so I can safely finish the gable above the garage roof. I decided to completely finish the gable end before putting the slippery tin in place.

While waiting for the rain to stop, I temporarily installed one of my windows to make sure all of my math was right, and to see how it all looks. I designed a rather elaborate sub-frame so the reveal on the inside will be a 45 degree flare on the sides to reduce the tunnel effect of the thick walls. All that stuff will be covered with drywall when finished.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/012-1.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/015-2.jpg)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/016-2.jpg)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on April 17, 2013, 04:40:42 PM
Well, I finished Phase One- the barn. I passed my final inspection today! The main hold-up was trying to paint it; we've had a cold, wet winter here in SC. Now- back to that house......

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/014-2.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/014-2.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MountainDon on April 17, 2013, 04:49:35 PM
Nice red barn   :)    [cool]
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: yankeeredneck on April 19, 2013, 01:39:56 PM
Nice barn Jay!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on July 11, 2013, 07:09:39 AM
Time for another update. The rains continue in SC, but I managed to get the house wrapped, and the doors and windows in. ICF isn't usually wrapped, but I want to protect the foam from the sun, and it makes it easier to detail the window weatherproofing. My contractor argues that water won't hurt the ICF if it gets in, but it will hurt the window frame!

With the house fully dried in, I finished up the interior framing and plumbing. Right now, I'm working on electric. I went with steel framing inside. Lumber is so lousy these days, I can't imagine trying to get straight walls. The steel goes in straight and stays straight. It's easy to work with after learning a few tricks. Right now, steel studs are actually cheaper than lumber. I saved about $100 on materials over lumber. It takes longer than wood to cut and assemble, but I should make up the time with wall finishing. I found the little self-drilling screws far too easy to strip, so I drill and use pop rivets. My air-powered rivet gun is the new love of my life!

I had to get creative to install the windows single-handed. The rough openings are big enough for the windows to go from the inside out with the nailing fins folded flat. I attached a bracket outside of the window with spacers, so the window could go out far enough to unfold the fins. I tipped the window up and out, letting it rest on the bracket. I went outside and unfolded the fins, then used a wedge of foam to hold the window up against the opening. I then went inside and shimmed, squared, plumbed, etc. Finally, I shot caulking under the nail fins and nailed them home. The big triple window is some 15' off the ground, and rather expensive. It was with great relief that I nailed that one in place!

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/014-3.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/014-3.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/018-3.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/018-3.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/010-3.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/010-3.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/016-4.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/016-4.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: SparkleCityHop on August 08, 2013, 02:56:27 PM
I'm about to build in the Campobello/Landrum area of South Carolina and stumbled across your thread by chance searching Google. Great job so far, very impressive!

I'd love to pick your brain sometime. I have a builder that is working with me, but he will let me tackle as much sweat equity as I want to. I'm really interested in ICF, but wanted to get some real word feedback on the amount of labor, etc. before I make my final decisions.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on August 09, 2013, 06:01:13 AM
I used an ICF contractor to actually pour the walls, and other concrete work. He was great source of info working with ICF. The actual stacking is very easy- they're like giant light-weight Lego's. I'll be happy to share what I learned.

The floor and roof structures were slow and hard working alone. Sheets of Advantech are 78 lbs. each, and the roof sheathing is about 66 lbs. A strong helper would have speeded these operations considerably. I had two helpers and a crane to hang the trusses- took about 6 hours working slowly and carefully.

I love to talk about this stuff- ask away!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: germangirl on August 10, 2013, 08:48:04 PM
Wow! It looks fantastic! I can't wait to see more.  :)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on October 30, 2013, 03:55:46 PM
Well, I had the Mother Of All Inspections, and passed! They've combined inspections to cut down on man-hours in the Building Dept. My last inspection was the basement slab, and the next one (the MOAI) was framing, rough electric, and rough plumbing. Essentially, you have to build an entire house and plumb it and wire it. I would have passed everything on the first go-round, but they changed the rules on me. I've had 3 different drain system inspections where I used air pressure to test it, and Code approves this. This inspector decided that it had to be tested with water standing in it instead. I've learned not to argue at ALL with inspectors, so they had to make another trip out.

How thorough was the inspection? They didn't even turn the truck off! One year of hard work for me; 3 minutes of their time to 'inspect' it. I'm sure glad I'm doing my own work so I know its right. Up next is drywall!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: mwhutch on October 30, 2013, 07:49:27 PM
Glad to hear the inspection went well! We are looking forward to some pictures soon, hope everything else is going well! I'm just curious because we are almost to the point of "rough in inspection", how did you do the water test?
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on October 31, 2013, 05:38:42 AM
I had already had an inspection on the under-slab portion of the house (using air pressure, BTW). There was an access just outside the house, so I put an inflatable plug into the main drain, and pumped it up. They wanted me to fill the bath tub, but we don't have one, so I filled the drain system at the standpipe for the washing machine. If you do this, note that there is a surprising amount of water in a whole-house DWV system, and when you deflate the plug, that water comes out FAST. They recommend an extension hose to inflate the plug; now I know why. PM me if you have use for a 3" inflatable plug now that I'm done with it.

The lesson I learned is that you need to ask specifically what they want to see so far as tests are concerned. I wish I had known that they wanted it tested with water. I had to buy a special pressure gauge for the air test- money wasted. The water test is better, if not messier, because it's easy to spot a leak.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on February 22, 2014, 07:30:56 PM
The slow 'n steady build continues..... This winter has been a bear for weather. The whole project got sidelined a bit, as my wife landed a job in SC, so I had to make living quarters suitable for a female. To top it off, we hosted both Thanksgiving and Christmas, decorating the basement to receive guests.

I strapped the ceiling with 1X4's, and then leveled them, which proved to be a slow and tedious process. There are over 500 intersections between the strapping and the trusses, and nearly every one needed some shimming. In the long run, it was well worth it, as I shimmed as much as 5/8" in places! The ceilings are going to be smooth and painted, so the ceilings need to be good.

It took me a while to get a drywall crew in. We decided that drywall was worth hiring out- I'm too old for that stuff. As I prepped for drywall, I kept finding things that needed to be added or finished. Every time I checked something off the list, two more things cropped up. With a pro drywall crew, once they start, there's no turning back. They hung all of the drywall in one day, and we have round one of taping and mudding done. They'll be back Monday for round two.

Here's a few pictures of the strapping. In the second one, the pink foam at the top is insulation for the top plate. It is also insulated outside, so there is no thermal transfer from outside. In the third picture, I'm installing a plywood ceiling in the kitchen so there is a surface to nail the embossed tin to.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/005-7.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/005-7.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/006-4.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/006-4.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/006-3.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/006-3.jpg.html)

And some pictures with drywall:

Looking in the front door:

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/104.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/104.jpg.html)

The back of the house, looking through from the living room, through the dining room to the kitchen:

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/106.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/106.jpg.html)

The kitchen. The main sink goes on the left under the big window. The range goes in between the two smaller windows. The fridge and a prep sink will be on the right:

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/107.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/107.jpg.html)

The basement stair well:

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/103.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/103.jpg.html)

In some of the pictures, you can see the angled window returns I designed to lessen the tunnel effect of the thick ICF walls. We've decided we really like the effect. Due to space limitations, I wasn't able to do all of them.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Don_P on February 22, 2014, 08:29:39 PM
Looking good, better get some heat and air moving, they'll be back before those beautiful window flares dry in these conditions. And they do look sharp  [cool]
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MountainDon on February 22, 2014, 11:29:43 PM
Yes!! Those windows are fabulous!  Well done!

Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on February 23, 2014, 07:13:12 AM
Luckily, we're having a spell of warm and very dry weather (for the first time all winter!), so things are drying well. I open all of the windows during the day to help drying.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on July 10, 2014, 01:33:13 PM
Wow- Time flies! I'm bumping this up as there is another potential ICF builder. Progress has been steady (OK, slow) but there are a lot of things that aren't much to look at. I completed all of my electrical work, other than hanging a few ceiling fans. Same for the plumbing. I had a major inspection, and got my permanent power turned on. Yay- no more living on a single 20A extension cord! Detailing the attic prior to insulation took quite a while. I sealed everything, and built foam boxes to enclose the ceiling cans. I had R-50 cellulose blown in, so now we are fully sealed and insulated. I put in two mini-split HVAC units, which are up and running, so we now have A/C. They are remarkably quiet and efficient. A single 12K BTU unit keeps the whole house within 1/2 degree F. as long as the internal doors are open. Last month's electric bill was $66 for an all-electric home. Here's some pics-

A careful old man up on the scaffolding-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/019-4.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/019-4.jpg.html)

HVAC unit, outside and in-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/002-6.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/002-6.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/001-6.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/001-6.jpg.html)

Attic details-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/006-5.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/006-5.jpg.html)

A rewired fixture from 1929. LED bulbs-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/002-9.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/002-9.jpg.html)

The deck; 8 X 28. I decided to build it now to facilitate siding the back of the house-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/027.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/027.jpg.html)

One of my columns out front. The upper part is a foamboard mock-up to determine proportions-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/002-7.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/002-7.jpg.html)

Another antique light fixture; same era-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/016-5.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/016-5.jpg.html)

The house as it is today. I'm painting the siding as I go.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/029.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/029.jpg.html)

Still got a long way to go. I'm trying to get the outside sided and finished so I can work inside!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Bevis on July 16, 2014, 10:24:21 PM
Build looks good.  Q: What are the boxes that cover the can lights in the attic made out of??
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on July 17, 2014, 05:11:32 AM
They're made of 1/2" foil covered foamboard. They are mostly to make a final seal on the cans, and also to prevent heat chimneys from hot cans. I'm using LED's, which barely get warm. I used ICAT's, Insulation Contact Air Tight cans, but they aren't very air tight. Once installed, I could see light shining through them up in the attic. I think they depend upon the ceiling bezel to help seal them. The LED inserts are air tight, and I am going to caulk them to the ceiling to make sure. They last a long time, so I shouldn't have to deal with them once installed.

Recessed lights are a controversial topic among green builders, with some feeling they have no place in a home. I feel mine are well enough detailed to maintain the energy efficiency of our house.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Bevis on July 18, 2014, 05:18:05 PM
Thanks...I used some of those ICATS when I enclosed my garage, and made it into a new entertainment room.  I noticed that while up in the attic I could see light.  Just switched to LEDs.  I'll be cutting my foam board to make some boxes tomorrow.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Osprey on July 19, 2014, 12:58:54 PM
I put the same mini split in my cabin and have been very happy with it. Going on 4 years now and hasn't missed a beat. My electric bill even in the middle of summer rarely exceeds $50 and is usually in $35 range. The only "high", $80 electric bill, I had was when we had very cold, for NC, multiple evenings of below zero weather. I knew the efficiency was compromised when the temp gets down around 15 degrees but did not realize the loss of efficiency was almost 80% in the -7 temps I was seeing. I have a gas "wood" stove so I should have just left the fan running on the mini split and relied more on the stove. I decided on a mini split mainly because during my travels overseas especially in hot weather spots like the Caribbean that is what everyone uses. I have the 14K btu unit with 2 room units. I like that I can close off my bedroom at night while turning the other unit off or have different temps in each room. 
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Redoverfarm on July 19, 2014, 01:25:49 PM
Good to hear of the efficiency of the Mitsubishi system.  I too installed one of those systems in my garage apartment.  Sort of went overboard though installing two 9,000BTU in the apartment and another 2-12,000 in my workshop and garage.  The outside unit is a 42BTU (3.5 ton).  I installed it basicly myself with the exception of vaccuming the refrig lines and had a HVAC professional do that.  I doubt that mine will be as efficient here in the mountains but hopefully the temperature will not drop that far for too often.  I couldn't believe the markup of dealers.  I put double the system in for the same money that they wanted for just 2-9,000 air handlers.  Be interested to hear how they preform later and any problems you might experience with them.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on July 19, 2014, 03:36:21 PM
I used a computer program to calculate my HVAC requirements. At our local design temperatures, it came out 12K for heat, and 9K for A/C. That's for the whole house! I wanted to go with a multi-head system, with cassettes mounted inside of a drop ceiling, but the efficiency and low temperature performance was really degraded. My units are rated at 23 SEER for the 12K, and 26 SEER for the 9K. Low temperature heating is possible down to -13 F., which is well below the local records. Single digits are rare, although it happened 3 times this past winter. I'll be curious to see how the heating performance is.

One of the reasons we went with mini-splits is that they don't make central systems SMALL enough! Installation was easy; no ductwork at all.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on November 27, 2014, 10:46:45 AM
Still eating the elephant, one bite at a time! I finally got the outside done, except for some decorative work. Winter came in hard and fast here, so the few details left outside can wait until spring. I've had a few other things going on taking my time (nothing serious) so work has slowed some. I put a tin ceiling up in the kitchen, something we've always wanted. I wanted to get it up before all of the cabinets and appliances were in the way. The ceiling fan is new, but has a vintage look, and goes well with the tin.

I'm working right now on the master shower. I got the mud base done, and put down pebble tile for the floor. It is actually slices of pebble, polished and glued to a mosaic scrim. Walls will be white subway tile, with an accent stripe partway up. I put in a niche, too. All of the extra little niceties do take time, though.

The mini-split heat pumps worked well this summer. The difference in power bill from A/C versus non-A/C months was only about $20. Now the heat is running, and doing a great job. We've been down to 17 F. already, but the inside is comfy cozy all of the time.

Here's a few pics-

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/057-2.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/057-2.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/516.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/516.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/110-1.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/110-1.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/104-1.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/104-1.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/002-11.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/002-11.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/006-6.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/006-6.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Redoverfarm on November 27, 2014, 11:17:39 AM
 [cool]
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MountainDon on November 27, 2014, 12:17:42 PM
That's looking very nice Jay

Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: GSPDOG on November 28, 2014, 01:20:10 AM
Jay what did you use on the porch ceiling?  Looks really nice.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on November 28, 2014, 06:59:58 AM
The ceiling is 1X6 white pine beadboard. I put a very light stain (Golden Pecan) on the pieces before putting them up. I didn't want to darken it, but just bring out the grain and knots. The two little black things are brackets for the future porch swing, bolted to the framing, as I don't trust lag bolts just screwed in.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: dablack on December 01, 2014, 02:57:11 PM
Beautiful work.  I'm very impressed.  Love the corbels and other craftsman touches. 

Austin
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: rick91351 on December 01, 2014, 05:25:43 PM
WOW Love it.   [cool]
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on March 07, 2015, 07:43:02 AM
Another installation- Between holidays, work, and travel, it doesn't seem like I've been getting much done lately. OTOH, I realized that it's down to paint, trim, and flooring, so the end is in sight!

I got the drywall hung in the garage, but it's been too cold to tape and mud. I insulated the garage, so it stays warmer in there for the wife's car. I made a homemade drywall lift out of my engine hoist. It works great for one old guy humping 5/8th's Fire-X around. I'll post more details on it if anyone's interested. The shower is done, as is the master bath except flooring. I got a little carried away on tile work, but the results are nice. I poured two concrete slabs just before the weather got too cold; one in front of the garage, and one in front of the barn. Nice to have a solid surface to work/park on! I finally finished the deck, too. I used hog panels for balusters. Kind of a rustic look, and minimal blocking of the view. Lately, I've been working on the kitchen cabinets. 33 drawers! Whose bright idea was that?!? We won't have upper cabinets, so I needed as much storage as possible. The bottom drawers incorporate the toe kick, so you gain another 3-1/2" of depth. I also made some compound drawers with an inner drawer to double storage of smaller stuff.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/008_1.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/008_1.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/007-5.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/007-5.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/003_1.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/003_1.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/011-5.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/011-5.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/015-4.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/015-4.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/031.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/031.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/011_1.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/011_1.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/009_1.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/009_1.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/008_2.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/008_2.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/010_1.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/010_1.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/001_1.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/001_1.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MountainDon on March 07, 2015, 09:32:17 AM
Clever use of the engine hoist   :)  Nice work too.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: rick91351 on March 07, 2015, 10:08:26 AM
 [cool]  It all starts coming together, at the end...   ;)

The whole house looks nice, and well thought out.

BTW I like your tile work in the shower.   

Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: JohnC on March 07, 2015, 11:02:44 AM
Hi Jay,
The house looks wonderful! You are in a very pretty part of the country too. I have been looking at the Mitsubishi split system as a retrofit, so I will probably have a lot of questions later. Again, great job on the house! :)
John
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: new land owner on March 07, 2015, 03:02:58 PM
Very nice job!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Redoverfarm on March 07, 2015, 03:30:34 PM
Nice work Jay.  Bet you can't wait for the weather to break so that you can do some landscaping.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on March 07, 2015, 06:30:17 PM
I suppose. I'm not real big on landscaping that takes maintenance- that was part of the reason for moving out to the boonies. As long as I can control mud and erosion, I'm happy.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Redoverfarm on March 08, 2015, 07:32:20 AM
Quote from: MushCreek on March 07, 2015, 06:30:17 PM
I suppose. I'm not real big on landscaping that takes maintenance- that was part of the reason for moving out to the boonies. As long as I can control mud and erosion, I'm happy.

Maybe landscape was a little harsh.   ;).   I meant basicly to get some grass to control the mud.  I had to deal with this on both my house and cabin.  Seems it never gets done before fall and the end result is tracking it into the newly constructed dwelling in the spring.  Planks, pallets & straw is your only defense until some turf is laid.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on March 08, 2015, 11:26:38 AM
I still need some fill to do my final grading, but I'm gonna throw some grass seed down this spring just to tighten things up a bit. We have a really solid gravel drive and walk, and I poured concrete parking areas, so we can get from the cars to the house without getting muddy. Getting the gutters up helped a lot, too, as we don't have all of that water dumping off of the tin roof now. Most of the 'yard' is pretty firm unless we get a lot of rain.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: JohnC on March 09, 2015, 09:49:08 AM
Hi Jay,
We live in a garden home on a 50' wide lot. Our front "yard" is about 50'x50' (concrete driveway and sidewalk), all 3/4 rock, easy to maintain, no erosion, no mowing [cool]. Just a thought if you don't want grass.
John
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on October 07, 2015, 07:36:38 AM
Time for another update. The big news is that I passed my final inspections, and should get my Certificate of Occupancy in a couple days! 3-1/2 years in- a big job for an old man. There's still a lot to do, but the house is livable. For now, I want to get the baseboards done, the interior doors, and finish painting the trim.

I just finished up the wood floors. They are reclaimed pine, milled from beams from a textile mill built in 1896. I used Waterlox finish- 4 coats of Original, and a final coat of satin to cut down the gloss. The kitchen is just about done. I'm putting the finish on two sections of maple counter top. The rest are Formica. I bought rough-cut maple (cheap) and planed it, jointed it, and glued it up. The guy I bought the flooring from just happens to have a huge 51" sander, and sanded them smooth for me. The pictures here feature lovely particle board temporary counters. The drawer pulls are from old type trays. It took me 4 months to collect the 37 handles I needed from ebay.

There are a couple pics of the powder room, partially finished. I used mosaic tiles on the floor, and there is a detail shot of the wainscoting. I might use the same pattern in the living room. I see that there are a lot of things I don't have finished pics of, so there will be at least one more update. I know this house is different than what most of you are building, but the same principles apply. Any questions, just fire away!

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/IMGP4165.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/IMGP4165.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/011_2.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/011_2.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/IMGP4264.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/IMGP4264.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/IMGP4186.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/IMGP4186.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/IMGP4263.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/IMGP4263.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/IMGP4260.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/IMGP4260.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/IMGP4354.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/IMGP4354.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/IMGP4343.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/IMGP4343.jpg.html)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: pmichelsen on October 07, 2015, 09:33:05 AM
Love all of the little details, the place looks great.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Danfish on October 07, 2015, 10:17:36 AM
Congratulations!!!

A fine job from a real craftsman.
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: misspriss on October 09, 2015, 08:11:22 PM
Looks amazing! I am researching ICF for our new home we will be building next year, or the next maybe  ;) Great to read your story!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: speedfunk on October 13, 2015, 01:50:01 PM
really coming together...paitence it takes lol.   [cool]
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MushCreek on March 09, 2016, 01:08:44 PM
I see I'm long overdue for another update! At this point, we're calling it 'done'! Just about everything is finished; I'm just touching up the baseboards now.

Here's the exterior as of a few days ago. I finally got around to painting the front door and garage door.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4748.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4748.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4419.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4419.jpg.html)

Looking in the front door. A friend who is a stained glass artist is goin to make a piece for the transom over the opening.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4750.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4750.jpg.html)

I put a lot of work into our little powder room. The sink and wall sconces are antique; the two small cabinets I made to match the room. There is a picture rail molding at 8' high that the little novelty plates are hanging from.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4706.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4706.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4710.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4710.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4732.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4732.jpg.html)

The kitchen came out nice. There are 32 drawers! The counters are maple that I bought rough cut and planed, jointed, sanded, and finished.; others are Formica.

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4432.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4432.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4428.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4428.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4377.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4377.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4367.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4367.jpg.html)

(https://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k18/flgargoyle/House%20build/IMGP4365.jpg) (https://s84.photobucket.com/user/flgargoyle/media/House%20build/IMGP4365.jpg.html)

We're beyond thrilled with the way the house came out, and how well it suits our needs. It is incredibly energy efficient with the two mini-splits (we only run one at a time) and all LED lighting. I plan to eventually finish a room in the basement, as we only have one bedroom, and finish the bathroom down there. It's already roughed in. I have lots of other projects planned as well, such as building a great room in the barn, and setting up me shop out there. I'll probably never lay my tools down for good until they carry me out toes-first!
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: azgreg on March 09, 2016, 01:40:28 PM
Looks fantastic, Well done. (http://www.pic4ever.com/images/worship.gif)
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: MountainDon on March 09, 2016, 02:30:52 PM
Real nice!

[cool]
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: Redoverfarm on March 09, 2016, 02:33:56 PM
Looks really nice. Good craftsmanship.  Never stop or a least I haven't.  Just move to another project.  Keeps you young and on the right side of the grass. ;D
Title: Re: 33 X 43 ICF home in South Carolina
Post by: NathanS on March 10, 2016, 11:07:20 AM
Incredible job. What a great looking house. And those ICF walls will be there for hundreds of years.